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Reluctant Immortals
For fans of Mexican Gothic, from three-time Bram Stoker Award–winning author Gwendolyn Kiste comes a novel inspired by the untold stories of forgotten women in classic literature--from Lucy Westenra, a victim of Stoker’s Dracula, and Bertha Mason, from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre--as they band together to combat the toxic men bent on destroying their lives, set against the backdrop of the Summer of Love, Haight-Ashbury, 1967.
Reluctant Immortals is a historical horror novel that looks at two men of classic literature, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and the two women who survived them, Bertha and Lucy, who are now undead immortals residing in Los Angeles in 1967 when Dracula and Rochester make a shocking return in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.
Combining elements of historical and gothic fiction with a modern perspective, in a tale of love and betrayal and coercion, Reluctant Immortals is the lyrical and harrowing journey of two women from classic literature as they bravely claim their own destiny in a man’s world.
Reluctant Immortals is a historical horror novel that looks at two men of classic literature, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and the two women who survived them, Bertha and Lucy, who are now undead immortals residing in Los Angeles in 1967 when Dracula and Rochester make a shocking return in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.
Combining elements of historical and gothic fiction with a modern perspective, in a tale of love and betrayal and coercion, Reluctant Immortals is the lyrical and harrowing journey of two women from classic literature as they bravely claim their own destiny in a man’s world.
307 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2022
157 people are currently reading
18358 people want to read
About the author
Gwendolyn Kiste
127 books852 followersGwendolyn Kiste is the three-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens, Reluctant Immortals, Boneset & Feathers, and Pretty Marys All in a Row, among others. Her short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in outlets including Lit Hub, Nightmare, Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vastarien, Tor Nightfire, Titan Books, and The Dark. She's a Lambda Literary Award winner, and her fiction has also received the This Is Horror award for Novel of the Year as well as nominations for the Premios Kelvin and Ignotus awards.
Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, their excitable calico cat, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com
Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, their excitable calico cat, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 730 reviews
October 18, 2022
repetitive and simplistic
August 11, 2022
Reluctant Immortals is the love child of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Paul Tremblay. I do not agree with the comparisons of Mexican Gothic AT ALL. I said what I said. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would as it centers around women in classic fictional horror literature and is retold in a new environment—1960s Hollywood. The story centers around Lucy Westenra from Dracula and Bertha Mason (Bee) from Jane Eyre as immortal beings living with the demons of their past. Both Lucy and Bee are haunted by the ghosts of their past—Dracula and Rochester. It isn't until the return of another immortal that throws the ghosts of Lucy and Bee's pasts into the present.
I don't want to give too much information about this plot, because well, it's f'n weird. In a good way. In a fun way. In an intriguing way. I want you to enjoy the peculiarities of this book like I did because if I wasn't so caught off guard, this book would probably not have worked for me. This book is my first read by the author and honestly, Gwendolyn Kiste's writing is spectacular. Kiste knows how to tell a story! This story takes place in the 1960s, but the themes in this book cover both current day and the past before this time period. This character-driven horror is not for everyone, but if you need a palette cleanser from your typical thrillers, this is a fun one to escape with.
I don't want to give too much information about this plot, because well, it's f'n weird. In a good way. In a fun way. In an intriguing way. I want you to enjoy the peculiarities of this book like I did because if I wasn't so caught off guard, this book would probably not have worked for me. This book is my first read by the author and honestly, Gwendolyn Kiste's writing is spectacular. Kiste knows how to tell a story! This story takes place in the 1960s, but the themes in this book cover both current day and the past before this time period. This character-driven horror is not for everyone, but if you need a palette cleanser from your typical thrillers, this is a fun one to escape with.
August 18, 2024
In this narrative, the focus points of Dracula and Jane Eyre shift respectively on their forgotten female side characters, the curropted Lucy Westenra and Bertha Mason, ex-wife of Jane Eyre's love interest Mr. Rochester whom he locked in the attic under the pretense of being "crazy". These two "reluctant immortals" have found each other and in order to break free, need to confront their tormentors in a final showdown.
As much as I loved the friendship between the female characters, their healing, acknowledging and respecting each other, the story didn't really grip me, especially not from the get-go. It does get more interesting when the baddies make their entrance, though. Speaking of which, the two male antagonists were way too black and white, which might be intentional, but they ended up feeling like caricatures of evil for me.
Still a nice read if you're into spins on the vampire story.
As much as I loved the friendship between the female characters, their healing, acknowledging and respecting each other, the story didn't really grip me, especially not from the get-go. It does get more interesting when the baddies make their entrance, though. Speaking of which, the two male antagonists were way too black and white, which might be intentional, but they ended up feeling like caricatures of evil for me.
Still a nice read if you're into spins on the vampire story.
April 16, 2023
I had so much fun reading this book. Review to come.
December 20, 2022
Review in the June 2022 issue of Library Journal and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2022/05...
4.5 stars.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Unapologetically feminist, excellent world building, character driven.
Draft review:
1967, sunset, the Hollywood sign, a beautiful young woman, Lucy, is fighting to bury an urn containing Dracula’s ashes, her roommate, Bee by her side*. These women live in the shadows and yet, are known to all, cursed victims of the evil men whom history has rehabilitated into romantic heroes. Nearly a century later, Lucy recounts how their nights are spent: controlling Dracula, keeping the rot at bay**, resisting Rochester’s pull, battling PTSD, and going to the drive-in. Their routine while stressful was working, until Jane Eyre shows up, begging Bee for help, sending all on a road trip to Haight Ashbury as Lucy and Bee fight to save other women from their own terrible fate. This is a fast paced and fun adventure that both honors the beloved source material and manages to insert something unique into the conversation. An ode to forgotten women everywhere, a tale where every detail satisfyingly matters as readers rush to the emotional conclusion.
Verdict: Kiste’s Big 5 debut brings her award-winning, femist fueled Horror to more readers. Those eager for new Dracula or Jane Eyre framed stories will eagerly request this, but do not pigeon-hole the appeal here as fans of titles like Due’s Immortals series or DeMeester’s Such a Pretty Smile will also be pleased.
Notes:
Every details matters here-- in a good way. Kiste builds a world for the reader that is very convincing and original and she does it methodically without sacrificing the extremely compelling pacing. The end has details that were included and referred to throughout, details that define the rules of the world she has created, details that end up being very important and make the ending better.
I make a point to call out the world building here because it was not an easy task. Not only is the entire book framed around Dracula and Jane Eyre-- well known Gothic novels-- but also all other fan fiction or adaptations ever written about these works and their characters. That is a lot to deal with, and yet, Kiste manages to honor all of that and create something new and unique. Impressive.
But the overall theme here-- this is an ode to forgotten women everywhere-- those living on the fringes and those who have been he victims of the violence of men. It is a tale as old as time-- men who take what they want and the women who have to pay the price, except in Kiste's novels-- the women fight back.
What is remarkable here, and with every Kiste tale, she can tell a deadly serious story about violence to women that is also a lot of fun. It is terrifying-- both the monsters and the real life horrors, but it is also a fun read. You root out loud of Lucy and Bee. Even though, Lucy herself, is a monster too.
Narration is all Lucy which I liked. It centered a tale that could have bounced around too much. I liked the addition of details about Lucy and Mina's friendship [Dracula] and Bertha and Jane's relationship [Jane Eyre] but I LOVED the cross over--how all of the main players from Dracula and Jane Eyre interacted with each other in 1969 and how they all have unique relationships and connections to each other in this time frame.
Speaking of, setting the entire story in both Hollywood and SF during the summer of love was brilliant. A lot of the unbelievable supernatural occurrences made more sense in both of those settings.
Readalikes: I have many. Any Dracula or Jane Eyre framed titles work. But I thought a lot about Tananarive Due's Immortals series mixed with The Merry Spinster by Lavery as well. I also always suggest Andy Davidson to fans of Kiste. They both write original, character centered Horror that pays homage to the genre's traditions while creating something wholly new and immersive.
4.5 stars.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Unapologetically feminist, excellent world building, character driven.
Draft review:
1967, sunset, the Hollywood sign, a beautiful young woman, Lucy, is fighting to bury an urn containing Dracula’s ashes, her roommate, Bee by her side*. These women live in the shadows and yet, are known to all, cursed victims of the evil men whom history has rehabilitated into romantic heroes. Nearly a century later, Lucy recounts how their nights are spent: controlling Dracula, keeping the rot at bay**, resisting Rochester’s pull, battling PTSD, and going to the drive-in. Their routine while stressful was working, until Jane Eyre shows up, begging Bee for help, sending all on a road trip to Haight Ashbury as Lucy and Bee fight to save other women from their own terrible fate. This is a fast paced and fun adventure that both honors the beloved source material and manages to insert something unique into the conversation. An ode to forgotten women everywhere, a tale where every detail satisfyingly matters as readers rush to the emotional conclusion.
Verdict: Kiste’s Big 5 debut brings her award-winning, femist fueled Horror to more readers. Those eager for new Dracula or Jane Eyre framed stories will eagerly request this, but do not pigeon-hole the appeal here as fans of titles like Due’s Immortals series or DeMeester’s Such a Pretty Smile will also be pleased.
Notes:
Every details matters here-- in a good way. Kiste builds a world for the reader that is very convincing and original and she does it methodically without sacrificing the extremely compelling pacing. The end has details that were included and referred to throughout, details that define the rules of the world she has created, details that end up being very important and make the ending better.
I make a point to call out the world building here because it was not an easy task. Not only is the entire book framed around Dracula and Jane Eyre-- well known Gothic novels-- but also all other fan fiction or adaptations ever written about these works and their characters. That is a lot to deal with, and yet, Kiste manages to honor all of that and create something new and unique. Impressive.
But the overall theme here-- this is an ode to forgotten women everywhere-- those living on the fringes and those who have been he victims of the violence of men. It is a tale as old as time-- men who take what they want and the women who have to pay the price, except in Kiste's novels-- the women fight back.
What is remarkable here, and with every Kiste tale, she can tell a deadly serious story about violence to women that is also a lot of fun. It is terrifying-- both the monsters and the real life horrors, but it is also a fun read. You root out loud of Lucy and Bee. Even though, Lucy herself, is a monster too.
Narration is all Lucy which I liked. It centered a tale that could have bounced around too much. I liked the addition of details about Lucy and Mina's friendship [Dracula] and Bertha and Jane's relationship [Jane Eyre] but I LOVED the cross over--how all of the main players from Dracula and Jane Eyre interacted with each other in 1969 and how they all have unique relationships and connections to each other in this time frame.
Speaking of, setting the entire story in both Hollywood and SF during the summer of love was brilliant. A lot of the unbelievable supernatural occurrences made more sense in both of those settings.
Readalikes: I have many. Any Dracula or Jane Eyre framed titles work. But I thought a lot about Tananarive Due's Immortals series mixed with The Merry Spinster by Lavery as well. I also always suggest Andy Davidson to fans of Kiste. They both write original, character centered Horror that pays homage to the genre's traditions while creating something wholly new and immersive.
January 28, 2023
3.5 stars I think? I love the writing- there were so many passages I wanted to highlight and keep.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do here- but I think the plot was too meandering, maybe too simple to fill a 300 page novel. I think a novella would have been perfect.
(Minor spoilers ahead)
The gist is this: Lucy has been guarding Dracula’s ashes for 70 years. She lives with Bee, the poor forgotten first wife of Rochester from Jane Eyre. Both unaging, living in 60’s Hollywood. One day, Jane herself shows up, accidents happen, one of Dracula’s urns get broken, and then we spend the rest of the book trying to contain him.
