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The Night Library of Sternendach
Kunigunde is destined to become the next in a long line of Heller clan vampire hunters—but her soul is drawn to books, poetry, and the vampire Graf. Set in 1960s Europe, The Night Library of Sternendach is an unabashedly melodramatic opera-in-sonnets that weaves a sweeping, suspenseful tale readers won't be able to put down.
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 1, 2022
Wow I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
Maybe it's because I'm about to get married, but I've found that nowadays I'm a little less interested in love stories that are all build-up and all pre-relationship reinforcement of the fact that two characters Will be good together at some point, and far more interested in couples facing hurdles together. And tragic love stories are a pretty good guarantee that the getting-together will happen quickly and the hurdles will be imminent. So that was really all I was looking for from this book - a good tragic love story with some vampire trappings. But this was so much more than that.
The storyline of this book isn't too complicated - in an undisclosed European country in the 1960s, Kunigunde Heller, the youngest in a line of vampire hunters, requests a private meeting with the vampire Graf and Grafin to assess whether the legends she's heard from her grandmother line up with reality. She and the Graf, Georg, have an instant connection and begin a clandestine relationship that could endanger the recent vampire/hunter peace treaty if it comes to light.
Kunigunde also develops a friendship with the Grafin's lover, Galen, a middle-aged man who's lived a life of luxury among the vampires for nearly his entire adult life. Galen's grown quite disillusioned with the whole affair, and works to dissuade Kunigunde from following the same path, but he also genuinely cares for her and helps her maintain the charade when that's what she asks for. Their complicated friendship added so much to the story, and I was just as invested in it as I was the love story.
And the LOVE STORY. GOD. This novella is told entirely through Pushkin sonnets, which add such a physical rush of urgency to everything the characters experience. And like with Romeo and Juliet, the couple's love for each other comes through in the actual shape of the story itself, the way that you hear them finishing each other's sonnets and changing the structure of the narrative, of the world, reinforcing that they are halves of each other's hearts. There's one moment where the narration shifts from Pushkin sonnets to iambic pentameter that genuinely rocked me to my core because you just feel it physically, the way that this love moves reality, the way that this love is shaped like a heartbeat and you FEEL it. It's not about whether or not they have the same hobbies or whether or not they spent the sufficient amount of time exchanging quips and banter, it's that the love they have for each other is enough to shift the entire shape of the world that they're in, that their lives will never be the same from this point forward whether it ends well or tragically. There's no evidence, there's no citations, there's just that sensation, that rush that you feel in your heart as you read.
Maybe it's because I'm about to get married, but I've found that nowadays I'm a little less interested in love stories that are all build-up and all pre-relationship reinforcement of the fact that two characters Will be good together at some point, and far more interested in couples facing hurdles together. And tragic love stories are a pretty good guarantee that the getting-together will happen quickly and the hurdles will be imminent. So that was really all I was looking for from this book - a good tragic love story with some vampire trappings. But this was so much more than that.
The storyline of this book isn't too complicated - in an undisclosed European country in the 1960s, Kunigunde Heller, the youngest in a line of vampire hunters, requests a private meeting with the vampire Graf and Grafin to assess whether the legends she's heard from her grandmother line up with reality. She and the Graf, Georg, have an instant connection and begin a clandestine relationship that could endanger the recent vampire/hunter peace treaty if it comes to light.
Kunigunde also develops a friendship with the Grafin's lover, Galen, a middle-aged man who's lived a life of luxury among the vampires for nearly his entire adult life. Galen's grown quite disillusioned with the whole affair, and works to dissuade Kunigunde from following the same path, but he also genuinely cares for her and helps her maintain the charade when that's what she asks for. Their complicated friendship added so much to the story, and I was just as invested in it as I was the love story.
And the LOVE STORY. GOD. This novella is told entirely through Pushkin sonnets, which add such a physical rush of urgency to everything the characters experience. And like with Romeo and Juliet, the couple's love for each other comes through in the actual shape of the story itself, the way that you hear them finishing each other's sonnets and changing the structure of the narrative, of the world, reinforcing that they are halves of each other's hearts. There's one moment where the narration shifts from Pushkin sonnets to iambic pentameter that genuinely rocked me to my core because you just feel it physically, the way that this love moves reality, the way that this love is shaped like a heartbeat and you FEEL it. It's not about whether or not they have the same hobbies or whether or not they spent the sufficient amount of time exchanging quips and banter, it's that the love they have for each other is enough to shift the entire shape of the world that they're in, that their lives will never be the same from this point forward whether it ends well or tragically. There's no evidence, there's no citations, there's just that sensation, that rush that you feel in your heart as you read.
April 14, 2021
The Night Library of Sternendach by Jessica Lévai is a lyrically beautiful book that tells a cohesive story in long verse. That is quite a feat in itself. But what is magnificent about The Night Library is that it is so engaging.
The vampire/paranormal genre is saturated with stories. It takes on the same ideas, mostly taking the classic vampire-type story's mythos and putting a contemporary twist on it. There is a whole lot of that in the urban fantasy genre. But, I got to say I have never read a vampire story in verse. I loved the innovative nature of it.
The Night Library of Sternendach is an emotionally grand tale. It is epic in its telling in the form of a romanticist lens. There is minimal backstory and worldbuilding, and it isn't necessary. I got enough backstory from the first twenty pages to get a solid foundation for the tale. From there, it was a swirl of lyrical descriptions and dialog. I laughed; it was heartfelt and quite beautiful.
I don't think this type of story will appeal to everyone. Reading a long-form story in verse takes some getting used to, and I found it much better to take sips of the tale than gulping it all down in a single sitting. But, if you are looking for something a bit experimental, give this story a try.
The vampire/paranormal genre is saturated with stories. It takes on the same ideas, mostly taking the classic vampire-type story's mythos and putting a contemporary twist on it. There is a whole lot of that in the urban fantasy genre. But, I got to say I have never read a vampire story in verse. I loved the innovative nature of it.
The Night Library of Sternendach is an emotionally grand tale. It is epic in its telling in the form of a romanticist lens. There is minimal backstory and worldbuilding, and it isn't necessary. I got enough backstory from the first twenty pages to get a solid foundation for the tale. From there, it was a swirl of lyrical descriptions and dialog. I laughed; it was heartfelt and quite beautiful.
I don't think this type of story will appeal to everyone. Reading a long-form story in verse takes some getting used to, and I found it much better to take sips of the tale than gulping it all down in a single sitting. But, if you are looking for something a bit experimental, give this story a try.
March 22, 2021
I do not understand the hype for this. This was the longest 78 pages of my life.
November 19, 2020
trigger warning
Kunigunde, who comes from a family of Hunters, people who ensure that the vampires won't go to far, asks for permission to visit the Library of Sternendach as the matriarch is away on family business.
At first I thought this could be me. Going where you shouldn't because of books?
Turns out her intentions always had to do with the Graf she remembers from a meeting years ago, and the books were more of a bonus.
I liked this a lot. I don't have had much experience with novels written in verse, apart from classics such as Faust by Goethe, but I've liked it a lot. Also I admire that this book has the space it needs, neither more or less, because quite often I read something and think that it would have worked better on a smaller scale but was drawn out.
Not so here.
Despite having under 100 pages, I learned quite a lot about different characters, and I would gladly read on, though this could stand on it's own.
If I'll have the chance of reading more by this author, I will. And I seem to be in the mood for vampires rn.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Kunigunde, who comes from a family of Hunters, people who ensure that the vampires won't go to far, asks for permission to visit the Library of Sternendach as the matriarch is away on family business.
At first I thought this could be me. Going where you shouldn't because of books?
Turns out her intentions always had to do with the Graf she remembers from a meeting years ago, and the books were more of a bonus.
I liked this a lot. I don't have had much experience with novels written in verse, apart from classics such as Faust by Goethe, but I've liked it a lot. Also I admire that this book has the space it needs, neither more or less, because quite often I read something and think that it would have worked better on a smaller scale but was drawn out.
Not so here.
Despite having under 100 pages, I learned quite a lot about different characters, and I would gladly read on, though this could stand on it's own.
If I'll have the chance of reading more by this author, I will. And I seem to be in the mood for vampires rn.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
June 4, 2021
A unique story that manages in both form and content to freshen up the tried genre of vampire romance. Want a little gothic romantic tragedy in your life? Here's a fun and original read.
February 20, 2022
I will begin with the fact that I loved the style/format of THE NIGHT LIBRARY OF STERNENDACH. Verse storytelling is something I really enjoy and would like to see more of, especially in the horror world. But I am not sure it worked for me in this particular story. It's only ~80 pages but something about it made me feel like I read this forever. It's such a unique story, perhaps one of the most I have read in some time. I just never could get into the rhythm of the story or narrative flow - and as much as I liked the verse format, maybe that is the reason? I am normally a target audience for some Gothic vampire romance, so it definitely pains me to say I could not connect with this one. I can think of quite a few people I will recommend this to, for sure, and I am optimistic they will appreciate it and love it more than I could. I also really love the cover art! There's a lot of good going on here, but it just did not sit with me at the moment.
July 3, 2021
One word: Sumptuous. More words: I saw the subtitle "A Vampire Opera in Verse" and said "Yes please," and I wasn't disappointed. The verse is beautiful and evocative (and I'm so impressed at how well Lévai carried this form off) and I was drawn into the love story between Kinge and the Graf. This feels like a book that should be read in a lush velvet armchair with a glass of good red wine at hand.
May 28, 2023
“I’ll wait as long as Fate decrees I must, / And love you ‘til the stars above are dust.”
Absolutely adored this book! I’ve slowly grown more and more enamored with novels in verse, and I’ll always be in awe of one’s that rhyme throughout. (Rhyming is NOT a strong suit of mine; I’m impressed by anyone who can master it this way.)
As for the characters, despite it being a very short read, I learned a lot about all of them. I would’ve gladly read this if it was longer with even more deep diving into their backgrounds and the Heller family lore.
I also really, really liked that this took a different twist. I won’t put any spoilers here, but this didn’t end the way I was predicting it would (because I was going based off a cliche) and I very much appreciate that. It makes more sense this way, and resonates deeper.
I was leaning more toward a 3.5 rating, but bumped it to 4 for the beautiful poetry, the perfect rhymes, and the fact that I know I will think about this story for a long time.
Absolutely adored this book! I’ve slowly grown more and more enamored with novels in verse, and I’ll always be in awe of one’s that rhyme throughout. (Rhyming is NOT a strong suit of mine; I’m impressed by anyone who can master it this way.)
As for the characters, despite it being a very short read, I learned a lot about all of them. I would’ve gladly read this if it was longer with even more deep diving into their backgrounds and the Heller family lore.
I also really, really liked that this took a different twist. I won’t put any spoilers here, but this didn’t end the way I was predicting it would (because I was going based off a cliche) and I very much appreciate that. It makes more sense this way, and resonates deeper.
I was leaning more toward a 3.5 rating, but bumped it to 4 for the beautiful poetry, the perfect rhymes, and the fact that I know I will think about this story for a long time.
September 19, 2023
Short read, finished in one sitting.
Girl from a family of vampire hunters falls in love with “the head vampire” of the local rival clan. Written entirely in long verse, which is a solid feat, front cover bills it as an ‘opera.’
Maybe this one was set up to fail with me because of this, but love stories with giant age/maturity gaps usually have me immediately check out of any sort of emotional stakes I might feel about that piece of the story. Girl is 19, vampire man is 400+. I want stories like this where both parties at least have their brains fully developed before we dive into it.
It was an easy read, enjoyed parts of the verse itself. I used this as a palate cleanser.
Girl from a family of vampire hunters falls in love with “the head vampire” of the local rival clan. Written entirely in long verse, which is a solid feat, front cover bills it as an ‘opera.’
Maybe this one was set up to fail with me because of this, but love stories with giant age/maturity gaps usually have me immediately check out of any sort of emotional stakes I might feel about that piece of the story. Girl is 19, vampire man is 400+. I want stories like this where both parties at least have their brains fully developed before we dive into it.
It was an easy read, enjoyed parts of the verse itself. I used this as a palate cleanser.
November 29, 2020
I was able to read this book in its formative and final stages. It is a beautifully written romance in verse, and author Jessica Levai does not put a foot wrong. It has everything you want in a romance: a beautiful heroine with a difficult legacy, danger and allure, exhilaration and heartache. I can guarantee you've never read anything quite like this. At 100 pages, you will race through it, then read it again and again.
September 3, 2022
I really did not want to read this book. I nearly rolled my eyes when it arrived on my doorstop as my book club’s book of the month. I had no interest in a vampire story written in verse. I was wrong! I loved it and I’m so glad I was convinced by a friend to give it a chance. What tremendous talent this author has to create a mesmerizing narrative in such alluring format. I recommend you read it aloud so you can really enjoy the feel of its form.
February 8, 2021
A gorgeous story, and just a charming in its unique writing. If you like romance, this is for you. If you like vampires, this is for you. If you like the two coming together in a new way (yes, believe it or not, this story manages to reinvent the trope) this is definitely for you.
Read
December 20, 2022Beautiful. A different type of verse novel than I'm used to and I truly appreciated the rhyming scheme.
October 28, 2024
This was such a unique little break from “normal” books! It’s like vampire Shakespeare, but better.
Sometimes the meter and rhyme didn’t quite work for me, but I do appreciate the time and effort this would have taken to write in verse!
Sometimes the meter and rhyme didn’t quite work for me, but I do appreciate the time and effort this would have taken to write in verse!
February 25, 2021
Voto libro - 4.5
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
May 11, 2024
A Vampire novel written completely in Sonnets. It was so clever and beautiful.
Loved it!
Loved it!
February 16, 2021
I was lucky enough to be offered an advance copy of Jessica Lévai's ‘The Night Library of Sternendach’, and I mean it when I say I’ve truly never read anything like it. This vampire novella written in poetic verse seems to blend Shakespearean dramatics with a fantasy-infused contemporary vampiric mythos. Necessarily, the verse-based structure prompts Jessica to waste no time in the required world building for such a tale - no mean feat considering it's not impossible to imagine the same tale retold over the course of a thousand-page epic.
The prose sings through a Romanticist lens, unafraid to take its time when necessary to describe the nuances of some strain of emotional resonance between two main players. Despite my initial struggles to mentally hang onto the elaborate names, the 'Dramatis Personae' in the opening pages helped cement the characters in my mind. Once the novella was fully underway, and once I was tuned into the swinging melody of the poetry-infused stanzas, there was no putting the thing down.
‘The Night Library of Sternendach’ is a prime example of what the horror genre needs: experimentation, bold melding with other genres and other formats of writing, and passion that seeps off the page.
Jessica Lévai, qualified Egyptologist and professor of anthropology, is one of those infuriating individuals that seems to be hogging more than her fair share of talent. But we can forgive her for this transgression in light of where she's directed a portion of said talent: this strikingly beautiful novella-in-verse.
Yes, so long as she keeps blessing us with her words, we can forgive her.
The prose sings through a Romanticist lens, unafraid to take its time when necessary to describe the nuances of some strain of emotional resonance between two main players. Despite my initial struggles to mentally hang onto the elaborate names, the 'Dramatis Personae' in the opening pages helped cement the characters in my mind. Once the novella was fully underway, and once I was tuned into the swinging melody of the poetry-infused stanzas, there was no putting the thing down.
‘The Night Library of Sternendach’ is a prime example of what the horror genre needs: experimentation, bold melding with other genres and other formats of writing, and passion that seeps off the page.
Jessica Lévai, qualified Egyptologist and professor of anthropology, is one of those infuriating individuals that seems to be hogging more than her fair share of talent. But we can forgive her for this transgression in light of where she's directed a portion of said talent: this strikingly beautiful novella-in-verse.
Yes, so long as she keeps blessing us with her words, we can forgive her.
February 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, but the ending should've been WAY better and the writing was sub-par.
There was no damn reason why Georg and Kunigunde could not have stayed together !
Why do authors love to end their wonderful books so horribly?! You got us wanting them together and then you go and give us an ending like that?
I suppose that the reader can just assume that Kunigunde gets back together with Georg at some point because she mentions how they have to meet often due to the treaty, but really?! Just make the damn ending good.
There's nothing wrong in doing that.
Maybe this author just wanted a boring and depressing ending so that this book fits in the grunge/goth category fully? Ridiculous.
Do authors think that their books will do better or be considered as more "trendy" and "aesthetic" when there is no HEA?
How boring!
Georg in the end even banned his wife and set everything up so that he could be with Kunigunde!
And then she goes and screws everything up. Kunigunde knew all along what Georg was; that he was a vampire, and that vampires drink human blood.
But then she wants to peg him as horrible and disgusting for turning Galen into a vampire?
She is just like Bella from TWILIGHT, in her ignoring some parts of the man's monster tendencies, and her not letting go of others! Kunigunde let him drink her blood, and that was fine, but he saved Galen from dying, in the only way he could, by turning him, and she had a problem with that? Dumb b**ch.
She was stupid and heartless! She didn't even listen to Georg's explanation as to what went down; why Galen was turned! (It was Georg's wife's fault).
Okay so i enjoyed the style of this book, how it was written in verse. It was a unique idea and the author did pretty well, but i found many of the rhymes to be really shallow and super cheesy.
Also, this book doesn't sound or feel like it takes place in the 1960s! They mention using cars and telephones, but that's it... this should've been advertised as taking place in the 1800s because the whole vampire and vampire hunters idea would've made more sense. 🤷🏻♂️
The poems were fun to read. Especially the ones describing the love Kunigunde and Georg were feeling for and expressing to each other. It was cool because these descriptions had to be succinct to fit in the poem form, but they were even more special because of that.
HOWEVER, upon reading the unhappy ending, the books seems cheap. It seems to be cheap love, not true love, because Kunigunde was dumb and didn't stay with Georg.
On another note, why did Georg and Amata have to be cheating on each other? Ugh, this whole book is dumb.
One of the poems that i liked:
Her soul awash with starlight, soaring, She doesn't see the roughness where Her high heel catches on the flooring, And Kinge's fingers close on air
As she spills backwards t'ward the paving.
He swoops in like a kestrel, saving Her dizzy form from falling. Through His grace, he saves the lantern, too.
He murmurs, "Oh, how you enchant me." She's waiting for their lips to meet, But he returns her to her feet.
"Why not?" the girl demands. "Why can't we?"
He looks at her.'
"Because, my lamb,
Of who you are. And who I am."
I did like that Georg said that he'd love her until the stars turn to dust (which is never).
She did him wrong. Oof.
