This book is a retelling or untelling, depending on your sources, of the story of Erzsébet Báthory, a Hungarian aristocrat also known as the “blood countess”.

It took me some time to get into the story, because I personally had a hard time keeping the characters apart. I think it was a mix of different things: The names are very similar to each other, and listening to them rather than reading them did not help keep them apart. I feel like there could have been more context given to be reminded who we are focusing on at the moment, but this was mostly not done, I assume to slowly reveal more and more about the different characters and built suspense.

I like to go in blind, whenever I listen to an audiobook, because I feel like book blurbs often set up false expectations for the narrative of a book. I had also never heard of the “blood countess” and the tales about her before. In this instance, I think it would have been a more enjoyable read, if I had known about the “blood countess” before, or if I had read up on the story more, so I would also recommend doing this before reading to anyone that picks up this book. My reasoning behind this is that I feel like it took a lot of enjoyment out of the experience for me, because I felt like I had to put in more effort into listening than if I had known more about the story. (As I said above, I spent the majority of the book just trying to keep the characters apart). I was also on the edge the whole time because I felt like I couldn’t trust any of the characters (or the genre of the book) and I feared that the book could turn more gruesome at any moment.

Although the book is well written, I think that overall (even having more information prior) I would not recommend this book to anyone just looking for a quick enjoyable read, because ‘enjoyment’ will not be the main thing to get out of this book. Rather, this book has a very subtle, but powerful message that narratives of historical accounts usually get spun by the ‘winners’ in history, which are predominantly men. This means that almost all the history we know of was framed by men. The Nightingale’s Castle is an example of that: A powerful woman becomes a thorn in the eyes of her male counterparts and was most likely demonized for their political gain and turned into an infamous villain. I would recommend listening or reading the Author’s note at the end of the book to fully appreciate the research that went into this book and to fully comprehend the message of this book. It is definitely a powerful one that will stay with me for a while.

I listened to the audiobook and can generally recommend the experience. I think it might be helpful to look at an overview of the characters and their names prior to reading to be able to distinguish them better, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette UK Audio for gifting me this ALC of the audiobook to review. All opinions are my own. I was not paid to leave this review.

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.

A captivating story based on a legend. I was gripped from the first page to the last, highly enjoyable.

Thank you to Hachette UK and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Nightingale’s Castle by Sonia Velton follows the true story of Hungarian Countess Erzsébet Báthory. In 1610, she was accused of murdering more than 600 girls, and this fictionalised version of events offers a sympathetic perspective to the circumstances that lead to this accusation. The Nightingale’s Castle is, by all intents and purposes, a feminist retelling that questions the legitimacy of such claims in retrospect.

The Nightingale’s Castle, while a multi-perspective story, follows the events as told by main character, Boróka, an adopted peasant girl who comes to work in the Cachtice Castle. Prior to Boróka’s arrival at the castle, rumours of the Blood Countess’s proclivity for the murder of peasant girls have already circulated so widely across the hamlets surrounding the castle… so much so that these rumours are considered common knowledge.

Boróka, however, gives the Countess the benefit of the doubt and decides to judge her character for herself, showing such a great understanding of the way women are constantly and unfairly persecuted in their 17th century world. Through Boróka’s eyes, as well as the eyes of several more castle servants and the Countess herself, we experience plague, abuse by those in power, and the constant thought that went into every action of 17th century women and girls.

The Nightingale’s Castle is an incredibly immersive piece of historical fiction. I was so easily transported to 17th century Hungary and the plight of peasant girl and noble woman alike. This story is both infuriating and heartbreaking, but handled in a way that gives grace to even the most vile of characters. No villain is purely evil. Velton does a superb job diving into the rich backstories that inform her villains’ actions. Each character depicted is well-rounded in a way that shows the author’s immense skill in their craft.

Sonia Velton’s skill alone makes this a book worth reading, and the intrigue of the story is simply a nice bonus. This is a book I would happily recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction or feminist literature. This was the first novel of Velton’s that I have read; but based on this novel alone, I would be interested in consuming more of her work.

Content warnings: As a historical fiction novel, this story depicts a few challenging topics such as plague and sickness, violence against children and women, poverty and wealth disparity, and persecution on the basis of sex. While this story by its nature deals with these difficult topics, the author handles them in a way that is sympathetic to the sensitivities of the reader. Velton’s writing does not include these topics in an attempt to shock and horrify, but rather to lend truth to historical events.

