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sennaje's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Gore, and Infidelity
sas_ram's review
4.5
Constanza is such an interesting protagonist and narrator.
The story is written as a (love)letter to her husband Dracula. Not that Dracula will ever read this letter.
I loved the dynamics between Constanza and Draculas other lovers. This book screems toxicity, obsession and dependency. It's a book about freeing yourself and becoming your own person. It's about love, lust and desire and the abysses of "humanity".
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Gore
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: War
chaptersofamylea's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
It was never my intention to murder you.
Not in the beginning, anyway.’
4/4.5 ⭐️
I’m a sucker (HA) for a Dracula’s Brides retelling but making it incredibly gritty, dark AND queer? Yes please. I was a little hesitant about reading simply because I wasn’t sure what I expected from the writing style. What I wasn’t expecting was a dark and poetic confession and, to me felt like a love letter to life. One of my favourite reads so far of the year and will definitely be rereading again in spooky season.
TWs: emotional and physical abuse, gaslighting, war themes, depictions of gore, and depression
Graphic: Emotional abuse, War, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Mental illness
toopunkrockforshul's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gore, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
wrensreadingroom's review
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and War
archaicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’m not much for retelling and often avoid them but I’m glad I tried Dowry of Blood because it’s an easy, quick, and beautiful read with elegant vampires and just enough horror. I also liked how this author began with a page of trigger warnings for her readers which I think should happen more!
Only reasons I didn’t give this a 5 is that I had to be in the mood to read this one and it was easy for me to put down. I always save 5 stars for those books I can’t stop reading. There were also a LOT of typos in this, to the point where I wonder what the editor was doing. It’s unfortunate when such a beautifully written book with such strong prose has typos because it pulls you out of the book’s spell.
Overall 100% recommend for anyone looking for a vampire novel, or even a dark romance!
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Body horror, Classism, Gaslighting, Gore, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
bazkrekker111's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gore, Violence, Murder, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Infidelity, Drug use, and Misogyny
Minor: Mental illness, War, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Cursing, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
krisalexcole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Confinement, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and War
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, War, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Death
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
buildawallofbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief and Gore
My first read of 2023 and what an amazing start 🖤🩸 I picked up A Dowry of Blood from my tbr and I devoured it (no pun intended!!) I am not a horror girlie in fact I’m the furthest from that but give me gothic, dark, beautiful prose and I will eat it up. I loved the format of this book, a series of letters which make for short chapters (the dream) I raced through this book, it was the epitome of #justonemorechapter Told from the point of view of Constanta who is the first wife of “YOU” this is an exploration of love in all its different forms, an exploration of complicated, dark, messy relationships- please check the content warnings which the author lays out so well at the start of the book! This for me wasn’t a Dracula retelling it was so much more- I loved the omission of “YOU’s” name of course we know who this is but this book isn’t about them - this is special and something which I loved when reading Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell it puts the focus on the woman telling the tale and their strength 🖤 I am so excited to read more from this author!