The Nightingale's Castle: A Novel of Erzsébet Báthory by Sonia Velton is a gripping and thought-provoking dive into the chilling legend of the Blood Countess. Velton takes a unique feminist perspective on the infamous Hungarian noblewoman, blending gothic tragedy with a compelling argument about the historical narrative shaped by male power and prejudice. The novel excels in its atmospheric tension and character development, offering a fresh lens on the myths surrounding Báthory. The combination of a deeply immersive story and thought-provoking themes makes this a standout read, challenging preconceived notions and inspiring further exploration into the dark corners of history. A highly recommended read for fans of historical fiction and the darker side of human nature.

What a stunning historical fiction novel, about the very real Elizabeth Bathory, known as the “Blood Countess.” Sonia Velton’s take on the dubious circumstances of the Countess’s downfall is exquisite. Instead of a sensationalized account of a vampire, Velton explores the treatment of powerful, independent, intelligent, rich women, throughout history.

While this is a work of fiction, Velton incorporates and weaves known facts and players from the time into the story. Her carrying character, Boroka, is used to tie together the world of “upstairs” and “downstairs.” Again, Boroka’s existence is extrapolated from a supposedly real illegitimate child. However, the surrounding characters were very real people.

Velton highlights how hysteria, corruption, and the witch-hunt-mindset crucify women, historically. Bathory, a wealthy widow, who managed estates and a vast fortune, was an easy target for the men around her to manipulate a story about, and from which to profit. This is a much more likely explanation for the Countess’s downfall than the death of 600+ young girls.

The complicated female relationships throughout this novel were also expertly crafted. Whether it’s with other women, children, status, etc., Velton paints the complicated relationships women of the time faced with a masterful touch.

I would absolutely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction!

The Nightingale's Castle is a historical fiction retelling of Erzsébet Báthory's rumored killings leading up to the trial of her accomplices. While advertised as a feminist retelling with hints of Dracula, ultimately this novel fell extremely short. We open up with the main character Boroka, an orphaned peasant girl who is brought to the castle as a new servant. Working along side Suzanna, another serving girl forced to sew under the stern eye of Ilona, one of the Countesses close companions, Boroka is spared hard labor and instead chosen by the Countess to join a group of noble girls to discuss culture in the salon. This favoritism also allows Boroka the privilege of posing for the Countess's portrait. When sickness strikes the castle and noble girls end up dead, rumors start to swirl that the Countess is behind it all.

What should've been an interesting premise falls short. With comparisons to Dracula and the phrase "The Blood Countess," one would expect this historical novel to lean into the horror aspects. Instead readers get a dry, slow moving historical novel where the villains are powerful white men trying to take over a woman's property. How original. Despite harking on the missing girls, sickness (and in one instance, another cruel head servant Dorka) is the main killer. Although it could be argued that this is historical fiction and not a fantastical horror book, the fact that we have Boroka finding a magic box that only shows her it's true treasures certainly detracts from the "historical" narrative. While the writing wasn't bad per say, word choice was odd in some places and a bit repetitive in others. The author also spends an exceedingly amount of time of the accomplices backstories which in theory should add to the story, but ultimately just adds to the word count; character development was basically nonexistent. Boroka also ends up having a crush on one of the characters who honestly just comes across as bizarre, perverted, and controlling. This relationship, thankful, doesn't come to fruition as it would feel forced and insincere. What really seals everything for me was that at the end it's revealed that Boroka is actually the Countess's granddaughter, a last ditch attempt to pull sympathy from the reader by using the concept of familial bonds.

The Nightingale's Castle was a thrilling read. I liked the character exploration and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

This is glorious feminine rage! I devoured and loved EVERY SECOND of this book. As a lover of historical fiction, and gothic literature…. This spoke to my soul. Will be recommending to everyone I know. Amazing writing and research. Beautifully done

Blood Countess - murdered, bathing in blood. There is actually a new netflix series about this woman and I really enjoyed this book!

The Nightingale's Castle follows Elizabeth Báthory and the women surrounding her as she is accused of torturing and killing hundreds of women. I love books that evoke empathy for a historically known villain and books that make you question if history got it wrong. The Author's Note at the end had my mind spinning. This novel is so well written, and and I felt transported as the events unfolded.

The Nightingale's Castle is a dark tale perfect for fans of gothic historical fiction or historical retellings.

I received an ARC from Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The writing style is sharp, smart and resonant. So often I’d read a passage and be seriously impressed by the diction, the pacing, the general mood/atmosphere the author cultivated, the setting(s) and more. Not to mention the control over how information was conveyed to the reader in terms of writerly authority, which was huge: I absolutely trusted that I was receiving deliberately and meticulously crafted scenes that culminated in a tight novel that balanced plot with character.

While part of me wanted and expected to read a story in which one person, in this case the countess, functions as the sole evil figure for whom their underlings are forced to do their horrendous bidding, I appreciated that the novel took a more nuanced approach. This made for what sounds like a more accurate retelling as well as for an exciting read, as everything was dynamic and constantly unfolding, and there were lots of grey areas; the complications in the story (stemming notably from the relationships between people, the power struggles, issues of abandonment, the economy of Hungary in the 16th and 17th century, etc.) didn’t necessarily have clear answers, which was fascinating and prompted me to think more deeply about the real-world implications of the story, including the historical influences/inspiration and how we conceive of (even today) witchcraft, female agency and beyond.

Tl;dr: Recommend, particularly for folks seeking a historical novel and who enjoy intrigue/mystery, light horror, European/Eastern European folklore and retellings generally.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Perrenial and Sonia Velton for an advanced copy of this book!

This novel is historical fiction of Erzsébet Báthory, the Blood Countess, which of whom I had never heard about until I picked this book up. The story was very intriguing and the characters were well thought out. I enjoyed the tragedy that is rumors and how history gets lost in translation through the ages.

The story was slow paced, had multiple povs, and a hint of magic. I love that the author’s note mentioned using real life court documents to conceptualize the realities of what could have happened during this time.

I would definitely pick up another book from this author in the future!

Thank you netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The only thing I knew going into The Nightingale’s Castle is that it was inspired by the real-life woman Erzsébet Báthory aka “Blood Countess” and the crimes she purportedly committed in the sixteenth century. I’m not familiar with anything pertaining to the historical events surrounding her (to be honest I’m probably one of the few people who didn’t even know who she was when I picked up this book) so I went into this book totally blind.

I enjoyed the dark gothic atmosphere and how slow paced the story is. Usually, I’m not big on slow pacing but it worked for this story because it added an extra layer of mystery and eeriness. There were scenes depicting cruelty and torture but nothing grotesque. I was surprised at who the truly cruel characters turned out to be. I loved the author’s writing, it’s beautifully descriptive and easy to follow. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a gothic historical fiction retelling! Now I need to go find myself a good podcast about Erzsébet Báthory! Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are a fan of anything, vampires, history, or even Elizabeth Bath you’re going to love this story. I’ve read a lot of stories that revolve around her history and I believe this one was probably the most entertaining and I can’t wait to see what else comes from this author.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this novel! I wasn’t familiar with the history surrounding the inspiration for it, nor was I familiar with the author so I didn’t have many expectations going into it. I loved the writing style and thought the character development was fantastic. One thing I judge a historical fiction/fantasy on is whether it leaves me with a desire to research more into the topic because the novel just made me so invested that I need more. This novel achieved that and I would absolutely recommend. My one minor con is that I wish it was longer so I could have spent more time with the characters.

I think it's probably time for the publishing world to stop using comparisons to Circe in their taglines.

Anyways, back to the book. I was actually a little disappointed by this title. It started out strong for me but once I realized I wasn't actually going to learn anything more about Countess Erzsebet Báthory, the momentum was lost. I personally felt like the first and second halves were two difference books entirely. I do like the author's writing style, so I'll give brownie points for that and will explore her other works. This ended up just not being the book I thought it was going to be.

4.5⭐

Inspired by true events, with elements of Gothic fiction, murder mystery, fantasy and magical realism woven into an immersive narrative, The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton is a fascinating reimagining of the story of Erzsébet Báthory, the “Blood Countess", a sixteenth-century Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer who along with four of her servants were accused of torturing and murdering hundreds of young women.

Set in Hungary, in 1610, the narrative is shared from multiple perspectives including Erzsébet, her trusted servants János Ficzkó Újváry, Ilona Jó Nagy, Dorottya Szentes and Katalin Beneczky who also stood trial for their role in the murders as well as Borbála Boróka Libalány, a young girl who is brought into the Countess’s castle to serve her. Erzsébet takes a liking to Boróka, even allowing her to attend the sessions in the Gynaeceum. Boróka, raised by her adoptive father, never knew of her origins but discovers a mysterious rosewood box that offers not only clues that may lead her to her truth but much more. The narrative follows these characters through the events leading up to the allegations and subsequent trial.

I was captivated by the author’s exquisite writing, masterful storytelling and great attention to detail. The vivid imagery of the castle enables us to visualize the dark and eerie setting of the story and feel the evil lurking in the corners. With complex characters, dark and Gothic vibes and an atmospheric setting, this was a gripping read that kept me hooked until the very last page. The author presents the Countess as a woman with a traumatic past with a legacy of loss that she keeps buried, as a mother who has seen her daughters married and settled, as a lonely widow who devotes time instructing young girls from other noble families on etiquette and as a powerful woman whose wealth and power might have posed a threat to her male counterparts. Yes, the young servant girls working in the castle were treated harshly and yes, the episodes describing girls being treated for their ailments are difficult to read but the author compels us to ponder over the allegations brought against the Countess and question the legitimacy of these claims and the evidence presented against the Countess. Was she truly a depraved killer guilty of these heinous crimes or was she the victim of a conspiracy strategically designed to strip a widowed noblewoman of her wealth and power?

Do read the richly detailed Author’s Note where she discusses the characters and events that inspired this meticulously researched, thought-provoking and absorbing novel.

This was my first time reading Sonia Velton and I can’t wait to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

That was unexpected.

When I think of the Carpathian mountains, my mind is drawn to two major blood thirsty historical figures -- Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula and Countess Elizabet Bathory. Bathory may not be as well known as her male counterpart, but her list of bodies is just as long and her methods as equally as barbaric.

So yes… loving the book "The Historian" by Elisabeth Kostova which is about Dracula, I gave the affirmative to The Nightengale's Castle which centered on the bloody countess herself.

But... this wasn't that. This is definitely a feminist twist on what could potentially be the lies men tell when a powerful woman unsettles them from their comfortable positions. Told in third person from various perspectives, we see the 'truth' of the countess through a young servant girl, Boroka who finds herself in a complicated relationship with the Countess herself. In a castle fraught with danger and a bit of magic, Boroka finds the truth she was always looking for, learning lessons of family, loyalty and the evils of men.

I'm not sure if I would call this a retelling, but the author acknowledges that she researched records of the Countess and the subsequent trials of her 'minions' in order to write this novel. It certainly sheds a different light on Countess Bathory. Read this if you like alternative view points of maligned historical figures.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Perrenial and Sonia Velton for an advanced copy of this book!

This book is a fictionalized feminist retelling of the trial of the Countess Erzsébet Báthory, the Blood Countess of Hungary. Said to be the most prolific female serial killer ever, there is no actual proof of her supposed crimes of the 1500s. This story follows Boróka, a new maid in the countess' household, as she navigates the social hierarchy of the time period. When the plague strikes the castle, the countess falls under suspicion for the amount of deaths in her household. Is she truly killing young girls in secret, or are the men in power just searching for a way to take down a powerful woman?

