[ARC provided by NetGalley & Little, Brown Book Group UK]

Rating: 4.5/5

Woooow. A Dowry of Blood has completely bewitched me. I didn't expect to love this as much as I did but I'm well and truly head over heels. This dark and seductive reimagining of Dracula and his first bride, Constanta, is a beautifully written open letter that is packed with emotion. Constanta's battle with morality is a poignant theme as the story progresses, and as more consorts fall under Dracula's thrall, we witness the development of her relationship with each of them, and the toxic reliance that their sire forces upon them.

This is a truly stunning retelling that I will happily return to in the future. The bonus story at the end, An Encore of Roses, was also a beautiful addition, and if I weren't so content with the conclusion, I'd love to read about these characters again.

I guess one can say that I'm clearly back in my vampire-era. I love how there are so many new vampire books released. How we're back to talking and thinking and dreaming and fearing eternal life again. I heard from a friend of mine that this book was worth the read so when I saw that it was available to request via Netgalley I had to try. I'm very thankful that the publisher, Orbit, granted me a review copy of this book.

I've been reading books written in second person before, but I think I rarely encountered a book where that point of view seemed so fitting. I can imagine that this letter, detailing everything that had happened, all the emotions that had been noticed and unnoticed, was needed for this character to say her final goodbye and to come to terms with the choice she made at the very end. I can imagine that this letter was therapeutic and healing to the main character.

I was also very impressed with how the abusive relationship in this book was written. Quite often books turn abusers into downright villains, but in a lot of cases the abuse is way more subtle. It's in snide remarks, it's in clever manipulations, it's in small grunts and false promises. Even before the breaking point, which is a very rightful breaking point if you ask me, it's clear that this relationship isn't healthy or good or wanted.

And while this book was mostly about the characters, the relationship, the building up towards what we all know is going to happen, I also loved how the author showed us the passing of time. Even though we were never staying long at the same place we knew what was happening at the time, when this was happening and how much time was therefore passing between the beginning and the ending of the book.

I think the author did a great job executing this interesting and important story idea.

A Dowry of Blood
THE GOTHIC SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by S.T. Gibson


Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and fantasy

Well, I was so looking forward to this but....it just didn't resonate with me. I found it hard to connect to, or even really care about, the characters, and for me that's essential to enjoy a story. Still, its a well written read, one of those cases where its me thats out of step, not the book. Others love it, so may you.
Stars: Two. I wanted to like it but..
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ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

The premise drew me in, but alas, this one was not for me. Interesting prose and premise for sure but I failed to connect to any of the characters.

A beautifully dark gothic novel.
This isn't the kind of book I would normally read but I saw it had a strong female lead so I thought I would give it a try. You don't get much stronger than the bride of Dracula. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

While I found the premise fascinating, and the concept quite well executed, something about this book just fell flat for me. I don't think it's bad, as books go, just not one for me.

The book is written as Constanta addressing her husband, and I kept mixing up who was being referred to by "I" and "you" which made reading much of it confusing. The idea of it - and that her husband is never referred to by name - was fascinating, but didn't quite work for me. I struggled to visualise the world that the characters inhabited, the story felt sparse of descriptions and never really created a world I could believe in, perhaps because it depended on the reader knowing the same settings in the real world a little too much.

A Dowry of Blood is definitely something a little different, and contains many aspects that I have seen little elsewhere which I enjoyed reading in this. For me, though, overall, the book didn't have the impact it was aiming for.

(To be posted to Goodreads 29th April)

I absolutely adore this book. I actually wish it had been a little longer. I especially loved the epilogue, Encore of Roses. Having that bit of light for a dark story is just perfection.

This book reminded me a lot of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab. Both books have darkness and beauty to them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'A Dowry of Blood' by S.T. Gibson.

It's honestly quite hard to come to terms with my thoughts about this book. I was so excited for 'A Dowry of Blood' and had heard millions upon millions of good reviews about it, but I felt disappointed. This love letter to Dracula didn't feel like a love letter to Dracula and I really felt uncomfortable by the narrative where the narrator kept saying "you" , It's never been my favourite narrative style and this book didn't change that fact.

A dark, gothic, and poetic book written in first-person's pov that focuses on an abusive relationship. The gorgeous writing is really what stood out the most in this book. Though I really love Constanta's character growth, I believe the other characters lack depth and I dislike the insta-love narrative. Yet, I enjoy this haunting tale of vengeance delivered through letters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing a digital copy.

A really great take on vampires and I really enjoyed this book, Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

A Dowry of Blood by S T Gibson is a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and that alone drew me in, add the fact it’s a queer retelling and you couldn’t stop me from jumping into it’s pages. I was instantly obsessed , just everything about this I loved, the story, Gibson’s writing style, the aesthetics, world building, characters, I could be here forever extolling the many virtues of this wonderful read. I loved the fact that it felt new, it didn’t feel just like another Dracula retelling, it was something fresh, unique and thoroughly brilliant, I highly recommend this to anyone who’ll listen

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advance reader copy of 'A Dowry of Blood'.

A queer and polyamorous re-telling of the 'brides of Dracula', it follows Constanta from being plucked from near death by Dracula a powerful but unnamed vampire and turned into a creature of the night.
The novel itself is told through a letter to her husband and lord, and I loved the choice she makes to not name him.
The prose in this is lushous and dark; the story-telling is appropriately violent and sexual for a vampire tale.
It explores the complex relationships amongst the polyamorous group, especially the control and power dynamics.
I could not put this down and would happily snap up S.T. Gibson's next projects.

