A Dowry of Blood by S.T Gibson - Book Review
4.5/5 Stars
Yes yes yes! This book is literally everything. I only rated it 4.5 stars because I wanted a little more sapphic action, but overall amazing. The format itself makes it a relatively easy read as it is all letters from Constanta to Dracula. And her story is just heart-wrenching. I got claustrophobic just from the stories of her life with him.
The characters are amazing. Constanta is such a powerful narrator. I could see her going from meek and completely under his control to a force to be reckoned with. Dracula is as alluring as he is manipulative. And you can really feel her attitude and tone towards him change with time. Going from delusional love drunk to powerful resentment. Plus his other loves personalities are shown through as well.
The plot was captivating and as fresh as a vampire story can be. I laughed (a little), I cried, and I felt so much in such a little book it surprised me. It was told over such a long time period but never dragged or felt rushed. The pacing really did it for me as I often have trouble with books that cover large lengths of time. But I never felt confused or found myself rechecking paragraphs in this.
All in all, if you like vampires or gothic horror you need to read this book. It reads like poetry and I am definitely going to be re-reading it multiple times. Happy reading!
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