“Death comes, and sometimes it is kind, and often it is cruel, and very rarely it is welcome. But it comes all the same.”

I wish I had something philosophical to say about hunger and immortality but unfortunately if I tried I would be plagiarizing V. E. Schwab when she wrote this 500+ page book. Truthfully I didn’t want to read this. I told myself historical fiction wasn’t my thing, and on top of that, vampires weren’t my thing either. But Libby only has so many available books and I was left with no other choice than to indulge in a toxic vampire romance (if you can call it a romance). And to nobody’s surprise, I loved the toxic sapphic vampires. (Also considering I had the same feelings for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and ended up liking it as well)

Though I could not tell you the plot of this book, I was content with being along for the ride. Even with the multiple perspectives and timelines, I wasn’t confused at all. And I loved seeing V. E. Schwab’s love for reading show up within the book as it did for Addie LaRue.

“Stories matter, Alice. When you live long enough, they’re all you have.”

I really loved Maria’s character. Her ferociousness and violence grows like a weed throughout the book, and once you start to realize her toxicity, something bad has already happened. Her relationship with Charlotte was conflicting from the start. Charlotte needed life and [Maria] was never able to fulfill that hunger. To pair two foil characters, complete opposites in every way, together romantically was a delight to read.

“What is the point, she thinks, of loving someone you are doomed to lose? Of holding on to someone who cannot hold on to you?”