“In this moment, I pray for time to stop. If I could just stay here, listening to her breathing I would never ask for anything else. In her arms, I’d happily spend forever … but she always lets go.”
When Lucy Westenra met the mysterious vampire, Count Dracula, the world believed she died. But that is the story of men, not the truth.
Lucy was desperate to escape her life, her betrothal to Lord Holmwood, her forbidden love for Mina and ran away into the night willingly.
Her death though, is being threatened by a rouge band of vampire hunters made of Van Helsing, her ex suitors … and her beloved Mina.
She will have to risk everything to finally rest in peace; including the love of her life.
In this sapphic reimagining of a classic gothic tale, Lucy rewrites her own story as a master of her own fate, her own desire and her own death.
Bee Casey is a writer, book reviewer, copy editor but above all – a book lover. They describe themselves as genre-fluid, because they write whatever inspires them; whether it’s horror, poetry, fantasy or romance.
They wrote their first ‘novel’ when they were eight years old, the exciting tales of Desmond the Bear (written in beautiful purple crayon and unfortunately lost to time) They have released two novellas, What If and Constellations, and a poetry collection, Healing in Reverse, available now from most online retailers and select indie stores.
Their next release is set for early 2027. When not writing, they’re also a Random Things Tours reviewer too!
Reach out for any extra content, interviews or just to chat at: @talkingbookswithbee (IG/TT) or talkingbookswithbee@gmail.com
My thoughts: I’ve noticed that a few writers have re-evaluated the women of Dracula, both Mina and Lucy, on their own terms, neither is given a huge amount to do in Stoker’s book, despite him knowing lots of working women with their own lives in London, where he worked in the theatre.
Lucy Westenra is introduced as Mina’s best friend, living in Whitby with her widowed and slowly dying mother, trying to decide between three suitors. And so she is here, after hearing psychiatrist Dr Seward and the American Quincey Morris discussing her, she chooses Arthur, the future Lord Godalming. But really she doesn’t want any of them, she wants Mina.
Offered the chance to change her fate by one of Dracula’s Brides, she seizes the opportunity, not fully understanding what she will be giving up. After faking her death, she escapes her mausoleum to become the ‘Bloofer Lady’ of local children’s tales.
Filled with little details from the original, this gives agency to Lucy and her life, although Mina exists primarily as an object of Lucy’s desire. Her disdain for the men, from Dr Van Helsing to Johnathan Harker, extends to Dracula himself, and she plots to rid herself of him.
I found this really interesting and imaginative, giving a new twist on the original book.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
