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Being Mrs. Dracula #1
Being Mrs. Dracula
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.
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.
282 pages, ebook
First published April 15, 2012
15 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
Faith Marlow
34 books143 followersFaith Marlow is a USA Today best-selling author of dark fantasy, paranormal, and horror. Her stories often feature unlikely heroines who find themselves while overcoming adversity, and range from historical to modern settings.
The author lives in Tennessee with her husband and son. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, or sculpting with polymer clay.
The author lives in Tennessee with her husband and son. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, or sculpting with polymer clay.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 1, 2018
A good concept, this novel is complete in itself and can be read on its own. It's generally well written, although for me the middle could have been condensed somewhat. While characters and relationships are well developed, the various historical social backgrounds seem sketchy. The plot is not always entirely logical (especially near the end), which caused me to lose engagement with the story while I wondered why...
The intimate details of the vampires' lives make for interesting reading, and I believe that fans of this genre will love this book.
The intimate details of the vampires' lives make for interesting reading, and I believe that fans of this genre will love this book.
July 25, 2012
WOW! First off I want to commend the author on an excellent, well told story. I can't believe that this is Ms. Marlow's first novel. Second, if you have read Bram Stoker's Dracula, you will appreciate the format that the author used to tell her story. I actually recommend that you read Dracula so that you can fully appreciate what an excellent job the author has done continuing on with the characters from that original work of art. I personally have read the book and quite honestly had no sympathy or connection with the brides of Dracula. Ms.Marlow has changed my opinion totally with her story.
The book starts out with a letter from Van Helsing to Jonathan Harker that is delivered at his death and then immediately jumps back to the 1400's where we meet the first of Vlad Dracula's wives Valeria. (I will admit right now that she is my favorite wife). At least half of the story is told from journal entry format as the wives describe what it is like to be married to Dracula. It may sound like this would be difficult to follow but it flows so nicely and allows Ms. Marlow to cover close to 500 years of "living" without writing a book as big as the Bible and yet gives the reader the full flavor of what their lives were like. Things happen obviously and wife number 2 enters the picture. Ilona is as sweet and docile as Valeria is fiesty and opinionated. (I fell in love with her for different reasons). Fleur, wife #3 comes along much later when the dynamics of the relationship between Vlad, Valeria & Ilona have been well and truly solidified. I can't say that I cared for her but I did actually feel a bit sorry for her.
This is not a PNR in any true sense as the romance kind of takes a back seat to the story playing out but that is not to say that the sex scenes aren't good and hot. I think I might categorize it as more of a Horror/UF/Romance. Needless to say I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading more by this author.
The book starts out with a letter from Van Helsing to Jonathan Harker that is delivered at his death and then immediately jumps back to the 1400's where we meet the first of Vlad Dracula's wives Valeria. (I will admit right now that she is my favorite wife). At least half of the story is told from journal entry format as the wives describe what it is like to be married to Dracula. It may sound like this would be difficult to follow but it flows so nicely and allows Ms. Marlow to cover close to 500 years of "living" without writing a book as big as the Bible and yet gives the reader the full flavor of what their lives were like. Things happen obviously and wife number 2 enters the picture. Ilona is as sweet and docile as Valeria is fiesty and opinionated. (I fell in love with her for different reasons). Fleur, wife #3 comes along much later when the dynamics of the relationship between Vlad, Valeria & Ilona have been well and truly solidified. I can't say that I cared for her but I did actually feel a bit sorry for her.
This is not a PNR in any true sense as the romance kind of takes a back seat to the story playing out but that is not to say that the sex scenes aren't good and hot. I think I might categorize it as more of a Horror/UF/Romance. Needless to say I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading more by this author.
December 24, 2012
When Van Helsing died, he left a diary. That, in turn, led to more diaries by the Mrs. Dracula`s. The story is told from the wives perspective.
Valeria's father aligned their family with Count Dracula by Valeria's marriage to him. The Count was a good man, but he scared her very much. He had courted her for a short time, so they weren't strangers when the wedding finally took place. The sex was more wonderful than she could imagine. Afterwards, she lay with her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.
As Hungary and the Turks fought, he had to go into battle. When he returned at the first of the year, he was a different man. Rumors that he slaughtered thousands of men women and children ran rampant.
She feared him, but couldn't fight the attraction she had for him. He had changed. She touches him and he feels so cold. His teeth seem longer and he is stronger, even though she never sees him eat. The light shines on his red eyes.
She had been ill, but recovered while he was gone. When he had come home, she seemed to get ill again. She also noticed, she had another "love" bite. It seemed as they made love, he could read her mind. He fed off her, which was her illness. She has such love for him, that she doesn't mind. He is now a man-creature, who comes home from battle in the middle of the night and enters through the window.
The servants were terrified and many of them fled, but she didn't care. Valeria and the Count fed off each other, sharing their life force - blood. She loved him, even though she thought she would die because of him. Even she thought herself odd.
When he left with the peasants, she realized she had been abandoned. She sent the rest of the servants away and she was now all alone. She would kill herself before she would let the Turks take her.
As she dies, she is reborn. Like her husband, she is now a vampire.
She is vicious in her revenge of the Turks looting her home. She tells of her anger when she is abandoned by Vlad. She rampages through her home, and the carnage and savage killing of the Turks are beyond description.
After two years, she takes up her pen and begins her diaries.
5 STARS - Would Buy It For Them (lol)
A vampire book like no other. It is told in the form of diaries, and begins with his first wife, Valeria. Needless to say, he is immortal, so one wife would never be enough. Vlad's callousness, cruelty, and betrayals are so selfish and self-centered, it makes you wonder how the wives are able to keep their sanity. Or do they?
The story is told from the wives points of view. The confusion, loneliness, hatred, grief, love, pain, and betrayal they experience will leave you feeling emotionally drained.
When I first opened the book, I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I'm not huge on books written as diaries. It didn't take long for me to become totally engrossed in it. You must keep reading or you will miss a truly unique story of a love like no other.
I fell in love with Valeria. Even though she is a vampire and has the capacity to be truly vicious and savage, her love encompasses so much more than she thought she would ever be able to give. The horrible things she goes through would make you think she would be incapable of what she does at the end of the story. The ending blew me away and I can hardly wait to read the sequel. I hope you are a fast writer Faith. lol
Faith Marlow takes vampires to a whole new level. I never saw where this book was going and I am so glad, because the surprise was well worth waiting until the last page to discover. I loved where she went with the book and the journey was well worth traveling.
As I sit here writing the review, all I can think of is WOW. I am still caught up in the story, trying to think how to describe it to you, so that you will be sure to pick up your copy and enjoy Valeria's story.
I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Valeria's father aligned their family with Count Dracula by Valeria's marriage to him. The Count was a good man, but he scared her very much. He had courted her for a short time, so they weren't strangers when the wedding finally took place. The sex was more wonderful than she could imagine. Afterwards, she lay with her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.
As Hungary and the Turks fought, he had to go into battle. When he returned at the first of the year, he was a different man. Rumors that he slaughtered thousands of men women and children ran rampant.
She feared him, but couldn't fight the attraction she had for him. He had changed. She touches him and he feels so cold. His teeth seem longer and he is stronger, even though she never sees him eat. The light shines on his red eyes.
She had been ill, but recovered while he was gone. When he had come home, she seemed to get ill again. She also noticed, she had another "love" bite. It seemed as they made love, he could read her mind. He fed off her, which was her illness. She has such love for him, that she doesn't mind. He is now a man-creature, who comes home from battle in the middle of the night and enters through the window.
The servants were terrified and many of them fled, but she didn't care. Valeria and the Count fed off each other, sharing their life force - blood. She loved him, even though she thought she would die because of him. Even she thought herself odd.
When he left with the peasants, she realized she had been abandoned. She sent the rest of the servants away and she was now all alone. She would kill herself before she would let the Turks take her.
As she dies, she is reborn. Like her husband, she is now a vampire.
She is vicious in her revenge of the Turks looting her home. She tells of her anger when she is abandoned by Vlad. She rampages through her home, and the carnage and savage killing of the Turks are beyond description.
After two years, she takes up her pen and begins her diaries.
5 STARS - Would Buy It For Them (lol)
A vampire book like no other. It is told in the form of diaries, and begins with his first wife, Valeria. Needless to say, he is immortal, so one wife would never be enough. Vlad's callousness, cruelty, and betrayals are so selfish and self-centered, it makes you wonder how the wives are able to keep their sanity. Or do they?
The story is told from the wives points of view. The confusion, loneliness, hatred, grief, love, pain, and betrayal they experience will leave you feeling emotionally drained.
When I first opened the book, I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I'm not huge on books written as diaries. It didn't take long for me to become totally engrossed in it. You must keep reading or you will miss a truly unique story of a love like no other.
I fell in love with Valeria. Even though she is a vampire and has the capacity to be truly vicious and savage, her love encompasses so much more than she thought she would ever be able to give. The horrible things she goes through would make you think she would be incapable of what she does at the end of the story. The ending blew me away and I can hardly wait to read the sequel. I hope you are a fast writer Faith. lol
Faith Marlow takes vampires to a whole new level. I never saw where this book was going and I am so glad, because the surprise was well worth waiting until the last page to discover. I loved where she went with the book and the journey was well worth traveling.
As I sit here writing the review, all I can think of is WOW. I am still caught up in the story, trying to think how to describe it to you, so that you will be sure to pick up your copy and enjoy Valeria's story.
I was given this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
July 29, 2014
Wow! What a read! This is Dracula told from a completely different angle--- the POV of his wives (yes, that's right, more than one).
Written as a diary, beginning with the first wife Valeria, we are introduced to a woman who is full of hope for a happy marriage. She is very much in love with her new husband but he is soon called off to war and comes back a changed man. As the war continues and more wives are added to the story, the POV changes to the different women in Dracula's life. They are each very different women and their love for each other is sometimes strained and sometimes very strong. I love how the story is told by the different women as they write in their journals. Its full of their sadness and anger and also for their love for each other.
Along with the relationships with each other we also see how they are perceived by humans. Humans tend to fear what they don't understand and the vampire family was often persecuted out of fear having to move from country to country to survive.
If you enjoy a good vampire read this is an awesome story to pick up. A great read that I look forward to continuing in the next installment.
Written as a diary, beginning with the first wife Valeria, we are introduced to a woman who is full of hope for a happy marriage. She is very much in love with her new husband but he is soon called off to war and comes back a changed man. As the war continues and more wives are added to the story, the POV changes to the different women in Dracula's life. They are each very different women and their love for each other is sometimes strained and sometimes very strong. I love how the story is told by the different women as they write in their journals. Its full of their sadness and anger and also for their love for each other.
Along with the relationships with each other we also see how they are perceived by humans. Humans tend to fear what they don't understand and the vampire family was often persecuted out of fear having to move from country to country to survive.
If you enjoy a good vampire read this is an awesome story to pick up. A great read that I look forward to continuing in the next installment.
October 30, 2012
I loved everything about this book.This is a fast paced horror/lovestory.The writting style was so smooth flowing, I never found my self bored with any part of this book. I couldn't put it down...
Some of my favorite parts were the journal entrys. This helped with knowing who was telling this part of the story. I loved that you took a "classical" story but told through the wifes eyes.Thought this is a horror story,it was also a love story. I loved the way the characters evolved arround their love/hate relationships. It really shows you that there is a thin line between love and hate. And how you can start out hating someone and grow to love them or visa versa,flipping over and over......
Even though horror is not a genre I tend to read. I am feel so privileged to have read this book. Great Job !!!!!
Some of my favorite parts were the journal entrys. This helped with knowing who was telling this part of the story. I loved that you took a "classical" story but told through the wifes eyes.Thought this is a horror story,it was also a love story. I loved the way the characters evolved arround their love/hate relationships. It really shows you that there is a thin line between love and hate. And how you can start out hating someone and grow to love them or visa versa,flipping over and over......
Even though horror is not a genre I tend to read. I am feel so privileged to have read this book. Great Job !!!!!
November 9, 2012
Dracula: Man Or Monster??? I'm thinking both... This was a great, fantastic, amazing look into the life his brides would have had. Every coin has two sides, I think it was a look into who Dracula could have been both husband and Man..and sometimes monster.
I really did not know what to expect from this book. But wow what a page turner. In one word "eloquent". I found this author to be a breath of fresh air. The Wive/Wives.. each had their own vivid personality. Well done!! I think this is just a must read for any paranormal lover...
The "Diary" entries kept you intrigued with the wives it depicted how they changed through out their lives. It was one of my favorite parts...
I think it was key also the the time line for the story to unfold.
I really did not know what to expect from this book. But wow what a page turner. In one word "eloquent". I found this author to be a breath of fresh air. The Wive/Wives.. each had their own vivid personality. Well done!! I think this is just a must read for any paranormal lover...
The "Diary" entries kept you intrigued with the wives it depicted how they changed through out their lives. It was one of my favorite parts...
I think it was key also the the time line for the story to unfold.
November 1, 2012
This is a beautifully written story. I was afraid that since I haven't read Bram Stokers's Dracula, that I would be confused, but that wasn't the case. This story pulled me in and I felt everything that these characters were going through, which was quite stressful at times.
The story begins with a letter from Van Helsing concerning the fate of the wives of Dracula. From the beginning I was curious as to what has become of these wives. The story then goes to a journal entry from the first wife, Valeria. Starting from the beginning of their marriage and then progresses to her hearing that her castle would be taken over. Vlad is no where to be found. Instead she attempts to end her life and finds that she is now a vampire. She learns on her own what it is to be a vampire. One of my favorite parts in this book is when she storms her castle and takes vengeance on those that stole it from her. What I loved was that her breaking point was when they were carting out her dresses. She goes on a murderous rampage seeing them touch her beautiful dresses. I just thought it was so easy to understand her mind, the pure mind of a woman focusing on her clothes. I think this is one reason why she was my favorite, her strength to push through all hardships. I had so many HATE moments with Dracula. I suspected that he knew what Valeria had become and he still never came to help her.
