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A review by tales_of_a_succubus
Brides of the Impaler by Edward Lee
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
What's it about?
An original twist on vampires involving a couple that recently moved into a brownstone with a seemingly haunted basement, a fresh take on Vlad the Impaler, a creepy nun, and a chase to solve gruesome impalements.
🥀 Sick of the same old vampire tropes? Yeah, me too. Throw any expectations of romanticized vampires out the door because this one draws on the horror aspect. You've got a mix of things happening, as described above, but they all came together well in the end. After the couple move into their home, Cristina is haunted by a vampiric nun and is left in mysterious blackouts. A priest in the nearby church has a strange obsession with the house, keeping a watchful eye on it. Meanwhile, a detective is hunting down suspects on multiple impalements, trying to piece together a peculiar case that begins to seem cult-like.
🥀 While I liked most of the characters, I found they were lacking depth. There was development and a backstory for the main ones, but it felt one-dimensional. Regardless, I was drawn to Cristina the entire time. I do wish the dialogue was more varied - sometimes it felt like the same conversations with no reasoning behind it.
🥀 Fair warning: this is a slow paced book. It will require some patience, but I didn't mind it. Second half is when it starts picking up.
🥀 As a fan of different takes on the various Dracula myths, I found this to be very different than anything I have read. Archeology plays a role in the plot and I loved what Lee came up with.
🥀 I bought this a few years ago via Thriftbooks. You'll have to obtain a used copy, and they typically have the best price point. Sometimes it's in stock, sometimes there is a wait.
🥀 Lee may be a master of splatterpunk, but this is tame for him. Less gore, violence, and shock factor. It is more story driven. Still lots of sex though. If you're wanting to try one of his books, this may be a good entry point.
🥀 Read if you like: vampires, interesting crime cases, and Dracula.
4💀
An original twist on vampires involving a couple that recently moved into a brownstone with a seemingly haunted basement, a fresh take on Vlad the Impaler, a creepy nun, and a chase to solve gruesome impalements.
🥀 Sick of the same old vampire tropes? Yeah, me too. Throw any expectations of romanticized vampires out the door because this one draws on the horror aspect. You've got a mix of things happening, as described above, but they all came together well in the end. After the couple move into their home, Cristina is haunted by a vampiric nun and is left in mysterious blackouts. A priest in the nearby church has a strange obsession with the house, keeping a watchful eye on it. Meanwhile, a detective is hunting down suspects on multiple impalements, trying to piece together a peculiar case that begins to seem cult-like.
🥀 While I liked most of the characters, I found they were lacking depth. There was development and a backstory for the main ones, but it felt one-dimensional. Regardless, I was drawn to Cristina the entire time. I do wish the dialogue was more varied - sometimes it felt like the same conversations with no reasoning behind it.
🥀 Fair warning: this is a slow paced book. It will require some patience, but I didn't mind it. Second half is when it starts picking up.
🥀 As a fan of different takes on the various Dracula myths, I found this to be very different than anything I have read. Archeology plays a role in the plot and I loved what Lee came up with.
🥀 I bought this a few years ago via Thriftbooks. You'll have to obtain a used copy, and they typically have the best price point. Sometimes it's in stock, sometimes there is a wait.
🥀 Lee may be a master of splatterpunk, but this is tame for him. Less gore, violence, and shock factor. It is more story driven. Still lots of sex though. If you're wanting to try one of his books, this may be a good entry point.
🥀 Read if you like: vampires, interesting crime cases, and Dracula.
4💀