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The Blood Confession
Drawn from the true story of a seventeenth-century countess who bathed herself in human blood to preserve her looks forever, this chilling novel, combining gothic horror and romance, follows beautiful Erzebet, as she tells the story of her life while waiting to be sentenced for murder.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2006
12 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Alisa M. Libby
2 books119 followersHi there, it's me, Alisa. I write this bio blurb just one week before the release of my second book, The King's Rose. The feeling of waiting for a book's publication has been likened to standing in line for a very large rollercoaster, which I think is an apt description. Anxiety aside, I'm really thrilled to share this book with everyone: it's historical fiction about Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She's just a teenager when she catches the eye of the powerful king. But Henry was no longer the strapping young prince when he cast his eye on the Catherine. Not to mention the fact that he had already beheaded one of his previous queens - Catherine's own cousin, Anne Boleyn. It would be a Cinderella story if it weren't so terrifying.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
March 13, 2009
I did appreciate the gothic tone of this novel. Had I known nothing about Elizabeth of Bathory, I might have appreciated it more.
I was completely astonished, after reading the acknowledgements at the end of the book, to find that the author had done enough research on the subject that she thanked an interlibrary loan librarian. I myself have done a little bit of research (as it's the topic of a book I'm working on), and just from the websites I've looked at, I know that there are a number of facts completely missing from this book. Maybe the author wanted to stick to some early idea of Elizabeth of Bathory she had formed as a teenager and forget about the facts, because that is what it seemed like to me. There is no mention of Elizabeth getting married at age 15 or having three children. The names and identities of Elizabeth's accomplices were changed from her nurse, a dwarf stableboy, a peasant, and a witch to four of her serving girls. Even though there was a character of a nurse, she had no part in the killings. The introduction of Elizabeth's friendship with a peasant girl who later married the painter Konrad, as well as a ghost-like character named Sinestra who I took to be the devil on Elizabeth's shoulder, seemed bizarre and random. The only facts I found in this novel was Elizabeth's name, and some mention of the war between the Turks and Hungary. As I've been doing a fair amount of research, trying to name my characters with authentic Hungarian or Romanian names, and using what historical facts I could find, since there is quite a bit of legend and rumor attached to the "Blood Countess," I found that this book seemed to have been written with only the knowledge that a woman named Elizabeth of Bathory had killed serving girls in order to bathe in their blood, which she believed was a cure against aging.
The book really did set a good mood, the bloodstains on the bottom of the pages had me a little freaked out at first until I realized taht they were fake. I liked how the author made the mother's obsession with vanity reflect on her daughter, and seeing a plausible path of how someone could do what she did. This is the problem with historical fiction: when you know too much history, the fiction seems ridiculous.
Someday you'll have to look for my novel about Elizabeth of Bathory... I'm thinking of calling it "The Iron Maiden" (if I don't decide to keep "The Blood Countess" and let it get confused with Andrei Codrescu's book).
3/13/09 - I just wanted to note that I was looking at Alisa Libby's website (her new book, The King's Rose, is due out soon) and she does state that she made Elizabeth Bathory into her own character with a vaguely similar last name, because she wanted to be free to make the Countess her own character and not be confined to the facts. So my rant here is somewhat non-applicable.
I was completely astonished, after reading the acknowledgements at the end of the book, to find that the author had done enough research on the subject that she thanked an interlibrary loan librarian. I myself have done a little bit of research (as it's the topic of a book I'm working on), and just from the websites I've looked at, I know that there are a number of facts completely missing from this book. Maybe the author wanted to stick to some early idea of Elizabeth of Bathory she had formed as a teenager and forget about the facts, because that is what it seemed like to me. There is no mention of Elizabeth getting married at age 15 or having three children. The names and identities of Elizabeth's accomplices were changed from her nurse, a dwarf stableboy, a peasant, and a witch to four of her serving girls. Even though there was a character of a nurse, she had no part in the killings. The introduction of Elizabeth's friendship with a peasant girl who later married the painter Konrad, as well as a ghost-like character named Sinestra who I took to be the devil on Elizabeth's shoulder, seemed bizarre and random. The only facts I found in this novel was Elizabeth's name, and some mention of the war between the Turks and Hungary. As I've been doing a fair amount of research, trying to name my characters with authentic Hungarian or Romanian names, and using what historical facts I could find, since there is quite a bit of legend and rumor attached to the "Blood Countess," I found that this book seemed to have been written with only the knowledge that a woman named Elizabeth of Bathory had killed serving girls in order to bathe in their blood, which she believed was a cure against aging.
The book really did set a good mood, the bloodstains on the bottom of the pages had me a little freaked out at first until I realized taht they were fake. I liked how the author made the mother's obsession with vanity reflect on her daughter, and seeing a plausible path of how someone could do what she did. This is the problem with historical fiction: when you know too much history, the fiction seems ridiculous.
Someday you'll have to look for my novel about Elizabeth of Bathory... I'm thinking of calling it "The Iron Maiden" (if I don't decide to keep "The Blood Countess" and let it get confused with Andrei Codrescu's book).
3/13/09 - I just wanted to note that I was looking at Alisa Libby's website (her new book, The King's Rose, is due out soon) and she does state that she made Elizabeth Bathory into her own character with a vaguely similar last name, because she wanted to be free to make the Countess her own character and not be confined to the facts. So my rant here is somewhat non-applicable.
December 12, 2010
Alisa Libby’s gothic prose is delicious and it captivated me from the beginning. I found myself creeping around in the dark and foreboding castle along with Erzebet. I could see the golden light flickering from the candles, feel the cold draft in the murky corridors, and could almost run my fingers through the plush red velvet of Erzebet’s gown.
This story is only a loosely based on the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, not a fictionalized account. In fact, the character even has a different name, Countess Erzebet Bizecka. So anyone looking for accurate detail about Bathory’s life will be disappointed. I would almost go so far as to say this story is like a grim fairytale. There is almost nothing about Hungarian history or politics. Bizecka castle is so isolated, it could be anywhere in Eastern Europe in the early 1600s. The book seems to lack a certain complexity of life.
It is obvious that Erzebet is slowly losing her grip on reality. She imagines people who aren’t there, and you’re never sure if her beauty treatments really work. I love what Libby does with mirrors and insanity.
A book based off of Elizabeth Bathory would have to be bloody, and this book definitely is, but it isn’t horribly gruesome. The murders are never glamorized either. The book has a neat publishing trick, where the pages on the bottom look like they are soaked in blood. As Erzebet's deeds become more bloody, so do the pages.
I wish a little bit more of the real Elizabeth Bathory's life could have been added into the book, like her marriage, and the politics of the time, but I still enjoyed it. I thought this book was a fast and engaging read.
This story is only a loosely based on the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, not a fictionalized account. In fact, the character even has a different name, Countess Erzebet Bizecka. So anyone looking for accurate detail about Bathory’s life will be disappointed. I would almost go so far as to say this story is like a grim fairytale. There is almost nothing about Hungarian history or politics. Bizecka castle is so isolated, it could be anywhere in Eastern Europe in the early 1600s. The book seems to lack a certain complexity of life.
It is obvious that Erzebet is slowly losing her grip on reality. She imagines people who aren’t there, and you’re never sure if her beauty treatments really work. I love what Libby does with mirrors and insanity.
A book based off of Elizabeth Bathory would have to be bloody, and this book definitely is, but it isn’t horribly gruesome. The murders are never glamorized either. The book has a neat publishing trick, where the pages on the bottom look like they are soaked in blood. As Erzebet's deeds become more bloody, so do the pages.
I wish a little bit more of the real Elizabeth Bathory's life could have been added into the book, like her marriage, and the politics of the time, but I still enjoyed it. I thought this book was a fast and engaging read.
February 3, 2016
This is four stars rounded up. Maybe 3.75. I liked the concept--it's not just an unreliable story-teller, the protagonist and antagonist are really the same person when you think about it. This is based on the story of Elizabeth Bathory, who was convicted of torturing and murdering (according to Wikipedia) 80 young girls around the year 1600. In the book, the author has called her Erzebet and changes many of Bathory's life details, such as having her never marry or have children, and she adds the motive for the murders--a quest for eternal youth and beauty--and bathing in her victims' blood as a means for that.
The writing is pretty strong, especially for a debut novel. The characterization was good, although maybe not entirely on-center for me. The author does have a flair for description and mood-setting.
You might be thinking the gruesome nature of this book is my issue, but it's not. I enjoy dark and spooky novels. And while this book, in some ways, may seem to glamorize Bathory's practices, I believe the message it clear: what she did was evil, and she was completely insane.
The things that bothered me about the book had more to do with a feeling of incongruity--it seemed to be trying to combine Bathory's story with the evil witch from Snow White, and it didn't quite jibe for me. I also found that it felt redundant in places, as Bathory's actions became repetitive and the author used a lot of the same phrases and descriptors over and over.
That said, it's definitely an author I'd try again. I admire the daring she exhibited in telling such a story, and the means of telling it through the eyes of Bathory herself. As I said, she did a great job with description and mood, and made me feel very much present in the story world.
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The writing is pretty strong, especially for a debut novel. The characterization was good, although maybe not entirely on-center for me. The author does have a flair for description and mood-setting.
You might be thinking the gruesome nature of this book is my issue, but it's not. I enjoy dark and spooky novels. And while this book, in some ways, may seem to glamorize Bathory's practices, I believe the message it clear: what she did was evil, and she was completely insane.
The things that bothered me about the book had more to do with a feeling of incongruity--it seemed to be trying to combine Bathory's story with the evil witch from Snow White, and it didn't quite jibe for me. I also found that it felt redundant in places, as Bathory's actions became repetitive and the author used a lot of the same phrases and descriptors over and over.
That said, it's definitely an author I'd try again. I admire the daring she exhibited in telling such a story, and the means of telling it through the eyes of Bathory herself. As I said, she did a great job with description and mood, and made me feel very much present in the story world.
My Website
Find me on Facebook
My YA fantasy series:
book 1
book 2
did-not-finish
January 16, 2017Borrowed from Open Library.
DNF on p. 182.
I'm sad about DNFing this book, but it wasn't grabbing me at all. There were some interesting takes which (from what I read) attempted to explain why Erzebet Bathory did what she did, but apart from that the plot was very slow moving, and the main character wasn't intriguing enough to make me keep reading. I might try and pick this up at another time, but for now I'm just not into it.
DNF on p. 182.
I'm sad about DNFing this book, but it wasn't grabbing me at all. There were some interesting takes which (from what I read) attempted to explain why Erzebet Bathory did what she did, but apart from that the plot was very slow moving, and the main character wasn't intriguing enough to make me keep reading. I might try and pick this up at another time, but for now I'm just not into it.
June 18, 2008
This is one will really keep you on your toes. Based on the legend of Erzsebet Bathory, it really calls the idea of morality into question--that's what happens when the protagonist is actually the villain. Though I knew how evil and wrong her thinking was, I found myself sympathizing with her obsession with beauty and human desperation. In truth, I pitied the murderess.
This book was a sensation, literally playing with the senses--a perfect mixture of horrific intrigue, darkness and light, vice and virtue, blasphemy and holiness. I'll never look at blood the same way.
This book was a sensation, literally playing with the senses--a perfect mixture of horrific intrigue, darkness and light, vice and virtue, blasphemy and holiness. I'll never look at blood the same way.
July 25, 2011
Akhirnya menyelesaikan buku ini. XD
Buku yang sudah memikatku sejak pertama kali melihat cover dan dilanjutkan dengan membaca sinopsisnya. Well, alasannya mudah saja, aku tahu siapa itu Elizabeth Bathory, dan buku yang menampilkan Elizabeth sebagai tokoh yang menginspirasi mau tidak mau membuatku ingin membaca. :P
Lanjut, aku bahas ceritanya lha ya, pengalaman yang bikin aku memiliki buku ini tentu tak seberapa penting. LoL
Alur yang dipakai dalam buku ini 'maju-mundur', tapi tenang saja, perbedaan setting waktunya bisa terdeteksi dengan perbedaan font, jadi ngga akan sulit untuk diikuti.
Mungkin aku ngga akan menceritakan secara lengkap bagaimana kisah di dalam buku ini, ceritanya kurang lebih mirip dengan kisah Elizabeth Bathory itu sendiri, hanya saja dengan sudut pandang orang pertama yang digunakan oleh penulis, bikin kita yang membacanya jadi prihatin dan simpati pada Erzebeth (nama tokoh utama kita). Bagaimana Erzebeth menjadi seseorang yang haus darah karena dihasut oleh keadaan.
Ayah Erzebeth, Count Bizecka adalah ayah yang tergila-gila pada kekuasaan dan nama baik. Ia menuntut seorang pewaris namun terpaksa menelan pil pahit hanya memiliki seorang anak perempuan, di bawah perhitungan bintang yang bisa diartikan sebagai 'terkutuk'. Sementara istrinya yang terlahir dalam keluarga pedagang, menjadi gila karena tuntutan dari istrinya, cap 'kutukan' pada anak perempuannya dan akhirnya tergila-gila pada kecantikkan.
Terlahir dan tumbuh dewasa dalam suasana yang tidak kondusif membuat Erzebeth menjadi anak yang tidak percaya diri dan mudah terhasut. Belum lagi ia mengetahui ramalan tentang 'kutukan' dirinya saat ia masih terlalu muda untuk mengerti. Ditambah dengan kekuasaan yang ia miliki karena terlahir sebagai anak dari seorang count membuat Erzebeth melakukan ritual darah demi untuk mempertahankan kecantikan dirinya.
Dan cerita selanjutnya bisa ditebak, bagaimana Erzebeth mempergunakan kekuasaannya untuk mendapatkan supply darah dari para pelayannya. Gimana ia begitu terpengaruhi oleh kematian sahabat karibnya dan membuat Erzebeth semakin labil. Cara-cara mendapatkan supply darah yang semakin sadis karena perkenalan Erzebeth dengan seorang lelaki misterius. Well, semua itu hanya bisa menyimpulkan bagaimana Erzebeth menjadi kejam dan sadis karena tekanan situasi. Penulisnya memang berniat untuk membuat pembaca menjadi simpati dengan Erzebeth, dan dia sukses, btw.
Terlepas dari segudang typo yang kucatat, ceritanya oke koq. Terutama karena aku begitu menggemari sejarah. :P
Alasan mengapa hanya bintang dua yang kuberikan atas buku ini terlepas dari keberadaan typo yang menghiasi hampir setiap halaman dan itu sangat mengganggu, hampir saja buku ini tak habis kalau saja bukan karena aku ingin tahu bagaimana Erzebeth dikisahkan oleh sang penulis. Dan beberapa adegan berdarahnya cukup mengerikan apabila dibayangkan secara eksplisit, untunglah aku membaca buku dan bebas berimajinasi sendiri. :P
Overall, kalau suka yang berdarah-darah tapi lebih banyak ke permainan emosi, kamu mesti cobain baca buku ini. ^^
Buku yang sudah memikatku sejak pertama kali melihat cover dan dilanjutkan dengan membaca sinopsisnya. Well, alasannya mudah saja, aku tahu siapa itu Elizabeth Bathory, dan buku yang menampilkan Elizabeth sebagai tokoh yang menginspirasi mau tidak mau membuatku ingin membaca. :P
Lanjut, aku bahas ceritanya lha ya, pengalaman yang bikin aku memiliki buku ini tentu tak seberapa penting. LoL
Alur yang dipakai dalam buku ini 'maju-mundur', tapi tenang saja, perbedaan setting waktunya bisa terdeteksi dengan perbedaan font, jadi ngga akan sulit untuk diikuti.
Mungkin aku ngga akan menceritakan secara lengkap bagaimana kisah di dalam buku ini, ceritanya kurang lebih mirip dengan kisah Elizabeth Bathory itu sendiri, hanya saja dengan sudut pandang orang pertama yang digunakan oleh penulis, bikin kita yang membacanya jadi prihatin dan simpati pada Erzebeth (nama tokoh utama kita). Bagaimana Erzebeth menjadi seseorang yang haus darah karena dihasut oleh keadaan.
Ayah Erzebeth, Count Bizecka adalah ayah yang tergila-gila pada kekuasaan dan nama baik. Ia menuntut seorang pewaris namun terpaksa menelan pil pahit hanya memiliki seorang anak perempuan, di bawah perhitungan bintang yang bisa diartikan sebagai 'terkutuk'. Sementara istrinya yang terlahir dalam keluarga pedagang, menjadi gila karena tuntutan dari istrinya, cap 'kutukan' pada anak perempuannya dan akhirnya tergila-gila pada kecantikkan.
Terlahir dan tumbuh dewasa dalam suasana yang tidak kondusif membuat Erzebeth menjadi anak yang tidak percaya diri dan mudah terhasut. Belum lagi ia mengetahui ramalan tentang 'kutukan' dirinya saat ia masih terlalu muda untuk mengerti. Ditambah dengan kekuasaan yang ia miliki karena terlahir sebagai anak dari seorang count membuat Erzebeth melakukan ritual darah demi untuk mempertahankan kecantikan dirinya.
Dan cerita selanjutnya bisa ditebak, bagaimana Erzebeth mempergunakan kekuasaannya untuk mendapatkan supply darah dari para pelayannya. Gimana ia begitu terpengaruhi oleh kematian sahabat karibnya dan membuat Erzebeth semakin labil. Cara-cara mendapatkan supply darah yang semakin sadis karena perkenalan Erzebeth dengan seorang lelaki misterius. Well, semua itu hanya bisa menyimpulkan bagaimana Erzebeth menjadi kejam dan sadis karena tekanan situasi. Penulisnya memang berniat untuk membuat pembaca menjadi simpati dengan Erzebeth, dan dia sukses, btw.
Terlepas dari segudang typo yang kucatat, ceritanya oke koq. Terutama karena aku begitu menggemari sejarah. :P
Alasan mengapa hanya bintang dua yang kuberikan atas buku ini terlepas dari keberadaan typo yang menghiasi hampir setiap halaman dan itu sangat mengganggu, hampir saja buku ini tak habis kalau saja bukan karena aku ingin tahu bagaimana Erzebeth dikisahkan oleh sang penulis. Dan beberapa adegan berdarahnya cukup mengerikan apabila dibayangkan secara eksplisit, untunglah aku membaca buku dan bebas berimajinasi sendiri. :P
Overall, kalau suka yang berdarah-darah tapi lebih banyak ke permainan emosi, kamu mesti cobain baca buku ini. ^^
January 3, 2010
This story was based on the life of Elizabeth Bathory, the female Dracula, who killed many young girls in order to bathe in their blood. Written in the first person, it tells the story of Erzebet from the age of puberty to adulthood, and the strange prophecy made at her birth which obsesses her and shapes all her thoughts and actions. The details of 16th-century Hungarian castle life and the psychology of Erzebet's particular madness were fascinating. I couldn't put it down! What made the story particularly effective is that the bottom of the pages in the book look like they've soaked up a pool of blood, more of it as the story progresses, and at certain points there are blood splatters at the end of chapters or sections. This would make a great book discussion pick for teens or adults. Highly recommended, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
March 8, 2012
The portrayal of Erzebet in this book is wonderful. She may seem manipulative and slightly evil, but it's an evil that, scarily enough, the reader can relate to. It makes you see how a person could do such horrible things. Of course, it is historical fiction so quite a lot of details were altered and it had a paranormal-legend type feel to it that gave the story a very dark vibe. I loved the book and found myself relating to Erzebet. She was overlooked and lacked confidence and you could see how she would want to gain this power. I felt that with her path, and the urgings of Sinestra, a good deal of people would have done what she did. Of course, in real life the extremes she went to would not be met, but Ms Libby's Erzebet could have been anyone.
October 4, 2008
I frankly have no idea why Alisa Libby thought that Ezrebet Bathory, the Hungarian Countess notorious for bathing in the blood of her servant girls, was a good subject for a young adult novel. To me, the idea seems slightly counterintuitive. But whether or not it succeeds as a book for that age group, it did succeed for me as a book in general. The sense of historical accuracy is a bit thin at times (it seems to fit more into the horror/gothic or even fantasy genres than it does into historical fiction, despite the lack of actual magical activity of any textually verified sort), and some of the character arcs don't ring quite true for me, but the book does examine the psychological ramifications of Ezrebet's actions quite interestingly, as well as including a fascinating, slightly homoerotic relationship between Ezrebet and her closest friend (this is even leaving aside the homoeroticism in Ezrebet's wish to absorb other women's beauty through their blood), and some of the best descriptions of blood that I, a frequent reader of vampire stories, have read. A breathtaking graphic design scheme doesn't hurt.
January 2, 2022
I read this too many times when I was a teenager. It has set up camp and built an empire in my soul as my favourite book.
I haven't re read it as an adult, but it really has shaped the way I view myself, how I view protagonists, antiheros, love interests, and historical fiction. It was many things unexpected for me and it made me fall in love with stories about women (especially with so many stories I had been exposed to barely able to pass the Beschedel test). It inspired my love of psychology and my love of the limited narrator, stories that use different styles, and, of course, Countess Bàthory.
Had this book not been on the shelf as a teenager, and I, young and looking for something to catch my eye, looked at the bloodstained pages, flipped to the last page not learning anything more about the ending, and took it home, I assuredly would be a different person than I am today.
So, if you find this, esteemed Libby, thank you. Thank you for unveiling a gripping story to a young girl. Introducing her to a flawed woman and showing her the different ways a story can be.
I haven't re read it as an adult, but it really has shaped the way I view myself, how I view protagonists, antiheros, love interests, and historical fiction. It was many things unexpected for me and it made me fall in love with stories about women (especially with so many stories I had been exposed to barely able to pass the Beschedel test). It inspired my love of psychology and my love of the limited narrator, stories that use different styles, and, of course, Countess Bàthory.
Had this book not been on the shelf as a teenager, and I, young and looking for something to catch my eye, looked at the bloodstained pages, flipped to the last page not learning anything more about the ending, and took it home, I assuredly would be a different person than I am today.
So, if you find this, esteemed Libby, thank you. Thank you for unveiling a gripping story to a young girl. Introducing her to a flawed woman and showing her the different ways a story can be.
November 10, 2021
This book is REMARKABLE. This author did such an amazing job and seeing it all within my mind as I read each page was immaculate! Bathory, who can't enjoy the true tales of this woman in Hungary? I know what she did was wrong, but her story still lives on and still amazing what she had done in the past. In this book, I had a journey to see what this author had in mind for Bathory. From the beginning to her dreadful end. Plus! The pages at the bottom looking like its soaked in blood? Outstanding! I wished Alisa Libby would make more books like these, like Borgia and many other countless murderers of those times. It will be such an adventurous read. I HIGHLY recommend this book and don't pay mind to any negative comment until YOU give it a try! I wished to give more stars because this one deserves 10!