Then there is his second wife, Ilona. She is extremely religious and doesn't understand Vlad at first. Then she is under his spell. They have their share of hardships and then learn that they can return to Vlad's beloved Castle. This is where Ilona and Valeria meet under some not too great circumstances. Valeria and Ilona slowly forge a relationship. The moments between Valeria and Ilona are some of my favorites. The "sisterhood" between them was so complex but were some of the more beautiful moments. You would think that a man would be content with two wives who had no problem being together and with him, but NOOOOOO, Vlad brings in a third wife..."by accident." Fleur was his mistress before she turned and she has no problems flaunting it in front of the other two wives. She had her moments where I wanted to slam her up against a wall myself, but I did feel sorry for some of the things she went through. I think in her core she was actually very self conscious about Vlad's relationship with the other wives.
One critique I had is that I kind of lost track of the years. I know the dates were there, but once I got consumed in the story I would forget what the date was. And then i would be like "20 years later, woah, how did that happen?" But I might be the only person that happened to. And it didn't really bother me too much, I just wanted to give honest feedback to this amazing author. Obviously going through almost 500 years of story is not an easy task.
Now, the ending...wow! It was so well written and heart wrenching! If a book makes me cry and gives me goosebumps then I pretty much know that it was a keeper. I want everyone to read this. I'm sure if you have read Dracula, then it will be even more satisfying. I actually think I might read Dracula and then do a wonderful re-read of Being Mrs Dracula.
(I actually rated this book 4 stars right after I read it but then spent the rest of the day wondering why I didn't give it 5 stars. I just couldn't stop thinking about this book, so I had to change the rating. I feel MUCH better now.)
I truely loved this story and can't wait to read more from this author!
The story begins with a letter from Van Helsing concerning the fate of the wives of Dracula. From the beginning I was curious as to what has become of these wives. The story then goes to a journal entry from the first wife, Valeria. Starting from the beginning of their marriage and then progresses to her hearing that her castle would be taken over. Vlad is no where to be found. Instead she attempts to end her life and finds that she is now a vampire. She learns on her own what it is to be a vampire. One of my favorite parts in this book is when she storms her castle and takes vengeance on those that stole it from her. What I loved was that her breaking point was when they were carting out her dresses. She goes on a murderous rampage seeing them touch her beautiful dresses. I just thought it was so easy to understand her mind, the pure mind of a woman focusing on her clothes. I think this is one reason why she was my favorite, her strength to push through all hardships. I had so many HATE moments with Dracula. I suspected that he knew what Valeria had become and he still never came to help her.
Then there is his second wife, Ilona. She is extremely religious and doesn't understand Vlad at first. Then she is under his spell. They have their share of hardships and then learn that they can return to Vlad's beloved Castle. This is where Ilona and Valeria meet under some not too great circumstances. Valeria and Ilona slowly forge a relationship. The moments between Valeria and Ilona are some of my favorites. The "sisterhood" between them was so complex but were some of the more beautiful moments. You would think that a man would be content with two wives who had no problem being together and with him, but NOOOOOO, Vlad brings in a third wife..."by accident." Fleur was his mistress before she turned and she has no problems flaunting it in front of the other two wives. She had her moments where I wanted to slam her up against a wall myself, but I did feel sorry for some of the things she went through. I think in her core she was actually very self conscious about Vlad's relationship with the other wives.
One critique I had is that I kind of lost track of the years. I know the dates were there, but once I got consumed in the story I would forget what the date was. And then i would be like "20 years later, woah, how did that happen?" But I might be the only person that happened to. And it didn't really bother me too much, I just wanted to give honest feedback to this amazing author. Obviously going through almost 500 years of story is not an easy task.
Now, the ending...wow! It was so well written and heart wrenching! If a book makes me cry and gives me goosebumps then I pretty much know that it was a keeper. I want everyone to read this. I'm sure if you have read Dracula, then it will be even more satisfying. I actually think I might read Dracula and then do a wonderful re-read of Being Mrs Dracula.
(I actually rated this book 4 stars right after I read it but then spent the rest of the day wondering why I didn't give it 5 stars. I just couldn't stop thinking about this book, so I had to change the rating. I feel MUCH better now.)
I truely loved this story and can't wait to read more from this author!
May 1, 2012
Being Mrs. Dracula is a book that seems to defy all genre classification. Twenty pages in and you might think you are reading a stylized paranormal romance. But give it twenty more pages and it starts to feel like a vicious revenge story. Twenty more pages and you will swear you are reading a dramatized history of a jilted princess. The book is a roller coaster ride through the world of genre and emotions. Faith Marlow does a wonderful job of defining the three distinct personas of the wives of Vlad and making you root for each of them for opposing reasons. I loved Valeria because she was brutal and angry. I loved Ilona for her gentle compassion. I loved Fleur because, let's face it, everyone loves a bad girl. Somehow they all meld together into a story that will have you lusting for blood on one page and crying for their loneliness on the next.
I would be remiss to not mention the overwhelming deja vu that permeates this book. The story could stand alone or it could be read as an undeniable commentary on literary characters we thought we knew, but were wrong. The first instinct upon finishing this book is to reanalyze all of the classic secondary characters and wonder if maybe you had overlooked them too quickly. This book does for horror what Wicked did for Children’s fantasy, except without the heavy handed moral lessons.
I once read a piece of writing advice, and for the life of me I can not remember who said it. But the advice was to write every character in your story as if they were the lead character. Even secondary, minor characters have home-lives, wants, aspirations, heartbreaks, and secrets. And just like in the real world, they all think the story is about them. Bram Stoker was a great writer, and I can only assume, that consciously or un-consciously, he did this for his characters. He knew that each of Dracula’s wives had a story, and an interesting one at that. But that was not the story he was telling. Faith Marlow came along to remind us, and to bring us that forgotten story. It is well worth your time and money to buy this story and read it. It will stick with you for a long time after.
I would be remiss to not mention the overwhelming deja vu that permeates this book. The story could stand alone or it could be read as an undeniable commentary on literary characters we thought we knew, but were wrong. The first instinct upon finishing this book is to reanalyze all of the classic secondary characters and wonder if maybe you had overlooked them too quickly. This book does for horror what Wicked did for Children’s fantasy, except without the heavy handed moral lessons.
I once read a piece of writing advice, and for the life of me I can not remember who said it. But the advice was to write every character in your story as if they were the lead character. Even secondary, minor characters have home-lives, wants, aspirations, heartbreaks, and secrets. And just like in the real world, they all think the story is about them. Bram Stoker was a great writer, and I can only assume, that consciously or un-consciously, he did this for his characters. He knew that each of Dracula’s wives had a story, and an interesting one at that. But that was not the story he was telling. Faith Marlow came along to remind us, and to bring us that forgotten story. It is well worth your time and money to buy this story and read it. It will stick with you for a long time after.
October 27, 2012
A very unique take on a classic horror tale. There was a sense of love and hate thru out the entire book. The story is told from the Brides of Dracula's point of view. This was such an unique insight to the characters flaws and all. It was easy to find relatable comparison to real life situations skillfully crafted to make the reader want more and to keep turning the page for the next juicy bit. Here are my thoughts:
Valeria Karajan is betrothed to a man she has not meet Count Vlad Dracula. She is excited and intrigued by him yet is surprised by his gentleness towards her. She knows that Vlad is fighting for his beloved Transylvania. She is content with being Count's wife that when she's tricked into believing that Vlad is dead she despairs for her believed loss. Vlad knows that Valeria has been tricked into believing he's gone. Vlad does something that he didn't dare before which is to take another wife. Even though Vlad knows that Valeria is undead like him. He must act as though he's still human to defend his home and lands. Ilona Szilagyi is to become Vlad's second wife believing that he's a widower and her marriage arranged by her cousin The King. Ilona and Vlad's relationship is much different from the one he shared with Valeria. Ilona hopes to give Vlad a child by their union and dreams of being a mother to his children. Ilona is devastated when she miscarries their child. She believes she won't have another child by Vlad. Vlad eventually takes Ilona to his beloved Transylvania where she learns that his first wife is very much alive. As time passes, Ilona and Valeria grow fond of one another which pleases Vlad. Flash forward 300 years, Valeria senses that Vlad is growing bored and learns to trust her instincts. Enter Vlad's latest bride Fleur Boucher, who only thinks of herself, and hates Vlad's wives. Ilona and Valeria want nothing to do with Fleur no matter how much Vlad wishes it. When Fleur is nearly destroyed by Slayers, they return to Transylvania and none of them know peace. Will there be peace between the brides? Will Vlad remain with them? What about the Slayers? Your answers await you in Being Mrs. Dracula.
Valeria Karajan is betrothed to a man she has not meet Count Vlad Dracula. She is excited and intrigued by him yet is surprised by his gentleness towards her. She knows that Vlad is fighting for his beloved Transylvania. She is content with being Count's wife that when she's tricked into believing that Vlad is dead she despairs for her believed loss. Vlad knows that Valeria has been tricked into believing he's gone. Vlad does something that he didn't dare before which is to take another wife. Even though Vlad knows that Valeria is undead like him. He must act as though he's still human to defend his home and lands. Ilona Szilagyi is to become Vlad's second wife believing that he's a widower and her marriage arranged by her cousin The King. Ilona and Vlad's relationship is much different from the one he shared with Valeria. Ilona hopes to give Vlad a child by their union and dreams of being a mother to his children. Ilona is devastated when she miscarries their child. She believes she won't have another child by Vlad. Vlad eventually takes Ilona to his beloved Transylvania where she learns that his first wife is very much alive. As time passes, Ilona and Valeria grow fond of one another which pleases Vlad. Flash forward 300 years, Valeria senses that Vlad is growing bored and learns to trust her instincts. Enter Vlad's latest bride Fleur Boucher, who only thinks of herself, and hates Vlad's wives. Ilona and Valeria want nothing to do with Fleur no matter how much Vlad wishes it. When Fleur is nearly destroyed by Slayers, they return to Transylvania and none of them know peace. Will there be peace between the brides? Will Vlad remain with them? What about the Slayers? Your answers await you in Being Mrs. Dracula.
June 19, 2012
First, this is not your normal paranormal romance that you will find on my blog. No big problem to be solved, big alfa man rescues woman and they live happily ever after. But sometimes you just have to go back to the basics. Faith Marlow has written a great story about the up and downs of the three woman behind the (selfish) Mr. Dracula. I have to say that if it was my husband i would have dumped him at the first corner. Not these woman, they stick to their man till the last fang! The book is a hell of a ride. Faith Marlow does a fantastic job of defining the three distinct personas of the wives behind Vlad and making you root for each of them for opposing reasons. My favorite is Valeria because she is nice and feisty. I loved Ilona for her ultimate soft woman character and Fleur because she is just a evil red head. "*uche* *uche* just like me :)" Stick to the basics read this book it's worth your time!
We have a great guest post with giveaway on our website in july 2012. and a character interview with Valeria at the end of july. Come and check it out at paranormalcravings.blogspot.com
We have a great guest post with giveaway on our website in july 2012. and a character interview with Valeria at the end of july. Come and check it out at paranormalcravings.blogspot.com
July 6, 2015
I've had this little gem on my Kindle for quite some time and finally opened the pages. And I wasn't disappointed! The book begins in 1897 and then the author, Faith Marlow brought me back, way, way back to 1460. To Vlad Dracula and his marriage to Valeria. Ms. Marlow set the stage well, and honesty, I felt like I was viewing a movie. (I recently watched Dracula Untold) It felt real. In order to pass through time, four hundred years, the author sets us up with diary journals from Dracula's wives, which was ingenious.
If you're into Dracula and vamps, I recommend Being Mrs. Dracula!
If you're into Dracula and vamps, I recommend Being Mrs. Dracula!
November 3, 2012
This book was not something I would normally read but I'm so glad I did. This is the story of, literally, Being Mrs. Dracula. The years and years that are spent dealing with all the different things this man they loved and hated could throw at them. It is very well written, although I would have liked a little more action, just what I'm used to reading. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend!
November 13, 2012
Being Mrs. Dracula is a wonderful book and a wonderful surprise and to be honest I think that the author was very brave to write a story that still has to be confronted with the ultimate gothic novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker.
The story is well written and the choice to tell the story in the form of a diary, it made possible to trace through more than four centuries, the life story of Count Dracula through the diaries of his wives, according to their different points of view. In this way, the time passes quickly and read their thoughts so personal makes it more special and exciting.
In the original book Dracula and its film adaptations, their presence is only a brief appearance, but thanks to this book is told a wonderful story and complex, which changes the shape of the most famous vampire in the history of literature, which had always appeared as a kind of romantic "hero".
In this story, by Valeria, Ilona and Fleur you learn about a different creature from the classic legend, you love him and hate him, in a continuous contrast between these sentiments, following the reading of the diaries of these women, they face a very different reality from that dream for their relationship with their husband.
You can not not love all the characters in this book, or almost: Valeria, his first wife, is the one that I loved the most, the naive and loving wife who is reborn as a creature of the night and with time and experience she is transformed into a woman proud, strong, loyal, passionately in love with her husband, despite the disappointments, abandonment and betrayal.
Ilona fragile but full of feeling and compassion, who manages to survive the suffering that she faced during her life and winning the affection and protection of Valeria, the one who should be her bitter rival.
The one that I do not feel a big "love" is Fleur, sincerely because of her arrogance a few times I'd loved to put a stake through the heart.
And Dracula, the focus of the lives of these women. As I said I hated him for his choices and his behavior, but I loved him and I was terribly fascinated until the last moment.
His relationship with Valeria is wonderful and special and I was really intrigued.
Nothing is taken for granted in this book, even the ending, which somehow had to reconnect to that of Stoker, I found it surprising and touching. I was struck by the binding of Vlad and Valeria even now, with that "God bless you Vlad" said by Valeria in a delicate and difficult I was struck by the strength of her relationship with Vlad so complex and profound, despite the evolution of facts and events.
How do you say sometimes in life not everything can be black or white.
The story is well written and the choice to tell the story in the form of a diary, it made possible to trace through more than four centuries, the life story of Count Dracula through the diaries of his wives, according to their different points of view. In this way, the time passes quickly and read their thoughts so personal makes it more special and exciting.
In the original book Dracula and its film adaptations, their presence is only a brief appearance, but thanks to this book is told a wonderful story and complex, which changes the shape of the most famous vampire in the history of literature, which had always appeared as a kind of romantic "hero".
In this story, by Valeria, Ilona and Fleur you learn about a different creature from the classic legend, you love him and hate him, in a continuous contrast between these sentiments, following the reading of the diaries of these women, they face a very different reality from that dream for their relationship with their husband.
You can not not love all the characters in this book, or almost: Valeria, his first wife, is the one that I loved the most, the naive and loving wife who is reborn as a creature of the night and with time and experience she is transformed into a woman proud, strong, loyal, passionately in love with her husband, despite the disappointments, abandonment and betrayal.
Ilona fragile but full of feeling and compassion, who manages to survive the suffering that she faced during her life and winning the affection and protection of Valeria, the one who should be her bitter rival.
The one that I do not feel a big "love" is Fleur, sincerely because of her arrogance a few times I'd loved to put a stake through the heart.
And Dracula, the focus of the lives of these women. As I said I hated him for his choices and his behavior, but I loved him and I was terribly fascinated until the last moment.
His relationship with Valeria is wonderful and special and I was really intrigued.
Nothing is taken for granted in this book, even the ending, which somehow had to reconnect to that of Stoker, I found it surprising and touching. I was struck by the binding of Vlad and Valeria even now, with that "God bless you Vlad" said by Valeria in a delicate and difficult I was struck by the strength of her relationship with Vlad so complex and profound, despite the evolution of facts and events.
How do you say sometimes in life not everything can be black or white.
January 17, 2013
Originally published on Bookluvrs Haventext
'Dracula' is one of my favorite books of all time. I have read it more times than I can count. Bram Stoker brings to life, in its pages, characters such as the Count, of course, Jonathan Harker, Mina, and the unforgettable Van Helsing, as well as a wide cast of minor characters. Three forgettable characters are the Count's three vampire brides. They make a brief appearance in the beginning when Harker is held prisoner in Dracula's castle, and within the end of the story when they all attempt to lure Van Helsing and Mina out from the circle of protection.
I have never wondered who these three women were. Didn't give them much thought in any of the times that I read 'Dracula'. But Faith Marlow did. And she wrote a whole book about their amazing stories, and made them come to life.
So who were the three brides of Dracula?
They were women of captivating beauty, with varying strengths, weaknesses, and very different personalities. They were loved by Vlad, and loved him in return.
They were Valeria, Ilona and Fleur.
They were sisters.
They were rivals.
Their story was utterly captivating.
I absolutely loved that this was written in a similar format to Stoker's 'Dracula', with its switching point of views from wife to wife, in form of diary entries, letters, switching from first to third person. It almost felt like a companion novel to the classic I love so much, though it painted such an unexpected picture than the story that I am so familiar with.
The monster that is the Count was no longer such the monster when I viewed them through their eyes. He was captivating, frustrating, alluring, charismatic and breathtakingly romantic. There are hints of the Vlad we are familiar with; his cruelty, savagery and ruthlessness, but that was not so much the focus of this novel.
The same goes for the three brides themselves. I will never read of them, or see them on the movie screen and think of them the same again.... As cruel, cold, savage creatures meant to torment and drain children and men of their blood.... As conniving, bloodthirsty creatures that blindly do the Count's bidding. Because Faith Marlow gave them life. She gave them a story. And their stories are pretty extraordinary.
*I received a eBook copy of this book for free to review from the author; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.*
'Dracula' is one of my favorite books of all time. I have read it more times than I can count. Bram Stoker brings to life, in its pages, characters such as the Count, of course, Jonathan Harker, Mina, and the unforgettable Van Helsing, as well as a wide cast of minor characters. Three forgettable characters are the Count's three vampire brides. They make a brief appearance in the beginning when Harker is held prisoner in Dracula's castle, and within the end of the story when they all attempt to lure Van Helsing and Mina out from the circle of protection.
I have never wondered who these three women were. Didn't give them much thought in any of the times that I read 'Dracula'. But Faith Marlow did. And she wrote a whole book about their amazing stories, and made them come to life.
So who were the three brides of Dracula?
They were women of captivating beauty, with varying strengths, weaknesses, and very different personalities. They were loved by Vlad, and loved him in return.
They were Valeria, Ilona and Fleur.
They were sisters.
They were rivals.
Their story was utterly captivating.
I absolutely loved that this was written in a similar format to Stoker's 'Dracula', with its switching point of views from wife to wife, in form of diary entries, letters, switching from first to third person. It almost felt like a companion novel to the classic I love so much, though it painted such an unexpected picture than the story that I am so familiar with.
The monster that is the Count was no longer such the monster when I viewed them through their eyes. He was captivating, frustrating, alluring, charismatic and breathtakingly romantic. There are hints of the Vlad we are familiar with; his cruelty, savagery and ruthlessness, but that was not so much the focus of this novel.
The same goes for the three brides themselves. I will never read of them, or see them on the movie screen and think of them the same again.... As cruel, cold, savage creatures meant to torment and drain children and men of their blood.... As conniving, bloodthirsty creatures that blindly do the Count's bidding. Because Faith Marlow gave them life. She gave them a story. And their stories are pretty extraordinary.
*I received a eBook copy of this book for free to review from the author; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.*
October 22, 2012
I'm left with mixed emotions from this book. Bram Stoker's Dracula has always been a favorite read of mine. I loved the premise of this story since it focuses on the three vampire sisters that Stoker depicted as sensual predators who deceive their prey with their beauty. This book follows the journey of each of these women as they evolve from being naive and sheltered women and into predators, lovers and sisters. The story begins with the diary of the first bride Valeria. She meets & weds Vlad Dracula as a human and is with him still as he later becomes a dark creature. We follow her journey of three years of solitude as she figures out who she is and how to survive in this new world as an immortal as abandoned by her husband. Later comes Ilona, the dark haired beauty who is fragile and broken hearted. Lastly is Fleur, who is turned by mistake.
