It's not the first "Brides of Dracula" retelling I read but A Dowry of blood is certainly the most interesting and well constructed. It does not try to revolutionize our perception of vampires, it does not invent anything new about Dracula's myth but I loved the dark and extremely relevant take that the author was able to give.

The story is actually a confession. Constanta, Dracula's first "wife", writes letters to her husband retracing their story. From the moment He (because she is never really mentioned) turned her to the extreme decision she will be forced to make. In between is a wonderful fresco of Europe through history: politics, art, luxury, excesses and blood ...

But He is at the centre of it all.

The way the author has managed to describe the relationship between him and his wife is absolutely perfect. A relationship of abuse, imprisonment, subjugation. Constanta is the victim of her bond with him, her Lord, her Master, her Maker. She thrives on every little compliment and benevolent gesture, she vanishes for every evil look or word he addresses to her. The relationship is absolute, there is no room for herself but only for him.

The only thing that can keep her from fading away is the arrival of Magdalena and Alexi. Both will bring a brief breath of fresh air to a relationship that constantly falls back into oppression. And it will be the love that Constanta feels for them and her innate and absolute desire to protect them that will allow her to finally wake up from a sleep in which her abusive relationship had made her fall.

The polyamorous relationship between the four characters is another element that I loved very much. Each partner is different from the other, Constanta is nurturing, Magdalena cunning, Alexi has the fervour of youth. And each has a different relationship with the other characters. Including Him. Everyone relates to the abuser differently and with different results. Every relationship is born from a pinch of jealousy but grows and transforms to become love. Only the love they feel for each other can save them from the real monster that is their Lord.

'This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. I suppose both are a sort of gentle violence, putting down in ink what scorches the air when spoken aloud.'

•A Dowry of Blood is an open letter written by Constanta to her maker and lover, detailing their relationship and life through centuries.

It's both a beautifully written love story and a story of Dracula's brides getting revenge on their abuser.

•Honestly, I don't know what to write about this novella because I feel like nothing will be enough to describe how extraordinary and brilliant it is.

The writing style is wonderful, I don't remember reading something similar to this, ever.

Reading A Dowry of Blood felt like reading my mother's letters I've found on the attic or something like that. It felt so incredibly real, like every tiny thing from the letter happened and you are the only person in the whole world who knows that (except for the brides, of course). Magnificent.

•Constanta is my favorite character but I loved Magdalena and Alexi very much, their relationship is my favorite part of the novella. They are so different but unique and dazzling in their own way, I'd everything I have just to read this story from their point of view.

•Let's not forget that A Dowry of Blood isn't just a queer retelling of Dracula and his brides, it's a story about abuse survivors.

•If any of this sounds interesting to you, give this novella a shot, it deserves it.

A Dowry of Blood - 5🌟

I'm beyond grateful to @netgalley and @nyxpublishing for allowing me to read an ARC copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nyx Publishing for providing this ARC for an unbiased review.

This was an interesting look the vampire mythos. It was framed from the POV of a lesser vampire exhibiting Stockholm Syndrome in her relationship with her master. As he turns others through the centuries they form a supportive poly amorous family...until they can tolerate his abuse no longer. (Not a spoiler alert as this is stated in the first few pages.)

The writing style was dark and foreboding. It felt like a tale the Brothers Grimm would've written. Many throats were ripped out, many limbs were rended. I enjoyed how the author described Europe during the dark ages onward. It was refreshing that the non-linear relationship was more of an afterthought than the focus. Constanta finally rises up to overcome bloody minded oppression by the master/Patriarchy. I totally appreciate that! Fun easy read that I recommend to readers who enjoy gory fairy tales with a historical bent.

A short but engaging read, A Dowry of Blood interrogates a long tradition of vampire myths and romances. "This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. I suppose both are a sort of gentle violence, putting down in ink what scorches the air when spoken aloud," Constanta addresses the husband she has murdered after a centuries-long relationship, an ancient and powerful vampire who saves her from death. "You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours," she promises him. Though unnamed, it is impossible not to read her husband as a Dracula analogue, or perhaps an amalgam of the many sexy, dangerous, (old), and controlling vampire lovers found in fiction. Refreshingly, Constanta's long letter turns the tables on the typical vampire romance by prefacing the inevitable heady lust and affection with the clarity of hindsight. "I think, my lord, that this is when you loved me best. When I was freshly made, and still as malleable as wet clay in your hands." Such annotations, peppered throughout, make clear the insidious way that power and love (and yes, supernatural vampiric lust) can trap someone in a controlling relationship that leaves them unable to live life (especially an immortal, undying one) on their own terms.

