Excellent read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this title in exchange for my feedback.

The Nightingale’s Castle is an absorbing tale, its fascination only heightened when you look further into the real-life character on which this is based.
The story begins with our key character, a young girl called Boroka, having to leave the care of the doctor who rescued her as a baby as villagers are talking. Rumours about the doctor and his charge are circulating, and though it pains him to do so the doctor arranges for Boroka to go into service.
Boroka is terrified at the prospect of leaving the only home she has known. Particularly when she realises she is to go into service to the Countess Bathory. Rumours abound about the Countess and the high number of servants she appears to get through, with many young girls dying in her service. But Boroka has no choice if she is to survive.
Life under the Countess is hard. Vindictive head-servants punish the girls for their supposed misdemeanours yet the girls are fed and cared for, and some are even taken under the wing of the Countess. Boroka herself comes to the attention of the Countess for her ability to read and write, and she is asked to stand-in for the Countess during a portrait sitting.
As the book progresses little details are noted that suggest Boroka may have ties to the Countess that she is unaware of. There are physical similarities between them, and Boroka is captivated by a mysterious rosewood box that seems to contain a book holding details of her past.
I found the story riveting, particularly when we see the moves taken to bring down the Countess. I knew nothing of the character on which this story is based, but the historical details appear to be painted in a more nuanced light creating some sympathy for the Countess and those loyal to her.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.

The Nightingale's Castle is an historical fiction novel, based on the true story of Erzsébet Báthory also known as the blood countess, who is rumoured to have murdered 600 peasant girls who were in her employ.

The story is based in 1610, Hungary and it is a thrilling gothic tale. I have to say I have never heard of the Countess before, but after reading this book I have realised that she was rather infamous. The author has obviously done her research very well ,and beautifully mixes history with a little artistic licence. I enjoyed the pace of the book and writing style. It is the first time I have read the author but I will definitely look out for other books in the future. The front cover of the book is also very beautiful and it definitely made me want to read it.

The book is very dark and disturbing in places, I think due to it being based on real life invests but it just makes the reading all the more interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There's a sort of horrorific black legend concerning Erzsébet Báthory nas she's described as a mass murderer and a proto-vampire. She was a rich woman and someone wanted her wealth.
This is an engrossing and well plotted book that talks about her, the people around her and how could have been the real countess.
It's a well researched historical fiction that change that perspective and describe a very different Bathory.
It made me want to learn more about her and read some non fiction.
Well done, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Countess Erzsébet Báthory (often anglicised to Elizabeth Bathory) has found her way into vampire folklore as one of the possible inspirations behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Known as the Blood Countess for her habit of bathing in the blood of her victims to retain her youthful appearance, she and her servants were accused of murdering hundreds of Hungarian peasant girls, making her one of the most notorious serial killers in history. In her new novel The Nightingale’s Castle, Sonia Velton reimagines Erzsébet’s story and looks at the woman behind the legends.

The novel opens in Hungary in 1610 and introduces us to fifteen-year-old Boróka, who has been raised by an adoptive father in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. When members of the Countess’s household arrive at Boróka’s cottage looking for girls to come and work at Čachtice Castle, she is initially reluctant to go, but her father persuades her that it would be dangerous not to accept. And so Boróka soon finds herself in a carriage heading up the hill towards the castle and a new way of life.

Within the walls of Čachtice Castle, there are other girls like Boróka working as seamstresses, cooks and kitchen maids under the watchful eyes of the Countess’s personal staff, whom Boróka finds to be excessively cruel and vindictive. She struggles to settle in, but when she and Erzsébet Báthory eventually cross paths Boróka becomes a favourite of the Countess’s, which gives her some degree of protection. Then come the accusations of murder and torture and Boróka must try to make sense of what has really been going on in the castle and whether or not the allegations could be true.

I had heard of Erzsébet Báthory before starting this novel, but knew very little about her, so it was good to have the opportunity to learn more. Of course, this is fiction and obviously Sonia Velton will have had to use her imagination to flesh out the plot and characters, but I could see from her very detailed author’s note at the end of the book that she has carried out a lot of research and tried to put some theories together that fit the historical facts. This version of Báthory’s character is more sympathetic than the way she is usually portrayed and the servants who are arrested along with her, particularly Dorottya Szentes and Ilona Jó, are the real villains here. I would probably need to read some non-fiction on the subject before I could say whether I agreed with this or not.

Despite Erzsébet Báthory’s association with vampire legends, there are no vampires in Velton’s novel and for the most part this is a straightforward work of historical fiction. However, there’s a subplot involving a magical rosewood box which I thought seemed out of place; I felt that the book either needed more fantasy elements or none at all. Apart from that, I found The Nightingale’s Castle an interesting read and I’m sure other people will appreciate that little touch of magical realism more than I did.

This is Sonia Velton’s third novel. I haven’t read The Image of Her, which seems to be a contemporary thriller set in Dubai, but I enjoyed her first book, Blackberry and Wild Rose, about a community of Huguenot silk weavers in 18th century London. She does pick interesting subjects and settings for her novels, so I’ll look forward to seeing what she writes next.

A dark, chilling gothic read retelling the story of Elizabeth Bathory - the Blood Countess, who alledgedly murdered 600 maidens and bathed in their blood to keep her youthful looks.
It’s a story of witchcraft and oppression, looking at the motives behind these accusations, leading to the localities of her staff being tested at her trial.
Was she guilty or innocent
It’s well written and researched, very descriptive with several threads to the story - a dark unsettling gothic fairy tale
Will stay with you long after turning the last page
Thanks @sonia.velton @littlebrownbookgroupuk and @netgalley for the gothic read

An interesting reimagining of the life of the Countess of Blood - Countess Bathory. I don't remember if she really did have an illegitimate child, but I really liked the idea of her having one in this book. It added a new spin and viewpoint of the life of Countess Bathory.

Having read about her life and watched a documentary, the author definitely did an excellent job at creating such a terrifying environment both within the castle and the village nearby.

The Nightingales Castle by Sonia Velton. Erzsébet Báthory (I think) is a very well known historical baddie who did some hella murdering. This follows a girl sent to work in her castle during the strange goings on. The plot was really good and I think it was very well written but I would loved to have had more of the woman herself. It poses interesting questions but I want more of her. It’s obviously not a very cheery book but definitely worth a read. My take away from this book is stay at home.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Sonia Velton for the opportunity to receive a digital arc of The Nightingale's Castle from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Any vampire lover knows the story of Elizabeth Bathory (Erzsébet Báthory), the Blood Countess, who was said to have bathed in the blood of virgins to keep her youthful beauty and is said to have murdered 600 maidens as one of history's most prolific female serial killers. The Nightingale's Castle explores a different angle to the story, highlighting motives and other ideas of how the grounds of these accusations might be false to bring to heel a woman with too much power, position, and wealth in the male-dominated world of the 16th Century.

Sonia Velton spins a story of witchcraft, oppression, and injustice against a woman who held power in a dark, gothic tale where the monsters are of the human variety, how power corrupts us into the worst version of ourselves no matter our station in life and the bonds of women living in repressed societies. Historical fact and fantasy are woven into a beautiful narrative, giving a vivid picture of the daily lives of the wealthy and servants of the Countess's castle. The writing is detailed, full of meticulously well-researched facts of history and thoughtful insights into the state of mind of women of all stations who dwell in a fearful world steeped in superstition and suppression of religion.

There are shifting POVs of many characters, including some side characters. I sometimes struggled to keep these shifts straight in my head, which confused me. I didn't always see why some characters needed to have their time in the spotlight, as their deeds could have easily been cast into the plot by other characters' views. I think a few too many voices detracted from the integrity and compelling of the overall story. Despite many characters and POVs to juggle, they were very detailed, complicated, 3-dimensional individuals with all their trauma, grief, and stories that united them in the household and service of the Countess.

A bloodthirsty tale of power, state of womanhood, and fantasy woven into an interesting retelling, offering an alternative theory about the story of the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. No vampirism to cut your teeth on, but if you like a historical novel with a twist of magic or witchcraft and how women cut out their niches in a grim world where life and death mingle cheek-by-cheek, dominated by the power of men and the church and struggle for women to be vulnerable, virtuous and establish their rights, this would be a book you might enjoy.

The Nightingale’s Castle by Sonia Velton
This is a fascinating novel set in Hungary in 1610 and concerning the Blood Countess, Erzebet Bathory. It is a story which you think you know, the Countess who used to bathe in the blood of young virgins, but which the author approaches in a very different way. I found the story engrossing from the outset. Most of the action is viewed from the perspective of Boroka, a young servant. At the opening of the book Boroka is persuaded to leave the man who has acted as her father all her life as it is not seen as appropriate for them to live together any longer. She goes to work for the Countess.
She becomes close to the Countess when she is asked to help by posing in place of the Countess during the lengthy painting of the Countess’ portrait. She then moves closer into the Countess’ orbit when she attends sessions for the young noble women who surround the Countess. The countess is portrayed as a powerful woman with amazing financial acumen but who allows some of her servants to dominate her. The myths around the countess mainly grew up after her death and this novel tries to demonstrate that this was in all possibility a witch hunt carried out by men who were in financial debt to this powerful widow.
It is a fascinating perspective to suggest that the servants were the main movers in the murders and there are also suggestions that many of the deaths were in fact due to the plague which was still devastating the population. The truth of the story will never be uncovered but this is an interesting version. Very readable and it is a novel that I will be wholeheartedly recommending at my various book groups. Thanks to Sonia Velton, Harper Collins and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

This was OK, not my favourite book but was interesting in parts, sometimes I was a little confused what was actually going on and lost interest, but overall the historical side was good and the gothic twisty side I enjoyed.

A historical fiction retelling of the renowned Elizabeth Bathory, also known as the infamous 'Blood Countess' who was accused of murdering many peasant girls. Told from her and her servants points of view this beautifully descriptive story spins an alternative narrative to what is historically written.

The Nightingale's Castle retells the true story of a Hungarian countess in the 16th century who was accused of murdering hundreds of young girls serving in her castle. The author weaves in historical facts in a beautiful narrative with elements of magical realism and well-rounded, layered side characters which become central to the unraveling of the plot. Velton's writing is beautiful and well aligned with the historical times she is describing, without being overly archaic. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and thought it was a very original and unique take on a tale which I didn't know much about before I started reading.

I admire Velton for the important and compelling themes she explores in the novel - feminism in a time where the mere existence of this concept seems impossible; the manipulation of truth in historical narratives; the bonds between women. These were touched upon in the novel in an interesting way but I felt like there were a bit too many elements Velton was juggling with - including a vast cast of characters, following historical facts, and throwing in a bit of magic. It left me wanting to stay longer with one event or character and delve into them deeper. And I would have liked to know what happens to the countess in the end in the novel itself, rather than the author's notes at the end.

Having said that, I found this a very enjoyable read and would recommend it to readers who are interested in historical fiction, or just simply reading a good dark, mysterious story.

I must be one of the few people that hadn't heard of Erzsébet Báthory, the 'Blood Countess' before! Commonly regarded as the most prolific female serial killer, it's alleged she's murdered over 600 peasant girls. The Nightingale's Castle explores the reasons why this might not be true, including the motivations behind this lie, and rewrites her place in feminist history.

15 year old Boróka is sent to join the Countess at her castle, and unexpectedly stays to form a close relationship with this formidable lady with the most gruesome reputation. Boróka doesn't know who she can trust, in a den full of vipers you have to always be on your guard.

This is beautifully told, it's incredibly dark (as you would expect!) but also so full of life and incredibly vivid depictions of life at an ancient court - with all the rituals, hierarchy and deference you would expect. Highly recommended!

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton is a work of historical fiction inspired by the real life figure Erzsébet Báthory, perhaps better known as the Blood Countess, who was accused of the murder of up to 600 young woman in Hungary in the 1600s. In this book Velton tells her story through the perspectives of several characters but the Countess herself is not a direct point of view character, instead we must rely on the impressions and descriptions of others to make up our minds about her intentions and actions.
The central character of the book is Boróka, a fifteen year old young girl who goes to work in the castle after leading a very sheltered life in the forest where she grew up with her adoptive father. She soon captures the attention of the Countess and becomes something of a favourite , sheltered from the casual cruelties inflicted on many of the other servants, so she is distraught when the Countess is accused of her terrible crimes.
I was immediately intrigued by this take on such an infamous historical figure and the stunning cover made me even more eager to pick up a copy of this book. I have to say it was a little bit of a slow burn at first, there were a lot of characters introduced in a short space of time and that combined with the continuously shifting perspectives took a little getting used to , but once I got to grips with the various characters it flowed relatively smoothly. There was an element of magical realism in the book that I was not expecting from the description, but it worked very well and ended up being one of my favourite things about the book as a whole.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I was completely engrossed in this dark gothic book and that it is loosely based on fact, but maybe more on folklore, makes it even more shocking. Countess Erzsébet Báthory, who has become known as the ‘Blood Countess', was accused of the murder of over 600 young girls in 1610. This is a sympathetic retelling of her story, but don’t be taken in by that. This is not one for the faint hearted! 15-year-old Boróka has been brought up by a doctor who found her as a baby but when the countess sends her staff out looking for girls to work in Cachtice Castle he reluctantly agrees to let her go. This is a medium paced book but I found it compelling from the start and finished it in a day.

Briefly, Boróka soon finds that her life is not going to be an easy one. Two of the Countess’s most trusted servants Dorka and Ilona are cruel to the servants and everyone is terrified of them. However, Boróka catches the eye of the Countess and her elevated status means she receives less punishment than the others. The Countess has commissioned a portrait and Boróka is required to sit for the artist in place of the Countess for most of the time. One day she opens a rosewood box and finds a book that seems to tell her story. But that’s not all. The contents of the box seem to change depending on who opens it.

I found the depiction of life in a 17th century castle fascinating. Really well written and very descriptive, and in this case, quite distressing at times. All the stories are leading to the main event; the trial of Countess Erzsébet Báthory when the loyalties of her staff are tested to the full. I’ve since read around this and the historical detail is very good and the author has obviously done a lot of research. Personally I like to think the Countess was innocent but we will never know for certain. A really good gothic tale, loyalty and betrayal, love and hate, and ruthless behaviours that beggar belief! I loved it.

Set in Hungary in 1610/11, the book focus on the 'Dracula' Erzsebet Bathory , a countess who it has been said murdered hundreds of peasant girls.

Young Boroka, is an orphan, and is persuaded to go with Dorka to join the household of the countess. Every time she opens a rosewood box, a book with her life story appears..... but the box appears to be magical as depending who opens it they see something else.

Dorka and Ilona, two of the Countess' staff, appear to torture the girls if they do not do their jobs well... in the summer a plague hits the castle and several girls including a young aristrocat dies.

At Christmas, everything comes to a head, and the countess is put under house arrest while Dorka, Ilona and Stefan are executed, Kata is held in prison. Boroka is determined to find the truth about herself and also the Countess.

A gothic read.....

The Nightingale's Castle is a feminist reimagining of the story of Erzsébet Báthory, a sixteenth-century Hungarian noble famously known as the 'Blood Countess'. Velton succeeds in her portrayal of daily life in an early 17th century castle, told from a variety of different perspectives. I appreciated the slower pace and the skilful way tension was built towards the trial over the course of the novel. What stopped me from rating this higher was my lack interest in the middle of the book. There were certain engossing passages throughout but as I reached the midway point of the story I found myself wanting to pick this book up less and less. Despite this I think the third act was rewarding in concluding a tragic tale and would encourage readers to persevere. . I would recommend The Nightingale's Castle to readers wanting a gothic, female-centred tale, and to anyone who doesn't mind some historical inaccuracies.

This imagining of Erzsébet Báthory “the Blood Countess” set in early 17th century Hungary is an elaborately embroidered historical tale of women, daughters and accusations of witchcraft.

The Countess’s teenage maid, Boróka, is a key character in this more sympathetic depiction of the Countess, who is as much a victim of her widowed status as the potential crimes of her close knit circle.

As the Countess is brought to trial, the link between her and Boróka becomes clearer as she is forced to choose her loyalties.

This is a carefully researched and beautifully written story with very believable characters, but I would have preferred the novel to have been more linear and plot driven.

Elizabeth Báthory is an historical figure who, like Vlad Dracula, has been made infamous due to their depictions in books and movies.

I jumped at the chance to read this book when I saw it was set in her Castle, interested to read a different kind of story about those times.
The Countess herself is almost a back story in this book, and actually it's a good thing because the crimes committed against young girls and the abuse of Women take a centre stage, their repercussions a focal point.

The story centres on a young girl, sent to the Castle as a servant, who rises to become a trusted companion to Countess Bathory and it's her personal story that takes the main story.

I liked the fact that the Countess is not depicted as a blood thirsty psychopath, obsessed with her own looks and mutilating girls for their blood. The Authors note at the end of the book is fascinating and adds so much depth to the reasons the Author had for the way she wrote the roles of those accused.

Overall a really good book, very grateful that I got to read this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers.