A Dowry of Blood

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they lived in various places, but how come they never ever referenced anything from their cultures? Never felt influenced or shaped by their country of origin and upbringing, like a real person would be? US-centrism never rests, and why even try to put yourself in the shoes or your Eastern European characters I suppose. I'm only bothered by it because I'm Polish, anyway. A powerful tale of possession and liberation. This is a Dracula retelling unlike any other - undeniable and unforgettable' Rose Szabo, author of What Big Teeth I was weirded out from the start Constanta’s parents had literally been murdered and she goes and sleeps with Dracula like hello … well I guess that’s her way of grieving 😂😂😂

That slap snapped me out of a reverie I had been living in for hundreds of years. It obliterated any grace I had left to give you, any lies I was still telling myself about your good intentions and your savior's heart. I've had A DOWRY OF BLOOD on my to-read list for a while but I'd heard it was a densely atmospheric read and I have to be in the right mood for those, so it's been sitting patiently on my Kindle for months. Finally, after reading a string of creepy and gothic reads, I decided I was ready to top off my Halloween-in-March sundae with this blood-dark cherry of a book: a confessional, and a toxic love story, depicting Dracula and his not-so-willing brides (and bridegroom). Laying with her made me feel so vibrantly alive. It was almost enough to make me forget that I was already dead." A delectable jewel of a tale, shimmering with dark, beautiful prose’ Tori Bovalino, author of The Devil Makes Three A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful."– Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the WolfA powerful tale of possession and liberation. This is a Dracula retelling unlike any other – undeniable and unforgettable’Rose Szabo, author of What Big Teeth If I were you, I would go into this more for the the lyrical writing than a grand plot in case that’s something you’re expecting. It’s more focused on character relationships and dynamics, which isn’t a problem for me but it might affect you. A Dowry of Blood is a love story. In fact, I would argue that this book covered many dimensions of love. For example, Constanta's relationship with her husband is one of control, manipulation and despair. Gibson's way of telling its effects on Constansta's mental state is very prominent as the readers can feel her emotional exhaustion/resignation and her anger as their relationship progressed. Moreover, Constansta's relationship with Magdalena (oh Magdalena my love) is remarkably written. The passion, the love, the lust between them was everything I need. Additionally, I love how everyone in this book is just 💖bisexual💖without being vilified. I think one of the reasons I loved this book is the writing style. It was surprisingly easy to follow and beautiful in its own way. The descriptions of Constanta's feelings, the jealousy, falling in love, being trapped by her lover and betrayal were presented realistically and really spoke to me.

While I adored all the characters, except maybe Constanta's husband, our main character Constanta outshone the rest here. Her growth throughout the book, from a rescued girl to a strong woman with a heart of gold, made the whole book for me. You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours. In this world, you are what I say you are, and I say you are a ghost, a long night’s fever dream that I have finally woken up from” Constanta lies in the mud on the brink of death when a man suddenly appears, saying he cannot save her, but it is in his power to help her. And so Constanta begins her second life with this arresting man who is as passionate as he is cruel. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.Writing that is purely aesthetic and distances your reader from everything that is happening in your story is bad writing, period. I love me some pretty prose—when it has actual meaning and isn't a surface level attempt to sound poetic and literary. It's just bad, y'all, like please keep the superfluous metaphors. It's at best irritating and really just embarrassing. In the words of the amazing Ocean Vuong: metaphors should amplify meaning—and when they are there merely to sound cool, well. You get exactly what this is.

Story of an old vampire, I won't call him Dracula because he was never given a name throughout the book, and his brides that he takes over the time. Story was told from the perspective of one his bride, Constanta. She started with how she was turned and how it was love, devotion, and adoration for a long time until he decided to take another into his family. His new bride, Magdelena. It was jealousy at first but soon she too come to love Magdelena and life was again roses for sometime until the consequences of having a long life hit Magdelena and to some extent it effected Constanta too but she suppressed it. Soon it was depression, fear, insecurities, and melancholy surrounded the brides. But things hit a low point as Alexi entered the family. I will never lift a hand against you, Constanta,” you said quietly. “Never in anger, or in lust.” I can see what she saw in him because I would have folded 🥵💀

Side note, I found it curious that characters who were supposedly: a peasant from medieval Romania, a noble from medieval Spain, and a poor actor from early 20th century Russia all spewed references to Anglo-Saxon popular culture. Almost as if... the author drew that from own experience. I'm not saying they couldn't know these things, This work inspired by the Brides of Dracula was everything I wanted it to be. I loved how the story was told as Constanta writing a letter to her husband. It allowed us to learn everything Constanta thought and how she changed and grew throughout the work. It also was a fantastic way to explore abusive and controlling relationships, and the positive and negative feelings that can arise in polyamorous relationships. The characters were wonderfully written. They were all unique and well developed and continued to grow and evolve throughout the work. Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. I love epistolary novels, but this one could very well be my favorite. This is a reimagining of dracula, but told from the pov of his first bride who is writing a letter to him about their story, and we learn from the very first letter that she became his downfall. But this is also a story about abusive relationships and how power dynamics, manipulation, gaslighting, are sometimes very difficult to see. We get to see their story unfold from the very first day he made her a vampire under the promise of saving her to the very end where promises of love could no longer be masked as unconditional.