Written by Sasha Zatz
Set in 16th century Hungary, a young healer named Anna Darvulia becomes the scullery maid for the mesmerising, yet cruel Countess Elizabeth Bathory.
As Elizabeth takes a liking to Anna, she promotes her to her chambermaid and isolates her from everyone and everything she has ever loved, but Anna is too enticed by her to realise that she has fallen into her trap as she quickly becomes fixated by the enchanting countess and even begins to feel loved by her, choosing to remain oblivious to her cruelties until she is forced to open her eyes.
This dark and intriguing story gripped me from the beginning. The dynamic between Anna and Elisabeth was so compelling, and seeing their relationship grow and then twist into something more about possession than friendship or love is something I hadn’t read about before.
Anna’s story at the beginning is so sweet and interesting, all about her deep love for her family and her work ethic that leads her to become a scullery maid for Elizabeth. From there, the book heats up, and Anna and Elisabeth’s relationship starts to form and begins to blossom into something beautiful, yet tragic. Though the beginning was a little slow, the plot kept me gripped the entire way through, I couldn’t put this book down, especially after I got past the halfway mark.
Anna is fiercely loving of her family, friends, and Elizabeth, which shows throughout the novel. Her kindness towards the scullery maids whom all came to hate her out of jealousy and call her names was heartwarming but sad and goes a long way to show you what kind of a character is and how big her heart is. Anna is also brave and determined, fighting for her place and her family. She is always ready to tend and help others, which is perhaps why she becomes so enticed with Elizabeth. Not only is she beautiful and charming, but she has a certain vulnerability that Anna is drawn too, especially as Elizabeth seems to trust Anna to care for her.
It was so interesting to see Elizabeth’s personality begin to twist from kind and charming to cruel and manipulative. We follow Anna’s point of view, so just like her, we are blinded by love and enchanted with Elizabeth. However, we begin to see that Elizabeth’s bloody tendencies are unforgivable and unfixable before Anna does, as she is easily drawn in and manipulated by Elizabeth. This love interest to villain dynamic was one I had never seen before and I’d really love to see it again! “Descent into madness” is clearly a trope we need more of because it is heartwrenching, beautiful, and deeply captivating.
The writing of Blood Countess was nearly as mesmerising as the Countess herself, it reflected Anna’s personality at the same time as being beautifully lyrical and vivid, with stunning imagery and a deep and powerful portrayal of emotions. There is a point in the book when Anna starts to go a little mad herself, though she does recover, and the way this is written absolutely amazes me… how we can at once trust absolutely everything Anna says and feel as if we are in her shoes, and also see how very twisted and foolish her views are.
Blood Countess is a gothic, visceral, and enchanting story of love, evil, and obsession that will grip you and make you fall in love. The Deathless Girls meets Heartless, this is one of the best books I have ever read and I know it will stay with me for a long time.
Blood Countess is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
A historical YA horror novel based on the infamous real-life inspiration for Countess Dracula
In 16th century Hungary, Anna Darvulia has just begun working as a scullery maid for the young and glamorous Countess Elizabeth Báthory. When Elizabeth takes a liking to Anna, she’s vaulted to the dream role of chambermaid, a far cry from the filthy servants’ quarters below. She receives wages generous enough to provide for her family, and the Countess begins to groom Anna as her friend and confidante. It’s not long before Anna falls completely under the Countess’s spell—and the Countess takes full advantage. Isolated from her former friends, family, and fiancé, Anna realizes she’s not a friend but a prisoner of the increasingly cruel Elizabeth. Then come the murders, and Anna knows it’s only a matter of time before the Blood Countess turns on her, too.
