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A review by swordvampire
Unholy with Eyes like Wolves by Morgan Dante
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the author.
5/5
If anyone is going to deliver on vampire books, it’s going to be the Morgan Dante. Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves weaves a story of grief, the pursuit of personal identity, and vampiric eroticism into one delectable read.
The story follows Noémie entering the care of Countess Báthory as her lady-in-waiting and the mysterious circumstances that follow her. Set in 17th-century Hungary, Dante did their research, seen in small details sprinkled throughout the text. I am always on the hunt for anything set in Eastern Europe, and the use of the Hapsburg Rule as a backdrop for the setting feels perfectly apt for a story about vampires. Historical details are utilized effectively to convey the world they live in but never supersede the plot and the characters.
And, the characters. Dante has a wonderfully interesting cast of characters; I think this may be my favorite collection of characters from their backlog of work, every side character captures your attention and offers a glimpse of conflict. Noémie, Erzsébet Báthory, and the mysterious woman of (quite literally) Noémie’s dreams play off each other, especially their wants. I really enjoyed the majority female cast and think the way the characters discussed gender was really, truly interesting. And, despite the length of the novella, the character relationships almost felt like slow-burn in just how satisfying it was to see how the main relationship dynamic pulled and pushed throughout our main POV’s character transformation.
The set-up of the plot and the “twist” was so exciting to watch as it built up, developing into satisfying cause-and-effect situations. Although the plot is a lot more back burner in the novel, it is well-balanced out with the focused character work through the eyes of Noémie. The beauty of Unholy with Eyes Like Wolves is the absolutely wonderful character work and truly just good writing . I am well-known for my dislike of first person, but it is so expertly wielded by Dante in this novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Of course, as per the nature of the work, there are a lot of sensitive topics. Dante successfully engages with each one, giving the characters the space to grieve and recover. The emotional depth of the book is skillfully handled, and honestly, just very meaningful. I think it’s more important now than ever to engage with these topics. But, please do read the trigger warnings beforehand to understand what to expect.
100% a strong start to my reading year (yes, in March)—If you love vampires, historical fiction, and deeply fascinating character dynamics, please pick up Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves .
5/5
If anyone is going to deliver on vampire books, it’s going to be the Morgan Dante. Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves weaves a story of grief, the pursuit of personal identity, and vampiric eroticism into one delectable read.
The story follows Noémie entering the care of Countess Báthory as her lady-in-waiting and the mysterious circumstances that follow her. Set in 17th-century Hungary, Dante did their research, seen in small details sprinkled throughout the text. I am always on the hunt for anything set in Eastern Europe, and the use of the Hapsburg Rule as a backdrop for the setting feels perfectly apt for a story about vampires. Historical details are utilized effectively to convey the world they live in but never supersede the plot and the characters.
And, the characters. Dante has a wonderfully interesting cast of characters; I think this may be my favorite collection of characters from their backlog of work, every side character captures your attention and offers a glimpse of conflict. Noémie, Erzsébet Báthory, and the mysterious woman of (quite literally) Noémie’s dreams play off each other, especially their wants. I really enjoyed the majority female cast and think the way the characters discussed gender was really, truly interesting. And, despite the length of the novella, the character relationships almost felt like slow-burn in just how satisfying it was to see how the main relationship dynamic pulled and pushed throughout our main POV’s character transformation.
The set-up of the plot and the “twist” was so exciting to watch as it built up, developing into satisfying cause-and-effect situations. Although the plot is a lot more back burner in the novel, it is well-balanced out with the focused character work through the eyes of Noémie. The beauty of Unholy with Eyes Like Wolves is the absolutely wonderful character work and truly just good writing . I am well-known for my dislike of first person, but it is so expertly wielded by Dante in this novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Of course, as per the nature of the work, there are a lot of sensitive topics. Dante successfully engages with each one, giving the characters the space to grieve and recover. The emotional depth of the book is skillfully handled, and honestly, just very meaningful. I think it’s more important now than ever to engage with these topics. But, please do read the trigger warnings beforehand to understand what to expect.
100% a strong start to my reading year (yes, in March)—If you love vampires, historical fiction, and deeply fascinating character dynamics, please pick up Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves .