"people aren’t meant to live forever. i know that now."

holy motherforking shirtballs. this book grabbed me by the throat right from the beginning. the writing style is equal parts beautiful and haunting. there's just so many good quotes in this relatively short novel.

the entire story is told through letters from Constanta to her late husband: the infamous vampire Dracula. however, he is never mentioned by name, which makes the letters even more powerful.

"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. i say you are the smoke-wisp memory of a flame, thawing ice suffering under an early spring sun, a chalk ledger of depts being wiped clean. i say you do not have a name."

Constanta is the first bride and she suffers centuries of manipulation, gaslighting and oppression. at first, she loves him. but soon he transforms two others and they all get entangled in his lies. Constanta decides to take matter into her own hands to save herself and her fellow spouses. and let me tell you, i'm so glad with the ending!

"it was never my intention to murder you. not in the beginning anyway."

please do check the trigger warning before reading!