A review by apollinares
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

It's not a remarkable or earth-shattering take on Dracula's brides, but I enjoyed it a lot nonetheless. All in all, a fun read with not a lot to say and an ending that was wistfully idyllic in a way that I found uncharacteristic of Dracula retellings - where's the tragedy? The descent into madness? The dawning horror as the abused turns into a pastiche of the abuser? 

It was too short a book to truly grapple with the consequences of being chained to Dracula, so I kind of expected everything to be tied up nicely at the end, I guess I just wanted more.