When I first heard that Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s YA debut would be based on the Brides of Dracula I was desperate to get my hands on a copy of this book. I love Dracula and all things related, and his brides are characters are definitely characters I would love to see more of. The story follows twin sisters Lil and Kizzy as their lives are ripped away from them and they become slaves of the vicious Boyar Valcar. As the harsh reality of their new life sets in they hear about the infamous Dragon, a bloodthirsty ruler who takes girls as gifts. When Kizzy is taken to the Dragon, Lil along with the help of her new friend Mira, must fight to save her sister.

The Deathless Girls is a really beautiful and engaging take on the Brides of Dracula. It’s a compelling tale and I found it so easy to fall into this story of evil rulers and bloodthirsty monsters. I had sort of expected this story to be about the lives of the vampires, but instead it is focused on the story that leads to them becoming the deathless girls. It wasn’t quite what I had thought it was going to be, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Hargrave’s writing is incredibly beautiful and I’ve really enjoyed every book of hers I’ve read previously – The Deathless Girls is no exception. It’s a cleverly plotted tale and I really liked going on this adventure with the characters. I similarly thought the characters were really interesting and complex – Kizzy is the beautiful one is often in the limelight, with Lil being in her shadow. I liked seeing the dynamics between the two sisters and watching them grow as characters as they race to the Dragon’s castle.

I’m not particularly a big romance person but I really enjoyed the romance in this story. I thought it was really well executed – the tentative, nervous beginning of the relationship to something much stronger. The Deathless Girls has some dark themes and also explores quite a wide range of topics. It’s a clever and intense story, one I think a lot of readers will really fall in love with. If you’ve read Hargrave’s other works too I think you’re definitely going to want to pick this one up.

The Deathless Girls tells the origin story for the ‘Brides of Dracula’ from a more feminist perspective.
As always, Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s writing is breathtaking. She writes the most sumptuous, delicate, beautifully crafted children’s books right now, so it’s a thrill to see her move into YA. Her lyrical style contrasts wonderfully with the brutality now allowed to her with an older audience.
17 year-old twins Lil and Kizzy are captured as slaves when their traveller community is attacked, and soon find they’re destined for the home of the mythical figure ‘the Dragon.’
Millwood Hargrave’s tale sweeps way beyond the legend, taking on themes of difference, sisterhood and an LGBT romance, but I still felt she was confined by the original story. As this was the story of the Brides of Dracula, we all know how it has to end, and I felt the ending was the book’s weakest point.
I wished the story could have been allowed to go somewhere else, although I very much enjoyed the journey to get there.

A fantastical adventure story depicting lesser known characters of Dracula - the sisters. The cover is also beautiful!

This is absolutely gorgeous - I will definitely be buying a copy of the finished book now that it's out. A fascinating and lyrical Dracula retelling.

Such a fantastic read! So incredibly compelling and powerful - a prequel about Dracula's Wives that I didn't know I needed but am so glad that we have it. Prior to reading, I hadn't really given their lack of voice all that much thought, they were just there within a classic book. But Kiran has given them a backstory and a platform they deserve. A truly un-put-down-able book!

I've already bought four copies for the school library!

A beautiful and original take on the well-known legends of Dracula. I enjoyed the pace, and felt I got to know the main players well. KMH has a very lyrical and descriptive style that brings alive the sounds, smells, feelings and atmosphere of her scenes. Heartbreaking in places, it's a very emotional and raw book, and KMH doesn't keep away from difficult plot aspects. I felt slightly annoyed at the ending, but that may be due to my own rushing to get to the end. Definitely YA / adult themes compared to some of her earlier books, but difficult topics are well-told and her younger but well-read audience should not shy away from this one. One doesn't need an interest in Dracula to enjoy this book, as this is more of an origin story of minor characters, although fans I'm sure will enjoy and notice the references. Amazing.

This is a beautifully told story delving into the history of two of the brides of Dracula, who in this retelling are Kizzy and Lil, seventeen year old twins. They are travellers and one day they are attacked by slave traders, who kill all the adults and take the children and teenagers. This leads them to be taken to a castle where they work as servants, being prepared to be serving girls (and sex slaves) for the men. But the beautiful Kizzy catches the eye of one of the prince Dracul’s servants… I really enjoyed this but for me it ended too soon! It was all about how they became the brides of Dracula, and I long to find out what happens next!

