Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn’t read Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil first…
But still, vampires and sapphic yearning.
But still, vampires and sapphic yearning.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t think words can express how incredible this story is. It’s such a beautiful, raw tale of love, tears and tragedy. I wish I had picked this book up sooner. The way Constanta writes to Dracula does plenty of justice to every teeming emotion in her head. She writes so powerfully, so gracefully that every accusation and grievance makes me feel bad like it's directly addressed to me, haha.
This was supposed to be a read over the course of a few days, but I couldn't stop reading until the very end. I'm not all that familiar with Dracula and his stories, but the plot of this book was way too captivating and I absolutely had to give it a try.
I like the gradual change of Dracula's character, the way he developed and acted throughout the course of the story. Even during scenes he's not present, you could feel his impact/control and how he has influenced the characters. He's arrogant, domineering and so full of power. I did like him at first because of how he cared for Constanta, but that wore off pretty quickly.
Constanta my beloved!! There is such a strong edge of angst and tragedy to her tone. She's definitely the highlight of the story. I admire her persistence to live and survive, and how it carries her on. She's so gentle and sweet to Magdalena and Alexi - both of whom I absolutely adore as well. Her relationship with them blurs the line between familial and romantic love, and is some sort of strange combination of the two. Constanta also sometimes compares her dynamic with Dracula to that of a parent and a child, and it just show in-control and overarching he is.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. The writing style is so elegant yet simple, and flows so smoothly. I can't help but fall in love with Constanta's dark and somber voice. It really sets the scene for the novel, right from the start.
Off to my fave tags it goes! ₊˚⊹☆
This was supposed to be a read over the course of a few days, but I couldn't stop reading until the very end. I'm not all that familiar with Dracula and his stories, but the plot of this book was way too captivating and I absolutely had to give it a try.
I like the gradual change of Dracula's character, the way he developed and acted throughout the course of the story. Even during scenes he's not present, you could feel his impact/control and how he has influenced the characters. He's arrogant, domineering and so full of power. I did like him at first because of how he cared for Constanta, but that wore off pretty quickly.
Constanta my beloved!! There is such a strong edge of angst and tragedy to her tone. She's definitely the highlight of the story. I admire her persistence to live and survive, and how it carries her on. She's so gentle and sweet to Magdalena and Alexi - both of whom I absolutely adore as well. Her relationship with them blurs the line between familial and romantic love, and is some sort of strange combination of the two. Constanta also sometimes compares her dynamic with Dracula to that of a parent and a child, and it just show in-control and overarching he is.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. The writing style is so elegant yet simple, and flows so smoothly. I can't help but fall in love with Constanta's dark and somber voice. It really sets the scene for the novel, right from the start.
Off to my fave tags it goes! ₊˚⊹☆
“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 want?”
“I was simply a non-entity when you weren’t looking at me, an empty vessel waiting to be filled by the sweet water of your attention.”
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
fast-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
A Dracula retelling from the perspective of one of his wives, with Dracula presented as an abusive husband and lover. Dracula isn't actually named throughout the story - the novel is framed as a letter to Dracula, who is dead and goes unnamed as a form of revenge. It is definitely Dracula, though - there's a very funny comment about him being whiny about the Harker thing, a reference to the Dracula novel. I liked the way Dracula's abuse, largely controlling behavior and emotional abuse rather than physical violence, was entirely unsupernatural. He might be a vampire, but his abusive behavior was purely human and unconnected to his vampire nature. I really liked Constanta and her quiet persistence, and I also liked the other two spouses. Dracula's death was deeply satisfying, and the freedom Constanta got from it was sweet.
“But I am not your wife anymore, my lord, and I don’t think you ever truly saw me as a whole woman. I was always student. A project. An accessory in the legal and decorative sense.”
That is one of my favorite quotes from this book because it perfectly captures Constanta’s relationship with him for the entirety of the book. This is the first book I’ve read that is written in second person and it was fantastic! The writing was very poetic and the pacing was perfect. 5 stars!
That is one of my favorite quotes from this book because it perfectly captures Constanta’s relationship with him for the entirety of the book. This is the first book I’ve read that is written in second person and it was fantastic! The writing was very poetic and the pacing was perfect. 5 stars!
dark
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
It was a good book, but I would have changed some things. i think they should have died in the end as a consequence of killing him, it would have been very sad and tragic, but i think that is the ending this book deserves. I didn't like the incest kink, it is unnecessary and besides other small things i disliked, this novel was very heavy handed. It feels like it tries way too hard to show that it's free of prejudice. Also, while i liked the writing style, it's not as fantastic as everyone says.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, War
Minor: Incest