Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
This book was fun and a super compelling concept but I had had higher hopes for it - the themes were often repeated, both the mains and antagonists lacked depth, and some of the action felt jumpy and stop-and-go. Overall, though, I definitely enjoyed the concept of forgotten women in literature taking back the narrative, etc., and it was enjoyable to read
One chapter in and I’m already SO disappointed by the style. It’s nothing like Mexican Gothic, which is no issue, but it genuinely reads like a Wattpad. It’s exhaustingly repetitive and simplistic and feels like it could have been written by a 14 year old.
I had a hard time with this book. I liked the feminine rage aspect. There were so many inspiring passages that I truly enjoyed. But, I just didn't like Lucy. Most of the book drug on because Lucy wouldn't accept her power. Constantly thinking of herself as a monster when she had been abused by the monsters around her.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For lovers of the classics. Imagine Dracula and Mr. Rochester yet live. Now imagine their victims do as well. Those previously silent women—Lucy and Bea tell their stories, reshaping them from the male-dominated tales. An easy, fun read.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Really enjoyed the character building and the creative take on the characters from the overlapping Jane Eyre and Dracula story lines.
The theme of feminine strength, and of victims banding together to take down a Big Bad were empowering. I also like the idea that aging is a gift. After recently hitting 40, I can use all the positive reinforcement I can get!
Audiobook narration by Carlotta Brentan was well done.
The theme of feminine strength, and of victims banding together to take down a Big Bad were empowering. I also like the idea that aging is a gift. After recently hitting 40, I can use all the positive reinforcement I can get!
Audiobook narration by Carlotta Brentan was well done.
I think this would be interesting to read as a companion piece to Dracula and Jane Eyre in a literary analysis 101 course or something similar, but on its own, it falls flat. The story really isn't substantial enough for the length, which results in a lot of unnecessary repetition. Every chapter is basically a repetition of the previous, displaying the same cycles over and over. The resolution felt lackluster. The writing is superficial and very on the nose. I think there are authors who could have done very well with this premise, but maybe this author was reaching a bit too far for their skillset. Giving it three stars because I think 1. a younger audience might appreciate this more, and 2. I do think this book can serve a purpose in a classroom setting. In terms of reading experience, it's closer to a 2,5/5 for me. Also, this isn't horror. And that's not me gatekeeping the term; it's only called horror because it features Dracula and vampires, but there are no real horror elements to the story at all, and the purpose of the story also isn't in line with the horror genre. It is an analysis and criticism of the role women play in horror stories, but that doesn't make it a horror story
Using minor characters from Dracula and Jane Eyre, author Gwendolyn Kiste has Lucy Westenra and Bertha "Bea" Rochester living together in a crumbling house in 1967 San Francisco. Lucy and Bea live lives of isolation; Lucy was transformed by Dracula, while Rochester gave himself, Bea, and Jane a lingering, strange life after death.
Lucy constantly monitors the various urns containing Dracula's ashes to ensure he does not find a way to rise again. Lucy also does her best to resist her hunger, and cares for Bea, who suffers from nightmares. They have a simple life, watching movies at a drive-in, avoiding the day (and not because one or the other will burst into flame cuz so many vampire myths are wrong), and trying to stem the deterioration of their home (because vampires rot their surroundings just by being there). It's not a happy existence, but it's their existence.
Then Jane shows up one day, and blows their hard won peace apart; this leads to a flight from their home and a series of horrifying encounters with the monsters responsible for their circumstances.
The atmosphere is great, and Lucy is a terrific PoV on their undead lives and their struggles to maintain them. Both women have been horribly abused, and know that they're never free. The awful presence of both of their abusers hangs over them perpetually, but at the same time, we see both women bonding with a select few who have taken advantage of the 1960s freewheeling lifestyle.
The story has a somewhat dreamy feel, despite some scenes of horror, but I loved Lucy, and her fight to give both herself and Bea as much of a life free from fear as possible.
Lucy constantly monitors the various urns containing Dracula's ashes to ensure he does not find a way to rise again. Lucy also does her best to resist her hunger, and cares for Bea, who suffers from nightmares. They have a simple life, watching movies at a drive-in, avoiding the day (and not because one or the other will burst into flame cuz so many vampire myths are wrong), and trying to stem the deterioration of their home (because vampires rot their surroundings just by being there). It's not a happy existence, but it's their existence.
Then Jane shows up one day, and blows their hard won peace apart; this leads to a flight from their home and a series of horrifying encounters with the monsters responsible for their circumstances.
The atmosphere is great, and Lucy is a terrific PoV on their undead lives and their struggles to maintain them. Both women have been horribly abused, and know that they're never free. The awful presence of both of their abusers hangs over them perpetually, but at the same time, we see both women bonding with a select few who have taken advantage of the 1960s freewheeling lifestyle.
The story has a somewhat dreamy feel, despite some scenes of horror, but I loved Lucy, and her fight to give both herself and Bea as much of a life free from fear as possible.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't normally finish a book that I dislike this much, but by the time I realized the extent of my dislike, I was already far enough in that I felt like I might as well weather through it. To me, this book felt like peak white feminism. This is set in the 60s, but focused almost primarily on the sort of drugs/flower girl aspect of the era, which to me is a very white take. I also found it unnecessary for every other sentence to be about how powerless Lucy was and she could never in a million years stoop to evil Dracula's level because Dracula is an EVIL MAN. Yes, men who abuse women and abuse power are horrific. But the half the book was filled with sentences like "Dracula was the type of man who took what he wanted." or "Dracula didn't care who he discarded along the way." The author didn't need to tell us that over and over. We can see that through his behavior. Lucy also felt overly moral and principled. I just truly don't understand why she was poor when she could have used her vamp seduction powers to land herself a nice little inheritance. And I disliked that everything supernatural was evil. There was no fun to the supernatural, nothing that made it enticing or nuanced. It was just a very black and white good versus evil vibe. The plot was also very thin when it came to why Rochester, Bee and Jane were immortal. It honestly made no sense. It reminded me a lot of season 7 of Buffy. The way it was executed was very "after school special"/ here's the moral of the story vibes. I just think that they could have made being a vampire a little more fun, rather than just decades of misery, and never gaining agency or power, and embracing who they'd become. The fact that Lucy never drank any blood is CRAZY to me. Like come on. Not even a blood bag? or some rats? I guess the title is RELUCTANT Immortals. But I guess I didn't realize that they'd be THAT reluctant.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder