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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
The Nightingale's Castle is an historical fiction novel, based on the true story of Erzsébet Báthory also known as the blood countess, who is rumoured to have murdered 600 peasant girls who were in her employ.
The story is based in 1610, Hungary and it is a thrilling gothic tale. I have to say I have never heard of the Countess before, but after reading this book I have realised that she was rather infamous. The author has obviously done her research very well ,and beautifully mixes history with a little artistic licence. I enjoyed the pace of the book and writing style. It is the first time I have read the author but I will definitely look out for other books in the future. The front cover of the book is also very beautiful and it definitely made me want to read it.
The book is very dark and disturbing in places, I think due to it being based on real life invests but it just makes the reading all the more interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is based in 1610, Hungary and it is a thrilling gothic tale. I have to say I have never heard of the Countess before, but after reading this book I have realised that she was rather infamous. The author has obviously done her research very well ,and beautifully mixes history with a little artistic licence. I enjoyed the pace of the book and writing style. It is the first time I have read the author but I will definitely look out for other books in the future. The front cover of the book is also very beautiful and it definitely made me want to read it.
The book is very dark and disturbing in places, I think due to it being based on real life invests but it just makes the reading all the more interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Although the names can be difficult to remember, the fast-paced plot make this a real page-turner. I was skeptical of every new piece of the puzzle as they were revealed until the climax. An enjoyable read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
I really enjoyed the unique perspective Sonia Velton took in retelling the story of Countess Báthory—it was refreshing to see such a well-known figure reimagined through a more human and layered lens. The way she pieced together information from the historical trial and wove it into an alternative explanation of what might have happened was genuinely clever and thought-provoking. I especially loved the characters and how vividly their emotions were portrayed—it made the tension of the time feel incredibly real.
The only thing that held me back from giving this five stars was the language; while beautiful, it could get a little confusing in places and slowed me down at times. Still, a fascinating and atmospheric read.
The only thing that held me back from giving this five stars was the language; while beautiful, it could get a little confusing in places and slowed me down at times. Still, a fascinating and atmospheric read.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this read kind of like ya fiction to me, but appreciated all the random outcrops of sprezzatura. i didn't find it particularly propulsive or feminist as described.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Sonia Velton for the opportunity to receive a digital arc of The Nightingale's Castle from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Any vampire lover knows the story of Elizabeth Bathory (Erzsébet Báthory), the Blood Countess, who was said to have bathed in the blood of virgins to keep her youthful beauty and is said to have murdered 600 maidens as one of history's most prolific female serial killers. The Nightingale's Castle explores a different angle to the story, highlighting motives and other ideas of how the grounds of these accusations might be false to bring to heel a woman with too much power, position, and wealth in the male-dominated world of the 16th Century.
Sonia Velton spins a story of witchcraft, oppression, and injustice against a woman who held power in a dark, gothic tale where the monsters are of the human variety, how power corrupts us into the worst version of ourselves no matter our station in life and the bonds of women living in repressed societies. Historical fact and fantasy are woven into a beautiful narrative, giving a vivid picture of the daily lives of the wealthy and servants of the Countess's castle. The writing is detailed, full of meticulously well-researched facts of history and thoughtful insights into the state of mind of women of all stations who dwell in a fearful world steeped in superstition and suppression of religion.
There are shifting POVs of many characters, including some side characters. I sometimes struggled to keep these shifts straight in my head, which confused me. I didn't always see why some characters needed to have their time in the spotlight, as their deeds could have easily been cast into the plot by other characters' views. I think a few too many voices detracted from the integrity and compelling of the overall story. Despite many characters and POVs to juggle, they were very detailed, complicated, 3-dimensional individuals with all their trauma, grief, loyalties and and stories that united them in the household and service of the Countess.
A bloodthirsty tale of power, state of womanhood, and fantasy woven into an interesting retelling, offering an alternative theory about the story of the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. No vampirism to cut your teeth on, but if you like a historical novel with a twist of magic or witchcraft and how women cut out their niches in a grim world where life and death mingle cheek-by-cheek, dominated by the power of men and the church and struggle for women to be vulnerable, virtuous and establish their rights, this would be a book you might enjoy.
Any vampire lover knows the story of Elizabeth Bathory (Erzsébet Báthory), the Blood Countess, who was said to have bathed in the blood of virgins to keep her youthful beauty and is said to have murdered 600 maidens as one of history's most prolific female serial killers. The Nightingale's Castle explores a different angle to the story, highlighting motives and other ideas of how the grounds of these accusations might be false to bring to heel a woman with too much power, position, and wealth in the male-dominated world of the 16th Century.
Sonia Velton spins a story of witchcraft, oppression, and injustice against a woman who held power in a dark, gothic tale where the monsters are of the human variety, how power corrupts us into the worst version of ourselves no matter our station in life and the bonds of women living in repressed societies. Historical fact and fantasy are woven into a beautiful narrative, giving a vivid picture of the daily lives of the wealthy and servants of the Countess's castle. The writing is detailed, full of meticulously well-researched facts of history and thoughtful insights into the state of mind of women of all stations who dwell in a fearful world steeped in superstition and suppression of religion.
There are shifting POVs of many characters, including some side characters. I sometimes struggled to keep these shifts straight in my head, which confused me. I didn't always see why some characters needed to have their time in the spotlight, as their deeds could have easily been cast into the plot by other characters' views. I think a few too many voices detracted from the integrity and compelling of the overall story. Despite many characters and POVs to juggle, they were very detailed, complicated, 3-dimensional individuals with all their trauma, grief, loyalties and and stories that united them in the household and service of the Countess.
A bloodthirsty tale of power, state of womanhood, and fantasy woven into an interesting retelling, offering an alternative theory about the story of the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. No vampirism to cut your teeth on, but if you like a historical novel with a twist of magic or witchcraft and how women cut out their niches in a grim world where life and death mingle cheek-by-cheek, dominated by the power of men and the church and struggle for women to be vulnerable, virtuous and establish their rights, this would be a book you might enjoy.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I got this from a blind date with a book site because I wanted something dark and different. The author did a great job using the known facts and interweaving each of the characters perspective and personality based on the known facts.
While I was familiar with the legend of Countess Bathory, I only knew the rumors, charges, and lies. This book, while fiction, focuses on the political and personal reasons that Bathory was targeted by her enemies. It does a great job of showing Bathory not as a blood thirsty countess bathing in the blood of virgins, but as a rich, entitled noblewoman who was sometimes kind and sometimes cruel, but at all times her wealth and power were coveted by men who were in her debt or who were supposed to be her protectors. There is a bit of strange, magical realism mixed into this story, but I was down with it.