We get to know her and her issues and her goals, and that sets the stage for the complications to follow.Īnd the book may start with a focus on character, but the core plot quickly kicks into high gear. This is to say that the emphasis involves grounding the reader in Lucy’s mindset.

Reluctant Immortals starts a little more on the cerebral side than plot-centered. This helps build and maintain the tension throughout. The stakes are clear and the protagonist’s characteristics often play a role in complicating matters. Every book goes to great lengths to ensure the character’s motivations and personal challenges are clearly defined. Gwendolyn Kiste is one of the most consistent writers in the horror genre today. Who would you recommend this to? Lovers of classic literature with a twist! Must love the horror genre to enjoy many details of this book.Title: Reluctant Immortals | Publisher: Saga Press | Pub Date:2022-08023 | Pages: 320 | ISBN13/ASIN: 978-1982172350 | Genre: Horror | Language: English | Source: NetGalley | Starred Review Reluctant Immortals Review

There are a lot of moving parts to pay attention to in this novel but that is a big part of the fun of this read. Takeaways & Reflections: I enjoyed this book the first time around, but was thrilled with it the second read! I was able to focus more on the eloquently worded horror aspects while still enjoying the main characters' stories. It was a bit sillier than expected, but the fantastical aspects added some much needed levity during scenes of trauma and abuse. What this book delivered was a beautiful balance of character and plot development in a story surrounding friendship, love, and betrayal. What you expected vs reality? I expected a horror novel with a bit more bite, pun intended. Gist: Two of literary history's often overlooked characters, Lucy Westenra from Dracula and Bertha (Bee) Mason from Jane Eyre, team up to fight horrific misogyny, coercion, and abuse in this historical fiction horror novel set in late 1960s Hollywood and San Francisco. Publisher & Year Published: Gallery / Saga Press, 2022įavorite Scene or Quote: When Lucy and Mina reconnect in purgatory for the first time.

Reluctant immortals by gwendolyn kiste