Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

182 reviews

jdieperink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Infidelity, Blood, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Confinement

allbooksnoschedule's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Confinement, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Gore

kelsokake's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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? Yes

3.0

“But I've grown to understand that you have in you more of the scientist obsessed than the lover possessed, and that your examinations lend themselves more towards a scrutiny of weakness, imperfection, any detail in need of your corrective care.”

• p17 

“War is the whetstone that grinds down all sense, all humanity.”

• p19

“I knew then I would chase your tiny moments of weakness all the way into hell and back. What is more lovely, after all, than a monster undone with wanting?”

• p32

“You are half my heart, Constanta,”

• p122

“Lying with her made me feel so vibrantly alive. It was almost enough to make me forget that I was already dead.”

• p124

“We all developed our tricks for dealing with you: my invisibility, her sweetness.” 

• p127

“You never once thought I would have the strength to disobey you, did you? The possibility that my will was stronger than yours never even crossed your mind.”

• p131

“‘It would be easier if he hated us,’ she said. ‘But he loves us all terribly. And if we go on letting him love us, that love is going to kill us. That's what makes him so dangerous.’”

• p235

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: War, Sexual content, Confinement, and Mental illness

mommah's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Death

Please do your own research into the trigger warnings because there is a lot going on in this story.

lira_the_recluse's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

Spicy, gory, and dark. Constante is a complicated main character with depth. Dracula (or as he is only ever referred to as "my lord") is manipulative, controlling, possessive, and emotionally abusive. Spans centuries and multiple additions to the vampire harem and culminates with Dracula's death. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Sexual content, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

torrentsofhayl's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol

skillyillian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

y'all this book is my new roman empire. oh my god, i will never be over this. s.t. gibson has written the most ethereal, stunning, devastating, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching book i've probably ever read. it's unparalleled. it's fucking divine. you don't believe me? try this on for size:

I wanted to dash myself against your rocks like a wave, obliterate my old self and see what rose shining and new from the sea foam. The only words I had to describe you in those early days were plunging cliffside or primordial sea, crystal-cold stars or black expanse of sky.

you still need convincing? fine, have another:

I craved you like maidens crave the grave, the way death burns for human touch: inconsolably, unrelentingly, aching for the annihilation in your kiss.

and one more for good measure: 

I say you are a smoke-wisp memory of a flame, thawing ice suffering under an early spring sun, a chalk ledger of debts being wiped clean.
I say you do not have a name.

holy fuck. nothing will rip you apart and put you back together like this will. you will suffer at the hands of constanta's abuser with her, with the others, and watch as she is desensitized to him. you beg and plead for her to say something, do anything, to leave, but it's written so excruciatingly well that you know why she doesn't. it only makes you hate him more, and only makes the ending of the book so much more bittersweet.

this is the perfect testament to "they don't have to hit you for it to be abuse" because 99% of the abuse in this book is not physical. it makes you want to follow the survivors around, tugging on their shirt sleeves like a child, and beg them to stand up to him, to not give up, not let themselves be treated so poorly by such a bastard. but they do it anyway, and you see the way that the good days are ecstasy, almost enough to forget the misery of the bad ones. it makes you rage like the fires of hell, and then be sad all over again because you know they're all still in love with him despite knowing exactly who he is. it's excruciating. 

one of the most unique things about this book is that it's written as basically a journal or letter addressed to the abuser, from the point of view of constanta, the FMC. so instead of "he took me to the market" it's "you took me to the market" and it's perfect. it's flawless. the whole entire book is flawless. i was so intrigued by the POV when i started this and it ended up being one of my favorite parts.

if you're looking for a gothic, polyamorous romance about the brides of dracula teaming up to end his reign of terror over their lives, look no further. if you're looking for even one of those things, read this. it's beautiful. it's agony. it's probably the best thing i've ever read. this is classic literature in the making.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault

huntress's review against another edition

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, War, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Confinement, and Violence

lagaialettrice's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Blood, and Emotional abuse

emeliah21's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

This story had me cheering, gripped, thrilled and I truly felt the emotions of the characters. 10/10 would read again, got me out of a massive reading slump 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Death, Mental illness, Confinement, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Stalking, Incest, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

Minor: Physical abuse