There are several POVs in this story, and the writing was very engaging, and at times gave me actual chills when describing some of the characters' cruelty. But at the same time, I was not very interested in the overall plot when it came to the countess or Boróka searching for her heritage, but the character writing and anecdotes about everyone's past were really interesting. I get that it can be tricky embellishing things based on history, but I also wanted a bit more from the ending. Also, this was marketed as "Hamnet" meets "Circe" meets "Dracula" and so the entire time I was expecting there to be vampires. Alas, no vampires, just feminists. So overall, the writing was great, the story was alright. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Adult | Historical Fiction
There’s a sprinkle of romantic spook

I wasn’t familiar with Elizabeth Báthory before I started this book but found her story interesting enough to want to read about.

This story follows a few folks and is very character driven. Character development however, was not here but I can ignore it because this story is rooted in truth and there’s not much we can REALLY know about someone who lived between 1560 and 1614. I’m thankful the author changed some of the names, not because they were hard to pronounce, but they (in real life) were a bit too similar for me to remember from page to page. I think I would have appreciated this book more as an audiobook, I’m not Hungarian and some things I had to stop and Google.

Overall I liked the story and thought it did what it said it would. The writing flowed so well in some areas but in others it was like a grand rapid sucked me in, slapping me in the face with information resulting in me resurfacing very disoriented.

I know of this story, I’ve watched this story on a program called ‘Deadly Women’ and it was horrific.
The Gynaeceum, women’s chamber and become a place for torture and
Boroka libreled ‘the, girls-who-tends-the-geese’.
“Countless maidens buried” “and their bodies were always marked by torture” Ezsebet Bathory the contess, considered the most Blood Countess. Ezebet was known. This is The sound through the eye of Maria. Maria Von Trapp,a well known character better known from The Sound of Music. The novel was a joy to read and I would add the novel to my TBR.

I remember watching “The Sound of Music” on a yearly basis. The voice of Juie Andrews' voice, which I sang to myself l. I recognized the character of Julie Anrew Maria through the music she sang and the movie was a joy. Oscar Hammerstien wrote the film's lyrics. Along with a known film, there was the horror of Hitler. The cover reminded me why I enjoyed the film.


The novel was Gothic historical fiction count me in Comtess’s maidens and “their bodies were aways marked my by torture.” Turture which descrided the miadens. Described as the most ‘innocent of young souls’.

I remember watching “The Sound of Music” on a yearly basis. The voice of Juie Andrews' voice is why I loved this film. I recognized the character of Maria through the music she sang and the movie was a joy. Oscar Hammerstien wrote the film's lyrics. Along with a known film, there was the horror of Hitler. The cover reminded me why I enjoyed the film.

However, most girls were not noble, her cheeks were soft, which is what the Countess preferred.
Thank you Maria: A Novel A Novel of Maria, Michelle Moraran, for the privilege of reading this book

I absolutely loved this account of the “myth” of Elizabeth Bathory, the infamous female serial killer that supposedly murdered young women and used their blood to keep her young. Turns out, the historical accuracy of that horror was probably far off.

The author shows a more feminist and most likely, more accurate, portrayal of Erzsebet Bathory. The story was riveting and I especially was impressed by the follow up of historical facts that helped to shape the story. It was definitely a time period where a wealthy woman was a hindrance to those who might like to abscond with her property (while also putting her in her place!).

Thanks so much to Sonia Velton, Harper Perennial books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sonia Velton for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Nightingale's Castle coming out July 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first book by this author. I was really interested in the time period and subject matter. I’ve read another book about the Blood Countess and I thought this book was really well done. There were a couple parts that were a little dry for me, but overall I really enjoyed the story. I would be interested in checking out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gothic books!