A feminist reimagining of the story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory, the infamous sixteenth-century Hungarian aristocrat known as the "Blood Countess" who was rumored to have murdered hundreds of peasant girls and bathed in their blood. The story is a new take on the history of the Countess and asks "was she really a killer or was she just misunderstood?" The story follows various characters POV and jumps between them. Its a mix of historical drama with Gothic suspense weaved in. It is a bit of a challenging read as it is a bit hard to follow and doesn't exactly read in a smooth way. I unfortunately found it to be a bit of a disappointing read and it wasn't what I was hoping it would be. I found myself getting bored and not engaging in the story or the characters. I initially was so excited to read this but found myself disconnecting the further I got into the story. It just fell completely flat to me and I think that if you like more complex and slow multi character pov historical dramas then this would work for you.

Release Date: July 30,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

First thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me an eARC of this book!

My first thought after finishing was disappointment because from what I know of the blood countess she was a prolific serial killer, but this book did not reflect that. Instead it reflected the face that the blood countess could be innocent. After reading the authors note it made sense. Admittedly though, I wanted more violence and gore 😂

The writing was done well, the story held my attention for the most part just wasn’t what I wanted/was expecting.

The legend of Countess Erzsébet Báthory is people have tried to tell numerous times. Sonia Velton has taken the legend and turned it into a fascinating historical fiction novel.

This 'based on the true story" about the Countess, Velton brings more substance to the story. Was she a serial killer, determined to keep her youth and beauty....or was she, like so many others, completely misunderstood. I truly appreciated that this didn't sexualize the Countess (a la American History Story).

I think this is a special kind of book - I know that not everyone is going to like or really enjoy it at all. It's a bloody, gothic story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book .







In 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gives birth to an illegitimate child. Secretly taken to a peasant family living in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, the infant girl is raised as their own. Years later, a young woman called Boróka—ignorant of her true history—is sent to join the Countess’s household.

Terrified of the Countess’s murderous reputation and the brutally cruel women who run the castle, Boróka struggles to find her place. Then plague breaches the castle’s walls, and a tentative bond unexpectedly forms between the girl and the Countess. But powerful forces are moving against the great lady whose wealth and independence threatens the king. Can the Countess trust the women seemingly so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous “Blood Countess” where will Boróka’s loyalties lie?

"The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton presents a disjointed and confusing narrative that struggles to maintain coherence. Set against the backdrop of 16th-century Hungary during a plague outbreak, the story follows Boróka, a young woman unaware of her noble birth, who enters the foreboding realm of Countess Erzsébet Báthory's castle.

From the outset, the novel's plot is difficult to follow, with abrupt shifts in perspective and timeline that disrupt the flow of the story. Velton's attempt to blend historical drama with Gothic suspense often results in a tangled narrative web, making it challenging for readers to fully immerse themselves in the characters’ experiences and motivations.

While the atmosphere of the castle initially evokes a sense of foreboding, it quickly becomes repetitive and fails to sustain the tension necessary for a compelling Gothic tale. The relationships between characters, particularly that of Boróka and the enigmatic Countess, are underdeveloped and lack emotional depth, leaving their interactions feeling hollow and unconvincing.

Moreover, the novel’s exploration of feminist themes, while promising, remains superficial and fails to resonate due to the narrative's disjointed nature. Moments that could have been poignant or impactful are overshadowed by the confusing plot structure and inconsistent pacing.

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton is a disappointing read for those seeking a cohesive and engaging historical fiction. Despite its intriguing premise and potential for exploring complex themes, the novel's disjointed execution and confusing narrative detract from its overall impact, leaving readers frustrated and disconnected from the characters' plight."

Countess Erzsébet Báthory is famous for bathing in the blood of virgins. But what is the truth of these claims? Countess Erzsébet Báthory is a remarkable woman doing what is considered to be a man's job running of her estates and property. Could jealousy be behind the claims she's killing young women? I was really impressed by the author's research and crafting of Countess Erzsébet Báthory's story. I look forward to more of this author's work in the future. Until next time Happy Reading!

I want to thank Harper Perennial for this ARC via Netgalley.

Slow start but intriguing, I really wanted to like this because I love Circe and retellings but I never felt fully engaged in the book.

Told through multiple POVs via an omniscient third person narration. We get to know about the countess and life in the castle from the servants and young girls interacting with or having knowledge of the countess but never hear from Erzebet herself.

It’s a character driven story with no plot but for this type of story the characters should be more well developed and multi dimensional, they just fall flat!

We get info dumping background on characters in a single chapter and then barely see them again?! I’d prefer little morsels given throughout to grow the character and our connection to them.

I love the idea of exploring human nature and what it would’ve been like to be a powerful, independent, wealthy woman of this time; being accused of a witch simply because of this unprecedented position the countess holds and the men who attacked her for having power. Unfortunately the execution is falling flat for me.

I set this aside thinking maybe I was in a reading slump but after having several amazing reads in a row and trying to come back to try again, it’s not me it’s you (the book) 🥲 DNFd after 132 pages (about 41% in) because at this point of the book I should be connecting with the characters or something should be happening but it’s just been a whole lot of nothing to engage me or hold my interest

This was a spine-tingling, gothic fictional account of the Countess Erzsebet Bathory of 16th century Hungary. The Countess’s claim to fame? According to Guinness World Records she is the most prolific female serial killer 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 with a body count of at least 600 virgins females. But is she really?

This book explores the later years of the Countess’s life through the POV of a young girl, Boroka, who is brought to the castle as a servant. The book also delves into the back story of some of the Countess’s other murderous associates who were put on trial with her- Ilona, Dorka, Ficzko, and Kata.

I really appreciated the historical retelling of the Countess’s life- including how the book addressed her potential illegitimate daughter she birthed at age 13 and how to account for all those deaths at the castle without much proof other than tortured confessions. There were some aspects of magical realism (didn’t do much for me but helped explain some stuff), witch craft, and feminism.

I recommend this for anyone who likes a good gothic story or historical fiction based on real events or people.

TW: torture, death, murder

This review was left voluntarily. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This book was entertaining but felt kind of slow. I know the book is supposed to be about Boróka and her time spent at the castle, but I was really hoping there would be a bit more about the infamous Countess.

This is more literary than I expected. The pace is slow and the plot nearly indiscernable. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

The Nightingale's Castle: A Novel of Erzsébet Báthory by Sonia Velton is a historical fiction novel based on the terrifyingly true story about a Hungarian Countess alive during the 1600s who was accused of torturing and murdering virgin girls and bathing in their blood to preserve her youth and beauty. She is infamously known for being so shockingly and sadistically monstrous, she still reigns superior as the face of evil so abhorrent it’s rivaled by only a few other wretched souls from the darkest chapters of history.

As time went on, rumors grew to such grossly engorged proportions, one wouldn’t even know where to begin to identify fact from fiction in a tale as cold blooded and twisted as this one, and the truth will likely remain shrouded in mystery for forever. The countess went on trial for torturing and murdering over 600 young girls and women within her household, but was convicted on conjecture and absent circumstantial evidence and eventually died under suspicious circumstances, all of which infuriatingly thickens the miasma of mystery and legend surrounding her bloody legacy. Was she a vicious and prolific serial killer or was she just unfortunate enough to have been born a woman?

