Review: Being Mrs. Dracula by Faith Marlow

Every time we hear about Dracula, it’s always only about him. We rarely hear much about his three wives, other that they’re beautiful and dangerous. Well, Faith Marlow show us how they could be, and how their story is like.

Let me introduce you to them all;

We have Valeria, Dracula’s first wife. They got married before Dracula was a vampire. Dracula doesn’t tell Valerie that he has become something different, although she never says anything to him. We all know the ancient story… the Turks invaded his home, Dracula vanished into the night, leaving his young bride to defend herself. To avoid the Turks, Valeria throws herself out from the tower and into the waterfall; hoping she will die in the fall.

Which she does. Only to be reborn as a vampire. So the story of Valeria Karajan-Dracula begins. Feisty, angry, brave and stubborn in spades. She is also the one keeping everything together, and never truly loses it in public.

When Dracula finally comes back to Transylvania, to his castle, he is not alone. He brings his new human wife; Ilona Szilagyi-Dracula. Imagine Valeria’s outrage of Vlad bringing home a second wife!! Ilona is very different compared to Valeria. She is more emotional, in need of validation, still strong, but in a different way than Valeria. Softer somehow.

Add a few centuries, and in enters Fleur Boucher. Oy. Straight out from the sideline and bargain in, slamming doors, taunting and throwing everything she is and how she feels out there. Fleur is very different from both Valeria and Ilona, and it is a wonder they don’t kill each other!

This book starts out with a letter to Jonathan Harker from Van Helsing. Which explains a bit of what happened in the end –or maybe I should say WHY. And that is ALL I’m saying. ;-)

What I really, really liked about this book – well to be fair, there are MANY things to love, but beside the fact that this book focuses on the three brides and that Vlad is a very small character in the background, is that we get a unique insight into each brides thoughts. How? They write journals. I think it’s absolutely brilliant, I loved being able to dig deeper into their minds, their thoughts. But the entire book isn’t a journal, nope. There is storytelling in between the pages with journal, which really lifts the book to an entire different level.

So… if you’re looking for a different kind of vampire story, but with old familiar names, or if you like me always wondered who Dracula’s brides was, Being Mrs. Dracula is definitely for you!

When Valeria’s hand was given in marriage to the handsome and powerful Count Vlad Dracula, she dreamed of happiness but instead her life was filled with longing for her absent husband, their country ravaged by war. When Vlad at last returned from the battlefield he was a changed man, an alluring and dangerous creature with a thirst for her blood…and for more wives.

For over one hundred years, tales of Count Dracula have haunted and seduced the imagination of readers worldwide. Now experience the story of Dracula from a new perspective, as told by the three women who knew him best. Discover their stories, their secrets, and find out what it would be to love and be loved by history’s most powerful vampire in Being Mrs. Dracula.

In a marriage that spans centuries, one man shared between three women, love may be eternal but happiness is not guaranteed.

You can buy Being Mrs. Dracula HERE

 

In the fifth grade, Faith Marlow discovered a fondness and talent for writing and has considered herself a storyteller ever since. In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, movie connoisseur, and a veritable repository for all manner of useless yet entertaining knowledge. Faith is proud member of the Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing family. Her first novel, “Being Mrs. Dracula”, which chronicles the lives of Count Dracula’s three beautiful, yet very different wives is now available. The second book in the series “Being Dracula’s Widow” is set for release on April 5th, 2014.

Faith lives in Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/ husband, Scottie, their son Avery, and Moses the loyal family turtle.

 

 

 

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