Also, when she was letting him drink her blood, did they have sex? I was confused. It didn't seem that way, but i wasn't sure. Oh well.
I don't regret reading this, but i sort of do. 😂
There was no damn reason why Georg and Kunigunde could not have stayed together !
Why do authors love to end their wonderful books so horribly?! You got us wanting them together and then you go and give us an ending like that?
I suppose that the reader can just assume that Kunigunde gets back together with Georg at some point because she mentions how they have to meet often due to the treaty, but really?! Just make the damn ending good.
There's nothing wrong in doing that.
Maybe this author just wanted a boring and depressing ending so that this book fits in the grunge/goth category fully? Ridiculous.
Do authors think that their books will do better or be considered as more "trendy" and "aesthetic" when there is no HEA?
How boring!
Georg in the end even banned his wife and set everything up so that he could be with Kunigunde!
And then she goes and screws everything up. Kunigunde knew all along what Georg was; that he was a vampire, and that vampires drink human blood.
But then she wants to peg him as horrible and disgusting for turning Galen into a vampire?
She is just like Bella from TWILIGHT, in her ignoring some parts of the man's monster tendencies, and her not letting go of others! Kunigunde let him drink her blood, and that was fine, but he saved Galen from dying, in the only way he could, by turning him, and she had a problem with that? Dumb b**ch.
She was stupid and heartless! She didn't even listen to Georg's explanation as to what went down; why Galen was turned! (It was Georg's wife's fault).
Okay so i enjoyed the style of this book, how it was written in verse. It was a unique idea and the author did pretty well, but i found many of the rhymes to be really shallow and super cheesy.
Also, this book doesn't sound or feel like it takes place in the 1960s! They mention using cars and telephones, but that's it... this should've been advertised as taking place in the 1800s because the whole vampire and vampire hunters idea would've made more sense. 🤷🏻♂️
The poems were fun to read. Especially the ones describing the love Kunigunde and Georg were feeling for and expressing to each other. It was cool because these descriptions had to be succinct to fit in the poem form, but they were even more special because of that.
HOWEVER, upon reading the unhappy ending, the books seems cheap. It seems to be cheap love, not true love, because Kunigunde was dumb and didn't stay with Georg.
On another note, why did Georg and Amata have to be cheating on each other? Ugh, this whole book is dumb.
One of the poems that i liked:
Her soul awash with starlight, soaring, She doesn't see the roughness where Her high heel catches on the flooring, And Kinge's fingers close on air
As she spills backwards t'ward the paving.
He swoops in like a kestrel, saving Her dizzy form from falling. Through His grace, he saves the lantern, too.
He murmurs, "Oh, how you enchant me." She's waiting for their lips to meet, But he returns her to her feet.
"Why not?" the girl demands. "Why can't we?"
He looks at her.'
"Because, my lamb,
Of who you are. And who I am."
I did like that Georg said that he'd love her until the stars turn to dust (which is never).
She did him wrong. Oof.
Also, when she was letting him drink her blood, did they have sex? I was confused. It didn't seem that way, but i wasn't sure. Oh well.
I don't regret reading this, but i sort of do. 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
Okay, so a couple of weeks ago I saw this book on the newsletter I get from Shelf Awareness, and there wasn't anything about it. Not even the usual little review. However, the cover and the title caught my eye. So while I was waiting on my bus I jumped onto my library's site and did a bit of research on it. Luck would have that my library location had a copy so after I worked I went and snagged up that copy. One hundred percent picked this up because of the cover and only a sort of idea of what it was about.
What I didn't realize was this book was written in long verse. What I knew was it was about vampires and was sort of like an opera. All pluses in my world. Because I've never read a book set to read like an opera. But, I'm glad I took a chance at this book.
This is the beautiful love story of a girl who falls in love with a vampire, but it cannot be because she is the heir to a Hunter clan. It's a classic kind of love that was doomed from the start, but you just can look away because a part of you hopes that just maybe this time the story will end differently. Even though we all know that it won't.
The part about this book that I like the most is in the end what stops the Graf and Kunigunde apart wasn't some overly dramatic plot or a war between the Hunters and the Vampires. It's a duty, and it's such a well-played moment in the book. It was perfect. It's not tragic just sad in a way that breaks your heart. A love that almost was. Because they could usually turn their nose up at their duty and be together, but they both understand the consequences of those choices.
I was a little worried that the long verse would trip me up because it's not something I read often, or honestly see a lot in genres that call to me. But, I actually really liked the choice of long verse for the story. It not only added to the beauty of the story that was being told, but it served as a way to slow down my reading of the book itself. Normally I fly through novellas because the story moves so fast. And, while the plot does move very quickly here, having the long verse meant I was hyper-focused on every aspect of the story. Also, the time and effort it took the author to manage to not only tell a story in a long verse but one that hooks you right from the start.
Mostly because I adored Kunigunde. She keeps a level-ish head for someone so young, and watching her fall in love and then realize why she couldn't have that love was the most beautiful ride I've been on in a while. I really could go on and on, I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad it found its way into my inbox.
The only small complaint I had was toward the end when multiple characters were interacting I had a hard time keeping up with who was talking. Which might have been a personal problem. Because after re-reading a couple of pages I got a feel for how the dialog was bouncing and jived with what was happening.
But, yeah if vampires are your thing, and you want a quick and beautiful read. Definitely give this one a check. I really enjoyed it. I also think this the most I've used the beautiful when referencing a book. So there's that!
What I didn't realize was this book was written in long verse. What I knew was it was about vampires and was sort of like an opera. All pluses in my world. Because I've never read a book set to read like an opera. But, I'm glad I took a chance at this book.
This is the beautiful love story of a girl who falls in love with a vampire, but it cannot be because she is the heir to a Hunter clan. It's a classic kind of love that was doomed from the start, but you just can look away because a part of you hopes that just maybe this time the story will end differently. Even though we all know that it won't.
The part about this book that I like the most is in the end what stops the Graf and Kunigunde apart wasn't some overly dramatic plot or a war between the Hunters and the Vampires. It's a duty, and it's such a well-played moment in the book. It was perfect. It's not tragic just sad in a way that breaks your heart. A love that almost was. Because they could usually turn their nose up at their duty and be together, but they both understand the consequences of those choices.
I was a little worried that the long verse would trip me up because it's not something I read often, or honestly see a lot in genres that call to me. But, I actually really liked the choice of long verse for the story. It not only added to the beauty of the story that was being told, but it served as a way to slow down my reading of the book itself. Normally I fly through novellas because the story moves so fast. And, while the plot does move very quickly here, having the long verse meant I was hyper-focused on every aspect of the story. Also, the time and effort it took the author to manage to not only tell a story in a long verse but one that hooks you right from the start.
Mostly because I adored Kunigunde. She keeps a level-ish head for someone so young, and watching her fall in love and then realize why she couldn't have that love was the most beautiful ride I've been on in a while. I really could go on and on, I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad it found its way into my inbox.
The only small complaint I had was toward the end when multiple characters were interacting I had a hard time keeping up with who was talking. Which might have been a personal problem. Because after re-reading a couple of pages I got a feel for how the dialog was bouncing and jived with what was happening.
But, yeah if vampires are your thing, and you want a quick and beautiful read. Definitely give this one a check. I really enjoyed it. I also think this the most I've used the beautiful when referencing a book. So there's that!
February 12, 2022
As someone who generally adores most things involving vampires, operas, novellas, and books that aren’t quite like other books, I had a feeling that Sternendach—a book which speaks to each and every one of those conditions—would be precisely my cup of tea. I was delighted when Lanternfish agreed to send me a galley for my #sfnovellaofthemonth review series, and I am equally delighted to say that my feeling turned out to be an accurate prediction.
There’s something deliciously audacious about writing a vampire novella in a series of Petrarchan sonnets framed as an opera. This is a book for readers who are willing to let themselves be unironically seduced by all things dramatic, romantic, star-crossed, and, well, operatic. From the setting—a hazy, just-unreal-enough, theatrically-1960s Europe populated by vampires and vampire hunters existing in a state of uneasy truce—to the division into acts, The Night Library of Sternendach gives a wonderful impression of being something that you’ll surely one day see on a stage, framed by red velvet curtains and performed by a cast who are enjoying every second of the production. This is pure fun, best enjoyed alongside a good cup of tea (or a glass of red wine) and some delicately sumptuous treat.
There’s something deliciously audacious about writing a vampire novella in a series of Petrarchan sonnets framed as an opera. This is a book for readers who are willing to let themselves be unironically seduced by all things dramatic, romantic, star-crossed, and, well, operatic. From the setting—a hazy, just-unreal-enough, theatrically-1960s Europe populated by vampires and vampire hunters existing in a state of uneasy truce—to the division into acts, The Night Library of Sternendach gives a wonderful impression of being something that you’ll surely one day see on a stage, framed by red velvet curtains and performed by a cast who are enjoying every second of the production. This is pure fun, best enjoyed alongside a good cup of tea (or a glass of red wine) and some delicately sumptuous treat.
August 29, 2025
Romances aren’t usually my go to but this was absolutely beautiful! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this being described as a vampire opera in sonnet form but it really moved me, kept me engaged, and inspired me to keep turning pages. The plot shifts in this were smooth which surprised me given its form. A lot of times I feel like it can be clunky in poetic verse. This was definitely not. This toyed with the ill fated lovers trope but I thought it was really well done and the verses were so descriptive and easy to interpret that it made me feel like I was there with the characters and could almost feel what they felt (oof the longing!) This painted some vivid imagery too (not spicy-more romantic and scenic). A beautiful and engaging vampire and hunter love story and a wonderful work of poetic verse. Definitely recommend this if you like vampire love stories and are in the mood for (easily digestible) poetry! It is well worth the read at 130ish pages especially! I really enjoyed this. It left my dark vampire loving heart so moved.