What is really striking about this book is the uniquely feminist approach the author takes on the countess’s bloody story. I would say that I know a good bit more than the average person on gothic literature, dark histories, and horrifying myths and monsters; however, I have not yet run across such an interesting perspective on the Blood Countess, a woman believed to be so shockingly inhuman she is debatably the inspirational lifeblood pumped into origin stories such as Dracula and Carmilla, which makes her the real-life harbinger to the births of some of humanity’s worst nightmares in literature. After reading this book and becoming inspired to do my own independent research on the countess, I was astounded by my own assured belief in facts that were never really facts at all. Could her story be written in the pages of history not with the blood of virgins murdered by her own hand, but with her own blood exsanguinated by the hand of men? Mankind has always insatiably hungered for money, sex, and power. Erzsébet Báthory’s position of power, affluence, and influence as a widowed noble woman with the protection of her married name and strong familial ties to other powerful men in the region would have afforded the countess with significant freedoms to autonomy and independence. Motivations alluded to in the book for possibly witch-hunting the countess include men feeling threatened by her station and freedoms within the Hungarian aristocracy, lusting with irrepressible avarice for her substantial material wealth, or simply becoming incandescent with sanctimonious entitlement over women in general. I am convinced a very compelling argument is made about man being the real-life monster of the countess’s story. Sonia Velton has written an especially propulsive story that evokes strong reader intrigue and stokes the fires of feminine rage. There is thoughtful character development, the plot is saturated in gothic tragedy, and the atmosphere is practically pulsing with dread by the end of the book. My interest was immediately grabbed in the historical note, epigraph, and prologue. Personally, I was challenged to turn inward to reexamine preconceived verdicts and poorly drawn conclusions within the life portrait of the Blood Countess. This book now has me looking at other notorious women in history with a different lens. I loved this book, the thoughts it left me chewing, the questions it had me asking, and the research it had me conducting. I very much recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction (of course) and the darker side of history!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is July 30th! I have posted this review to my Goodreads account and my FB group, The Book Banquet.

Wow wow wow! This story was better than I could have ever imagined!!! I was encapsulated the entire time I was reading this book. Every detail was spot on and the MC was so amazing!

Following our MC and her story is so empowering. I was rooting for her the entire story. She had so much fight in her and that is my favorite trait to read in a MC especially a FMC.

This book made me laugh, cry, get anxious, and feel calm all at the same time. I really felt like I was on this journey with our FMC and was sad when it was over.

For anyone who loves reading historical fiction and fantasy, this is the book for you!

I loved how this took a potentially true story and flipped it on it's head. The focus on female rage, trauma, and betrayal was so intriguing. Each character was one you both understood and rooted for even if you didn't agree with their actions.

I was so excited to read this, as I am fascinated by Erzsébet Báthory, but this was not what I was hoping for. This was very slice of life. I felt like we got bogged down in the daily life of the serving girls. There were some really evil characters that were written well, but overall, nothing really grabbed me or sank its teeth in.

This book was entertaining and it is a fictional tale based on a true person and event. So that part I liked I thought that it was a very good blend of history and fiction. I highly enjoyed it.

Beautifully gothic and atmospheric. I love the history of Elizabeth Bathory. So when I saw this, I absolutely had to read it and I don’t regret one second. So well done!

First person and present tense. I am very interested in the history behind this book, so I will research the true story instead of slogging through this.

[3.5/5] THE NIGHTINGALE'S CASTLE is a historical fiction retelling of Erzsébet Báthory, a 16th century Hungarian aristocrat. Known as the "Blood Countess," it was rumored she killed hundreds of peasant girls in her castle. This is a reimagining of her fall from nobility told with a feminist perspective.

There are several points of view in THE NIGHTINGALE'S CASTLE, but the most frequently used is that of Boróka, a 15-year-old peasant girl. She knows nothing of her parents, but has been kindly brought up by the village doctor. When one of the Countess's trusted servants comes calling, Boróka unexpectedly ends up in Erzsébet Báthory's household. Many find the Countess intimidating, but even so Boróka quickly finds herself in the Countess's inner circle of sorts. In this role she sees that, while resolute and stubborn, the rumors against the Countess are unfounded. But when a plague breaks out, killing more girls, all hell breaks loose.

THE NIGHTINGALE'S CASTLE bills itself as a feminist reimagining. It is to some extent, particularly in the last quarter of the book when a greedy patriarchal society uses rumors to quell the Countess. It highlights how a damning word or an unfortunate event can easily be used to scapegoat a seemingly strange woman. This was a time when women were put to death under suspicion of witchcraft, after all. However, I didn't really feel like the feminist theme was an incredibly strong thread throughout the story. Rather, I thought the strength of this book was in the historical fiction retelling. The author pieced together historical documents and real figures to tell a more plausible series of events about the Countess.

