When the invite for Lucy Undying showed up in my email inbox, I almost deleted it. I have read enough takes on Dracula to not want another one. But, after reading the blurb, I decided to change my mind. I am glad I did because this was one of the best books I have read this year.
There are two main storylines in Lucy Undying. One revolves around Lucy and is told through diaries and voice transcripts and is mainly told in the past. The other storyline revolves around Iris, her mother’s company/cult, and the secret that Iris has and is told in the present. Both storylines were well-written and were able to keep my attention. The author added secondary storylines (with Mina and Dracula) in various parts of the book. Those storylines help explain certain events that happened in the past and present.
The storyline with Lucy was fascinating. It was told in the first person but through a journal/voice transcript. The storyline details Lucy’s life, which includes her unrequited love for Mina (her governess). The storyline also details Lucy’s travels and her eventual meetings with other vampires (or Brides of Dracula, as one of her earlier companions called them). Each interaction with the other vampires adds a different element to the book and depth to Lucy’s character.
The storyline with Iris was interesting. The author deliberately kept Iris’s background under wraps until about halfway through the book. I admit I skimmed over some of Iris’s chapters at first. I don’t recommend doing that. I ended up having to go back and reread those chapters because of what is foreshadowed.
Usually, I wouldn’t say I like it when a book flips from past to present and back again. But, in this book, it worked. I liked seeing Lucy in the present day versus what she was like in the past. The author also did that for Iris but on a smaller scale. Also, Iris’s forays into the past show how she was shaped into the person she was.
Lucy was my favorite person in the book. She did much growing throughout the book, but she remained the shy, sweet girl who trusted and loved the wrong person (sorry for the minor spoiler). Even when she was with Iris, you could see her naiveness showing through.
I liked Iris, too, even if she got on my nerves during parts of the book. She also did a lot of growing during the book. The Iris at the beginning of the book was not the Iris at the end. I found her a little headstrong and impulsive (going after Dracula alone wasn’t exactly the smart thing to do).
The romance between Iris and Lucy wasn’t a slow burn, even if it felt like it. I loved their connection from the minute they met (Iris was almost run over in London). There was a moment when I thought that Lucy’s unresolved feelings for Mina would cost them everything.
The horror angle of Lucy Undying was well-written and gave me chills. The author didn’t hold back on the violence, sex, or blood involved with being a vampire. Just a heads up: There is a lot of gore and blood.
The end of Lucy Undying was action-packed, and a couple of twists took me by surprise. I loved seeing justice served, but I was surprised by who was behind everything (including Lucy becoming a vampire). I was also shocked by the very end of the book. There was an exciting memo and reveal that made me smile.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Kiersten White for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Lucy Undying. All opinions stated in this review are mine.