The Deathless Girls
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
Gothic, intoxicating, feminist, darkly provoking and deeply romantic - this is the breathtakingly imagined untold story of the brides of Dracula, by bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave in her much-anticipated YA debut. They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin. On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community. Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts. They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate...
Reviews with the most likes.
You know that feeling when you read a book and you get angry that you hadn't read it sooner? That's my reaction to The Deathless Girls.
The Deathless Girls follows the story of Dracula's brides, women who have been forgotten in literature that deserve to have their stories told too.
The minute you are introduced to these characters, you are invested in reading about their journey. Kizzy and Lil are such fantastic characters. Their strength, bravery and love were so empowering to read and I rooted for them the entirety of the book.
As always I won't go too in-depth about this book because I think it's one that it's best to go in blind but what I will say is that this book needs more hype because I never see anyone talking about it.
Fast-paced, beautifully written and sapphic?
This is a book that I will be thinking about for a while.
This was an amazing book, the main relationship between the two sisters pulls it along, even through fairly slow moments. The addition of the bear, the brother, and the rest of the travelers (by that I only really mean Fen) were perfect, though it didn't feel thrilling until the very end, when Kizzy had her sister join her as a ‘vampyre', Mira left and the aftermath began. This story could use a second book, if not third, to add more depth to the plot. I also really wanted more lore into how the whole universe they lived in worked, but as I got up to the very end, the book gives so much of it out (as to how the Dracul works and such) that it's slightly unenjoyable in that respect. The aftermath was good, but again, a whole second book could be written into what the Dracul and the deathless girls got up-to in their countless centuries afterward.
I've had this one on my shelf since late 2019 and can't believe I didn't pick it up sooner. I have never read Dracula but know the story of course, and have watched tons of movies about vampires. This retelling of Dracula's “dark sisters” makes me want to grab the original and dive in.
I wasn't sure about this one at first, but ended up really loving it. The writing flows well and I was easily caught up in the story. Even though this one isn't necessarily creepy or terror-filled, it has it moments of pause and I think would be great for Spooktober.
