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kaiyakaiyo's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
This was good. I’ve always lamented that modern Dracula adaptations squander the concept of “vampire wives” by making them oversexualized, Uber-hetero, and/or catty; im looking at you The Invitation (kinda), Van Helsing, Dracula: 2000, etc. this book takes the concept and runs in a different, much cooler direction. The sexy bits of this book weren’t very sexy (for good reason imo), but they spoke of an intimacy and connection between the spouses I’ve always wanted to see.
this book was a really nice exploration of the inherent queerness in vampirism; if you live forever, completely transgressing any & all rules of humanity, what’s stopping you from swinging any way the wind blows??? nothing! there’s no quibbling about what kind of person any of the chars are sucking & fucking, and im living for it. it probably would’ve made the book too clunky, but i would have loved it if the author tackled gender identity in vampirism too. maybe something for next time! my only real complaint here is that there were no strap-ons or whatever the ancient equivalent would be. ye olde inventors could make intricate torture devices, but not a way for women to fuck men? I can’t believe that. where was the pegging! u can’t tell me Magdalena wouldn’t have been into that
on a serious note, this book was also a very real depiction of control and abusive power dynamics. the vampire spouses are inhumanly strong, never die, never tire, but their relative strength doesn’t preclude them from being gaslit and abused. information on their vampire anatomy, wealth, independence: “dracula” holds these over Constanta, Alexi, and Magdalena as someone older and more experienced in vampire life; he whittles them down to beings who can’t fathom how they’d survive without him as a guide, and puts them to work to keep each other content in his clutches. Constanta can’t even remember her real name; just the one he gave her at “birth”. a twisted, evil man to his core, empowered by his ability to “grant” eternal life to vulnerable, isolated people he handpicks. a serial abuser given the power to give and take life as he sees fit; now THATS what I call horror.
this take on the monster that is dracula is refreshing; in media he is almost always monstrous and manipulative, but this is the first time I’ve seen that reflected in his “family life”; usually he is just Bad Because Bloodsucking. Here his murder and bloodlust takes a backseat to the interpersonal violence he commits. incredibly well done
The best thing about this book, to me, was that it wasn’t really a dracula adaptation at all. He takes only a nameless villain role in the story of love and perseverance that is Constanta/Magdalena/Alexi. I loved Constanta, she was so earnest, so honest in her retelling of her history, nearly to the point of being unkind to her past self. she laments, she foreshadows, she rages, and I felt immense compassion and empathy for her and her spouses. I could read about her discovering pants and mp3 players for 100+ more pages; she is just that charming. She writes this “letter” to help herself process; dracula is a ghost on the page of a chapter she is ready to close. loved it!!!
That being said, I did not like the “you” POV or the near-epistolary style; it was jarring and a bit distracting. i found myself getting confused between “you” meaning the dead Dracula the letter was addressed to, and “you” meaning the person being spoken to in the actual dialogue. I’ve never liked epistolary novels, so i came in with that expectation, but the pov threw me for a loop. I much preferred the style in An Education in Malice. (I liked that book more than this one, and a good bit of the reason is style). just not my cup of tea, but the characters and story were enough to outweigh my dislike of the storytelling method.
I’ve rambled enough but I really liked this, and would be thrilled to read more from this author. I really fuck with her frank interpretation of what eternal life and preternatural power would mean for relationships, and the simultaneous love and harm that would inhabit vampiric spaces. fantasy often glosses over the unsavory parts of love & sex to get to romance, but Gibson instead respectfully hones in on those elements while still managing a love story in the end. bravo
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Infidelity, Confinement, Gore, and Sexual content
Minor: War and Pandemic/Epidemic
alloftaysreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
eabecker05's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
sleepyreaderthings's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I devoured this book in less than a day. Absolutely perfect story full of emotion.
I don’t even have the words to describe how wonderful this book is, and I’m mad at myself for not picking it up sooner. I love how it was beautifully written as a letter to Constanta’s lord, husband, and captor. S.T. Gibson told a story about love, manipulation, friendship, sexuality, and abuse. The poetic prose gripped me and transported me to their time. I felt angry, joyous, and sad all at once. This is relatable for so many who have been treated wrongly by past lovers who said or did bad things in the name of love or protection. This book is about selfishness and hate, but it’s also about how we can escape those things and hope for a better future.
I don’t even have the words to describe how wonderful this book is, and I’m mad at myself for not picking it up sooner. I love how it was beautifully written as a letter to Constanta’s lord, husband, and captor. S.T. Gibson told a story about love, manipulation, friendship, sexuality, and abuse. The poetic prose gripped me and transported me to their time. I felt angry, joyous, and sad all at once. This is relatable for so many who have been treated wrongly by past lovers who said or did bad things in the name of love or protection. This book is about selfishness and hate, but it’s also about how we can escape those things and hope for a better future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death, and Adult/minor relationship
taylorreads17's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, Blood, Infidelity, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Body horror
Moderate: Physical abuse
kittydouglas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Blood
gisblanketfort's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, and Toxic relationship
karleeursta's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Strong trigger warnings for relationship violence and interpersonal abuse. It’s a beautiful story but it is very difficult subject matter that not everyone might be prepared for all the time. For those who are emotionally and mentally prepared, it’s a moving and powerful message of hope and survival that provides sympathy for and understanding of survivors of abusive relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
leedolee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? It's complicated
5.0
This was the most entertaining read ever. I love reading anything involving vampires and retellings of Dracula. It was a fast paced book and written as if it were in letters. I've never read a book quite like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Gore, Grief, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, and Toxic relationship
kappiee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Emotional abuse