Though we know from the opening pages that she will murder her husband, that their polyamorous family will grow to include two accomplices to the act, Magdalena and Alexi, Constanta's gothic tale remains engaging from the start, and provides glimpses of her life in various European cities and towns throughout the centuries. I would have enjoyed a more thorough dive into some of these moments and the people in them, as the epistolary format and the overwhelming emphasis on the relationship dynamics of the principle romantic pairings were prioritized at the expense of fleshing out any side characters or historical settings. My only other small quibble was the repeated misuse of "I" as an object pronoun (e.g. "he looked at Magdalena and I"), which was distracting and out of keeping with the otherwise clear prose.

Overall, an enjoyable and atmospheric reworking of vampiric romance tropes and a compelling story of the struggle to free oneself from an abusive relationship, rounded out by a hopeful ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.

ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours through NetGalley.

This was what I wish The Deathless Girls would have been, a beautifully lyrical retelling about the brides of Dracula told to us by one of his wives with writing so stunning that it absolutely blew me away

I am truly in awe of this book. I picked it up expecting a sapphic imagining of Dracula's brides, and that's not quite what it is, but I'm in no way disappointed. The writing is beautiful, the characters are complex and well developed, and it does an incredible job of exploring the relationships between them. I was captivated the whole time, and at no point was I bored or had any issue with the pacing, dialogue, narration, or at all. Constanta is a great narrator, and while I haven't read a ton of books in second person, and I know many people don't like it, it works really well in this story. I particularly liked the way it grants Constanta control over her own story, and away from her abuser. It's a fantastic book, and I predict it will become a favorite of mine.

omg this book!
ok so this book was pitched to me as a reimaging of Draculas brides! but omg this did that and so much more!
First off the pacing so phenomal and the writing was also super amazing! besides from that though the characters and the setting were so well built and I could just visualize being part of this world. Highly recommend and cannot wait to read more by this author!

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson is a new reimagining and retelling of the story of Dracula’s vampire brides. I received an early review copy from the published through NetGalley. The story follows Constanta, Dracula’s first bride, through her transformation, new brides Madalena and Alexi arriving, and the end of her relationship with Dracula himself. The story is told through a long letter Constanta is writing to Dracula though he is never named in the text. Constanta tells her story and the story of the other brides and how Dracula changed them.

Personally, I felt the letter format to weaken the story being told. There is often more telling of events then seeing the events unfold and the growth of the relationships feel very abrupt. There are several time jumps through out the story to save on length and the time the story encompasses but this caused me to feel like I didn’t know the characters enough and progresses the feelings of the characters faster then is realistic.

My biggest disappointment with the story came about two thirds through the book. At this point I believed that this was a Dracula retelling that didn’t have anything to due with the original Dracula story. Due to the fact that Dracula dies at the end of the novel Bram Stoker wrote and the time periods referenced this felt Dracula inspired but not Dracula. However, the Harkers are mentioned in a throw away line that I feel is the biggest missed opportunity of this book. After reading that line all I wanted was to have read Constanta’s story and point of view during the events that took place during Dracula. Even with this disappointment I loved how right the ending felt.

Ultimately, this is a story about toxic and codependent relationship told through vampires. I feel like this will be a very polarizing book where your either going to love it or hate it. I’m in the middle as Dracula is my favorite classic and I like the ideas just not the execution.

True rating: 4.5

Who knew that a story of Dracula and his many brides would become one of my most favorites of 2021?!
S.T. Gibson's writing is in a league of its own. The story moves at an evocative pace telling the dark tales of romance, lust, and blood through Dracula's wife, Constanta. She writes this letter to her abuser and we get to view this dark world of vampires. Their world is one filled with polygamy, devotion, jealousy, abuse and everything else under the moon.

The dynamic between Dracula and his brides starts out as a bitter one, but seeing them develop love for one another was something I truly enjoyed watching unfold.

I LOVED this story. If you're wanting a dark, messy tale that's bound to keep you captivated, pick this up!

