Reviews tagging 'War'

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

153 reviews

steppecreature's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Toxic relationship, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: War and Violence

minamouse's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, and Death

Minor: War

tori_borialis's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: War

jassieex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Violence

Minor: War

jaylene's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I am floored. A Dowry of Blood contains the most beautiful writing I have ever come across, it is almost lyrical with its vivid imagery and atmospheric storytelling.

Best read of the year!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Murder, Self harm, Gaslighting, Body horror, Death, and Blood

Minor: Sexual assault and Drug use

A dark retelling of Dracula from his bride's perspective.

peregrinwho's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was so beautiful. A haunting, sublime sort that evoked velvet imagery on every page. It's so easy to get swept up in that kind of beauty, and once they were able to step out of that church, away from worship, the night began to feel like endless warm days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Confinement and Sexual content

Minor: Murder and War

elskede's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gaslighting, Grief, War, Terminal illness, Murder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Blood, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Death

lailybibliography's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I made you into my private Christ, duplicated with my own dark devotions. Nothing existed beyond the range of your exacting gaze, not even me. I was simply a nonentity when you weren’t looking at me, an empty vessel waiting to be filled by the sweet water of your attention.

A woman can’t live like that, my lord. No one can. Don’t ask me why I did it.

I think this might just be my favourite retelling. The dynamic between Constanta, Magdalena and Alexi is so touching and tragic, soaked in blood yet so enticingly erotic and horrific. I’m left in awe of how S. T. Gibson weaved this masterclass in depicting the centuries-long abuse of these three lost souls by an intricate web of gaslighting, isolation, love-bombing and manipulation. Equal parts a love story and escaping a monster, I am so in love with this novel. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Blood, Grief, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, Emotional abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Infidelity, Body horror, and War

Minor: Sexual content

shaylatrumpower's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is an interesting read. I found the narrative voice to be unique and engaging. However, I would have like more depth and detail. There was a lot of telling rather than showing which usually doesn't work but for the most part suited this particular style. 

Constanta was the most well rounded character and we do see her growth through the story. However, Magdalena and Alexi felt less so. I found this to be partially a construct of the narrative. They are vastly younger than Constanta, especially Alexi, and have less time to "grow up" to the extent she does. But it does feel lacking at times. 
"You" (Dracula, who is never actually named) is stagnant but purposely so and that carries through the narrative well. 
This is in no way a faithful retelling to Stoker's Dracula and in fact there was only one mention of the events of the novel in passing. 

One "ick" I had was Constanta's relationship with Alexi. She outrightly states she feels motherly towards him. She spends quite a bit of time explaining how their relationship is not sexual until suddenly it is. It felt clumsily handled and took me out of the story for awhile.

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Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It moved at a steady pace and I finished it rather quickly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Mental illness, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: War

thebookishwizard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, War, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Death

Minor: Sexism