Oh, Kiersten White, please write all the vampire stories forever and ever, because I will always be here to read them. Honestly I loved this revision/retelling of Dracula. The one thing that always bothered me about the book was Lucy’s complete lack of agency, and this book does an excellent job of changing that while keeping the original narrative largely intact. I LOVE a retelling that doesn't have to change the original story too much to tell a completely different kind of story, which this does (I'm not saying I totally loved the rather harsh take on the dudes in the original, but for the purposes of *this* story, it makes perfect sense). I like this version AND the original.

Also, it’s just a great vampire story in and of itself, with some shades of Carmilla, the OG vampire story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for this eARC.

This book was amazing in the first half and then fell a bit flat in the second.

✨4 stars✨

Thank you Random House Publishing - Ballantine and Netgalley for this eARC!!

You know what? I was a little scared that this was going off the rails at about 65%, but somehow the ending stuck the landing and made me love this entire wild ride even more.

I agree with Kiersten White that Lucy from the original Dracula novel needed a girlfriend and bodily autonomy. And this novel DEFINITELY delivered on both fronts. This is a very Unique Dracula retelling for sure and its not going to be everyone's cup of tea. This book is very much the phrase "trust the process".

I adored all of the characters, especially Iris when she got in her gay panic moments. Who knew butter chicken would be a sweet pet name.

Though I've thoroughly enjoyed previous reads from Kiersten White, Lucy Undying was extremely underwhelming.
Was it a me problem?
Maybe? I dunno. Let's call it a fluke.
Typically I enjoy dual timelines and epistolary novels, but I was boooorrred with this one 😭. I found the characters to be very melodramatic and annoying. The pacing was slow but the storyline was easy to follow and even easier to guess where it was going.
Will I still be reading books from White?
YES.
This one just wasnt for me.
Thanks to NetGalley Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the eARC!

Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel
3.5/5

Iris Goldaming’s mother has finally died, leaving her daughter a multi-level marketing cult, two moldering British properties, and decades worth of emotional trauma. Iris travels to England to sell every bit of her inheritance not nailed down before disappearing into Europe, leaving the weight of Goldaming blood behind. But her mother’s influence reaches beyond the grave and Iris is only saved by the interference of a mysterious (and beautiful) stranger. As Iris searches the house with the help of her savior, Elle, she comes across the diary of one Lucy Westenra, forming a connection across time as reads of Lucy’s burgeoning queer desire for her best friend, her suitors’ controlling influence, and at last- the appearance of Dracula. As their stories hurdle closer and closer towards each other, can Lucy and Iris escape the influence of both their families and greater supernatural powers? Will they also, perhaps, smooch? (obviously)

Reading Kiersten White’s author’s note, I think we have a similar connection to the source material of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I love Dracula- I’ve written about it academically, I’ve had a song from the musical version in my audition book for years- I think in part because of how much I disagree with Stoker’s points. I think he, in writing a story that plays off the xenophobia and misogyny of his time, stumbled into a compelling tragedy about how our society feeds upon those who do not confine to those norms. While contemporary audiences saw a cautionary tale, a modern perspective leaves it a heartbreaking tragedy told with one of the best uses of epistolary writing out there. I’m fiercely protective of the characters of Lucy and Mina, so it took me a bit to get comfortable with White’s take on them here. I love Mina as a young woman trying to push the boundaries of her role, taking an active part in tracking down Dracula, until she’s tragically forced back into passivity in order to survive. I love Lucy as a bubbly, kind, and sexually realized woman in a time that punishes her for being just a normal teenager, with the desires and impulsivity that can encompass. White and I have very different takes, but we both strongly believe Lucy Westenra deserves a girlfriend, so once I was able to get past the dissonance of her taking such a different reading of the text, I loved her Lucy, too.

Lucy’s relationship with Mina in White’s text mirrors one I had when I was younger and it absolutely broke my heart. The way Iris immediately clocks the unhealthy dynamic while Lucy determinedly defends Mina hurt because it was so real. So was the way Lucy censored herself within her own diary. The layering of Salt Lake City as the setting of the second act- MLM and internalized guilt capital of the world- was also perfect.