I got bored halfway into the book. Although it was interesting to see the life of this new family, it was also repetitive. This is essentially a story of a polygamous marriage where bonds and love between them is constantly challenged through the centuries. I didn't understand why Valeria and Ilona couldn't leave Transylvania but Vlad could. I would've liked more of an explanation of how Vlad became a vampire. How did he know what to do? He obviously is stronger than his brides, but why? Why was he able to turn into a bat but the others couldn't? At some point he mentions that he has a vampire army. What happened to them?
All in all this was well written with lots of potential but I found it boring and a bit lacking in substance. Enjoyed how it went full circle from where it began. The pace does pick up a bit towards the end and there is some action of sorts but it wasn't enough.
I got bored halfway into the book. Although it was interesting to see the life of this new family, it was also repetitive. This is essentially a story of a polygamous marriage where bonds and love between them is constantly challenged through the centuries. I didn't understand why Valeria and Ilona couldn't leave Transylvania but Vlad could. I would've liked more of an explanation of how Vlad became a vampire. How did he know what to do? He obviously is stronger than his brides, but why? Why was he able to turn into a bat but the others couldn't? At some point he mentions that he has a vampire army. What happened to them?
All in all this was well written with lots of potential but I found it boring and a bit lacking in substance. Enjoyed how it went full circle from where it began. The pace does pick up a bit towards the end and there is some action of sorts but it wasn't enough.
November 5, 2012
Being Mrs. Dracula was an excellent read and a fantastic look into the lives of the wives of Count Dracula.
This book starts off with a letter from Van Helsing to Jonathan Harker that tells the run-in that he experienced with the wives of the count.
The book is written in a diary format that begins with Valeria being married to the count. Like some of the other readers Valeria remained my favorite wife through-out the whole book. The betrayal that she faced from the Count made me feel so much sympathy for the things that she had to endure while this being her first marriage. Her relationship with the Count is so detailed that you can't help but feel all of the things that she is feeling while her story is being told. Wife 2 is Ilona and she is the complete opposite of Valeria and I was able to see why the Count chose her as his second wife. She had a great heart and while dealing with the issues in their marriage she was the true definition of a stand by your man woman and did this without a fight. As the dynamics of the relationship between Vlad, Val, and Ilona becomes peaceful, strong, and full of content Vlad brings in Wife 3 Fleur, who had a rocky start in the beginning and I can't say that I liked her because I feel the same way about her as the other 2.
This book took me on an emotional journey of love, betrayal, hate, and devotion and not just with the marriage to the count but with the relationships that the women build together and in time I was able to feel the pain and understand on a personal level how the women in his life felt about him.
I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
This book starts off with a letter from Van Helsing to Jonathan Harker that tells the run-in that he experienced with the wives of the count.
The book is written in a diary format that begins with Valeria being married to the count. Like some of the other readers Valeria remained my favorite wife through-out the whole book. The betrayal that she faced from the Count made me feel so much sympathy for the things that she had to endure while this being her first marriage. Her relationship with the Count is so detailed that you can't help but feel all of the things that she is feeling while her story is being told. Wife 2 is Ilona and she is the complete opposite of Valeria and I was able to see why the Count chose her as his second wife. She had a great heart and while dealing with the issues in their marriage she was the true definition of a stand by your man woman and did this without a fight. As the dynamics of the relationship between Vlad, Val, and Ilona becomes peaceful, strong, and full of content Vlad brings in Wife 3 Fleur, who had a rocky start in the beginning and I can't say that I liked her because I feel the same way about her as the other 2.
This book took me on an emotional journey of love, betrayal, hate, and devotion and not just with the marriage to the count but with the relationships that the women build together and in time I was able to feel the pain and understand on a personal level how the women in his life felt about him.
I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
August 31, 2012
Although I am an avid reader of Vampire fiction I am ashamed to say Bram Stoker's Dracula remains on my 'to be read' list, so I began "Being Mrs Dracula" with some trepidation.
The book begins with Van Helsing's letter to Jonathan Harker, confessing that he has found the journals of Count Dracula's brides, and as Harker opens these we are plunged into a sometimes terrifying, sometimes evil, sometimes beautiful but at other times heart-breaking world - told through the eyes of Valeria, Ilona and Fleur - the Count's wives.
Faith Marlow clevely weaves the brides' journals with the third person narrative so seamlessly that there is no confusion and it helps to bring more depth to the story.
Faith Marlow captures the characters of each of the brides perfectly, through the medium of the journal writing. Valeria was by far my favourite character - she was strong and proud - but so willing to fight for those she cared for.
Ilona's development was by far the greatest . . .from weak mannered to bold.
Fleur's arrogance and narcissism was her downfall, she was almost the 'fool' of the story.
The one thing I was reminded whilst I was reading this book is although vampires are indeed a work of fiction cruel, abusive men are not, and somewhere there may be a sad diary not unlike the ones of Valeria, Ilona and Fleur, yet the beauty of this plot was how the women learnt to work together as a team to overcome their pain and in this I believe Faith Marlow wrote their happy ending.
My only regret is that the release date for the sequel is so far away!
The book begins with Van Helsing's letter to Jonathan Harker, confessing that he has found the journals of Count Dracula's brides, and as Harker opens these we are plunged into a sometimes terrifying, sometimes evil, sometimes beautiful but at other times heart-breaking world - told through the eyes of Valeria, Ilona and Fleur - the Count's wives.
Faith Marlow clevely weaves the brides' journals with the third person narrative so seamlessly that there is no confusion and it helps to bring more depth to the story.
Faith Marlow captures the characters of each of the brides perfectly, through the medium of the journal writing. Valeria was by far my favourite character - she was strong and proud - but so willing to fight for those she cared for.
Ilona's development was by far the greatest . . .from weak mannered to bold.
Fleur's arrogance and narcissism was her downfall, she was almost the 'fool' of the story.
The one thing I was reminded whilst I was reading this book is although vampires are indeed a work of fiction cruel, abusive men are not, and somewhere there may be a sad diary not unlike the ones of Valeria, Ilona and Fleur, yet the beauty of this plot was how the women learnt to work together as a team to overcome their pain and in this I believe Faith Marlow wrote their happy ending.
My only regret is that the release date for the sequel is so far away!
October 31, 2012
This book is a different take on the classic Dracula. Faith Marlow tells not The Count's story, but that of his three wives, in their own voices.
This book has the unique concept being the voices of the wives vs. the master vampires himself. Ms. Marlow did an excellent job with her character development through their various life changes in the novel. In addition, she was able to convey their thoughts and emotions very clearly. Ms. Marlow created three women with different personalities, different aspirations, and different (and some shared) experiences with their husband, Count Dracula.
The time span of the book is hundreds of years long allowing readers to experience the transformation of these women from human to predator through the diary entries they left behind. Their stories also add another layer of the mystique surrounding the master vampire himself.
I had a hard time getting into this book. I was unable to relate personally to the characters. I was outraged for them, especially Valeria, the first wife, and Ilona, the second wife. I just plain hated Fleur, the third wife. I love and read tons of vampire novels so the blood compulsion I understand. Undying love and forgiveness after betrayal after betray after betrayal… nope, I do not get it. I was expecting more blood and vengeance from these women scorned. However, that is just me relating to the characters created, not the quality of the writing.
This book has the unique concept being the voices of the wives vs. the master vampires himself. Ms. Marlow did an excellent job with her character development through their various life changes in the novel. In addition, she was able to convey their thoughts and emotions very clearly. Ms. Marlow created three women with different personalities, different aspirations, and different (and some shared) experiences with their husband, Count Dracula.
The time span of the book is hundreds of years long allowing readers to experience the transformation of these women from human to predator through the diary entries they left behind. Their stories also add another layer of the mystique surrounding the master vampire himself.
I had a hard time getting into this book. I was unable to relate personally to the characters. I was outraged for them, especially Valeria, the first wife, and Ilona, the second wife. I just plain hated Fleur, the third wife. I love and read tons of vampire novels so the blood compulsion I understand. Undying love and forgiveness after betrayal after betray after betrayal… nope, I do not get it. I was expecting more blood and vengeance from these women scorned. However, that is just me relating to the characters created, not the quality of the writing.
November 7, 2012
UPFRONT: I got this book free from the author in return for an honest review.
HONEST REVIEW: This book rocks. I haven't read Dracula in a loooong time and was hoping that not having the story fresh in my mind wouldn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Nope, not at all.
What a cool concept. The author manages a 'classic literature' writing style without the 'classic literature' boring. The diary-entry style was super interesting, alternating between the three wives.
I laughed out loud, I cried, I was shaking with fear and anger. That's a great book. There were bits in the middle that I thought dragged on a bit but the ending was fantastic - it really made up for any flaws in the middle!
The copy I got from Smashwords had formatting problems on my Kindle. Parts of sentences were lost between pages. Luckily, I didn't lose much and could kind of figure out what was missing through context.
I highly recommend this book. It was a fun read; an original twist on a familiar story.
HONEST REVIEW: This book rocks. I haven't read Dracula in a loooong time and was hoping that not having the story fresh in my mind wouldn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Nope, not at all.
What a cool concept. The author manages a 'classic literature' writing style without the 'classic literature' boring. The diary-entry style was super interesting, alternating between the three wives.
I laughed out loud, I cried, I was shaking with fear and anger. That's a great book. There were bits in the middle that I thought dragged on a bit but the ending was fantastic - it really made up for any flaws in the middle!
The copy I got from Smashwords had formatting problems on my Kindle. Parts of sentences were lost between pages. Luckily, I didn't lose much and could kind of figure out what was missing through context.
I highly recommend this book. It was a fun read; an original twist on a familiar story.
July 19, 2013
Loved, loved, loved this book!!! The novel is written in part diary, part letter, and part story form from the voices of Valeria, Ilona, and Fleur. Coursing over four hundred years the novel shows how the three wives became Countesses and their feud and love with each other as well as with their husband, Count Vlad Dracula. Although I favored Valeria, the first wife, there were moments I was eagerly hoping that Dracula favored a different. In other moments, I hated the Count for leaving the wives over and over again, usually for war, the possessive monster he became, or his alluring qualities that made him irresistible to each of them.
The story is beautifully written. I was easily swept away to the time frame, the desperation, and their love.
I won this book from a contest hosted by the author and am so glad I did. Even if you haven’t read Bram Stokers's Dracula, which I haven’t, you will have no problem reading this book. I highly recommend it to those who like vampire novels based in history.
The story is beautifully written. I was easily swept away to the time frame, the desperation, and their love.
I won this book from a contest hosted by the author and am so glad I did. Even if you haven’t read Bram Stokers's Dracula, which I haven’t, you will have no problem reading this book. I highly recommend it to those who like vampire novels based in history.
September 30, 2012
If I could only describe this book in one word, it would have to be beautiful. It was so well written and flowed so perfectly. It kept my attention throughout the entire story and never once did I get bored or irritated and wish that things would just "hurry up". That's definitely a common problem of mine.
For this being Faith's first book, I am just totally shocked. I just can't get over the writing! You could easily read Bram Stoker's Dracula and then jump right into this and not even notice that one was written in the 21st century. The moment you begin reading the book you are instantly drawn into the time period, the surroundings, everything. It's awesome.
I have already recommended this to anyone I know that reads, and I will continue recommending it to anyone I can. It is amazing and I loved it. I can't wait for the second book!
I am positive Faith will be one of those writer's others aspire to be.
For this being Faith's first book, I am just totally shocked. I just can't get over the writing! You could easily read Bram Stoker's Dracula and then jump right into this and not even notice that one was written in the 21st century. The moment you begin reading the book you are instantly drawn into the time period, the surroundings, everything. It's awesome.
I have already recommended this to anyone I know that reads, and I will continue recommending it to anyone I can. It is amazing and I loved it. I can't wait for the second book!
I am positive Faith will be one of those writer's others aspire to be.
April 27, 2014
Id give this book 7 stars. this book by first time author Faith Marlow was out of this world. Dracular has taken 4 wives, Valeria, was #1 who was furious to find in her home Ilona #2 and they despised #3 Fleur. and #4 just got close when the first 3 tried to kill her.
This story is about the love of these woman had for Dracular and his love for them, also the hard times threat came upon them. Dracular loved to move around to different countries and stay for years, either with all his wives or just the one he found in a certain country. as the wives lived together they eventually banned together so mess with one, mess with all. you'll truly love this book.
This story is about the love of these woman had for Dracular and his love for them, also the hard times threat came upon them. Dracular loved to move around to different countries and stay for years, either with all his wives or just the one he found in a certain country. as the wives lived together they eventually banned together so mess with one, mess with all. you'll truly love this book.
November 6, 2012
As I was reading this book I was intrigued at the beginning, bored/lost in the middle with all of the diary entries and the ending really brought it around for me. I think that this story was a little too long for me and it was something that made me get bored. There was too much information in the diary entries that I didn't really care for. I thought it was an okay read but it just wasn't for me. The ending of this book really saved it from getting 1 or 2 stars for me. I liked the style of writing but am not sure if I will another book in the series.
April 24, 2022
I really loved this book, I know I say that a lot but I truly loved every page, I was hooked from the very beginning, finding that I never wanted to put it down.
Faith Marlow weaves a wonderful tale of love, betrayal & hate, spanning more than 400 years, Being Mrs. Dracula was written in the point of view of Dracula's wife's. Marlow gives voices to 3 very different but unique women who love quite possibly the most feared man (vampire) in history.
Being Mrs. Dracula is definitely worth a second or third read!
