Juvenile Fiction
Delacorte Press
2016-06
496
In this first book in a trilogy a girl child is born to Vlad Dracula, in Transylvania, in 1435--at first rejected by her father and always ignored by her mother, she will grow up to be Lada Dragwlya, a vicious and brutal princess, destined to rule and destroy her enemies.
Review:
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up “And I Darken,” aside from the story of Vlad the Impaler if he were female, but this book blew me away.
The main character, Lada, is a deliciously evil anti-heroine. She is nothing like the typical YA version of a female character. She’s plain, even ugly, and not in need of any boy. She’s a badass. A badass you never want to meet. Her brother, Radu, is the sensitive and beautiful one. There is romance, but like the plot, I don’t want to spoil anything. I’ll just say I was pleasantly surprised to find a lgbtq character in the book.
I highly recommend “And I Darken” to anyone who enjoys a dark story and doesn’t mind gore. That being said, I do want to warn that the publisher recommends the book for ages 12+, and I feel it would be a rare 12-year-old who will be able to handle the subject matter.
This honest review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
Content Warning:
Language, Sexual Situations, Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery
