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A review by inquisitrix
The Night Library of Sternendach by Jessica Lévai
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
As someone who generally adores most things involving vampires, operas, novellas, and books that aren’t quite like other books, I had a feeling that Sternendach—a book which speaks to each and every one of those conditions—would be precisely my cup of tea. I was delighted when Lanternfish agreed to send me a galley for my #sfnovellaofthemonth review series, and I am equally delighted to say that my feeling turned out to be an accurate prediction.
There’s something deliciously audacious about writing a vampire novella in a series of Petrarchan sonnets framed as an opera. This is a book for readers who are willing to let themselves be unironically seduced by all things dramatic, romantic, star-crossed, and, well, operatic. From the setting—a hazy, just-unreal-enough, theatrically-1960s Europe populated by vampires and vampire hunters existing in a state of uneasy truce—to the division into acts, The Night Library of Sternendach gives a wonderful impression of being something that you’ll surely one day see on a stage, framed by red velvet curtains and performed by a cast who are enjoying every second of the production. This is pure fun, best enjoyed alongside a good cup of tea (or a glass of red wine) and some delicately sumptuous treat.
There’s something deliciously audacious about writing a vampire novella in a series of Petrarchan sonnets framed as an opera. This is a book for readers who are willing to let themselves be unironically seduced by all things dramatic, romantic, star-crossed, and, well, operatic. From the setting—a hazy, just-unreal-enough, theatrically-1960s Europe populated by vampires and vampire hunters existing in a state of uneasy truce—to the division into acts, The Night Library of Sternendach gives a wonderful impression of being something that you’ll surely one day see on a stage, framed by red velvet curtains and performed by a cast who are enjoying every second of the production. This is pure fun, best enjoyed alongside a good cup of tea (or a glass of red wine) and some delicately sumptuous treat.