There is also some magical realism present, which I found a little odd. It serves primarily as a mechanism for Boróka to learn about her family. Personally, I think it would have been more compelling had she learned about this through the individuals involved. Moreover, in general there is not a lot of direct connection between characters. The reader is almost more of a detached observer in a dream-like state. While the historical fiction aspect about a "Blood Countess" certainly piques one's interest, I would have liked to see just a little more emotional connection or dissonance between the characters.

Overall, though, I enjoyed THE NIGHTINGALE'S CASTLE, despite some of my quibbles. I found it interesting to read about a Hungarian historical figure of which I knew absolutely nothing. It's an easy story to get swept away into and is yet another window into women's lives in a male-dominated world.

eARC Review: The Nightingale’s Castle by Sonia Velton 🩸

This was a powerful tale of how strong, intelligent and independent women are consistently seen as a threat to men who desire to control them. The attention to the historical events and details was done so wonderfully by Velton that you can tell as the reader that she wanted to really challenge your perspective on this notorious woman. 🏰

The tale is definitely plot based as the reader gets POVs ranging from Boróka the servant girl, to her four accused accomplices, and finally to Erzsébet herself. I liked that Hungarian folk belief was addressed in the relationship between the countess and the servant girl and how we’ll never really know if the countess had a child at thirteen. I also really enjoyed the idea that she was partially unaware of her servants being incredibly cruel to the point of mass torture and murder. Another detail that I quite liked is that we, the readers, are never really sure if the countess enjoyed cruel punishments herself. 😈

All in all, I thought it was a great historical retelling. There were moments where I found the plot slow or I was confused as to why we were getting a new POV, but I had a great time reading regardless! Big thank you goes to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for accepting my request to read in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Velton, for doing this historical woman justice!

Publication date: July 30!

Overall: 4/5 ⭐️

Gripping, Gothic, captivating, chilling, and wonderfully written, The Nightingale's Castle: A Novel of Erzsébet Báthory, the Blood Countess was hard to put down! I loved the atmosphere of this book, the setting in the mountains, the castle, and the vivid descriptions of life during that time. Was Countess Erzsébet Báthory, the murderous blood countess who murdered over 600 girls, or was she the victim of a threatened King????

In The Nightingale's Castle: A Novel of Erzsébet Báthory, the Blood Countess, Sonia Velton provides a sympathetic look at the Countess who is alleged to be a heinous serial killer who tortured and bathed in the blood of her victims. I enjoyed this blending of history, fantasy, and fiction. Many know the crimes that Countess Erzsébet Báthory was accused of committing. Historians have debated her guilt and innocence. Was she a powerful and wealthy woman? Yes. Did her wealth and power make powerful men uncomfortable? I'm sure it did. Was she a cruel, sadistic, and vile killer? That is the question!

I enjoyed this chilling work of fiction based on a real woman. The author’s wonderful writing and descriptions transported me to the castle and had me feeling like a silent observer hiding behind one of the many tapestries. I loved the Gothic and atmospheric feel of the book. I could feel the chill in the many hallways and feel the silence that the girls sewed in. I also enjoyed the unsettling feeling that surrounded those who lived in the castle. I also loved the tension and dread which flowed throughout the book. The characters are all intriguing. I felt for the innocent girls, while detesting the characters who were quite sinister. Plus, I may never look at old clocks the same way again!

I also enjoyed how the author had me wondering who could be trusted in this book as everyone tip toed around each other. This was a very nice touch. As the accusations were made, there was an overwhelming sense of unease. What will the accused do or say as their interrogations become unbearable?

This book explores power, abuse of power, loyalty, wealth, trust, influence, betrayal, and abuse to name a few.

Atmospheric, gothic, chilling, dark, and beautifully written. I look forward to reading more books by Sonia Velton.

Solid 3.5 read. This is the first book I’ve read from this author. I absolutely love the mix of historical romance and fantasy. Those are my favorite genres! I was very excited to read this. I loved the dark, gothic feel. The different POV’s is something I really enjoy. And I can’t believe this story is based on true events?
Although it was well written and descriptive, it also felt slow paced. In the end, it was an enjoyable read