I agree with other reviews expressing a greater interest in Lucy’s story than Iris’s. I think Iris’s story had a ton of potential, but it felt far less thought out and grounded than Lucy’s. This meant that the second half of the book hit way less than the first. White has some moments of nuance within understanding familial relationships, but I wish she’d allowed a bit more with Lucy’s with her three suitors and Mina. Without spoilers, I think it might have hit better (and more horrifyingly) if there was more emphasis on the insidious ways social structures can be used to abuse power over women like Lucy rather than having certain folks be straight up completely evil. Another letdown- format! Some of this book is epistolary, mimicking the “found media” format of Dracula and much of the modern horror it’s inspired. This ruled, but the use of this format was inconsistent and thus a bit frustrating.

Anyways, I got super into reading this and stayed up a bit too late. Lucy’s story is so interesting and compelling and while Iris’s felt less thought out after the big reveal at about 2/3 into the book, I wasn’t mad at it, just disappointed compared to my investment with Lucy. I wish Lucy had been our POV character more than Iris- maybe flat out instead of Iris. I think the shenanigans going on at Goldaming life would have been more clearly sketched-out from an outsider’s perspective, too.

I’ve read quite a few things by White at this point and would rank this higher than And I Darken but just below The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. If you liked that one, I think you’ll like this one, too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful retelling of the Dracula legend from the point of view of Lucy Westerna, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. A delightful and affirming reimagining, perfect for spooky season!

Unfortunately this one didn't really work for me, and it was mainly down to the multiple povs and timelines which left me feeling very pushed out of the storylines, all the time. It's all a bit of a jumble, Add in the complete character assassination of several rather classic Dracula characters (Van Helsing in particular springs to mind) and I just couldn't get behind the story.

I particularly didn't like Iris's story, which is set in a modern day, where she meets a rather glamorous and seemingly immortal woman who just so happens to be Lucy (not a spoiler, it's really obvious). And for some reason she's running away from a weird multilevel marketing cult type situation. It was just bizarre. And not in a good way.

Not for me. I wanted more of the historical elements, less of the weird time jumps and even weirder modern day plot.

This definitely would have been 5 stars if it wasn't so long and took me almost 2 months to get through. For a book that's over 400 pages long it felt like it was never going to end. All of that aside, it was still a good book. I loved how it switched between past and present Lucy and Iris, who was obviously my favorite. I wasn't expecting there to be twists in this book and while I did guess one of them pretty early on the others took me by surprise. I loved the romance in this and I especially loved the ending. Kiersten White's books can be pretty hit or miss for me but I really enjoyed this one.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballantine | Del Rey for the gifted copy for my honest review!

Lucy Undying gave me Castlevania and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue vibes with a heavier gothic influence and more lesbians. I can totally see where some people thought this story moved too slow, as things don’t pick up much until about the halfway point. However, Lucy’s diary entries had me hooked from the get go. The format the author used for storytelling in this book worked really well for me. I loved the different POVs, the short chapters, and the look into Lucy’s life as a young woman before everything changed. The mystery surrounding her death and the Goldamings kept me on the edge of my seat and I had a great time reading Lucy Undying! I do think this book was probably longer than it needed to be, as some of Iris’s earlier chapters could’ve been cut without consequence. Overall, I really enjoyed this unique, gothic fantasy and think it’s perfect for the spooky season!

Thank you to Del Rey, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

"The beginning is, as all beginnings are, soaked in blood and shrouded in darkness. The end will be, too, but we'll get there together.
My name is Lucy Westenra, and this is my story."

Thank you NetGalley and Kiersten White for an eARC of Lucy Undying. The following is my honest review.

Lucy Westenra was one of Dracula's first victims. A lifetime of searching for the man who stole her life has led her to present-day London and right into the path of Iris Goldaming, a young woman who is trying to escape her family's legacy. With Dracula hunting his next victim, Lucy and Iris must put an end to the monster that has haunted Lucy since her death.

I love a retelling of a classic tale and Lucy Undying is a fantastic retelling of the classic tale of Dracula. White gives a voice to Lucy Westenra and returns the power to Dracula's victim after the people around her failed her. I loved this Sapphic spin on the original story.

Told in three timelines, we slowly piece together the story of Lucy alongside the present day with Iris Goldaming fleeing from her toxic, manipulative mother's legacy. This way, we get the long history of a character who has lived lifetimes alongside the action of the main storyline. It gave this character a chance to tell her story when she was unable to during her lifetime.

I also enjoyed Iris's story. It reminded me of Isadora's story in White's novel The Chaos of Stars. And the idea of incorporating MLMs into a story about vampires is so perfect. The eeriness of MLMs brings a sort of modern-day horror to this retelling. Forget the blood-sucking monsters that prowl at night, I'm more afraid of the corporations that prey on desperate people.

And of course, the romance was what had me hooked. I love the way that Lucy and Iris love each other. Please give us a sequel because I need more of their adventures.

I fell in love with White's writing after reading The Chaos of Stars and I was very excited to read Lucy Undying. Her writing continues to enthrall me. So many lines and moments stood out for me and I would love to return to this book and annotate it. The familial connections, the twists on the classic tale, the romance were all fantastically done. I took my time with this book, enjoying my read through it and it's one I know I'll go back to again.

I really loved getting to know more about Iris and Lucy and Kiersten White has a beautiful and lyrical style of writing that was perfect for their story.

However, I honestly think I would’ve given this book 5 stars if it were at least 100 pages shorter. Quite a few parts seemed to drag and it ended up feeling like a chore to read. But after the 60% mark, a lot more started happening and it was easier for me to stay engaged. But overall, I really enjoyed it!

I can honestly say that this book didn't disappoint. The cover initially drew me in and then the description hooked me further. I'm a sucker for any kind of retelling of classic horror and if you add in romance as well? Even better. Lucy Undying is as much a growing into your own story as it is a horror and romance. Lucy has to figure out who she is without the drive she had when she was turned and Iris has to learn what it means to be able to escape her family and actually do as she always wanted. I love twists that make a female character more important and grow their roles from the original text. This happens to both Lucy and to Mina in unexpected ways. The science that gets drawn in, the history, and all of the intrigue. Even guessing who Elle was from the very beginning and that no, she didn't actually work for the museum was handled so wonderfully. Please please, please make sure that you get a copy of this book. It's great.

I loved this book. A lot.

At first following three timelines, (with a few more POVs later), this novel follows the stories of Iris, an MLM heiress who wants nothing to do with it, and Lucy, as both a young woman and talking to her therapist as a vampire.

Iris travels to England to make some quick cash off a home she inherited from her dead (and abusive) mother, to run away from the MLM she also inherited. In the process she makes some friends, including Elle, the woman who offered to help her pawn as much as possible. While clearing the house, she finds the diary of an old resident, Lucy.

Lucy’s diary, which we get to read, tells the tale of a young lesbian in the victorian era. She’s in love with her governess, her mother is trying to marry her off, oh, and she met Dracula. In contrast to the innocent girl we meet, we see her as a vampire, talking to a human therapist she saved by accident, recounting her tale after Dracula killed her.

As things come to a head, Iris uncovers the past and must deal with her future, especially as she falls in love with Elle, and with Lucy through her diary.

With a good mix of expected and unexpected twists, this book is a wonderful adventure, horror, and love story, as well as a tale of finding yourself and taking your story back.

Iris and Lucy are both wonderful characters I fell in love with, and I only wish I had been able to read more of their tale. I enjoyed every second of this book, and damn I wasn’t prepared for that ending, though I was pretty happy with it.


If you need a sapphic tale for spooky season, this is a great pick.

I loved the stetting, the gothic vibes were very well done and it was an interesting modern day Dracula retelling. It did lose my interest at points and was a bit long winded. Overall, I did enjoy it. I would recommend and read from this author again. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kiersten White, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this free ARC.
3.5/5

I'm embarrassed it's taken me this long to write a review for this book, but even months later, I can't stop thinking about it. I'm utterly obsessed with Kirsten White's reinterpretation of Dracula! Lucy Westenra has always been a character that bothered me in the original novel and its film adaptations—she often comes off as a vapid innocent with little depth. But in here she FINALLT gets the agency and complexity she deserves.

The writing is nothing short of stunning, filled with incredible one-liners that I want framed in every room of my home. The way past and present intertwine is masterfully done, revealing the story in a slow, tantalizing burn that kept me hooked from start to finish. Lucy's character growth is immense, and watching her evolve is one of the many joys of this novel.

And can we talk about the queer representation? The relationship between Lucy and Iris is both intense and beautifully portrayed, adding layers to their characters and the narrative as a whole.

Lucy Undying is more than just a retelling; it's a profound exploration of identity, love, and the power to break free from one's past. If you're looking for a fresh take on a classic tale that combines gothic fantasy with modern themes, this is a must-read.

Review of Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

Lucy Undying had all the ingredients for a gripping, gothic retelling—vampires, a modern-day setting, and a reimagining of Lucy Westenra from Dracula's lore. But unfortunately, this book turned out to be one of my biggest disappointments of the year.

The premise was intriguing: Lucy, one of Dracula's first victims, spends her undead life trying to escape his control while discovering her own identity in 21st-century London. When she meets Iris, an heiress to a sinister health empire, their blossoming love seems to offer a new beginning for Lucy. But between Iris's dangerous family ties and the lurking threat of Dracula’s return, things quickly become complicated.

While the idea had so much potential, the execution fell flat. Rather than being the chilling, atmospheric horror with gothic romance vibes I had hoped for, Lucy Undying felt more like a tedious, drawn-out love story between a lovesick vampire and an insufferable, snarky heiress. Lucy’s character, who could have been a fascinating, powerful figure reclaiming her life, comes across as far too consumed by her infatuation with her childhood governess Mina, and later on Iris, a modern-day MLM heiress, who lacks any depth beyond her sarcastic quips.

The pacing was another issue—the story felt much longer than it needed to be, with not enough tension or stakes (no pun intended) to keep me engaged. There was little of the gothic atmosphere or horror elements that I expected, making the reading experience feel repetitive and unfulfilling.

Overall, Lucy Undying was a missed opportunity. The concept of retelling Lucy’s story as a powerful vampire seeking redemption had so much potential, but the overly long, romance-heavy narrative overshadowed everything else that could have made it compelling.

First off, how stunning is this cover🤩! Lucy Undying features Iris Goldaming as she’s trying to escape her family’s legacy that she doesn’t want. The other POV in this book covers Lucy Westerna with diary entries of her life when she was 19. We also get transcribed therapy sessions of her afterlife since becoming a vampire. The different POVs diving into Lucy and Iris’ life created an interesting read with different themes being explored. Lucy was an intriguing character and I enjoyed the self-discovery when it came to her in this book.

Thank you to TBR Beyond Tours for the gifted copy!

Lucy Undying has been one of this year’s biggest surprises for me. I wasn’t particularly impressed by White’s previous release, Mister Magic, so I didn’t have high expectations. However, this book exceeded them all. It’s a gripping horror story that also delivers a charming romance and showcases why the vampire genre remains vibrant. The novel follows Lucy, one of Dracula’s first victims, as she navigates her existence as a vampire and a young woman in the present dealing with her family's dark secrets. One of my favorite books this year!

The pacing was the biggest drawbacks of this book. I had to start skimming at about 60% because I couldn't keep reading it in full. It seemed a little inconsistent in the story telling and the time period this takes place in. I really wanted to love it because the cover art is AMAZING but it just felt too slow and mundane for me to get excited over.

I am an absolute sucker for a gothic retelling of Dracula and this absolutely scratches that itch! Perfect for fall and Halloween reading, lovers of gothic fantasy and horror will enjoy this story.