Based loosely on facts and myths, this story follows the account of a Hungarian Countess (Erzsebet Bathory) rumoured to have killed many girls and young women. Known also as the Blood Countess.
We follow Boroka as she is taken from the person she called ‘father’, into whose care she was placed as an infant. Boroka is taken to the Castle - who wouldn’t want to live there, to learn how to be a lady? Fortunately, Boroka hasn’t heard the stories of the servant girls who disappear, assumed murdered.
Countess Bathory is charged with murder, along with her trusted friends/accomplices, of many hundreds of girls. Boroka has only ever been shown love and care in the castle, although she has observed some cruelty of others servants. What she finds out challenges her loyalty both to the Countess and her fellow servants.
Well read, all consuming. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bathory has a place in history as a mass murderer of young women. I’m not familiar with the detail of her story and this work of fiction is based, very loosely, on a few known historic facts. I have rather mixed views; I enjoy historical fiction but sometimes poetic licence can take a step too far, The authors explanation of the background and boundaries is helpful and on the whole, I found this an engaging tale of dark and violent times.

There are numerous characters and you have to listen carefully to follow the plot. I’m not familiar with Hungarian names and had to rewind a few times to check I was following what was going on, it’s certainly atmospheric and creepy and there’s a real sense of menace, History tends to portray any powerful woman in a negative way and sorting out myth and fact isn’t easy. I think if you approach this title with an open mind and no preconceptions, it works well as a dark, gothic style mystery. I enjoyed it and the narration is excellent.

Frustrating, sad historical fiction about what has historically happened to women who dare to get too powerful and independent of men.
History is written by the victor and most winners have been men, they have created the narrative of women throughout history, in this case creating what was probably a fiction around Erzsébet Báthory, turning into a murderer because she dared to stand up to men who tried to take what belonged to her.. In order to win they set about destroying her legacy.

The Nightingale’s Castle delves into the intriguing tale of Erzsebet Bathory, a notorious historical figure known as one of the most prolific female serial killers, allegedly responsible for the deaths of 600 peasant girls in 1610 Hungary. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of Boroka, a character entrenched within Erzsebet’s household.

Experiencing this story as an audiobook offered both enjoyment and challenges. While the immersive nature of audio narration enriched the experience, it posed difficulties in keeping track of the characters, particularly due to their uncommon names. As someone with dyslexia, encountering these names in print might have facilitated better comprehension and engagement. Consequently, this hindered my ability to deeply connect with the characters, potentially altering my overall experience had I read the book instead.

The author’s note at the conclusion of the book acknowledges its departure from historical accuracy, clarifying its fictional nature. While this artistic license allowed for creative storytelling, I found myself yearning for a more historically grounded narrative, as distinguishing fact from fiction became blurred.

Despite these challenges, The Nightingale’s Castle succeeds in weaving a captivating story. The author’s writing style is commendable, leaving me inclined to explore more of her work in the future. While it may not reach the heights of historical fiction masters like Philippa Gregory, it offers a unique perspective on a lesser-explored era of history. This book serves as a springboard for further exploration into the fascinating yet eerie world of history, a realm I am eager to delve into further

A work of fiction inspired by real-life events of the Blood Countess. The story follows the tale of a young girl born illegitimately and handed over to a peasant family to take care of. Years after, as the search for new serving girls begins, our protagonist finds herself recruited. Afraid and reluctant, she is only settling in as the plague and enemies make their move on the castle. And with that begins the bloody trials.

I think that the magical wooden box was a great element to add to this story. With all the witchery accusations, the unknown fits perfectly. The dynamics of political power and how soon the events can turn around at court are portrayed well. The story also explores the angle of a woman in command and how the hungry wolves surrounding her decide to dispose of her if and when she becomes inconvenient (Don’t even get me started on the fake confessions through torture).

There were certain parts of the story that I liked and a few moments that. made my blood boil. This book would suit readers who enjoy their historical stories with a hint of novelty and imagination.

Thank you, @netgalley @hachetteuk @hachetteaudio @soniavelton for the ARC.
Genre: #magicalrealism #historicalfiction
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Another worthy addition to the female character reimagining genre. I had no previous knowledge of this episode in history or of the countess, so came to the audiobook with no previous opinion. It seems increasingly likely now that it was just another inhumanity laid upon a woman who dared to be independent (and wealthy) by men who were greedy and resentful. Rant aside, I feel that the story was told very well, but did seem overlong at times. The audiobook definitely helped to get the feel for the time and place and made pronunciation of names much clearer. I did find that I struggled with the plethora of characters though and sometimes got confused with who was who. I would urge sticking with this to maintain continuity. If you like this kind of historical retelling, I would definitely recommend.

It was an interesting read for sure, especially when it comes to women’s stories because it’s not set in a country we usually see in this type of literature. Now the thing is I couldn’t tell you to save my life who was who save for like 3 characters? The story itself was super interesting and I’d recommend the audiobook because I do not speak Hungarian and so having the names pronounced for me was great. I just expected this to be a lot darker than it was, I don’t know why and that’s why I’m a little disappointed I think. Still an interesting read just not a new favorite. 3.25⭐️

I knew absolutely nothing about Erzsébet Báthory or this time period before going into this novel, and maybe I would have understood bits better if I had but I definitely don't think it's essential to enjoying this book. I'm very glad I listened to the audio so I got the pronunciation of the names right, but also I found it helped me keep track of characters who had similar names. I enjoyed how this was an event based around myths and folklore but how this story gave very sound reasons for all of it, like a political witch hunt against a powerful, smart woman who men were afraid of, rather than actual witch craft. I enjoyed that this was very different to anything I've read recently, and the audiobook was very well done and kept me interested throughout.

An interesting novelisation of one of the most prolific accused female serial killers in history. The Nightingale's Castle presents a much more human figure of the infamous Countess Báthory, chronicling the life of a young girl in her service. The novel is well paced and weaves together it's numerous plots quite well, definitely an interesting read but it feels like it's maybe better marketed for a late teenage audience rather than marketed as adult fiction.

Actual rating 4.5.

I absolutely adored this dark and delicious slice of historical fiction which puts a whole new spin on the famous tale of ‘The Blood Countess’.

Instead of the gory tales of murder and torture which the Countess Báthory is known for in folklore, this novel suggests that her trial was more to do with political manoeuvring by men trying to keep her in her place - and it certainly seems feasible when you consider the true purpose of witch trials etc too! I thought this was such a fascinating storyline, and found myself absolutely hooked from the very first chapter.

Whilst the trial does form a large part of the story, at the heart of it there are some truly wonderful, compelling women who form a bond against all odds. It’s a moving and powerful tale of female friendship and family and courage, and I especially adored Boróka, who led with kindness and compassion throughout the story. I also loved the slightly magical elements to the novel, and the folklore which is passed down throughout it.

This just felt really different to any other historical fiction I’ve read lately, and whilst I did struggle at times to keep up with all the characters, I still loved every second of this beautifully written and haunting novel.

*A big thank-you to Sonia Velton, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
Historical fiction tacking the infamous Countess Bathory and presenting quite an interesting approach to the lady whose bloody legend has never ceased to appeal to both historians and readers. Ms Velton offers an intriguing plot and quite convincing explanation behind the legend, reminding us that independent women were not welcome in the time of Bathory. Quality writing and period details.

Thank You, NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen/read this book.

I had not heard about the Blood countess before this book, The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton.

I was actually really intrigued and the book didn't disappoint.

I loved the eerie feel of the book and the dark undertone throughout.

Definitely would recommend it.

This audiobook is based on a true story which captured my attention straight away, in fact, the novel is based on the story of the Blood Countess otherwise known as Elzsebet Bathory who was alleged to have tortured and murdered hundreds of girls and women from 1590 - 1610. The novel starts on Hungary in 1610 and we meet Boroka, a peasant girl who becomes a servant who is favoured by the Countess. She even becomes a stand in for a portrait that is being painted of the countess. The lives of the girls inside the castle was fascinating and so well narrated by Elinor Coleman who makes the life in the castle come alive. The Countess has a dominating presence throughout the whole book. This is a very rich, captivating , gothic feel novel that was an enjoyable read. I also adored the cover of this book. Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Uk Audio.

The Nightingale's Castle is a historical fiction about Countess Báthory. Although I had no prior knowledge about the original events I had no issue following the novel and understanding its contents.

Sonia Velton does a wonderful job of writing the story through multiple perspectives and showing the difference sides of many of the characters. This novel kept me coming back to it every time I put it down and had me engaged the entire time.

Elinor Coleman, the narrator of the audiobook, also did a wonderful job of narrating the book. She had a nice pace, inflection, and pronouceation throughout the book and I had no issue following the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the audiobook ARC

A beautifully written story looking at the the life of the famous blood queen and showing a very different side to the story. Although I got confused at times with names and who was who once I got my head around them all I found this a very enjoyable and interesting listen. I really enjoyed it. Beautiful language and writing.

Historical Fiction at its Best

I do love historical fiction novels and I have to say this did not disappoint. I was drawn by the synopsis as I had never heard the story of Erzsébet Báthory aka The Blood Countess.

The fascinating story of the Hungarian Countess who purportedly tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries was extremely well written, clearly well researched with attention to detail which made it an authentic read.

I really enjoyed listening to this Audiobook read by Elinor Coleman who read with beautiful diction and pronunciation as well as creating great character roles.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher for this Audiobook ARC.