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A review by fromthefoxhole
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The premise is cool af, the story of Dracula's brides x the story of Judith from the bible.
I just personally can't deal with the whole faux-incest plot (I did my time with Cassandra Clare, okay?).
The chapters are....kind of letters? Like the POV is from Constata, his first wife, but she's writing "you did x and I felt bad about it" so it's a bit clunky.
For the plot, we watch as Constata is saved and turned by Dracula, and then realized beneath his charm and promises lay both a madman and an abuser. He opens their marriage by force, setting her up to be the bad guy if she denied Magdalena and Dracula - but M is introduced as both a companion for C and a sister to her, as well as a lover. For a while, C manages to tamp down her jealousy and frustration, but watching him wear down Magdalena's extroverted and curious nature erodes her restraint. When he feels as though he has hit a wall with M and C, he pries the marriage open again, this time for Alexi, a youthful, exuberant arts model. His arrival brightens both Dracula and Magdalena, where C is wrought with a protective urge, and likens herself to his nursemaid. A, though, is young and bullheaded, and likes to pick fights with Dracula, arguing and demanding, pushing the envelope as far as he can. When Dracula's restraint snaps, leading to him publicly killing a young woman Alexi had invited into their home and then slapping Alexi across the face while scolding him, C is finally sure. She schemes with her fellow brides, puts together a plot based on Dracula's own knowledge and research on the vampiric limitations, and they enter into a pact to murder their sire.
Upon the completion of this gruesome task, all 3 brides wrestle with twin rivers of grief and relief winding through their ribs. They promise to write and meet regularly, then split and travel on their own.
The epilogue is from Alexi's perspective, and he is sad that both M and C have taken other companions during their years apart. He worries they no longer care for him as much as they used to. Like any good quasi-related trio of lovers, they fuck about it.
For all it's contents, I think a Dowry of Blood most suffers from the POV, though that sort of incest piece is a very close second. I did enjoy the writing, both the quality and the gentle way Gibson approaches the abusive nature of the relationship between Dracula and it's brides.
I won't read it again, but I'm not mad I read it.
The premise is cool af, the story of Dracula's brides x the story of Judith from the bible.
I just personally can't deal with the whole faux-incest plot (I did my time with Cassandra Clare, okay?).
The chapters are....kind of letters? Like the POV is from Constata, his first wife, but she's writing "you did x and I felt bad about it" so it's a bit clunky.
For the plot, we watch as Constata is saved and turned by Dracula, and then realized beneath his charm and promises lay both a madman and an abuser. He opens their marriage by force, setting her up to be the bad guy if she denied Magdalena and Dracula - but M is introduced as both a companion for C and a sister to her, as well as a lover. For a while, C manages to tamp down her jealousy and frustration, but watching him wear down Magdalena's extroverted and curious nature erodes her restraint. When he feels as though he has hit a wall with M and C, he pries the marriage open again, this time for Alexi, a youthful, exuberant arts model. His arrival brightens both Dracula and Magdalena, where C is wrought with a protective urge, and likens herself to his nursemaid. A, though, is young and bullheaded, and likes to pick fights with Dracula, arguing and demanding, pushing the envelope as far as he can. When Dracula's restraint snaps, leading to him publicly killing a young woman Alexi had invited into their home and then slapping Alexi across the face while scolding him, C is finally sure. She schemes with her fellow brides, puts together a plot based on Dracula's own knowledge and research on the vampiric limitations, and they enter into a pact to murder their sire.
Upon the completion of this gruesome task, all 3 brides wrestle with twin rivers of grief and relief winding through their ribs. They promise to write and meet regularly, then split and travel on their own.
The epilogue is from Alexi's perspective, and he is sad that both M and C have taken other companions during their years apart. He worries they no longer care for him as much as they used to. Like any good quasi-related trio of lovers, they fuck about it.
For all it's contents, I think a Dowry of Blood most suffers from the POV, though that sort of incest piece is a very close second. I did enjoy the writing, both the quality and the gentle way Gibson approaches the abusive nature of the relationship between Dracula and it's brides.
I won't read it again, but I'm not mad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Toxic relationship, War, Pandemic/Epidemic, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death