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dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I wanted to like this queer and poly take on the brides of Dracula, and part of me did. The writing was solid and it scratched my autumnal itch for spooky vampire content. But the characters were pretty one dimensional, and since you knew the outcome at the book’s start, it was mostly a meandering walk through an abusive relationship that grew from two to four people over the course of centuries. The author captured the tactics and behaviors of abusers very well, and many scenes were chilling/difficult to read for that reason. This is essentially a very realistic, disturbing and sad story about intimate partner violence, but it’s turned into fantasy because it involves vampires. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really like Dracula/vampire content and wouldn’t find the themes of abuse triggering.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse
Moderate: Mental illness
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This one didn't speak to me like I thought it would. I appreciate the reframing - but it disturbs me that this book is often described as a spicy poly vampire romance when the entire book is about how the characters eventually break away from obvious abuse.
It was well written and worth reading, but the non-dracula characters didn't feel like vampires.
It was definitely the authors intent to make this a clear allegory for abusive relationships, but ultimately it just made the brides uncomplicated characters. Their monsterousness, the gray morality of feeding on others, is not explored and often side stepped to make them easy to root for. Which is a disservice to the vampire archetype.
Ultimately, I appreciated the shift in perspective, but a Dracula retelling where Dracula is a BadGuy™️ isn't very interesting.
It was well written and worth reading, but the non-dracula characters didn't feel like vampires.
It was definitely the authors intent to make this a clear allegory for abusive relationships, but ultimately it just made the brides uncomplicated characters. Their monsterousness, the gray morality of feeding on others, is not explored and often side stepped to make them easy to root for. Which is a disservice to the vampire archetype.
Ultimately, I appreciated the shift in perspective, but a Dracula retelling where Dracula is a BadGuy™️ isn't very interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood
Moderate: War
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book has a content waring list from the author, please read it.
I was captivated from the first page and compelled to keep turing them. This reimagining of Dracula's Bride is written from her POV, and is both a haunting love letter and beautiful confession.
Told over hundreds of years, this story pulls you into the obsession, loneliness, despair, and eventual freedom of Constanta and her fellow consorts.
If you are a fan of dark and emotional reads, then this is a book worth picking up.
I was captivated from the first page and compelled to keep turing them. This reimagining of Dracula's Bride is written from her POV, and is both a haunting love letter and beautiful confession.
Told over hundreds of years, this story pulls you into the obsession, loneliness, despair, and eventual freedom of Constanta and her fellow consorts.
If you are a fan of dark and emotional reads, then this is a book worth picking up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting
A dark, lusty and vengeful series of letters from Constanta to her unnamed husband that inspires feelings of love and hate in equal measure.
The relationships were complex and the prose was elegant and vicious. There is so much power to be had in words, and Gibson does this beautifully — and powerfully — through Constanta. I found myself rooting for Constanta from the very first page, and for Magdalena and Alexi later as they were introduced. I adored the complex relationship between these three, and their camaraderie in the end. There’s not much more I can say without spoiling anything, but please read it!
Please check your TW before diving into this one, but was an extremely thought provoking read that I absolutely devoured!
The relationships were complex and the prose was elegant and vicious. There is so much power to be had in words, and Gibson does this beautifully — and powerfully — through Constanta. I found myself rooting for Constanta from the very first page, and for Magdalena and Alexi later as they were introduced. I adored the complex relationship between these three, and their camaraderie in the end. There’s not much more I can say without spoiling anything, but please read it!
Please check your TW before diving into this one, but was an extremely thought provoking read that I absolutely devoured!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Insanely good and a very shrewd depiction of emotional abuse. Read the content warnings! It felt so real and there are parts that are hard to read. That being said, the journey of the MC is worth walking with her through the horrors. A perfect read for spooky season!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is both sensual and devastating. The author somehow managed to deal with heavy topics of abuse in a way that isn’t glorified but is also tragically seductive. The author took everything I love about vampires and threw it into a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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 book was captivating from the start. With a twisted, seductive and dark atmosphere, the narrator leads us through her story with Dracula, and the tangled web of their romances with others.
While Dracula is the obvious villain, the author doesn’t shy away from making the other characters complex and in many ways culpable.
I thought this was a perfect read for a dark and rainy fall night.
While some may dislike the second person perspective, it really drew me in and lent to the dark and seductive atmosphere of the book.
The narrator for the audiobook is also a perfect fit.
While Dracula is the obvious villain, the author doesn’t shy away from making the other characters complex and in many ways culpable.
I thought this was a perfect read for a dark and rainy fall night.
While some may dislike the second person perspective, it really drew me in and lent to the dark and seductive atmosphere of the book.
The narrator for the audiobook is also a perfect fit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism