The Blood Countess

Rating:
Summary: an interesting subject but a boring story
Review: I was quite intrigued with the subject of this story, and it started off with a BANG! But it then proceeded to dwindle away. None of the characters seem fleshy, (especially the victims!!!), and l felt that l should really care about the 650 odd murders, but didn't because it was too clinical. I couldn't even read the last 100 odd pages, only flicked through, because nothing seemed to happen. I looked forward to reading this book much, much more than actually reading it. One of those that 'could've been' a good read.

Rating:
Summary: I am of two minds about this book.
Review: I will not say that this was the worst book I ever read, nor will I call it the best. To merely shrug it off as "mediocrre" would be an injustice. So, I must elaborate. On the one hand, Codrescu is clearly gifted in the use of the English language. He brings forth delicate half-tones and nuances as well as straight-forward descriptions in such a way that merely reading this book becomes a pleasure, not for the content, but for the sheer beauty of the work. His talent for description and penetration into the soul of the character (and ergo, by extension, the soul of the reader), is such that the very tone of the book has a dark, burning beauty. However, that is not the whole of the novel, I would that it were. The characters, while beautifully portrayed, are two-dimensional. One gets too small a glimpse of most of them to really determine a relationship between reader and character. The plot suffers a dire fate as well. For all the exquisite language and description Codrescu uses to link the past and present, he does not quite accomplish it, and the two levels of the book stay separated. All in all, this book is worth reading. It is by no means a masterpiece, but the sheer beauty of the narrative, the magnificent descriptive imagery, and the dark, hauntingly hideous and tragic figure of Elizabeth Bathory that permeates the book make it well-worth ones time. I do not place it in the list of nominations for novel of the century, but in its genre, it is decidedly good.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: This book is awesome! Though I must admit that I found myself skimming through the "present" part just to get to the "past" part, I still feel that, overall, it was a great read. It seems to me that many readers bought this book mistaking it for a history book. If you're looking for a history book on Countess Elizabeth Bathory, then I suggest you look elsewhere. This book contains more than any history book can ever have on her.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth my time
Review: Despite its colorful vocabulary, The Blood Countess has no merit in terms of content. The author simply describes the perverted, without having a pertinent message. If you enjoy reading about disgusting fantasies, then, by all means, read this book. But, if you are seeking a book that is more historically focused, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Gruesome yet truesome
Review: I actually thought about quitting midway through the book, but i was compelled to finish it through. The book's content is very gruesome, yet the accounts of it are true ... what gets me is "how on earth could she have done what she did ..." Well, towards the end of the book, it started to lose its luster ... the ending could have been better. However, I do recommend the book despite bathory's dreadful acts. In fact, it gives a person a little insight into d/s (lol).

Rating:
Summary: Exciting, yet somewhat slow plot
Review: I'm half Hungarian, and have been to Hungary many times. I'm 13, and I thought that this book was something I shouldn't have read! I feel that some of the sexuality was not necessary, but in a way, it explained some of Countess Bathory's actions. It was hard to finish the book (I read it in 3 days) because I felt disgusted and frustrated that Countess Bathory herself was not tortured as she had done to innocent girls. I threw the book at my wall a couple of times in disgust. This is a very disturbing book, and I don't recommend it to someone my age!

Rating:
Summary: Rich in History, sordid in description
Review: Codrescu, though a vivid and graphic novelist who obviously took great pains in researching his work, can be a little TOO graphic at times for those of us who have an aversion to graphic, homosexual trysts. Skirting and toying with psychological explanations for Bathory's savage, perverse and sadistic actions, Codrescu DOES give forth many intriguing concepts, and artfully desribes the history with such detail that the book is swift-moving and you actually feel like you're in it. If you DON'T mind perversity and graphic verbal pornography (usually homosexual) then you should probably LOVE the book. If DO mind this stuff and can skim over these sections as I did, you'll find the piece very informative and quick-reading, darkly-disturbing and malevolent, but if you CANNOT skim these parts, do NOT buy this book, you will be offended and revolted, I can guarentee it. One reason I WAS able to get past these parts is that, unfortunately, they WERE a part of Bathory's history, an INTRINSIC part. I just wish that they were a little less graphic, I was able to skip them and get just as much out of the book... WITHOUT throwing it down in disguist! (I came close onc or twice.) One final nice piece about the book though is that it mentions the REST of Bathory's relatives, and explains THEIR different disorders and illnesses, which was interesting to see a hinting at a genetic explanation. Personally, I feel that this is a book that is VERY controversial and not "toned-down" or softened in the least, so you will have to make up your own mind on it. It DID leave me wanting to see if the court-case (present day) was real or a fabrication though... enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Trash in Silken Clothing
Review: While Codrescu's prose is clear and elegant, all those showy words can't conceal this novel's true, trashy nature. Countess Bathory is indeed an intriguing personage, but the story of her life is contorted by Codrescu's heavy-handed storyline and his unsuccessful attempts at weaving two disparate stories into one effective drama. The gratuitious sex and violence, while intended to be shocking, comes off as cheap, crude, and rather embarrassing. Those interested in the history of Countess Elizabeth Bathory should look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: a novel that never gels
Review: This novel starts out interestingly enough, but then seems to run out of steam. Cordrescu's idea of linking the past (Bathory), with present (the current problems in the Balkans as represented in the figure Drake), is solid. But as the novel unfolds, he barely scratches the surface of possibilities. The litany of horrors -- and there are plenty -- eventually leave the reader bored. The violence and sex become gratuitous when it becomes apparent that there is no progression in the story, and that what you're reading seems more and more like a cut and paste job. The last two hundred pages are torture (maybe that's the point). Still, you can find some good stretches in this book. But if you have something else on the shelf (King, Straub -- if its horror you want), I suggest starting there.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This book is a great combination of erotica and horror, plus an excellent plot. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this book to everyone. Do not misjudge this book just because of the other reviews here. Read it for yourself!