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salsadelibros's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence
amandadelbrocco's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was just a fun story that intertwined the stories of Dracula and Jane Eyre. I really liked the 60s setting and all the nods to the original books
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Blood and Confinement
thegayestghost's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Abandonment, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ferociously feminist and utterly unputdownable — I literally ATE THIS UP!
Exploring the brutal (and emotionally manipulative) nature of toxic relationships, Kiste’s beautifully complex reimagining of the lives of two misunderstood (and often overlooked) characters from Jane Eyre and Dracula was phenomenal —and really had me looking at Rochester and Dracula in a newer (harsher and far more judgemental) light.
Bertha “Bee” Mason (Rochester’s attic bound first wife often dubbed “the madwoman in the attic”) and Lucy Westenra (the first of Dracula’s English victims and best friend to the much more well known Mina Harker) are always a bit of an afterthought when it comes to retellings and adaptations. So I was really intrigued to see a book told from their perspectives, and I can tell you now it definitely didn’t disappoint!
Set in 1960 California, we delve into the friendship of two morally grey (and emotionally complex) women and the lives they have ultimately made for themselves—after escaping the abusive men made famous by Bram Stoker and Charlotte Brontë.
I loved the descriptive setting and modern gothic tone with its sunny, California backdrop and Hippie aesthetics, along with the cloying and pervading spread of decay that perfectly capture an unsettling feeling of dread that doesn’t really let up until that phenomenally explosive ending.
It did give off American Horror Story vibes, especially in the Manson-esque, cult-like adoration we see for Rochester and Dracula. But it was Lucy and Bee’s reaction to their abuser’s newest victims that I enjoyed the most. Seeing them spurred into action, regaining their own agency and taking back power from the men ruined their lives was soo satisfying.
If you love feminist stories of revenge and overcoming adversity, misogyny or oppression then I highly recommend checking out this fast paced, thoroughly addictive horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, and Racism
mortiffa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The premise of a 70s gothic horror is very appealing, and the concept of reading about two of some of the most iconic horror literature's case aside characters as protagonists is promising.
Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this ends there. I came so close to just deciding not to finish this book, but pushed through in the hopes that the ending made the journey worthwhile.
The more enjoyable parts of this novel was reading about the 1970s through the eyes of a character who has been around for so long, and I wish we got a little more of that. The characters didn't feel as though they could fully stand on their own, independent from their originating texts.
I enjoyed the author's prose. It's easy to read but never plain. I found parts of this book very funny, and I was entertained enough throughout. It is very stylish, and you can tell when reading the author is a fan of the 70s aesthetic. I just wish with everything it did, it would have done it just a little bit more.
I am not sure what I expected going into this, if I expected anything at all, but in the end I am left feeling a little disappointed anyway. If you're looking for a breezy and quick summer read with light goth/mid century vibes, I wouldn't not recommend this, but that's as far as I'll probably go.
Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this ends there. I came so close to just deciding not to finish this book, but pushed through in the hopes that the ending made the journey worthwhile.
The more enjoyable parts of this novel was reading about the 1970s through the eyes of a character who has been around for so long, and I wish we got a little more of that. The characters didn't feel as though they could fully stand on their own, independent from their originating texts.
I enjoyed the author's prose. It's easy to read but never plain. I found parts of this book very funny, and I was entertained enough throughout. It is very stylish, and you can tell when reading the author is a fan of the 70s aesthetic. I just wish with everything it did, it would have done it just a little bit more.
I am not sure what I expected going into this, if I expected anything at all, but in the end I am left feeling a little disappointed anyway. If you're looking for a breezy and quick summer read with light goth/mid century vibes, I wouldn't not recommend this, but that's as far as I'll probably go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
podanotherjessi's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I really loved the themes explored in this book, and the updated, fleshed-out personalities of Bertha and Lucy were fantastic. Everything else was just kind of fine for me. There's nothing specific I could point to for why I didn't love this; maybe it was that the literary characters felt underused and that Bertha and Lucy could have been easily replaced by original characters. I would still say it's a good book and broadly recommend it, but more to people interested in a literary fiction about escaping abuse than for fans of gothic novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Emotional abuse
linddykal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
vixenreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A mixed bag of a novel, with great suspense and worth-building while suffering from trying to rely on the original texts in order to fill in characterizations and relationship dynamics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Misogyny, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Stalking, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Sexual content
Beware of violence against women, mentions of mold and decay, vicious wild wolves, and deterioration of property.mfrisk's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely adored this book. I’ll be honest I haven’t read Jane Eyre or Dracula (though I’m aware of the stories enough to get the gist) but despite that I really enjoyed getting to know Jane, Bee, Lucy, Mina, and Daisy through this new lens.
This book highlights what these stories left out through a reimagining of the stories of the women who fight monsters both in life and in death. And I mean monsters in a literal sense but also a figurative sense in terms of entitlement and manipulation by dangerous men which is a line this book leans into well. We see both these monstrous elements fully realized and in constraint we see the power of women able to fight back and reclaim who they are.
The descriptions in this book of characters, settings, and the journey itself I thought were very vivid and if you haven’t been to San Francisco or LA this is a great read to transport you there. I could picture this book easily being made into a tv series or movie and am excited to read other books by this author in the near future.
This book highlights what these stories left out through a reimagining of the stories of the women who fight monsters both in life and in death. And I mean monsters in a literal sense but also a figurative sense in terms of entitlement and manipulation by dangerous men which is a line this book leans into well. We see both these monstrous elements fully realized and in constraint we see the power of women able to fight back and reclaim who they are.
The descriptions in this book of characters, settings, and the journey itself I thought were very vivid and if you haven’t been to San Francisco or LA this is a great read to transport you there. I could picture this book easily being made into a tv series or movie and am excited to read other books by this author in the near future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Minor: Abandonment
grimdark_dad's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Gaslighting, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Fire/Fire injury