Full review in video: http://www.betterthandreams.com/2019/11/october-2019-wrap-up-nearly-finished-the-summer-project/

The Deathless Girls gives a fantastic backstory to the tragically ignored characters of the Dracula myth - his wives. An intoxicating blend of folklore, magic and tragedy, The Deathless Girls follows twins Lil and Kizzy who are cruelly enslaved by the wicked Boyar Valcar, torn from everything they love. I really enjoyed the well-paced and rich storytelling, the bleak world-building and the queer representation in the form of a blossoming sapphic relationship.

Traveller twins are brutally snatched from their community but their time as slaves for a local lord is merely the beginning. YA but reads older, origin story of the brides of Dracula. Good, dark, and engrossing

A beautiful, fierce and tender book.

The Deathless Girls is an origin story for the brides of Dracula, who I'm mainly aware of from the Coppola film wafting around and looking rather sexy without doing very much at all. I think that for the Victorian readers of Stoker's novel, they were also just there to add an additional element of shock and titillation.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave has taken these neglected characters and really fleshed them out in the most stunning way. Their story is now a story about family, about loss and hardship, about having to find your inner strength and what you are willing to sacrifice for the people you love.

It's also a beautiful and tragic love story, and that element was one of the most moving parts of the novel for me. The way it dealt with a forbidden romance was so delicate and touching.

The Deathless Girls isn't just about shining a light on neglected characters, but on a whole cultural group. Kizzie and Lil are travellers, an ethnic group so often ignored or abused, and it gives a fascinating look at some parts of their culture, their beliefs, their relationship with the land. It's a very sympathetic approach that really works well.

This isn't a Dracula story, though his shadow looms over it all. By leaving him very much in the background it allows the story to focus on the sisters, and the monsters are always scariest when we don't see them.

Don your witches hats with me and let’s celebrate the spooky season! That’s right: Hallowe’en is upon us, and so there’s no better time to embrace the darkness (and all things magical and creepy) than there is in the next few weeks.

And as this is a book blog, there’s no better time to dive into one of the creepiest books I’ve read recently: The Deathless Girls, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

What is it, I hear you cry. Well, I’m glad you asked. It’s a vampire story. In fact, it’s a story about Dracula, but with a far more interesting twist: it’s all about his brides. Specifically, Lil and Kizzy, two Traveller girls who happen to get ensnared in his plans.

Despite its shortcomings, I really liked this book. It’s lush and romantic, and I really enjoyed finding out more about medieval Romania- and about the Traveller community, whose roots go deep and who have a rich culture that’s all their own. To be honest, if we’d spent the whole book in the Traveller community, I’d have been happy: it’s a really interesting world that I would have loved to have seen more of.

Instead of that, we get a gothic story that sometimes borders on horror. Millwood Hargrave is very good at ramping up the tension, creepy detail by creepy detail: from the vampire girl that Lil encounters in the woods to a fence of staked bodies on the outskirts of Dracula’s enclosure. It’s a book that very definitely belongs to the same world as the original Dracula and takes the mythology in new and interesting ways.

And of course, at the centre of the story were the two ‘deathless girls’. The dynamic between the two of them was great: close and sometimes fraught as only siblings can be, which added a real human element to all the horror taking place around them. The way in which Lil in particular (from whose point of view we read the book) grows over the story and the way in which her relationship with Kizzy changes is a real, solid coming of age type character development: old but gold.

What made it disappointing was the ending. To have Lil go through all that character development and then throw it away for a fate that she could have achieved had she not gone through any growth at all was, to put it mildly, disappointing. And I get that there are two brides of Dracula, not one, but the ending felt cribbed from a different book: shoehorned on, in spite of character journeys that didn’t necessarily complement it.

Add to that a rushed and muddled last few chapters, and I closed the book feeling… deflated. The Deathless Girls could easily have been a trilogy, and it would have felt all the richer for it. This felt like a bit of a let down.

Anyway. The creep factor is very much there, as is the slow, delicious unravelling of the original vampire mythology. For a Hallowe’en book- and a fresh, female-centred take on Dracula’s story- this is a perfect read. Dig in- but don’t read after dark…

On the eve of her divining – the day she will discover her fate – Lil and her twin sister are captured by the evil Boyar Valcar. They are taken far away from their traveller community and into the hands of cruelty and slavery. Lil and Kizzy are forced to work in the castle kitchens where Lil learns about the Dragon, a terrifying figure of myth who takes girls as gifts. When Kizzy becomes one of these girls, Lil will stop at nothing to get her back.

trigger warnings: threats of sexual assault, mild horror, gore, kidnapping.

The Deathless Girls is a feminist retelling about the three brides of Dracula. Gothic and atmospheric, Kiran Millwood Hargrave weaves a magical story about revenge, survival, love, and sisterhood.

One of my favourite things about The Deathless Girls was the sister dynamic between Lil and Kizzy. The two were in conflict with how to survive. Lil wished to be quiet and meek to not attract attention, do what they say and stay alive where as Kizzy refused to go quietly – she put up a fight, she was bold and defiant. I loved how this affected their dynamic.

I loved the culture and heritage shown throughout this book. Lil and Kizzy are Romani travellers and it is shown in a very much respectful manner which I loved.

The Deathless Girls is very much a slow paced novel, and while it features vampires it isn’t really about vampires as they actually play a very small role in the novel. It is the story of sisters and of their love and of their pain and suffering but also of their revenge and their power. It isn’t Dracula’s story, it is Lil and Kizzy’s story. If you go into this expecting a supernatural horror novel you will be dissapointed as it features a much more subtle but a more prevelant horror – being a woman in a violent world where the threat of sexual assault it always there. It is an everyday horror. It is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel.

The Deathless Girls also features a f/f romance, which I wasn’t actually aware of until I read it so that was a pleasant suprise. The romance wasn’t as well developed or as fleshed out as it could have been, but a nice romance nonetheless.

Overall, The Deathless Girls is a atmospheric novel which I highly recommend.

"The beautiful damned, the brides of Dracula, the deathless girls."

This novel follows seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy, who are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar. I was more than excited to hear about this feminist retelling of Dracula which was to focus on the brides’ story and I was not disappointed. Kiran’s prose is lyrical and compelling and her settings are gorgeous.

More importantly, this novel empowers women by foregrounding the stories of women pushed to the fringes of literary history. Dracula is one of the foremost Gothic writings in literary history but the brides are barely thought of in discussions of this text. What Kiran has done here is feminist rewriting in action, highlighting the importance of female relationships, power and strength. This is now recommended reading in my classroom.

What.a.letdown.

It's October, it' spookytime, what's better than picking up a beautiful book about the brides of Dracula - especially when Dracula is one of your favourite classics?! Yet, this book was honestly a little bit boring considering it had elements which should have been fun and exciting, and I'm going to say it - it wasn't scary at all. Not in the sense I wanted it to be anyways.

I was very excited to go into this and see Kiran Millwood Hargrave's take on the brides of Dracula because I think done right, that's a topic that could be truly epic. I did appreciate the ethnic Romani lore in this novel and the fact that Kizzy and Lilai were of a Romani family and culture. Knowing about their background, their beliefs and culture, was really interesting - from their divining day to the talents they wanted to turn into careers. I definitely cringed a bit due to the parts about bear dancing, and stealing bear cubs away from their mothers but the bears were loved and seemed to have a good life so there's that at least.

The book did pack some heartwrenching moments too (or tbh, just one when the caravans were burning and family slaughtered), and some of the descriptions were very nice though maybe not 100% my preferred style.

One of my main problems with this book is it's suppose to be tied in with the story of Dracula, yet he doesn't get really mentioned until halfway through and he doesn't even appear until almost 80% into the story and that's only for ONE, measly, underwhelming scene. If you're giving me a story about the BRIDES OF DRACULA, I ALSO WANT DRACULA. The strigoi as well only appear again 70% or so into the book.

The majority of the book took place in the castle the girls were captured in before they made their way to Dracula, which was fine but it was all just so drawn out and became a bit boring. This book was too short (less than 300 pages) for such a slowly drawn-out story. The scariest parts in this book weren't the strigoi or vampires but the mild threats of sexual assault aimed at the serving girls from the soldiers and the one attempted rape. While I appreciate the true fear in those scenes that are not just fantastical in nature but an everyday horror, I wanted actual supernatural horror and gore and I didn't get any of that.

I appreciated the attempt at an f/f romance as well. I liked Mira but I felt the relationship kind of appeared out of nowhere in a way and all of a sudden they were in love. I would have wanted more scenes between the girls before they undertook their journey and things became super intense for them.

The end of this book was a massive let down. The epilogue style of 'then we did this and this and this' is just SO lazy. We didn't learn anything about the brides of Dracula - we learned about three girls who through terrible means ended up at his castle. That's it. The story ended when they became the 'brides'. Pfft.

So my absolute favourite part of Dracula was the Vampires and the Transilvanian setting. So I was so excited when I heard of a book all about the origin story of Dracula’s Brides! I really enjoyed this lush gothic retelling and its grim atmosphere that clings to all the characters. The strongest aspect of this book shines through the relationship between the two Traveller sisters and future Dracula Brides, Lil and Kizzy. The horrors they go through expose the cracks in their relationships, the commonplace sibling envy and resentments heighten when they are both torn between survival and dignity. The strength of their love pulls through but at a heavy price as they are damned together. The Traveller folklore added really well to the creepy atmosphere and I loved the glimpses we got of their culture as it’s not something I’ve had the chance to read much about.

My only issues are with the length and pacing. This is a fairly short book and while it does make for a good quick Halloween read, I felt it could have done with an extra 50 pages. It needed a chance to breathe as it felt rushed throughout and the ending suffered for it. There are a lot of things that the book only touches on that really could have done with some more fleshing out. For instance, the ‘great love’ Lil has was yes sweet but really needed more time, their little brother who plays a pretty major role in the ending is not mentioned for ages (when he was brought back up again it took me a bit to remember who he was) and only has one line in the book and I would have liked to see more of their family before the attack on their camp so that it could have hit harder emotionally. Most importantly, I really wanted more of the Vampires! This book does nothing all that new with the Vampires and I was a little disappointed that a book on Dracula’s Brides only gives like a page to their lives as Vampires. I understand not wanting to spend to much time on Darcula since this is a feminist retelling but there was still room to look at how being a Vampire effects their relationship. It kinda made the ending a bit comical since Kizzy turns Lil without telling Dracula so now he just has another bride just thrust upon him.

Thanks to Hachette for sending me a copy in exchange for a free review.

I went into this with fairly levelled expectations. I had skipped The Way Past Winter, but I read The Girl of Ink and Stars quite a long time ago and remembered liking everything except the ending. But this book promised vampires and that inkling of perhaps something a bit gay had me tempted. 

I definitely enjoyed most of this book. I thought the writing was absolutely beautiful. There are a lot of different settings within this book from the forest to old terrifying castles and every single one of them was gorgeously described. It's hugely evocative writing and that I can't deny. 

I also thought this book captured the 'falling for someone without realising it' storyline really beautifully. You all know I'm *always* here for a queer romance and while this wasn't perfect (I'm coming to that) it was lovely to see. 

I obviously can't speak to how respectful this depiction of travellers is, so I'll have to keep an eye out for an ownvoices review of that. To me, it didn't feel overly sensationalising? 

This book was great. 

Until the ending. 

It was exactly the same problem as I had with The Girl of Ink and Stars, there's this gorgeous build-up with all this lovely writing and then the ending totally flops!

It's very rare that I'd say 'I liked this book up until the part with the vampires'?

What bothered me about this ending was, firstly that it [in a way] buries the gays - it made the entire romance plotline up until that point essentially meaningless which was about as irritating as the 'it was all a dream' ending. I was left flat and cross and I wasn't best pleased.

In addition, if you're making this book because you want to give a story and a voice to the three nameless women in Dracula I'm all here for it. But to then throw the third woman in at the last minute with zero backstories...you haven't achieved your aim! Also, the idea of giving women a chance to seize their own fate doesn't really work if they aren't sure if they consented or not!

Overall, I thought this book was alright. It was so frustrating to not have a good ending when the first 80% of the book had such promise. I can't tell whether making the book longer would have helped, or if there was a way to fix the ending as it was? I honestly don't know. 

This book is beautiful it cannot be denied but, at least in my opinion, Kiran Millwood Hargrave needs to stick a landing. 

My rating: 3/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Like drinking a glass of cream, this is a lush and feminist prequel to Dracula. It reimagines Dracula's brides as travellers who are taken as slaves when their community is captured. Twin sisters work in the castle kitchens, where they meet Mina -who falls in love with one of the girls. Traumatic at times, it's about lost agency and regained power.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book.