I was enthralled for the first 100 pages or so, but then it doesn’t pick up again until closer to the end.
I would also add this is lighter on the horror aspect? I think it’s definitely there, but it’s also literary leaning. Which I’m happy with and was expecting based on other reviews, but I think if I’d gone in looking for something scary I would have been disappointed.
I’m going to go back and pick out all those quotes I liked and write them down. And I’ll probably go tackle Dracula and Jane Eyre at some point this year because I am ashamed. 😆
I appreciate what the author was trying to do here- but I think the plot was too meandering, maybe too simple to fill a 300 page novel. I think a novella would have been perfect.
(Minor spoilers ahead)
The gist is this: Lucy has been guarding Dracula’s ashes for 70 years. She lives with Bee, the poor forgotten first wife of Rochester from Jane Eyre. Both unaging, living in 60’s Hollywood. One day, Jane herself shows up, accidents happen, one of Dracula’s urns get broken, and then we spend the rest of the book trying to contain him.
I was enthralled for the first 100 pages or so, but then it doesn’t pick up again until closer to the end.
I would also add this is lighter on the horror aspect? I think it’s definitely there, but it’s also literary leaning. Which I’m happy with and was expecting based on other reviews, but I think if I’d gone in looking for something scary I would have been disappointed.
I’m going to go back and pick out all those quotes I liked and write them down. And I’ll probably go tackle Dracula and Jane Eyre at some point this year because I am ashamed. 😆
February 11, 2023
I was intrigued by the beginning of the book, but alas I found my interest in the story slowly started to ebb away as the story continued. I liked the idea of the book, mixing characters from classic novels in a new setting, but I never really grew to really like the characters in the book. On the plus side, the narrator of the book, Charlotta Brentan, was really good, but not even she could keep my mind from drifting away now and then.
October 17, 2022
4.25/5
Confession time, I have never read Jane Eyre OR Dracula, and I didn't really think about that fact when I decided I wanted to read Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste. Besides having to Google Bertha's role in Jane Eyre, I don't really think this was a problem and it didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this creepy sequel/retelling (Kiste's words). I'm sure I missed out on certain things, but I was still completely drawn into this story, and I loved the imagery that Kiste used in her writing. I could practically SEE the decay Lucy created from being a vampire (and dead), plus the thing in Bee's skin. It was all so vivid and wonderful, and this would make a really excellent read for October which is exactly why I picked it.
Reluctant Immortals is yet another one of those books that I think is best experienced via the audiobook and I couldn't believe how amazing Carlotta Brentan was. She totally heightened every single moment for me and made Bee, Lucy, the other characters, and the setting come absolutely alive. Kiste is an instant autobuy author for me, and her wonderfully descriptive language coupled with Brentan's narration skills made this something I would definitely reread in the future. I am for sure going to be buying a copy, as well as checking out whatever else she writes. The pacing was excellent, and I didn't think there was anything that bogged down the story or didn't feel like it was necessary. Bonus if you have read Jane Eyre and Dracula, but even if you haven’t, I highly recommend checking out this haunting and bingeable creepy ass read that I won't be forgetting anytime soon!
Confession time, I have never read Jane Eyre OR Dracula, and I didn't really think about that fact when I decided I wanted to read Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste. Besides having to Google Bertha's role in Jane Eyre, I don't really think this was a problem and it didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this creepy sequel/retelling (Kiste's words). I'm sure I missed out on certain things, but I was still completely drawn into this story, and I loved the imagery that Kiste used in her writing. I could practically SEE the decay Lucy created from being a vampire (and dead), plus the thing in Bee's skin. It was all so vivid and wonderful, and this would make a really excellent read for October which is exactly why I picked it.
Reluctant Immortals is yet another one of those books that I think is best experienced via the audiobook and I couldn't believe how amazing Carlotta Brentan was. She totally heightened every single moment for me and made Bee, Lucy, the other characters, and the setting come absolutely alive. Kiste is an instant autobuy author for me, and her wonderfully descriptive language coupled with Brentan's narration skills made this something I would definitely reread in the future. I am for sure going to be buying a copy, as well as checking out whatever else she writes. The pacing was excellent, and I didn't think there was anything that bogged down the story or didn't feel like it was necessary. Bonus if you have read Jane Eyre and Dracula, but even if you haven’t, I highly recommend checking out this haunting and bingeable creepy ass read that I won't be forgetting anytime soon!
January 23, 2023
This was fun on audio. Set in the late 60's (70's? I didn't take notes and am relying on my brain but it had very flower-childy and Manson culty vibes), it's a story about two forgotten women made immortal by two dickish men (Dracula & Mr. Rochester). Bee (Bertha) & Lucy spend their days overseeing Dracula's urns filled with his ashes, so his domineering self doesn't reappear to boss them around. Their evenings are spent at a drive-in. Doesn't sound too bad of a life to me! But then Jane Eyre shows up and the bossy men appear and their quiet life goes sideways.
Adventure and some mayhem follow as Lucy tries to rein in her undying hunger while just doing her best to stay in charge of her own life. This book may infuriate you (ugh, most of these MEN, please walk into the sun already) but it pays off in the end. My only complaint? I finished the book wondering what Mr. Rochester did to Bee to make her immortal. I'm still here feeling a little confused by it. Maybe I missed something (entirely possible because it's been a stressful week). Was it some sort of fungus? Some Lovecraftian thing? A devil's bargain? I'm a little confused but maybe someone can piece it all together better than me.
Adventure and some mayhem follow as Lucy tries to rein in her undying hunger while just doing her best to stay in charge of her own life. This book may infuriate you (ugh, most of these MEN, please walk into the sun already) but it pays off in the end. My only complaint? I finished the book wondering what Mr. Rochester did to Bee to make her immortal. I'm still here feeling a little confused by it. Maybe I missed something (entirely possible because it's been a stressful week). Was it some sort of fungus? Some Lovecraftian thing? A devil's bargain? I'm a little confused but maybe someone can piece it all together better than me.
