A review by 8yalan8
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

 I loved this grim dark fantasy book! 

J.Kristoff masterfully balances attention to characters, world and plot. At the same time, it’s perfectly paced and I was engaged throughout the book. Some plot revelations were predictable for me, but one of them was a jaw dropping nice plot twist that I enjoyed a lot. There are two timelines, but it’s effortless to follow. Actually, I expected the reading to be a small challenge, but it’s very laid-back and easy read.  

I like the way J.Kristoff tackled grim dark fantasy, the characters are not sugarcoated, they seem realistic, with both positive and negative character traits. The grim dark is not overdone, the romance subplot was done perfectly. The world and lore with vampires, religion and history is nice. I enjoyed reading the book and appreciated beautiful illustrations. I will read the second book after a while.