Faith Marlow weaves a wonderful tale of love, betrayal & hate, spanning more than 400 years, Being Mrs. Dracula was written in the point of view of Dracula's wife's. Marlow gives voices to 3 very different but unique women who love quite possibly the most feared man (vampire) in history.
Being Mrs. Dracula is definitely worth a second or third read!
August 27, 2012
Being Mrs. Dracula tells the story, half through Epistolary style, half diary/memoir,and the other half prose fiction, of the relationship between Dracula and his three brides,here named Valeria, Ilona and Fleur in that order. What's interesting about this book is Faith Marlow spending most of the time on the brides,and not making this another Dracula clone. Overall I liked this book, and recommend it to vampire, Dracula fans.
November 10, 2012
"Being Mrs. Dracula" by Faith Marlow was such a treat! It was so beautifully written and compelling that I wasn't able to put it down when I was reading it.
The novel was based on Bram Stoker's classic vampire tale, Dracula and the historical figure, Vlad Dracul, who ruled Wallachia (the present day Romania) in the mid 15th century. The story revolve around the three women who made such an impact on Vlad's life, their thoughts and feelings towards their husband, as well as their experiences as they embarked on their new life bound to the very man with whom they have ambivalent feelings for. It also gave an insight on the character and personality of Vlad as told in Marlow's point of view.
I love how the story unfolded through the journals of the three wives, whose perspectives were actually the very highlight of the novel. Although, I haven’t read the classic novel, Dracula, I've watched the movie adaptation so I was able to follow and used my very rich imagination in following the story line of Being Mrs. Dracula. Of all the three wives, I love Valeria’s character best. She has such a strong personality and although her temperament was so volatile, it was apparent in the story how she could also be loving and forgiving. Ilona’s personality, on the other hand, although a bit docile most of the time, I love how her character was portrayed as motherly. I was emotionally moved on some part of the story where she has to leave with the other wives on a mission and has to say goodbye to her adopted son. That was a poignant moment and I was actually distressed! Fleur, by the way, I wanted to wring neck most of the story. Well, you can guess why, LOL!
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel of Ms. Faith Marlow, and will gladly read her next installment, “Being Dracula’s Widow” once it’s available. Looking forward to it, Ms. Faith.
All in all, an exceptionally written story, five-star material! I highly recommend this book to read.
The novel was based on Bram Stoker's classic vampire tale, Dracula and the historical figure, Vlad Dracul, who ruled Wallachia (the present day Romania) in the mid 15th century. The story revolve around the three women who made such an impact on Vlad's life, their thoughts and feelings towards their husband, as well as their experiences as they embarked on their new life bound to the very man with whom they have ambivalent feelings for. It also gave an insight on the character and personality of Vlad as told in Marlow's point of view.
I love how the story unfolded through the journals of the three wives, whose perspectives were actually the very highlight of the novel. Although, I haven’t read the classic novel, Dracula, I've watched the movie adaptation so I was able to follow and used my very rich imagination in following the story line of Being Mrs. Dracula. Of all the three wives, I love Valeria’s character best. She has such a strong personality and although her temperament was so volatile, it was apparent in the story how she could also be loving and forgiving. Ilona’s personality, on the other hand, although a bit docile most of the time, I love how her character was portrayed as motherly. I was emotionally moved on some part of the story where she has to leave with the other wives on a mission and has to say goodbye to her adopted son. That was a poignant moment and I was actually distressed! Fleur, by the way, I wanted to wring neck most of the story. Well, you can guess why, LOL!
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel of Ms. Faith Marlow, and will gladly read her next installment, “Being Dracula’s Widow” once it’s available. Looking forward to it, Ms. Faith.
All in all, an exceptionally written story, five-star material! I highly recommend this book to read.
December 21, 2022
Faith Marlow was a new to me author and the fact that it was based on Dracula I was able to get into it right away but found that some times to much detail was given and it made me want to put the book down and take a break. I was able to finish and found that the ending was surprising because I was kind of expecting to end like the original Dracula. The letter at the end was like icing on the cake for me.
March 5, 2018
** Some spoilers below **
Well, I didn't like it. I imagine I would have gotten more out of it if I knew the Bram Stoker book well. There were definitely scenes that seemed like they were showing the wives' points of view of scenes or stories with which we should have already been familiar. And maybe it's because I borrowed the Kindle version, but there were too many places that just had spelling problems. At one point she's going to "bare her burden." And a few problems with the dates. If a large portion of the book is supposed to be diary and journal entries, then a special care should be taken by the author / editor that the dates go in order.
As to the story itself, it really was a neat idea. It just seemed to drag on about nothing for too long, but then skim right over parts that might actually be entertaining to read.
I was able to finish it, but barely. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a pleh.
Well, I didn't like it. I imagine I would have gotten more out of it if I knew the Bram Stoker book well. There were definitely scenes that seemed like they were showing the wives' points of view of scenes or stories with which we should have already been familiar. And maybe it's because I borrowed the Kindle version, but there were too many places that just had spelling problems. At one point she's going to "bare her burden." And a few problems with the dates. If a large portion of the book is supposed to be diary and journal entries, then a special care should be taken by the author / editor that the dates go in order.
As to the story itself, it really was a neat idea. It just seemed to drag on about nothing for too long, but then skim right over parts that might actually be entertaining to read.
I was able to finish it, but barely. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a pleh.
July 28, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. I have always been a fan of the Dracula story and even I never gave a thought to the beautiful deadly women who were the wives of Dracula. Faith Marlowe did, and what a brilliant idea it was and a wonderful treat for someone like me. The story is compelling. The Brides using journals to record their personal journey as the wife of the blood thirsty count. Valaria the first wife, married to the Count when both were mortal. Proud and stunningly beautiful. Ice and fire. Valaria is the strongest of the three and my personal favorite. Illona, the second wife. Beautiful, idealist and vulnerable. Fleur the third wife, Beautiful, vain, shallow and cruel. Born to immortality by her shocking murder by the count himself. I truly savored this story that is very well written with great descriptions and wonderful prose. It is hard to believe this is the Authors first Novel and I anxiously await the second book from this story. Well done Faith Marlowe!
December 30, 2013
I saw the title and blurb for this book and I just HAD to have it!!! I was so entranced in the way this author wrote this story. This book was not based on Dracula himself, like so many others are. No, this book was based on his wives. I absolutely love how the author intertwined the life of each wife. It was so fascinating, and entertaining, and addictive, I stayed up to wee hours in the morning until I finished this amazing story. I loved every moment of this book from beginning to end. This author really captured my attention with each individual story of each wife. It's just so phenomenal, I just don't have the words to express as I write this review, and I have never had the problem expressing my thoughts without giving anything away. This is a fantastic story that will draw you in and keep you enchanted by its pages. A RECOMMENDED MUST READ!!!
I received an eARC copy of this book from Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly Publishing, in return for an honest review.
I received an eARC copy of this book from Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly Publishing, in return for an honest review.
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