August 1, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Reluctant Immortals.
Retellings are the new trend and every once in awhile I see a synopsis that intrigues me.
** Minor unscary spoilers ahead **
I was curious why the author chose the female protagonists she did.
Jane Eyre is my favorite classic so Bertha was an intriguing character to select but why Lucy?
I guess Mina is very 'been there, done that.'
The writing is good, the setting an interesting choice though I'm not a fan of the 60s, but my biggest caveat is how dull the narrative was.
The underlying theme is how men control the narrative, how they control women, and all that stuff, but after living 70 years, Lucy and Bee are not very compelling characters.
In fact, they're pretty boring. Zombies are more interesting than these two immortals.
How did they survive the previous decades together?
Lucy doesn't eat but surely in the years since, there was a time (or two) when she lost control and was unable to contain her urges?
I'm still not sure of that ending; what is that in between place where Lucy finds herself and where she finally settles the score?
I'm not sure how to interpret that, and I'm not talking about in a religious way.
Is it a purgatory/waiting room for vampires and the victims of vampires?
Do all vampires and their victims go there? What does it represent?
How come Lucy ends up there each time?
Even the bad guys were tropes of themselves; Dracula was not scary or menacing and Rochester was neither brooding or dangerous. Just sad, and really, really pathetic.
I was looking for despair, horror, bloodshed, all consuming rage and havoc, but all I got was flower power, hippies, enthralled maidens and a manly vampire and a broody aristocrat pontificating and showing off.
I wanted to like this a lot more but I'm not a fan of the 60s so the setting was a turnoff, as was the characters, Dracula, Rochester, okay, it was everything and everyone.
I didn't like this at all and I never will.
Retellings are the new trend and every once in awhile I see a synopsis that intrigues me.
** Minor unscary spoilers ahead **
I was curious why the author chose the female protagonists she did.
Jane Eyre is my favorite classic so Bertha was an intriguing character to select but why Lucy?
I guess Mina is very 'been there, done that.'
The writing is good, the setting an interesting choice though I'm not a fan of the 60s, but my biggest caveat is how dull the narrative was.
The underlying theme is how men control the narrative, how they control women, and all that stuff, but after living 70 years, Lucy and Bee are not very compelling characters.
In fact, they're pretty boring. Zombies are more interesting than these two immortals.
How did they survive the previous decades together?
Lucy doesn't eat but surely in the years since, there was a time (or two) when she lost control and was unable to contain her urges?
I'm still not sure of that ending; what is that in between place where Lucy finds herself and where she finally settles the score?
I'm not sure how to interpret that, and I'm not talking about in a religious way.
Is it a purgatory/waiting room for vampires and the victims of vampires?
Do all vampires and their victims go there? What does it represent?
How come Lucy ends up there each time?
Even the bad guys were tropes of themselves; Dracula was not scary or menacing and Rochester was neither brooding or dangerous. Just sad, and really, really pathetic.
I was looking for despair, horror, bloodshed, all consuming rage and havoc, but all I got was flower power, hippies, enthralled maidens and a manly vampire and a broody aristocrat pontificating and showing off.
I wanted to like this a lot more but I'm not a fan of the 60s so the setting was a turnoff, as was the characters, Dracula, Rochester, okay, it was everything and everyone.
I didn't like this at all and I never will.
March 27, 2023
I love feminine rage, love vampires, love the 60s/70s aesthetic, so I thought this would be a new favorite.
it certainly was really interesting but I find something was missing. the plot was a little meandering. I could see what the author was trying to do but it didn’t hit the mark entirely.
that being said, this was worth the read solely for the quotes alone. this was very different and I did enjoy it, even if I wanted more from it.
it certainly was really interesting but I find something was missing. the plot was a little meandering. I could see what the author was trying to do but it didn’t hit the mark entirely.
that being said, this was worth the read solely for the quotes alone. this was very different and I did enjoy it, even if I wanted more from it.
October 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this! I read the physical book as well as the audiobook and thought the narrator was awesome. Dracula is my favorite book and when I heard about this I couldn’t wait to read it. My love of reading began with the classics so I’m no stranger to Jane Eyre as well. I was all for the direction the author took. The female characters broke free from their original character roles and were really able to create their own destiny here.
Lucy Westnera and Bertha Mason band together to leave their controlling counterparts. Lucy was a victim of Dracula and Bertha was locked in the attic by Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre).
Both ladies are now immortal living in L.A. during 1967, the Summer of Love. Things really start to get interesting when Dracula and Mr. Rochester resurface.
Reluctant Immortals is available now.
Lucy Westnera and Bertha Mason band together to leave their controlling counterparts. Lucy was a victim of Dracula and Bertha was locked in the attic by Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre).
Both ladies are now immortal living in L.A. during 1967, the Summer of Love. Things really start to get interesting when Dracula and Mr. Rochester resurface.
Reluctant Immortals is available now.
September 28, 2022
I found this book to be awful. Like terrible terrible super-ultra-turbo-funfetti bad.
I couldn't help but enjoy myself while reading it and laughed out loud multiple times. The unfortunate part is that I don't think it's -supposed- to be funny.
It's impossible for my to classify this book as "horror" as the character actions are so misinformed, so misguided and nonsensical lacking any common sense that I couldn't help but to consistently laugh.
Such insanely terrible terrible back to back decisions.
NOT THE BUICK, NOT MY SHITTY FALLING APART BUICK.
The dialogue and character decisions... 👌
It's a little Cesar's Pizza, what can you do?
I couldn't help but enjoy myself while reading it and laughed out loud multiple times. The unfortunate part is that I don't think it's -supposed- to be funny.
It's impossible for my to classify this book as "horror" as the character actions are so misinformed, so misguided and nonsensical lacking any common sense that I couldn't help but to consistently laugh.
Such insanely terrible terrible back to back decisions.
NOT THE BUICK, NOT MY SHITTY FALLING APART BUICK.
The dialogue and character decisions... 👌
It's a little Cesar's Pizza, what can you do?
February 21, 2023
I liked the concept of this Book, but ultimately I wanted everything about it to be more. More emotion, more rage, more fear, more horror. Although there were quite a few great lines to keep, it ultimately ended up meandering too much and leaving too many plot holes. The whole book was a back and forth field trip; they get caught, they escape, repeat. I also would have liked it to be dual POV to get more of Bees side.
November 17, 2022
I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately it did not deliver. The story was beyond ridiculous, first off we have Dracula's ashes still talking. Then we have a very reluctant vampire and then it goes into the realms of fantasy. Up pops the first Mrs Rotchester and her husband is searching for her. Then we have Jane Eyre rocking up for a visit. This reads more like a very bad script for Lost Boys. A mish mash of classic horror not done very well.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
July 21, 2024
As a fan of Dracula, Jane Eyre, and even Wide Sargasso Sea (the Jean Rhys novel about Bertha), I wanted so much more from this book. What should have been a fun, female-rage fueled romp became a slog that even an undead twist and groovy setting couldn’t save.
Plot aside, my biggest issue with Reluctant Immortals is the ham-fisted handling of this book’s themes. Obviously Kiste isn’t wrong that these are characters who are often defined in the canon by their proximity to men, but by pointing it out in the text each time, Kiste ruins the tension and any potential audience analysis by saying the quiet part out loud.
Many of the emotional beats feel unearned, relying mainly on what the reader already knows from Jane Eyre and Dracula to provide the stakes for these situations. Despite this, none of the characters felt three-dimensional and any random details Kiste provides to bulk up their personalities seem to come from out of left field.
There are some unique elements - the decay and rot that follow vampires, the depictions of the afterlife, the Manson-ification of Rochester - that I would have liked to see expanded, but overall, I was struggling not to DNF this.
Plot aside, my biggest issue with Reluctant Immortals is the ham-fisted handling of this book’s themes. Obviously Kiste isn’t wrong that these are characters who are often defined in the canon by their proximity to men, but by pointing it out in the text each time, Kiste ruins the tension and any potential audience analysis by saying the quiet part out loud.
Many of the emotional beats feel unearned, relying mainly on what the reader already knows from Jane Eyre and Dracula to provide the stakes for these situations. Despite this, none of the characters felt three-dimensional and any random details Kiste provides to bulk up their personalities seem to come from out of left field.
There are some unique elements - the decay and rot that follow vampires, the depictions of the afterlife, the Manson-ification of Rochester - that I would have liked to see expanded, but overall, I was struggling not to DNF this.
May 16, 2024
Digging Jane out of her grave to suffer as psychedelic decoration to not one but two love interests (& the queer one with the barest of chemistry) feels like the same sexism these cartoonishly simplified men are charged with & something your agent should go to hell for thinking we’d all enjoy. What is feminist about the neutering of your female character and her powers (a vampire that can’t drink blood for god’s sake)! What absences in the OG text do you illuminate by bringing Bertha back to be the non-white side piece & apparent best friend to the whitest Victorian-turned-vampire & then characterizing Bertha only by her fears, keeping her internal dialogue at a distance from the audience by having the POV be from said vampire?
But maybe we just read Jane Eyre and Dracula differently, idk.
(For fans of Mexican Gothic my ass. Whatever editor or publicist wrote that also did not read that book!)
But maybe we just read Jane Eyre and Dracula differently, idk.
(For fans of Mexican Gothic my ass. Whatever editor or publicist wrote that also did not read that book!)
February 11, 2024
this book was so bad…
It read like bad fan fiction or someone’s first time writing a book. So much of it was repetitive! She wrote how Dracula smelled like earth and roses at least 10 times.
The villains were cartoon villains. No one ever felt like a threat! Lucy was supposed to guard these urns with her life and she sucked at it! Every time she was outsmarted or out muscled with the urns and she never put up a fight.
There was the constant battle with her hunger that never felt that serious. The fact that she longed to die but then decided not to in the end. No character was ever fully fleshed out either and hoped you’d just follow along because it was characters you know. Dracula is a bad guy because he’s always been a bad guy so believe it without any more context or “unknown” background.
Also seemed like they did one cursory glance at google for “life in the 60’s” and “what was popular in the 60’s” and that was it. Nothing felt legitimate or any sort of decade accurate life besides the fact they heard Jefferson Airplane play a concert and the hippies drove a VW bus. OH and the Michael was a war vet which added nothing to his character because he barely did anything in the story besides be wooed on accident by Lucy who never used this power again to try to defeat these evil men.
Just a bad book that I finished because I spent my money on it.
It read like bad fan fiction or someone’s first time writing a book. So much of it was repetitive! She wrote how Dracula smelled like earth and roses at least 10 times.
The villains were cartoon villains. No one ever felt like a threat! Lucy was supposed to guard these urns with her life and she sucked at it! Every time she was outsmarted or out muscled with the urns and she never put up a fight.
There was the constant battle with her hunger that never felt that serious. The fact that she longed to die but then decided not to in the end. No character was ever fully fleshed out either and hoped you’d just follow along because it was characters you know. Dracula is a bad guy because he’s always been a bad guy so believe it without any more context or “unknown” background.
Also seemed like they did one cursory glance at google for “life in the 60’s” and “what was popular in the 60’s” and that was it. Nothing felt legitimate or any sort of decade accurate life besides the fact they heard Jefferson Airplane play a concert and the hippies drove a VW bus. OH and the Michael was a war vet which added nothing to his character because he barely did anything in the story besides be wooed on accident by Lucy who never used this power again to try to defeat these evil men.