A lush, seductive retelling of Dracula that manages to find a fresh perspective on this story. I loved the opulence in the writing in this book but that it also had compassion and kindness in its allegory of domestic abuse. S.T. Gibson is a wonderfully talented writer and I'm so pleased to see more publishers giving novellas a chance

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly do not think there has been a single day since this book’s release that I have not seen something positive about it posted on Goodreads or Twitter. The author said it is like a dark and sexy retelling of Dracula’s brides, which just sounded so cool to me. I did try to read Dracula before this, but I ended up marking it as dnf because I could not get into it. Knowing that this book would have similar vibes but with a fresh and unique take on the classic, I was super excited to dive into this book. I was immediately interested by the fact that it would feature an all bisexual cast, a m/f/f/m poly relationship, and sapphic yearning at the opera.

S.T. Gibson’s A Dowry of Blood is an open letter to Dracula from one of his bride’s named Constanta. He rescues her from the brink of death, but she soon learns that he has a lot of secrets and is capable of cruel and evil things. However, she is stuck between this reality and her love for her husband. The two spend their lives together traveling before they invite Magdalena and Alexi into their marriage. They all have their own struggles with their husband that eventually become too much to bear, but in the end, Constanta is torn between love, freedom, and protecting herself along with her other partners.

I cannot even begin to sum up how much I loved Gibson’s writing. The whole book felt atmospheric, lyrical, and dark. At times, I found the writing style to be very poetic. I really enjoy books that follow an epistolary style too. It can be very unique and focuses the story more sometimes. I also find that they have a very personal and stream of consciousness vibe. Constanta’s story is a very good example of this. It is like being let into someone’s life and seeing their past and secrets laid out. It is almost so personal that you feel like you are invading a space that is not meant for you.

I found myself really drawn to the main cast of characters, obviously excluding Dracula.
Constanta is an incredibly intriguing character. I appreciated the choice Gibson made in having Constanta be the narrator. This gave her power and a voice to use against her husband, which is why she decides to leave him unnamed. I enjoyed seeing her development and growth throughout the story as well. Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi all complimented one another very well. Their relationships were all very complex and complicated at times. At first, it is like they are rivals competing for love and attention. In reality, they build something so beautiful together. Their interactions were one of my favorite parts of the whole book. I really did not want their story to end.

Gibson ultimately crafts a powerful narrative about toxic relationships and overcoming abuse. She explores how love can morph into control, abuse, and fear. It can be very difficult to leave this kind of situation. I think Constanta’s internal struggle about this is very well done because it shows the depth of this type of relationship. The different reactions Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi have to their husband’s rage and abuse are very unique to show how some people manage and navigate toxic relationships. This all felt so honest and raw.

A Dowry of Blood was a perfect read for me. I truly loved everything about it. Gibson’s writing and the story itself are both very enthralling. This book honestly deserves all the hype and positive reviews I have seen for it. I was incredibly lucky to get a copy from NetGalley but had to immediately buy one for myself because I know it is something I will want to collect and revisit.

*Content warning: depictions of emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner abuse, gaslighting, war, famine, plague, blood, gore, consensual sexual content, sadomasochism, self harm, body horror, violence, murder, alcohol use, depression, mania, brief references to sexual assault (not directed at any named character), drug use, drowning*

Thank you to the publisher, Nyx Publishing, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really like this turned out and how how it had so many different elements in this. The writing was fast paced and interesting and all the characters developed really well. I feel like Constanta was an interesting character to follow, as she had perspective that was different in world view to the others. I wish a couple of scenes have been expanded but they still serve their purpose well. I enjoyed the queer element and likes how it was all mesh together haha the love was fluid between the three partners of Dracula. This wasn't really a horror, more of an atmospheric thriller with romantic elements.

"This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. I suppose both are a sort of gentle violence, putting down in ink what scorches the air when spoken aloud.

If you can still hear me wherever you are, my love, my tormentor, hear this:

It was never my intention to murder you.

Not in the beginning, anyway."

I hadn't intended on starting my readthrough of this so soon, but as I stole peeks at the dedication page and then that gloriously dark and fascinating first chapter, I found I couldn't stop. I read and read until I was finished—and oh my god was this an unexpected delight of a book.

At less than 250 pages (50K words), I think perhaps this is slightly too long to be called a novella—I like to think of it as more of a concise novel, lean, but its length is perfectly suited to the storytelling and style of the work. Anything longer and it risks feeling as if it drags. This is <i>absolutely</i> a character-driven story—which, those naturally pace slower anyway, so the brevity is perfectly suited for this particular story.

