A Dowry of Blood

S.T. Gibson's sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula's first bride, Constanta. 
This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.
Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their 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.
"A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful." --Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

I devoured this in two days. I was absolutely captivated by S.T. Gibson’s writing and the voice of Constanta, Dracula’s first bride.

“You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours. In this world you are what I say you are, and I say you are a ghost, a long night’s fever dream that I have finally woken up from.”

– A Dowry of Blood, S.T. Gibson

This is a dark story, a love story, and a story about survival. S.T. Gibson masterfully writes about the toxic relationship between Constanta and Dracula, how Constanta first revered him as her savior only to see, through time, how manipulative and controlling he truly is. I was so impressed by how gradual and natural this happened, how Constanta first felt treacherous about thinking negatively of Dracula, how she defended and justified his actions, and how she finally comes to the decision that she’s had enough.

Admittedly the last vampire fiction I read was the Twilight series and very much stopped there. I found Gibson’s vampires very compelling, showing they were driven by hunger and lust, merely viewing humans as food/playthings, yet yearning to live among them and dream, or feel jealous and heartbroken.

The book also explores polyamory and for someone who hasn’t really seen this in fiction, I thought it was done so well.

A Dowry of Blood is definitely a 2022 favourite. If you’re a Swiftie, it’s Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve x Vigilante Shit x Karma in the best possible way and I can’t wait to see what else S.T. Gibson writes about.

CW: Emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner abuse, gaslighting, blood and gore, consensual sexual content, sadomasochism, self harm, body horror, violence and murder

Thank you to the team at Orbit Books for gifting me a finished copy! All opinions my own.