Disclosure: I think this is something you have to be in the mood for. I don’t think I was in the right mood for this when I first opened it but the next time I opened it I think my mood had shifted and I just flew through it.
Disclosure: I think this is something you have to be in the mood for. I don’t think I was in the right mood for this when I first opened it but the next time I opened it I think my mood had shifted and I just flew through it.
October 19, 2023
This is a fantastic long verse story that conveys the elements that make for a vampiric tale. It brings these elements to life in unique and beautifully poetic manner.
There's an unsteady truce between the hunters and vampires. Each is untrusting of the other as both sides have revenge on their mind for things that have transpired in the past.
When a hunter's daughter falls in love with the undead master of a vampire clan, tensions mount as associates and family members from both sides seek to break them apart by any means necessary.
And while this unholy romance is the key component to this story, it's the never ending sense of dread that makes this a treat to read for fans of this genre. How far can you trust a vampire? What if our protagonist was fed lies her whole life about these creatures? How will the truth affect this uneasy desolving truce?
With side characters that are just as impactful as the main characters and a poetic style that begs your attention until the very end, this book is one I highly recommend. It's good to see these creatures the way they were meant to be and you'll definitely want to read more.
There's an unsteady truce between the hunters and vampires. Each is untrusting of the other as both sides have revenge on their mind for things that have transpired in the past.
When a hunter's daughter falls in love with the undead master of a vampire clan, tensions mount as associates and family members from both sides seek to break them apart by any means necessary.
And while this unholy romance is the key component to this story, it's the never ending sense of dread that makes this a treat to read for fans of this genre. How far can you trust a vampire? What if our protagonist was fed lies her whole life about these creatures? How will the truth affect this uneasy desolving truce?
With side characters that are just as impactful as the main characters and a poetic style that begs your attention until the very end, this book is one I highly recommend. It's good to see these creatures the way they were meant to be and you'll definitely want to read more.
June 6, 2021
I sometimes find myself thinking, “I should really read more poetry!” I enjoy it, but often the subject matter doesn’t interest me or it gets too abstract for me to have the time or energy to decipher. So maybe I want to enjoy poetry more than I actually enjoy it.
Enter: vampire/vampire hunter love story written in verse! I’m so glad I saw this on my library’s New Arrivals email. Really the word “Library” caught my attention, then add vampires and I’ll give it a shot! It was an easy to read, engaging story. Surprisingly easy to put down and come back to later without being “lost” in the story line.
Honestly I’m sure this is not everyone’s cup of tea but it was a refreshing read for me. The story isn’t overly lovey nor overly dramatic. Thanks to this I might pick up some other poetry writings and have a bit more patience with them. I’ve read so many books which later I vaguely remember them. This one will stick with me.
Enter: vampire/vampire hunter love story written in verse! I’m so glad I saw this on my library’s New Arrivals email. Really the word “Library” caught my attention, then add vampires and I’ll give it a shot! It was an easy to read, engaging story. Surprisingly easy to put down and come back to later without being “lost” in the story line.
Honestly I’m sure this is not everyone’s cup of tea but it was a refreshing read for me. The story isn’t overly lovey nor overly dramatic. Thanks to this I might pick up some other poetry writings and have a bit more patience with them. I’ve read so many books which later I vaguely remember them. This one will stick with me.
April 24, 2021
This was a beautiful, bittersweet little novel. I haven't read anything resembling an epic poem in verse for a long time, in fact, maybe since 12th grade Beowulf which is barely legible for modern readers. This was easier to read but still challenging to get into the verse.
And what struck me was the Hemingway-ness of the story-telling. Levai is able to spin the most bountiful tale using as little words as possible. I don't miss about 300 more pages full of description and details a conventional novel would have given me (but if, one day she revisits this when she's done with verse and decides to give us a large novel, I'm there for that too).
I loved that this was haunting and atmospheric and we certainly didn't get every answer at the end except one that made me emit an, "Ah, maaaann" because Twilight this is not.
And what struck me was the Hemingway-ness of the story-telling. Levai is able to spin the most bountiful tale using as little words as possible. I don't miss about 300 more pages full of description and details a conventional novel would have given me (but if, one day she revisits this when she's done with verse and decides to give us a large novel, I'm there for that too).
I loved that this was haunting and atmospheric and we certainly didn't get every answer at the end except one that made me emit an, "Ah, maaaann" because Twilight this is not.
November 14, 2024
This book is so many things at once: poetry, prose, vampire book, tragic love story (or two) historical fiction of only 1950s "somewhere in Europe" ... and it was a novella written entirely in verse. I usually do not go for that as I've tried that in a longer version book and didn't care for it but this was just so damn clever and the rhyming aspects just elevated the read for me!! Its title calls it "a vampire opera in verse" and not only would I pay to see it onstage but I'd delight if it were an opera (or musical). If you want a quick beautiful read that will delight your senses and make you want for more, this book should be read immediately. Also, a great tune up for the spooky season (or for anytime for those of us who romanticize vampires!!) I wish this author much success, and I hope everyone who loves this genre (poetry or vampires) reads this book!
May 21, 2024
On the surface this book tells a typical story of a doomed romance, but the writing and flow of the verse elevates it beyond it’s relatively tame plot. Kunigunde is a young woman trapped by her family’s decades old treaty of peace with a local vampire. Kunigunde is expected to hate and revile the Graf, the vampire lord who has allegedly terrorized the surrounding area for hundreds of years. But Kunigunde can’t make herself feel the same kind of hatred that her grandmother and her family before her have felt. Following a whim, Kunigunde secretly meets with the Graf, shares her love of literature and knowledge with him, and eventually begins to love him. Unfortunately, Kunigunde and the Graf come from two different worlds and they may not be able to reconcile their differences.
The story itself is not what makes this book stand out. It’s a classic romantic tragedy of doomed lovers. However, when you twist the classic infrastructure to create a story about vampires and tell that story as an opera in verse you create something that feels fresh and new. And all of these things together work extremely well. The verse is beautifully written. It flows very well and is easy to read. It isn’t encumbered by unnecessarily flowery and symbolic language, but it is still beautiful. It is very easy to see the influences of opera in the way that the story is structured and the relationships between the characters. It is easy to picture this story as a dramatic stage performance and for that reason I think this book is a huge success. Is this some groundbreaking story? No. But it was a fun short read that pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a really enjoyable time.
The story itself is not what makes this book stand out. It’s a classic romantic tragedy of doomed lovers. However, when you twist the classic infrastructure to create a story about vampires and tell that story as an opera in verse you create something that feels fresh and new. And all of these things together work extremely well. The verse is beautifully written. It flows very well and is easy to read. It isn’t encumbered by unnecessarily flowery and symbolic language, but it is still beautiful. It is very easy to see the influences of opera in the way that the story is structured and the relationships between the characters. It is easy to picture this story as a dramatic stage performance and for that reason I think this book is a huge success. Is this some groundbreaking story? No. But it was a fun short read that pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a really enjoyable time.
July 23, 2023
The Night Library of Sternendach is a beautiful and clever tale of a truce between a vampire and a family of hunters that falls apart. Written in rhyming verse, Levai is able to craft emotionally complex characters, elicit empathy, and craft a believable and enigmatic world. However enjoyable the story is, it is the writing in verse that is the triumph here. Levai is so clever and emotive and perfectly rhythmic. This was such a fun read to sink your teeth into and complete in a few hours. Levai elevates poetic storytelling and will have me thinking about and reciting her crafty lines for days to come. Excellent!
January 27, 2025
Being generous with my stars. The format of the book--written in verse--is such a cool take on the form of a novel. Also vampires! But I was really unnerved by their first meeting when she's a kid, then 19 when they "fall in love," the fact he's married, and the general power imbalance of an immortal with a teenager.
That being said, it obviously has a framework taken straight from Romeo & Juliet (not to mention classic vampire tales) so I get why a lot of the tropes in it were used. I just didn't particularly like any of them.
Not upset I read it or that I don't like it much. It was still an interesting concept for a novel (as in form not genre) with beautiful prose and imagery.
That being said, it obviously has a framework taken straight from Romeo & Juliet (not to mention classic vampire tales) so I get why a lot of the tropes in it were used. I just didn't particularly like any of them.
Not upset I read it or that I don't like it much. It was still an interesting concept for a novel (as in form not genre) with beautiful prose and imagery.
November 3, 2025
This was a very fun and unique delivery. I normally ingest poetry in small doses, but this opera novella changed my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The romance was pungent, and I fully appreciated the ending, which I found surprising. I thought it would be going in a different direction. If you are looking for an utterly tragic ending, this is not it. I wish I could have had such a cool head in the face of falling in love when I was Kunigunde's age. I think Kundigunde's journey deserves a sequel.
December 31, 2022
A fun quick read. I didn't feel there was much character development and I found it difficult to really feel for the characters or see the world through their eyes. The author does a good job with world building and explaining the situation the vampires and hunters find themselves in (an uneasy truce). But it was fun and well worth a read if you are looking for something light and enjoy gothic literature.
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