Thank you to Nyx Publishing for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A DOWRY OF BLOOD is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation. 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. 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. Utterly intoxicating. I'm so in love with Gibson's world of vampires and toxic relationships that spanned bloody centuries. Small note before the review: this is an adult novel, so there are elements of violence and 18+ material not suited for younger readers. Please be aware before buying. Constanta's account is so readable, despite being written in the second person. I typically don't like this tense, but Gibson uses it as a narrative tool to empower Constanta against her vampiric sire--a choice that delights me (but one I will ignore in this review for the sake of brevity). This book sucked me in (lol) and I spent an afternoon embroiled in the life that she and her murderous husband built across Europe. The character building is exquisite. Constanta has relationships with Magdalena and Alexi besides Dracula, and differs in her treatment of both. They're part of a queer polycule, something I've rarely seen in books. There's not much plot, except to tell the story of their shared lives and how Constanta's little family comes to be sick of Dracula's abuse over time (and what they choose to do about it). We all need a little quiet book now and again, and A Dowry of Blood delivers on that. Constanta's narration covers their outings, life in different cities, and some small effects being a vampire has on her body. The most present element is Dracula's abuse. He draws Constanta in with the promise of forever, then belittles her slowly until she breaks. This novel is about strength in the best of ways--how she pulls herself together and becomes a sort of protector for Magdalena and Alexi despite Dracula's tight leash on them all. I loved this--getting to see her come into herself in a world so different than the village she grew up in, and figure out what kind of person she has the power to be. This isn't a "girlboss" novel, but it has similar notes of reveling in an ability to change one's circumstances, and I found Constanta to be one of the most capable protagonists I've ever read. I'm not sure I could ever withstand her history, but she is uniquely able. I'd love a sequel about her life in the future--this is one of the few standalones for which I wish to read more. I would highly recommend A Dowry of Blood to get your fix of vampire books, especially if you loved the Vampires Never Get Old anthology (review here)! 5/5 stars to this bloody masterpiece.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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