August 31, 2012
I heard that this story was based off of a true story. I know that it doesn't say that on the book, or at least I didn't see it. I told my friend Brilynn about the book and she said that it actually happened. So it probably did, she not always right no, it just that she just knows about disturbing and gross/weird things that happened. So anyway yeah, I think that it is pretty cool that this could have actually happened, disturbing yes, but still cool.
August 3, 2009
OMG.
That's all I have to say.
That's all I have to say.
October 21, 2024
Physical Read - Slow Burn - Nestolgic Read
I mostly reread this book for nestolgic purposes, since it was a book I really enjoyed when I was younger. I really enjoyed the concept and the premise, but I forgot how much of this book was just a slow burn. Additionally the font choice for when the main character is journaling could have been better, it got hard to read those parts.
I felt as though the writing style was really well done, and showed a great representation of defending into madness without recognizing it. This book also follows a character over the span of many years and does well breaking it up. It is a very straightforward writing style as well, the only downside is that since it is historical fiction you already have an idea of how it's going to end. The writing also did really well in building up a type of hope and rooting for the main character at the beginning.
There are, obviously, very Christian representations of good vs evil in this book, which is not my favorite but it was done well. I think I enjoyed more of how it was utilized to show what types of effects extreme beliefs can have on someone who has mental illness such as with the mother (you learn this very early on.)
Overall I thought this was a great spooky YA read for the season. I would recommend this to people looking for a historical fiction with a dash of mess with your head, and a lot of blood. I probably wouldn't recommend this if you're a squeamish reader.
I mostly reread this book for nestolgic purposes, since it was a book I really enjoyed when I was younger. I really enjoyed the concept and the premise, but I forgot how much of this book was just a slow burn. Additionally the font choice for when the main character is journaling could have been better, it got hard to read those parts.
I felt as though the writing style was really well done, and showed a great representation of defending into madness without recognizing it. This book also follows a character over the span of many years and does well breaking it up. It is a very straightforward writing style as well, the only downside is that since it is historical fiction you already have an idea of how it's going to end. The writing also did really well in building up a type of hope and rooting for the main character at the beginning.
There are, obviously, very Christian representations of good vs evil in this book, which is not my favorite but it was done well. I think I enjoyed more of how it was utilized to show what types of effects extreme beliefs can have on someone who has mental illness such as with the mother (you learn this very early on.)
Overall I thought this was a great spooky YA read for the season. I would recommend this to people looking for a historical fiction with a dash of mess with your head, and a lot of blood. I probably wouldn't recommend this if you're a squeamish reader.
November 3, 2024
This was every bit as haunting and harrowing as I thought it would be, and I absolutely reveled in it. This was so creepy! Erzebet was a wonderful, horrible protagonist and I thought it was brilliant getting to see the events of the novel play out from her perspective. The unreliable narrative, the question of her sanity, and the way she rationalized her sinister acts made this such a fascinating read.
If I had a complaint, I would say it was a little slow going at the beginning. On the other hand, this should probably be taken with a grain of salt coming from me, because historical fiction is absolutely not my usual genre and I’m usually the epitome of an escapist reader, and I think it would not feel slow if I was more used to the genre.
I have seen a lot of complaints about this book being historically inaccurate, but I honestly don’t mind that at all. It’s still fiction literature, it’s only based on Elizabeth Bathory, which means the author is allowed creative freedom to venture away from the historical events.
To me, the slow descent into madness, the obsession with beauty, the motivation and driving forces in Erzebet’s life, the dynamic and interesting and horrifically flawed protagonist, the unreliable narrative, all create such a powerful read. It made me feel a little sick, but in the best way possible. Perfect October read, I loved it.
If I had a complaint, I would say it was a little slow going at the beginning. On the other hand, this should probably be taken with a grain of salt coming from me, because historical fiction is absolutely not my usual genre and I’m usually the epitome of an escapist reader, and I think it would not feel slow if I was more used to the genre.
I have seen a lot of complaints about this book being historically inaccurate, but I honestly don’t mind that at all. It’s still fiction literature, it’s only based on Elizabeth Bathory, which means the author is allowed creative freedom to venture away from the historical events.
To me, the slow descent into madness, the obsession with beauty, the motivation and driving forces in Erzebet’s life, the dynamic and interesting and horrifically flawed protagonist, the unreliable narrative, all create such a powerful read. It made me feel a little sick, but in the best way possible. Perfect October read, I loved it.
August 31, 2017
Its been a long time that I gave 5 stars to any book...and this book lifted my Hiatus...so I think it deserves this.
A very well written and excellently put book it is...how Erzebet has been portrayed, and everything...starting from her prophecy to the end of her days...and in between how she developed her urges and how the killings happened and over the years how she transformed herself, and her reasoning about Hell and Heaven and her way of putting logic at God's will and everything, so that she could justify her works...all's really commendable.
1. "My mind is like a chamber, no way out and no way in. Their cold fingers burn my flesh: winter is inside of me."
2. I know fear and fear knows me."
3. I suppose life is an eternity if you live it completely alone."
There are many more of the lines I kept as mementos...but it hit the mark just right.
A very well written and excellently put book it is...how Erzebet has been portrayed, and everything...starting from her prophecy to the end of her days...and in between how she developed her urges and how the killings happened and over the years how she transformed herself, and her reasoning about Hell and Heaven and her way of putting logic at God's will and everything, so that she could justify her works...all's really commendable.
1. "My mind is like a chamber, no way out and no way in. Their cold fingers burn my flesh: winter is inside of me."
2. I know fear and fear knows me."
3. I suppose life is an eternity if you live it completely alone."
There are many more of the lines I kept as mementos...but it hit the mark just right.
January 31, 2020
The way the author describe the character is what really intriqued me; based on the legendary Elizabeth Bathory, one would imagine her to be a monstrous individual, living her best life in the castle with beauty and murders. But one would not always expect this character to be the lonely, prideful little girl too, once upon a time in her past. I would like to explore her friendships with her best friend in the book; she loves her but manipulates her, she wants her to be happy and she face the ugly truth that power, beauty, and sacrifices aside, she might feel this insecurities. What she has might not what others can obtain, but others too, have something that she can never seems to have. Above all, i love how the author describe the gothic atmosphere.
October 28, 2017
I liked this book, I didn't love it. I enjoyed certain aspects of course but I felt like it took forever to get to the good stuff. And by that I mean the actual killings that the countess made. I don't need blood and gore to entertain but it was the basses of the story and it didn't happen until 3/4 of the way through. I understand why some reviewers said they gave up. I did enjoy the writing and think the author had a lot of potential.
April 23, 2020
This has been on my to-read list since high school... So at least 10 years???
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I liked the gothic tones and certainly Erzebet is mad and a murderess, despite how she justifies it. It was an interesting exploration into the sins, particularly vanity (pride), envy, and wrath. It was also cool to have a story told by the villain herself.
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The story itself was decent and flowed nicely, and Erzebet's descent into evil was mostly well described. That said, the book is very loosely based on the real Erzsébet Báthory - in that sense it is not a true historical fiction and I wouldn't recommend reading it as such.
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I'm glad I kept it on my list, but upon reflection, if it had fallen off I wouldn't have mourned its loss either.
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I liked the gothic tones and certainly Erzebet is mad and a murderess, despite how she justifies it. It was an interesting exploration into the sins, particularly vanity (pride), envy, and wrath. It was also cool to have a story told by the villain herself.
.
The story itself was decent and flowed nicely, and Erzebet's descent into evil was mostly well described. That said, the book is very loosely based on the real Erzsébet Báthory - in that sense it is not a true historical fiction and I wouldn't recommend reading it as such.
.
I'm glad I kept it on my list, but upon reflection, if it had fallen off I wouldn't have mourned its loss either.
June 21, 2021
I first read this book when I was a sophomore in high school. I remember I just couldn't put the book down when I started reading it. The Hungarian history described in the book was very captivating. I remember wanting auburn hair like Erezbet Bathory had in the book something about her dark nature so was compelling I now have the book as a kindle fire addition and I'm looking forward to reading it again.
July 12, 2023
I was drawn to this book because it is based on the tale of Elizabeth Báthory. This gothic tale had elements of Snow White in it and made for an okay read. I found myself sort of reading as fast as I could towards the end of the book because I kind of wanted to just finish it. I LOVED the writing in this book, though. The metaphors and similes and literary devices used by Libby were amazing and the attention to detail writing was well crafted.
November 16, 2024
I can't remember the exact date I discovered this book, but it was somewhere in my teens or early 20s. Several years later (I won't age myself too much), I still have an excitement for this novel. The combination of fiction and history makes it a true page-turner. The author keeps the reader engaged and thrilled throughout. It was an easy read and it didn't feel like a chore, or overwhelming (I have ADD) to finish.
June 29, 2017
It made my hands tremble because of the thought of how much blood you can imagine as you read it. A story of Erzebet Bathory added with the tale of Snow. It was quite good to read if you are in love with historical fiction. It will give you a glimpse of what might the blood countess have been through.
March 2, 2019
Kind of a slow start, but totally worth it!
Amazing detail and inner dialogue. Definitely a unique take on the story of Erzebet!
Amazing detail and inner dialogue. Definitely a unique take on the story of Erzebet!
April 29, 2020
My review is on my blog
https://littlequirkychick.blogspot.co...
https://littlequirkychick.blogspot.co...
September 22, 2023
I am a true crime fan and I read The Blood Countless many years ago. This book was her side of it and her confessions about what happened. Great book.
October 28, 2024
Absolutely amazing
May 12, 2023
So first I wanted to note: The bottoms of the pages and the base of the book are strained red, like the book was left to sit in a puddle of blood and started to soak in the pages. And random blood splatters for paragraph/chapter separation. A+ for aesthetics.
If it isn't obvious, this is a fictional story about Elizabeth/Erzebet Bathory, so a lot of the facts [that historians at least consider facts] aren’t straight. One of the themes in the book is that Elizabeth refuses to have anything to do with betrothal, and baring children, when in real life, she was betrothed when she was a mere ten years old and had more than one child. There’s a whole slew of fact [with some sprinkles of legend] vs fiction in this book versus the real life story, but as someone who has obsessively researched into Bathory, I genuinely enjoyed this vision of her.
Starting off, I’m still kinda surprised that this book is considered YA. Not just because it’s a rather sturdy book of nearly 400 pages [and average sized font, regular spacing, etc], but there’s a lot going on in the book that I’m not used to seeing in YA. But it was kinda nice, I guess? So as your content warning of sorts, this book has everything to do with all kinds of blood. Wound blood, animal blood, death blood, menstrual blood, birthing blood, bleeding to death, etc. Most stuff you can think of about blood, it’s probably in here. That, as well as insanity, r*pe, dying during childbirth, spousal abuse, sex, religion [and how fucked up/strict it can be] etc etc etc.
The book is pretty good about not holding itself back, Including the mistreatment/misogyny during the 15-1600’s.
Plot deets under spoiler below:
Erzebet goes through a lot of loss in the book, pushing along her obsession and failing sanity. The book is rather beautifully written, and I read it in just a few days because I had a hard time putting it down. It always had a good [blood]flow, and I was always curious as to what was going to happen to the characters, and how/when the historical facts were going to come in.
One of my favorite things about the book is that the author was able to convincingly write Erzebet as a sympathetic figure. [Especially if you know of the actual legend which may actually have all been made up for political BS against her]
Despite that she was doing horrible acts and murder, even to her loved ones, her mindset is always given and you almost always feel bad for her – even as she has girl’s bodies suspended upside down up above her bath like gutted animals so that their blood could pour down upon her. [An upgrade to ‘Pulling a Carrie.’]
Overall, there really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the book and was happy to add it to my permanent collection.
I give The Blood Confession 5/5 Baths of Blood
“I suppose any life is an eternity if you live it completely alone.”
If it isn't obvious, this is a fictional story about Elizabeth/Erzebet Bathory, so a lot of the facts [that historians at least consider facts] aren’t straight. One of the themes in the book is that Elizabeth refuses to have anything to do with betrothal, and baring children, when in real life, she was betrothed when she was a mere ten years old and had more than one child. There’s a whole slew of fact [with some sprinkles of legend] vs fiction in this book versus the real life story, but as someone who has obsessively researched into Bathory, I genuinely enjoyed this vision of her.
Starting off, I’m still kinda surprised that this book is considered YA. Not just because it’s a rather sturdy book of nearly 400 pages [and average sized font, regular spacing, etc], but there’s a lot going on in the book that I’m not used to seeing in YA. But it was kinda nice, I guess? So as your content warning of sorts, this book has everything to do with all kinds of blood. Wound blood, animal blood, death blood, menstrual blood, birthing blood, bleeding to death, etc. Most stuff you can think of about blood, it’s probably in here. That, as well as insanity, r*pe, dying during childbirth, spousal abuse, sex, religion [and how fucked up/strict it can be] etc etc etc.
The book is pretty good about not holding itself back, Including the mistreatment/misogyny during the 15-1600’s.
Plot deets under spoiler below:
Erzebet goes through a lot of loss in the book, pushing along her obsession and failing sanity. The book is rather beautifully written, and I read it in just a few days because I had a hard time putting it down. It always had a good [blood]flow, and I was always curious as to what was going to happen to the characters, and how/when the historical facts were going to come in.
One of my favorite things about the book is that the author was able to convincingly write Erzebet as a sympathetic figure. [Especially if you know of the actual legend which may actually have all been made up for political BS against her]
Despite that she was doing horrible acts and murder, even to her loved ones, her mindset is always given and you almost always feel bad for her – even as she has girl’s bodies suspended upside down up above her bath like gutted animals so that their blood could pour down upon her. [An upgrade to ‘Pulling a Carrie.’]
Overall, there really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the book and was happy to add it to my permanent collection.
I give The Blood Confession 5/5 Baths of Blood
“I suppose any life is an eternity if you live it completely alone.”
January 8, 2024
*5 Stars*
This is my favorite gothic macabre YA fiction book that I have ever read.
Erzebet Bizecka belongs to Hungarian nobility, and is raised with all the luxuries and privileges that a girl could ever imagine. While she is spoiled beyond belief, she suffers from the emotional coldness of both of her parents, and often feels alone and unloved. The only aspect ever acknowledged by them is her beauty, and even as a child Erzebet strives to be as beautiful as possible in hopes of pleasing them. It doesn't help that she is also a child born under a curse of dying young. When she meets a young peasant named Marianna, Erzebet finally has a companion, and someone she loves and genuinely cares for. However, finding herself jealous of Marianna and a few of her servant girls' beauty, Erzebet becomes obsessed with finding a way to be beautiful and young forever in order to beat the curse. With the help and guidance of a mysterious figure Sinestra, Erzebet turns to blood.
I've been meaning to read this book for at least the past ten years but never got around to it until now. I was drawn to it the moment that I saw it, as the bottom of the pages within the book are all red, as if blood were staining each page, only to get bloodier as the story progresses. This book is a deliciously slow burner, and based off the Hungarian Countess Dracula, Erzsébet Báthory, who was known to kill at least 650 girls in order to bathe and drink their blood in hopes of eternal youth--A perfect recipe for a gothic young adult novel.
Erzebet's character is cruel, spoiled, and uncaring for anyone besides herself. While she was purposely written this way, it wasn't easy getting used to it, as the book is told in her point of view. However the more I read, the more I realized it was more and more evident that Erzebet suffered from something along the lines of Borderline Personality Disorder (my degree is in psychology and I try my best not to use it to throw around disorders and go diagnosing people willynilly—but Erzebet seriously meets all of the DSM-5 requirements), which made it slightly easier to empathize with her. Following her from childhood as young as age 8 to around perhaps her 30's, Erzebet is a child filled with rage and no way to release it, but eventually learns to mellow out the older she gets, partly due to her friendship with Marianna and also partly due to her later blood rituals.
The book itself is written beautifully, with rich detail of all the aspects of the lavish life of a countess. Due to this the plot can be slow at times, but the descriptions of what a noble life is like in the 16th century made up for that for me. One thing though that I would beg the author if I could, is that she make an adult fiction version of this, because oh my god, she is holding back on us in so many ways. Don't get me wrong, this book does a great job as to minimally holding back for its targeted age range, but being over 21 years old and reading this, I just wanted more, but understood that as a YA novel that wouldn't be the most appropriate. Although the detail is rich, it only scratches the surface with topics such as the blood rituals themselves, Erzebet's duties as countess (which it only briefly touches on), and even the relationship between Erzebet and Sinestra--the sexual frustration between those two were through the roof. Despite the more PG-13 rating on those topics, I really found this book to be a gothic horror masterpiece.
This is my favorite gothic macabre YA fiction book that I have ever read.
Erzebet Bizecka belongs to Hungarian nobility, and is raised with all the luxuries and privileges that a girl could ever imagine. While she is spoiled beyond belief, she suffers from the emotional coldness of both of her parents, and often feels alone and unloved. The only aspect ever acknowledged by them is her beauty, and even as a child Erzebet strives to be as beautiful as possible in hopes of pleasing them. It doesn't help that she is also a child born under a curse of dying young. When she meets a young peasant named Marianna, Erzebet finally has a companion, and someone she loves and genuinely cares for. However, finding herself jealous of Marianna and a few of her servant girls' beauty, Erzebet becomes obsessed with finding a way to be beautiful and young forever in order to beat the curse. With the help and guidance of a mysterious figure Sinestra, Erzebet turns to blood.
I've been meaning to read this book for at least the past ten years but never got around to it until now. I was drawn to it the moment that I saw it, as the bottom of the pages within the book are all red, as if blood were staining each page, only to get bloodier as the story progresses. This book is a deliciously slow burner, and based off the Hungarian Countess Dracula, Erzsébet Báthory, who was known to kill at least 650 girls in order to bathe and drink their blood in hopes of eternal youth--A perfect recipe for a gothic young adult novel.
Erzebet's character is cruel, spoiled, and uncaring for anyone besides herself. While she was purposely written this way, it wasn't easy getting used to it, as the book is told in her point of view. However the more I read, the more I realized it was more and more evident that Erzebet suffered from something along the lines of Borderline Personality Disorder (my degree is in psychology and I try my best not to use it to throw around disorders and go diagnosing people willynilly—but Erzebet seriously meets all of the DSM-5 requirements), which made it slightly easier to empathize with her. Following her from childhood as young as age 8 to around perhaps her 30's, Erzebet is a child filled with rage and no way to release it, but eventually learns to mellow out the older she gets, partly due to her friendship with Marianna and also partly due to her later blood rituals.
The book itself is written beautifully, with rich detail of all the aspects of the lavish life of a countess. Due to this the plot can be slow at times, but the descriptions of what a noble life is like in the 16th century made up for that for me. One thing though that I would beg the author if I could, is that she make an adult fiction version of this, because oh my god, she is holding back on us in so many ways. Don't get me wrong, this book does a great job as to minimally holding back for its targeted age range, but being over 21 years old and reading this, I just wanted more, but understood that as a YA novel that wouldn't be the most appropriate. Although the detail is rich, it only scratches the surface with topics such as the blood rituals themselves, Erzebet's duties as countess (which it only briefly touches on), and even the relationship between Erzebet and Sinestra--the sexual frustration between those two were through the roof. Despite the more PG-13 rating on those topics, I really found this book to be a gothic horror masterpiece.
January 17, 2011
This is one of those books that are hard to explain. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I’m having a hard time explaining what it is I so thoroughly enjoyed.
Something I found surprising was the way I felt about Erzebet. My expectation was that Libby would try to make us sympathetic to her character, but she really didn’t. Right away Erzebet was annoying and shallow. Worse off, she was sadistic in the sense that the only way she felt powerful was to hurt other people. Even though she has reason to be so obsessed with her looks (seeing as this is the only sort of attention or appreciation she received from her parents), the degree to which beauty becomes the sole reason for her existence is a bit repulsive and shows us that Erzebet obviously isn’t mentally stable.
I think my favorite aspect of the book was in regards to all the questions about morality and god. The book brought up some interesting questions about free will and the role of fate that each person really has to answer for him/herself. Even though there isn’t a lot of gore or action, I was still captivated by the characterizations and Erzebet’s decent into madness.
My least favorite aspect was actually Erzebet herself. Her obsessive vanity and lack of empathy gets tiresome after a while. It was interesting to watch her try to rationalize her behavior, but her blatant disregard for the lives of other’s could have been a bit more fleshed out I thought. And the way she leaps from one conclusion to another is a bit tenuous at best, but I suppose it’s that vagueness that’s the strongest and weakest aspect of this book. Did the blood ritual really work? Has she really not aged at all in the last few years? Was Sinestra a figment of her imagination or was he real? If he was real, who was he really? What happened to Snow? These are the questions that kept me racing through the book, but also made me feel a little unfulfilled in the end. Most of this comes from the fact the story is all from Erzebet’s perspective though. It would be quite interesting to read a book from Snow’s point of view that overlaps with her participation in the blood rituals.
Overall, I liked this book. Even though it's hard to sympathize with Erzebet, in the end you can't help but be captivated by her. And pity her as well.
Something I found surprising was the way I felt about Erzebet. My expectation was that Libby would try to make us sympathetic to her character, but she really didn’t. Right away Erzebet was annoying and shallow. Worse off, she was sadistic in the sense that the only way she felt powerful was to hurt other people. Even though she has reason to be so obsessed with her looks (seeing as this is the only sort of attention or appreciation she received from her parents), the degree to which beauty becomes the sole reason for her existence is a bit repulsive and shows us that Erzebet obviously isn’t mentally stable.
I think my favorite aspect of the book was in regards to all the questions about morality and god. The book brought up some interesting questions about free will and the role of fate that each person really has to answer for him/herself. Even though there isn’t a lot of gore or action, I was still captivated by the characterizations and Erzebet’s decent into madness.
My least favorite aspect was actually Erzebet herself. Her obsessive vanity and lack of empathy gets tiresome after a while. It was interesting to watch her try to rationalize her behavior, but her blatant disregard for the lives of other’s could have been a bit more fleshed out I thought. And the way she leaps from one conclusion to another is a bit tenuous at best, but I suppose it’s that vagueness that’s the strongest and weakest aspect of this book. Did the blood ritual really work? Has she really not aged at all in the last few years? Was Sinestra a figment of her imagination or was he real? If he was real, who was he really? What happened to Snow? These are the questions that kept me racing through the book, but also made me feel a little unfulfilled in the end. Most of this comes from the fact the story is all from Erzebet’s perspective though. It would be quite interesting to read a book from Snow’s point of view that overlaps with her participation in the blood rituals.
Overall, I liked this book. Even though it's hard to sympathize with Erzebet, in the end you can't help but be captivated by her. And pity her as well.
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