
Author: Emma Cornwall.
Pages: 352.
Published: September 18th 2012.
Publisher: Gallery Books.
Sort: Stand alone.
Source: Edelweis & Publisher.
In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula–to set the record straight . . . If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart—and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her—from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme. Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—what it means to be human.
Rating: Favorite.
In the beginning, I struggled with this book, but after a few chapters I was sucked into this story. I could not put it down and I was mesmerized by the world and characters Emma crafted. This book puts vampires in another light and there is even a touch of another magical creature.
“She and I were one, Lucy and the being who had clawed her way from the grave. We inhabited the same body, shared the same mind, had the same memories.”
From the first page, we are plunged in Lucy’s new life. When she awakes in a coffin, she knows something strange is going on. After digging herself out of the earth, she visits her old house. Her parents and sister are gone, but she finds some clues in a book written by Stoker. It’s exactly her story, but he added wrong details and she hunts him down in order to get answers.
It appears that something bigger is going on and on her way to find her maker, Lucy gets information out of different corners. Felix, a close vampire to Lady Blanchard, and Marco, a Protector. Apparently, Mordred – the vampire king – disappeared around the day she was turned. With him gone, the balance between humans and vampires is in danger. It’s up to Lucy and Marcus to find him.
It won’t be that easy, because danger lurks every where. It's a race against the clock and they better find Mordred before it is too late.
Opinion.
The first thing I noticed about this book are the rich details. The world-building is incredible and beautifully crafted. During Lucy’s quest to find her maker, she gets a lot of information. At the end, everything falls together into this amazing plot. The little bits and pieces really deliver that Victorian feeling without getting too much. The background story of every character and happening was so well-thought. It’s fast-paced and filled with great characters.
Lucy is very likable and clever. She is strong and the opposite of whiny. When she finds out that she is a vampire – and be aware of the fact that these creatures are unknown at this time - she manages to deal with it in a great way. Then there is of course Marco. There is a romance between them, but it develops good and it plays a small role. I liked him. Despite his believes, he opens up for Lucy and he is protective in a cute way.
There are no sparkling vampires in this book. They are beautiful, but deadly and you better watch out. I would not turn my back on them. There is this scene where vampires are fighting against each other.. believe me, that won’t be a pretty sight.
The only critic I can think of, is the ending. Everything from the important storyline is tied together, but there is still room for your imagination on one detail. I wish I knew.. I will be keeping an eye on this author, because I can’t wait to read another book from her.