Just a bad book that I finished because I spent my money on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2024
Heavy handed and repetitive. I also don’t understand why the characters from Jane Eyre were even here. They were changed so much they could have been completely new characters, the only reason I can come up with is so the author didn’t have to work so hard to make side characters? Also this thought it was doing something,I just don’t know what it was.
Beautiful cover tho…
Beautiful cover tho…
January 13, 2023
fiercely mid
July 6, 2022
Reluctant Immortals is a timely novel that focuses on women finding their strength and reclaiming their power. In this case, the forgotten stories of Lucy Westenra and Bertha (Bee) Mason take center stage, especially Lucy’s story. I very much enjoyed Lucy’s narration and how we navigated the landscape through her perspective as a vampire who desperately wishes to avoid becoming the monster her maker (Dracula) would love her to become.
Kiste excels at taking these famous characters and making them her own. Reluctant Immortals is a great example of what writers can do with the public domain. There are references and easter eggs to the original source materials, but at the same time, Lucy, Bertha, and the other characters we meet are reflections of the current struggles they face. In late 60s Los Angeles, Lucy and Bee must contend with poverty, relying on others for help, and with the men who want to control them. These are not the wealthy immortals we see so often in movies and shows, but rather, two women consigned to a fate that neither ever requested.
One of my favorite elements within the novel is the connection between Lucy and rot/decay. We see this with Dracula when he appears, too, and it’s a very unique trait that I don’t remember seeing in other vampire novels. I won’t say too much so you can discover more about that for yourself, but I thought it was a fun and clever “power” of sorts. I would’ve loved to have seen the rot, decay, and blood explored even more. Leaning into the grit and rawness that’s at the edges of the novel may have been interesting to amplify. Blood is present (it’s a vampire novel after all!), but I don’t think I’d say it’s the focal point of the horror in this novel.
Rather, the horror here is very internal with Lucy’s moral struggle, along with the terror of knowing what Dracula and Rochester are capable of doing. They are men who delight on using women for multiple nefarious purposes, and Lucy and Bee are very much aware of that. Bee’s story in particular has a queer element that I absolutely loved. I’m not sure how I felt, however, about the depiction of Jane Eyre—she’s a frustrating character in this reiteration, but I think Kiste does a good job at showing us why Jane has become a beaten down version of who she once was. But these are just personal items of note and didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of this creative and strong work of literary horror.
Overall, I loved the friendship between Lucy and Bee, how Kiste made these characters her own while using solid references to the original sources, and all of the rotting twists and turns along the way!
Kiste excels at taking these famous characters and making them her own. Reluctant Immortals is a great example of what writers can do with the public domain. There are references and easter eggs to the original source materials, but at the same time, Lucy, Bertha, and the other characters we meet are reflections of the current struggles they face. In late 60s Los Angeles, Lucy and Bee must contend with poverty, relying on others for help, and with the men who want to control them. These are not the wealthy immortals we see so often in movies and shows, but rather, two women consigned to a fate that neither ever requested.
“This is a glittering city haunted by the ghosts of dead girls and dead dreams. In that way, Bee and I fit right in.”
One of my favorite elements within the novel is the connection between Lucy and rot/decay. We see this with Dracula when he appears, too, and it’s a very unique trait that I don’t remember seeing in other vampire novels. I won’t say too much so you can discover more about that for yourself, but I thought it was a fun and clever “power” of sorts. I would’ve loved to have seen the rot, decay, and blood explored even more. Leaning into the grit and rawness that’s at the edges of the novel may have been interesting to amplify. Blood is present (it’s a vampire novel after all!), but I don’t think I’d say it’s the focal point of the horror in this novel.
Rather, the horror here is very internal with Lucy’s moral struggle, along with the terror of knowing what Dracula and Rochester are capable of doing. They are men who delight on using women for multiple nefarious purposes, and Lucy and Bee are very much aware of that. Bee’s story in particular has a queer element that I absolutely loved. I’m not sure how I felt, however, about the depiction of Jane Eyre—she’s a frustrating character in this reiteration, but I think Kiste does a good job at showing us why Jane has become a beaten down version of who she once was. But these are just personal items of note and didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of this creative and strong work of literary horror.
Overall, I loved the friendship between Lucy and Bee, how Kiste made these characters her own while using solid references to the original sources, and all of the rotting twists and turns along the way!
July 11, 2023
Well, this was weird. Not in a bad way; it’s actually really nice when an author writes something that makes me go “what the hell”, because I wish it happened more often. I didn’t really have expectations when I picked it up, it just seemed like an interesting mashup of classic characters – though comparing it to “Mexican Gothic” is very inaccurate.
Due to their respective run-ins with Dracula and Mr. Rochester, Lucy Westerna and Bertha Mason have been made immortals. But immortality is not the never-ending party one might imagine it to be. In fact, the two women are more or less constantly on the run from their past, and have to work really hard to keep that past from contaminating their present. I don’t want to give too much away, but obviously, something happens that breaks the delicate balance of their lives, and the monsters who made them will soon be hot on their heels and have to be put away, for good this time.
Kiste chose to explore some very relevant themes through this strange speculative exercise, and this book is not a horror novel proper, but rather an exploration of feminine trauma and the difficulties of living with said trauma. That makes it a very unique and interesting work. My 3-star rating is much more about wishing for richer prose, denser atmosphere and a less repetitive pattern of hunter-becomes-the-hunted. It is meant to be set in 1960s Hollywood, but I had a hard time really feeling that setting (or San Francisco, when they end up going over there), beyond descriptions of clothing and houses. I loved the idea that drove the story, but I wanted to be able to lose myself in it a bit more.
Worth checking out, and I will keep an eye out for what Kiste comes up with next! She is clearly very talented, this book is just a tad unfocused.
Due to their respective run-ins with Dracula and Mr. Rochester, Lucy Westerna and Bertha Mason have been made immortals. But immortality is not the never-ending party one might imagine it to be. In fact, the two women are more or less constantly on the run from their past, and have to work really hard to keep that past from contaminating their present. I don’t want to give too much away, but obviously, something happens that breaks the delicate balance of their lives, and the monsters who made them will soon be hot on their heels and have to be put away, for good this time.
Kiste chose to explore some very relevant themes through this strange speculative exercise, and this book is not a horror novel proper, but rather an exploration of feminine trauma and the difficulties of living with said trauma. That makes it a very unique and interesting work. My 3-star rating is much more about wishing for richer prose, denser atmosphere and a less repetitive pattern of hunter-becomes-the-hunted. It is meant to be set in 1960s Hollywood, but I had a hard time really feeling that setting (or San Francisco, when they end up going over there), beyond descriptions of clothing and houses. I loved the idea that drove the story, but I wanted to be able to lose myself in it a bit more.
Worth checking out, and I will keep an eye out for what Kiste comes up with next! She is clearly very talented, this book is just a tad unfocused.
March 20, 2023
these 👏 men 👏 ain't 👏 shit 👏
hooray for the women 💃
hooray for the women 💃
May 20, 2025
Reluctant Immortals‘ was my second book by Gwendolyn Kiste. It was just as strange and just as compelling as ‘The Rust Maidens‘ (2019). Like ‘The Rust Maidens’, this book was powered by rage at how men treat women, but this time that rage was shaped and focused through the strength of friendship and mutual support between two women who had (almost) freed themselves from abusive men.
The premise threw me a little at first: Lucy Westenra from ‘Dracula‘ and Bertha Mason, the wife in the attic from 'Jane Eyre‘, immortal and living together in Los Angeles in 1967. They are still living in the shadow of the men they've tried to free themselves from. Lucy is guarding the urns holding Dracula’s ashes. Keeping them intact and separated is the only way to prevent Dracula's return. Bertha is still hiding from Rochester, who has never stopped hunting her. Somehow (and the explanation is original and a bit of a stretch), Rochester and Bertha are as immortal as Lucy and Dracula. Lucy feels her vampirism as a curse that she has to control every day and which brings rot and decay to any place she spends time in. Thanks to her years locked in an attic, Bertha cannot bear to be in a confined space. The pair of them seek solace by escaping into the movies showing at one of the last remaining Drive-in movie lots. It's not just Lucy and Dracula who are immortal,
I learned all this in the first quarter of the book. I was still struggling to swallow it all when Jane Eyre, who is also immortal and somehow bound to Bertha, turned up. That felt like too much to take in. I almost stopped reading.
Instead, I took a deep breath, reminded myself that this was speculative fiction and that I should cut it some slack.
I'm glad I did because, once I relaxed and accepted the story on its own terms, it became a compelling tale that I had to learn the end of. The pace of the story picked up as Lucy and Bertha's life in L.A. turned to ash and they headed to San Francisco during the ‘Summer Of Love’ to find Jane, who seemed to have gone back to Rochester.
I loved the unromantic but non-judgmental depiction of hippies. The dirt, the desperation and the self-delusion of the lifestyle were clearly shown, but so was the hope that drove these lost young people to search for something better than the fractured lives they'd lived.
The anarchic, a-summer-outside-of-time atmosphere of San Francisco provided the perfect setting for Lucy and Bertha to confront the malignant masculinity and insatiable hunger of Dracula and Rochester. I was glad that this wasn't a Marvel Universe Good Guys versus Bad Guys kind of confrontation, but rather an opportunity for Lucy and Bertha to stand their ground.
Lucy was the driving force of the book. I loved how she saw the world and the courage and discipline she showed in shaping her own life and refusing to be ruled by the expectations and constraints powerful men tried to impose on her.
I hope that, sometime soon, one of the new wave of women directors in Hollywood picks this novel up and turns it into an extraordinary film.
The premise threw me a little at first: Lucy Westenra from ‘Dracula‘ and Bertha Mason, the wife in the attic from 'Jane Eyre‘, immortal and living together in Los Angeles in 1967. They are still living in the shadow of the men they've tried to free themselves from. Lucy is guarding the urns holding Dracula’s ashes. Keeping them intact and separated is the only way to prevent Dracula's return. Bertha is still hiding from Rochester, who has never stopped hunting her. Somehow (and the explanation is original and a bit of a stretch), Rochester and Bertha are as immortal as Lucy and Dracula. Lucy feels her vampirism as a curse that she has to control every day and which brings rot and decay to any place she spends time in. Thanks to her years locked in an attic, Bertha cannot bear to be in a confined space. The pair of them seek solace by escaping into the movies showing at one of the last remaining Drive-in movie lots. It's not just Lucy and Dracula who are immortal,
I learned all this in the first quarter of the book. I was still struggling to swallow it all when Jane Eyre, who is also immortal and somehow bound to Bertha, turned up. That felt like too much to take in. I almost stopped reading.
Instead, I took a deep breath, reminded myself that this was speculative fiction and that I should cut it some slack.
I'm glad I did because, once I relaxed and accepted the story on its own terms, it became a compelling tale that I had to learn the end of. The pace of the story picked up as Lucy and Bertha's life in L.A. turned to ash and they headed to San Francisco during the ‘Summer Of Love’ to find Jane, who seemed to have gone back to Rochester.
I loved the unromantic but non-judgmental depiction of hippies. The dirt, the desperation and the self-delusion of the lifestyle were clearly shown, but so was the hope that drove these lost young people to search for something better than the fractured lives they'd lived.
The anarchic, a-summer-outside-of-time atmosphere of San Francisco provided the perfect setting for Lucy and Bertha to confront the malignant masculinity and insatiable hunger of Dracula and Rochester. I was glad that this wasn't a Marvel Universe Good Guys versus Bad Guys kind of confrontation, but rather an opportunity for Lucy and Bertha to stand their ground.
Lucy was the driving force of the book. I loved how she saw the world and the courage and discipline she showed in shaping her own life and refusing to be ruled by the expectations and constraints powerful men tried to impose on her.
I hope that, sometime soon, one of the new wave of women directors in Hollywood picks this novel up and turns it into an extraordinary film.
March 27, 2023
[ 4 ☆ ] this book was so good?????? i loved this so much, and i really liked the twist of the story of characters from classics (i.e dracula, jane eyre etc).
plspls read this !!
plspls read this !!
October 26, 2022
This was such a fun read! I went into this expecting one thing and got something completely different which was not a bad thing at all!
It felt like a psychedelic dream. Throw together Thelma and Louise vibes, Daisy Jones and the Six, Jane Eyre and Dracula to create a melting pot of fantastical elements and gothic undertones. And it places women front and centre through a feminist lens. Yes please.
Expect dark humour, originality and nostalgic vibes. For lovers of classical horror this is one not to be missed.
It felt like a psychedelic dream. Throw together Thelma and Louise vibes, Daisy Jones and the Six, Jane Eyre and Dracula to create a melting pot of fantastical elements and gothic undertones. And it places women front and centre through a feminist lens. Yes please.
Expect dark humour, originality and nostalgic vibes. For lovers of classical horror this is one not to be missed.
December 26, 2024
Audiobook (9 hours) narrated by Carlotta Brentan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
The narration and audio is excellent. I very much enjoyed what I believe to be my first encounter with Carlotta Brentan.
Despite the plethora of low ratings, including a hefty 11% in the 2 star category, I had very much enjoyed The Haunting of Velkwood and was looking for something else by Gwendolyn Kiste. This book was available and vampires, so I was like, let's give it a try.
Wow.
This is more like a re-telling or addition to the Dracula, complete with Renfield.
The imagination that Kiste uses to capture something old and make it new, is quite good and very enjoyable.
While the story is set in 1967, there isn't a whole lot that speaks to the 60's as far as mentioning things from the time, however the personalities and perspectives of the characters are clearly not from today. Not being familiar with San Francisco, I cannot speak to the accuracy of the time, however it does seem to be plausible.
I blew through this story and am glad that I decided to pick it up.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
The narration and audio is excellent. I very much enjoyed what I believe to be my first encounter with Carlotta Brentan.
Despite the plethora of low ratings, including a hefty 11% in the 2 star category, I had very much enjoyed The Haunting of Velkwood and was looking for something else by Gwendolyn Kiste. This book was available and vampires, so I was like, let's give it a try.
Wow.
This is more like a re-telling or addition to the Dracula, complete with Renfield.
The imagination that Kiste uses to capture something old and make it new, is quite good and very enjoyable.
While the story is set in 1967, there isn't a whole lot that speaks to the 60's as far as mentioning things from the time, however the personalities and perspectives of the characters are clearly not from today. Not being familiar with San Francisco, I cannot speak to the accuracy of the time, however it does seem to be plausible.
I blew through this story and am glad that I decided to pick it up.
June 21, 2025
A fresh, compelling take on the vampire genre. Truly loved every second of it. I wish I'd read it sooner.
Without a doubt one of the best books I've read this year.
Five stars.
Without a doubt one of the best books I've read this year.
Five stars.
June 23, 2023
Using minor characters from Dracula and Jane Eyre, author Gwendolyn Kiste has Lucy Westenra and Bertha "Bea" Rochester living together in a crumbling house in 1967 San Francisco. Lucy and Bea live lives of isolation; Lucy was transformed by Dracula, while Rochester gave himself, Bea, and Jane a lingering, strange life after death.
Lucy constantly monitors the various urns containing Dracula's ashes to ensure he does not find a way to rise again. Lucy also does her best to resist her hunger, and cares for Bea, who suffers from nightmares. They have a simple life, watching movies at a drive-in, avoiding the day (and not because one or the other will burst into flame cuz so many vampire myths are wrong), and trying to stem the deterioration of their home (because vampires rot their surroundings just by being there). It's not a happy existence, but it's their existence.
Then Jane shows up one day, and blows their hard won peace apart; this leads to a flight from their home and a series of horrifying encounters with the monsters responsible for their circumstances.
The atmosphere is great, and Lucy is a terrific PoV on their undead lives and their struggles to maintain them. Both women have been horribly abused, and know that they're never free. The awful presence of both of their abusers hangs over them perpetually, but at the same time, we see both women bonding with a select few who have taken advantage of the 1960s freewheeling lifestyle.
The story has a somewhat dreamy feel, despite some scenes of horror, but I loved Lucy, and her fight to give both herself and Bea as much of a life free from fear as possible.
Lucy constantly monitors the various urns containing Dracula's ashes to ensure he does not find a way to rise again. Lucy also does her best to resist her hunger, and cares for Bea, who suffers from nightmares. They have a simple life, watching movies at a drive-in, avoiding the day (and not because one or the other will burst into flame cuz so many vampire myths are wrong), and trying to stem the deterioration of their home (because vampires rot their surroundings just by being there). It's not a happy existence, but it's their existence.
Then Jane shows up one day, and blows their hard won peace apart; this leads to a flight from their home and a series of horrifying encounters with the monsters responsible for their circumstances.
The atmosphere is great, and Lucy is a terrific PoV on their undead lives and their struggles to maintain them. Both women have been horribly abused, and know that they're never free. The awful presence of both of their abusers hangs over them perpetually, but at the same time, we see both women bonding with a select few who have taken advantage of the 1960s freewheeling lifestyle.
The story has a somewhat dreamy feel, despite some scenes of horror, but I loved Lucy, and her fight to give both herself and Bea as much of a life free from fear as possible.
December 18, 2024
This is the second book I've read from the author this year and I really enjoyed both. I have never read Dracula or Jan Eyre, but I have watched movies about them and know the stories. It was really interesting following Lucy and Bee as they first tried to escape and then tried to vanquish Dracula and Rochester.
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