Tag Archives: dracula

And I Darken

And I Darken Book Cover And I Darken
Kiersten White
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