I love this book. When it first came of NetGalley I didn't immediately request it because I was a bit unsure - I've read The Girl of Ink and Stars and enjoyed it, but it was middle grade so I wasn't blown away simply because I am not the right age. But I did enjoy the descriptions and ideas behind it, which was what eventually made me request it. That and a great review from a friend.

And now I reiterate - I love this book. I love the unexpected turns, the horrifying acts, the darkness and the pure determination of the protagonist. It's so dreary yet interesting and steeped in lore without being too complicated. I like how the author has written a true YA book - some YA books are overly simple, only because the definition of YA is very negotiable publisher to publisher and writer to writer. I believe YA to be 16-25. Maybe even to 30. I think this book is a great read for those age groups - it might be slightly too dark for a 14 year old for instance.

Anyway. I want a dancing bear.

4.5/5

THE DEATHLESS GIRLS’ BEAUTIFULLY DELVES INTO THE TRAGIC BACKSTORY OF TWO FIERCE WOMEN.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave has created a rich, dark world in which to tell the story of two of literature’s most mysterious women. The story she weaves is so captivating that readers will have a hard time putting down The Deathless Girls.

The Deathless Girls begins a long time prior to the setting of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, in a time where Travellers are common. Our main characters, Lil and Kizzy, are introduced in the setting of their family and Traveller way of life, which begins their wonderfully rich backstory.

I fell in love with this novel within the first few lines, as the writing immediately felt lyrical. The descriptions were constantly vivid which evoked strong reactions. Descriptions of beautiful things had me wanting to live in the world, but those of awful events had me feeling horrified.

There are some dark themes in this novel. Kiran Millwood Hargrave truly places vampires back in their traditional fearsome place. There is no hidden romance here, no dark and brooding supernatural creature come to whisk our girls off their feet. Instead, we are presented with monster upon monster, and shown the harsh realities of such a creature.

But the vampires are not the only evil in the novel. Other, human characters also fill the antagonist role. The things they do and say are shocking and devastating, but this adds to the depth of the story. The evil in this novel is varied, meaning Lil and Kizzy are tested on many levels. It brings out the best and worst in them, and I particularly loved Hargrave’s representation of people responding differently to the same situation.

There is some lovely character development in The Deathless Girls. Lil tells the story, and we watch as she struggles with being the twin of someone she considers much more beautiful and talented than herself. At the beginning, she falls victim to this insecurity, appearing weak in the shadow of her fierce sister. However, as the plot progresses she demonstrates strength without Kizzy. She develops into a much more confident character by the end.

Despite their differences, the relationship between the sisters is a delight to read. They look after each other, as well as other members of their group, with such passion that I couldn’t help but admire it. It was really enjoyable to read a novel focussed on familial bonds.

But Hargrave doesn’t stop there. Lil begins to develop feelings for another girl. The only problem any of the characters have with their relationship is that the girl is Settled, not because it is an f/f relationship. Although there are some hints that the wider world wouldn’t be as accepting of them, I thought it refreshing to see this kind of relationship come to life without being taboo.

Although I knew what the outcome of the novel had to be, I desperately wished it would somehow be different. The Deathless Girls is written so beautifully and vividly that it is impossible not to feel a connection with our main characters. I only wanted the best for them, and was devastated when they reached the inevitable ending.

I loved this take on the ‘wives of Dracula’. It wasn’t what I expected, and I am glad of Hargrave’s decision to paint vampires back in their dastardly light. I highly recommend this novel. It is a fast-paced, interesting, and beautiful read.

The only reason my rating isn’t 5/5 stars is because I felt the novel moved very quickly. Although the descriptions remained detailed and the scenes remained vivid throughout, I felt that very little time was spent in each particular setting. I would have happily read a few more chapters if it meant getting to see a little more of the secondary characters and the world of The Deathless Girls.

This review was published on 24/09/2019

Due to technical issues with my ereader, I didn't get very far with this book. However, what I did manage to read looked very promising.
It is inspired by the Dracula story and in particular, the brides of Dracula and how they came to be.

Two sisters, part of a travelling community, are foraging in the woods but on their return to the encampment find a scene of utter devastation and massacre. I will be buying the book to find out what happens to them next.

Three stars only because I didn't get far enough to give a sound judgment.