We are given one POV, Constanta's, and believe me when I say that it reads as an achingly intimate farewell letter to an unnamed Dracula. That's right—this entire work is written to Dracula in the second person, which was a spectacular treat for me personally.

At its soul, A Dowry of Blood is a really, really shrewd examination of a centuries-spanning toxic relationship of the highest order—abuse, physical and emotional; manipulation; greed; lust; dominance; masterfully crafted scenes of gaslighting... This book was an excellent character study on what goes through the thoughts and behaviors of a victim when they find themselves in an abusive situation.

Marketed as a loose reimagining of Dracula, A Dowry of Blood balances what a complex M/F/F/M polyamorous relationship would be like given the circumstances and gothic setting while highlighting interesting bits of history and glimpses of Stoker's original. Exceptionally well done.

If you enjoy lush, lyrical prose, brooding vistas, and a good character study, you might want to read this one. It also contains violence, sex, and head games, and you can read it in one sitting. I'm glad I picked this one up as it was one of my anticipated new releases on my booktube channel.

"Love is violence, my darling, it is a thunderstorm that tears apart your world. More often than not, love ends in tragedy, but we go on loving in the hopes that this time, it will be different. This time, the beloved will understand us. They will not try to flee from our embrace, or become discontent with us."

I like reading books about vampires. I read plenty of it already starting with the Vampire Chronicles, Vampire Diaries or Anita Blake stories, and I have to say it’s pretty hard to find a nicely done book to my taste.

I wasn’t disappointed at all with A Dowry of Blood as it’s a type of vampire story that I like. Even from the first couple of pages it pulled me in so much, that I couldn’t put down till I finished the whole book. The whole story made me hooked and I wanted to know more about Constanta. It’s an awesome, beautifully written vampire fantasy about Dracula’s bride.

After the original Bram Stoker story it’s another interesting book about eternal life from a perspective of a woman. The book discovers Dracula’s polyamorous life style full with his brides love, loyalty and hate through Constanta’s eyes.

I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys old school vampire stories and wants to read something new and something old at the same time.

I should mention before we proceed…I do not care for vampires. I find them to be the least exciting and most tedious of all classic genre monsters. I’m also not a huge fan of gothics or goths (in the modern meaning of the word). And yet, despite it, somehow I liked this book very much. Which is really all the more credit to the book.
Dracula’s story has been told, retold, sequelized, prequelized and done from different perspectives for ages. And yet, not much was heard from the brides until now. Or maybe I’m wrong, don’t quote me on that, after all as mentioned earlier I’m not a vampire fan. But at any rate, a tale of Dracula’s brides, a queer one no less, piqued my interest. And turned out to be surprisingly good.
Surprisingly, because of the vampire thing, because I’ve never heard of the author, because it had every potential of being cheesy or gaudy or over the top the way most vampire fiction seems to skew and chose the high road every single time. Way to go. Author. Bravo.
The novel is essentially one long letter from the principal bride, Constanta, to the man she loved and (appears to have or wanted) killed. The man she died for, lived for, murdered for, through continents and centuries. A stormy relationship wouldn’t even begin to cover it. In fact, he isn’t even named, she won’t give him that much, not in the end. It’s just You, always You, the object of obsession, possession and so much more.
At first there was death, so much death and one man rescuing a young woman, giving her a gift of immortality, the ramifications of which she wouldn’t possibly understand until much later. Later, when time passed and things changed and other loves came to share what was offered. Of course, there were others, three brides in all according to the classic, though ingeniously the source material is barely mentioned, more like dismissed in an oh so clever nod to the lamentable Victorians affair.
Only in this queered up version, one of the brides is a lovely and impetuous nineteen year old boy. And all of the brides are quite passionate about each other, also.
Though the most fascinating relationship is the one they have with their maker and sire, the man who gave them so much and demands so much in return. It is because of him that the unfathomable freedom they have so strictly circumscribed. The savior and jailer, the lover and abuser, the nameless man who owns their souls. It’s too fraught of a relationship to last and yet it lasts so long. But then again, this is also a story of an unshackling, of sorts, a self liberation. A triumph of coming into one’s own. So very contemporary in so many ways for such a timeless tale.
So there you go, MeToo primed liberation manifesto with queer themes and a power message. You wouldn’t expect that in a brides of Dracula story, would you? I didn’t, anyway.
The other, maybe the main pleasant surprise, is the writing. Vampire fiction traditionally is over the top, heavy laden with glamour, glitz and decadence, both the lifestyle and the writing about it. And this novel somehow balanced that out perfectly, sure, there’s decadence, but it’s done right. There’s genuine elegance to the extravagance here, it’s really quite lovely and very well done. The genre style that’s typically so overwritten, ornamental, overdone…finally gets done right. Stylistically this was a very enjoyable read, it had a very nice flow to it, in fact, it was so well paced, it turned out an exceptionally quick read considering the page count.
All in all, excellent. A spin off that spins with a grace of a ballerina. Well done. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

A Dowry of Blood positively drips luscious prose, like life-giving blood to a hungry mouth. 4.5 rounded up.

I am not the biggest fan of vampire stories, but I think A Dowry of Blood may actually be the best I’ve read. I was hooked from the beginning and at no point did it bore me. The story felt fresh and creative and I loved both the writing and the way the plot unfolded.

Equal parts alluring and repulsive, the story is wholly engaging. S.T. Gibson can WRITE. I will certainly be recommending this and look forward to what she writes next.

The writing in this story was so captivating and it made the experience so much better. This was a dark but super intriguing retelling and i’m so happy that I enjoyed it as much as I did!

OH WOW. OH MY GOD. That.. was really quite a journey.

The beautiful prose really captivated me since the first page of the book. And while I wasn't really hooked in the story until about halfway through the book, I fell in love at first sight with Constanta.

3.5 stars. A spin-off of the classic 'Dracula', written from the perspective of one of his brides, Constanta. This gothic and dark tale, gives the story of Constanta starting at her deathbed, so at the start of her eternal life, and the centuries that follow.

The book describes her unwavering love and loyalty to her lord and the discoveries of eternal life. Until she slowly realizes that the joys of life are not so joyous anymore when you live forever and the confines she lives in become clear to her.

The relationship between Constanta and her lord and lover is complex, she loves him and at the same time hates him. In time, new “brides” (Magdalena and Alexi) are added to their family and they develop a polyamorous relationship centered around the love (and hate) for their lord, which is joyful and takes its toll at the same time. There is a lot of emotional manipulation (abuse), intrigue, desire and blood and I enjoyed the complexity of it all.

While I though the book was beautifully written, I found myself not enjoying it like I hoped I would. This book is written in the second person, in the form of a letter from Constanta to her lord, mentioned as ‘you’ and her immortal life story is told as a memory. Because of these things there was a certain distance to the story and I could not really connect to the characters as much as I wanted to. Another thing was the darkness of the book. I like a dark and gritty book, but I need to see some sources of light, especially when emotional abuse is involved, and there were not many. So, after a while I was getting pretty depressed like the main characters. The book didn’t match with my tastes, so I’d rate it 4* for the writing and 3* for enjoyment. I’m clearly a minority as it gets plenty of 5* reviews, so it’s probably best to see for yourself. I would read another book by Gibson in the future.

A haunting story with beautiful prose.

***I received a free Advanced Review Copy. This review is entirely my own and represents my honest opinions.

‘A Dowry of Blood’
‘But I was your war bride, your faithful Constanta, and you loved me for my will to survive.’

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant to a bride fit for an undying king. But as they journey together through the centuries, Constanta realises that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel her husband’s dark secrets.

With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death…
***
This lyrical reimagining of Dracula and his brides is as enchanting as it is horrifying. It masterfully depicts the tactics employed by abusers and the affect they have on the victims, tied up with depictions of vampirical legend.

Each character is fleshed out and distinctive as well as equally fascinating. Alexi and Magdalena weren’t two-dimensional rivals, thrown in for sake of conflict. They were well-written and helped drive the plot forward, with the narrative capturing the conflict of feelings (tension, love, and worry) that blossomed between the consorts as they each try to gain favour with their sire, Dracula. It is slow going at first and the poetic prose took me a minute to get used to but it’s so very worth it!

Dracula himself haunts the pages, even in his absence, and exudes a delectable darkness that had me eagerly racing through the chapters. I actually read this book in one sitting – it was far too good to put down – and was left in a state of blissful delirium when I finished. A kind of book-ish hangover. Rest assured, I will be buying my own hardcopy of ‘A Dowry of Blood’ to love and treasure for all eternity.