Decadent, sexy, gothic perfection. I don’t know what else to say!

The writing was enthralling. I loved the snatches of detail of “his” previous lives and the vivid descriptions of bustling city streets. I loved the claustrophobic and tenuous nature of these relationships and the idea that time passes in the blink of an eye but also at a snails pace.

I read it within 24hrs because I just couldn’t stop reading but I wish I’d paced myself so I could stretch out the enjoyment!

This was a very good vampire story. We follow Constanta who was turned after being badly beaten and left for dead. Dracula turns her into a queen but slowly he starts to turn more people and Constanta has to choose between the safety of her fellow consorts or her husband.

This is written in letter form as Constanta is telling Dracula how and why she had to end his life. This kept me gripped and I didn't want to put it down. I understand the hype around this book. It was wonderfully written and I'd definitely read more by this author.

This book is still an absolute masterwork of art. In short: it is absolutely mesmerizing.

Written as a final goodbye letter to the abusive husband of the protagonist, whom she eventually murders, A Dowry of Blood is a polyamorous reimagining of the brides of Dracula, with themes such as abuse.

It follows Constanta from becoming a vampire and the first of Dracula’s brides, till the very end where she and the other brides kill him. Though we already know this from how the letter addresses him at first, the story still keeps its readers in a firm grip, as we watch as the vampire lord / husband slowly becomes more and more absurd to the brides, right until we reach a breaking point. I find the choice to leave him nameless and the reasoning behind this, ultimately stripping the vampire lord of his agency, as he did to her and the other brides, incredibly powerful and something that made me know this book would be a five star read from the beginning. Throughout the book he’s simply referred to as ‘you’ or ‘my lord’.

The brides were probably my favorite thing in this book. I loved how the polyamorous relationship wasn’t reduced to just a sexual thing, which polyamory often is in fiction. Though there were certainly sexual scenes, they were still fully fleshed out and had unique relationships with eachother (and with their husband). While it’s impossible to love the relationship between him and the brides, I do however still appreciate the complexity of it, and how the story showed each of the brides trying to survive in this abusive environment differently. The story was incredibly successful in depicting abusive relationships and how they usually don’t start out that way, but the abuser rather goes about it gradually, whilst also ensnaring their victims so they won’t leave them. I also really loved how the relationship between Constanta and Magdalena and Alexei (the other two brides) was a positive relationship. While the brides do split up at the end of the story, the author has also written an epilogue / short story, where they all meet up again after a while of their relationship having been long distance and it’s definitely a very healthy and also deeply romantic relationship.

Definitely one of my all time favorite books.

A Dowry of Blood is a (queer) reimagining of Dracula, an all well known classic. I was instantly pulled into the story and enjoyed the writing style, but only up until a certain point. The storytelling was very aesthetic, had a lot of metaphors and described the surroundings a lot. But that was it… I didn’t really feel a connection to any of the main characters - all in all the book just really lacked depth. This also didn’t really feel like a Dracula retelling, more like a new and somewhat boring vampire story, which I though was disappointing.

I was completely mesmerized by the prose of this book; it drew me in instantly. The plot itself was a hauntingly unique reimagining of Dracula and I did not want to put this down.

However, I felt there could be more to the characters but I understand with the format of the book, it allowed for the reader to really question their lives, roles and actions throughout this plot that read like a letter/ journal that recounted events through Constanta's eyes.

A stunning debut and I am really look forward to her other works in the future.

Amazingly dark, gothic and well-plotted adventure. It was written in first-person's pov but journal-oriented, where it felt a lot like reading a diary or journal. The intakes on the gory scenes, manipulative relationship, gaslighting and overwhelming sexual depictions were very good. I did enjoyed the dark vibes and the plot overall. I think the author did great on this. However, reading in Constanta's pov felt incomplete. I would feel even more satisfied if there is Magdalena and The Dracula's povs too.

This has to be one of my favourite vampire books. I was instantly hooked with the haunting and beautiful writing style, unable to put it down I finished this in one sitting. This is a one of a kind gem.

"Dowry of Blood" by S.T. Gibson is a beautifully written and hauntingly dark retelling of the classic novel "Dracula" from the perspective of his three brides. This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I went into this completely blind, and so glad I did because not being such a big fan of vampires I absolutely devoured this, and I worry I may not have picked it up otherwise.

The novel follows Constanta, the eldest bride, as she recounts her journey from a young girl in Romania to a powerful vampire bride. Along the way, she meets and falls in love with Dracula, but their relationship is not the romanticized version often depicted in popular culture. Instead, it is a twisted and tragic tale of power and control. I absolutely loved seeing the progression of the characters over the span of centuries, and how they mentally grew relative too Dracula.

Like I said, Gibson's writing is poetic and evocative, creating a vivid and atmospheric world that draws the reader in from the very first page. The characters are complex and compelling, particularly Constanta, who is both sympathetic and terrifying. The exploration of themes such as love, betrayal, and the nature of evil make for a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page.

"Dowry of Blood" is a stunning debut novel that reimagines a classic tale in a fresh and captivating way. It is a must-read for fans of gothic literature and anyone who enjoys a good vampire story with a dark twist. Mainly though, I respectively want Gibson's writing in anything I ever read ever again.