For Whom the Dragon Cries: The Life of the Enchanting Lady Anna Báthory

by Zsolna Ugron, Helen Ingram (editor), Thomas Cooper (translator)

The captivating life of the enchanting Anna Báthory. A tale of epic love, adorned with splendour, and dappled with the enigmatic shadow of intrigue.

Amidst a backdrop of betrayals, passion, political murders, and love forged on command, Anna Báthory, sister to the Prince of Transylvania, relentlessly pursues her own happiness.

Born at the end of the sixteenth century, Anna Báthory is one of the last members of the glorious and infamous Báthory clan. Her grandfather was the brother of the Polish king, and hers is a family of rulers and Transylvanian princes, a family of fame and glory whose fortune is legendary. The novel opens in 1608 in Transylvania, where inside the walls of the city of Kolozsvár the people are preparing for festivities the likes of which have never been seen the wedding of the prince’s sister, 14-year-old Anna Báthory. She is being married off in a hurry, for her brother, Gabriel Báthory, the newly elected young prince, is in desperate need of allies.

Anna suffers betrayals and heartbreak, she experiences jealousy, lust and love, and she struggles to come to terms with her constantly changing position as she travels through a world of mystery, cruelty and passion, eternally at the mercy of the always unpredictable fates.

While Anna Báthory takes centre stage, the novel takes the reader on an expansive journey through the Hungarian Kingdom, Transylvania and Vienna, and on to Istanbul, Venice, Warsaw and Brussels, with a sweeping narrative.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2023

About the author

Zsolna Ugron is a bestselling Hungarian author. She holds a degree in law and political science and has worked as a print journalist, a political and foreign correspondent on national television, and a communications consultant for multinational companies.

Her first novel, A Transylvanian Love Story (Úrilányok Erdélyben), published in December 2010, sold over 100,000 copies and topped the Hungarian bestseller lists for months. Her second book was published in 2011 to widespread critical acclaim. For Whom the Dragon Cries (Erdélyi menyegző), her third novel and the first volume of a planned trilogy, has sold more than 50,000 copies since its release.

In addition to her writing career, Zsolna Ugron is currently the host of several television programs and works as a screenwriter. Her latest publication is a short story collection titled No Men to Find (Nincs egy férfi), which she also illustrated herself.

Currently, she is working on the third volume of her Splendour Trilogy, of which For Whom the Dragon Cries is the first book. The second volume is currently being translated.

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am really sad that I didn’t love this book. With a fascinating time period and main character in Anna Bathory, I was excited to dig in.

I loved the personal stories in the novel. I was fully invested in Anna’s relationships with her brother Prince Gabor, Miklos, the other Anna, and her stewardess Lin. I loved Lin! She was so mysterious with her healing and insightful mind. I thought it would have been compelling if the author told the story from Lin’s perspective.

Anna was a very well developed character who I empathized with. I enjoyed learning what a struggle it was to be a woman in the early 1600s. Along with the standard witchcraft and harlot accusations, a woman had to be so fearful of not being married or being married to the wrong person at the wrong time. I loved the curse of the ring and the fear the rings instigated when she wore them.

I struggled with the endless threat of wars and takeovers. While I understand this was the reality of the time, it wasn’t done in a way that was interesting or easy to understand. I had tremendous difficulty keeping people and places straight. There was too much telling and not enough showing for these parts. I found myself rereading these scenes multiple times to understand what was happening and who the characters were.

I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.

[Charlene]

Excellent historical novel on a once powerful eastern European family. Especially interesting since it covers countries that are usually overlooked I. this period. Covers much of the political intrigue which surrounded Anna. Well researched and written. I would recommend it to anyone with interest in Medieval history. A point of interest is that Anna's first husband, Gabor Bathory, was nephew of the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory.

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting story, and I mostly enjoyed the characters, especially Lin. I did struggle to keep moving with it. Some parts were difficult for me to follow, and I had to reread sections, so it took a while to finish a page. I think it was because I wasn't reading it in its original language. Overall, I enjoyed this read.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and different historical fiction book about the 1600s. The book is broken down into time periods and settings and moves you through Anna’s story at an inconsistent pace. Although the book is under 200 pages, it takes a bit longer to read due to density of the story - so not a quick read but well worth it to travel through this girls story in Eastern Europe

[StitchnmommaReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow moving and took forever to finish a page. It feels like it was written as one of those giant sized books they had back in the 1600s.

Thank you to both the author and publisher for the Kindle copy I won in a giveaway.

[Ethan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried with this book. The premise seemed really interesting and when I read the description I was very excited to get it but I just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know if it was the writing style or what but this book was a DNF for me.

[jamie Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful historical story set back in 1608.I really enjoyed reading the journey of a very young girl whom was thrust into an adult world and all that she went through and how she had to endure so much. I really felt for this young girl and I would recommend this book

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed reading this book

[Tam Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good. A little heavy on clothing description, but well written.