✨ Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel follows the journey of Iris Goldaming and Lucy Westenra as they each tackle their own struggles. When their paths cross, it feels like fate, and everything in their lives changes forever.

✨ This was a slow-paced read for me at first, making it hard to immerse myself in the story. Iris was an insufferable character for me, and I couldn't feel any connection or depth to her. All she ever expressed was complete revulsion toward her family and her desire to run away. The details were vague, and I was tempted to skip ahead to the ending. However, Lucy kept me intrigued as she navigated her new world after being turned and searched for Dracula. I'm really, really glad I didn't DNF this book. Although I think the story would have been much better if it were shorter, as it often felt like it was running in circles without much point.

✨ On a brighter note, I really loved the climax, where everything about Lucy and Iris' lives and their connection was revealed. There were some plot twists I predicted, but the big one completely caught me off guard—wow! I also really enjoyed the fight scene and how Lucy and Iris fought for each other.

✨ All in all, it was a slow but satisfying read for me. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who’s into fantasy, romance, vampires, and LGBTQ stories.

✨ Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read Lucy and Iris' story.

✨ WHAT I LIKED:
📌 When Elle saved Iris
📌 When Iris found out who Lucy was
📌 Despite all the struggles Lucy encountered, she didn't give up and kept looking for Dracula
📌 The genuine love Iris has for Lucy
📌 When Rahul and Anthony helped Iris without expecting anything in return

✨TROPES:
📌 FAST - PACED ROMANCE
📌 POLITICAL INTRIGUE
📌 JAW - DROPPING PLOT TWISTS
📌 DECEPTIONS & BETRAYALS UNRAVELED
📌 FATED LOVERS
📌 UNREQUITED LOVE
📌 FOUND FAMILY
📌 A MODERATE AMOUNT OF SPICY

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6798249606

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.wordpress.com/2024/09/05/arc-review-lucy-undying-a-dracula-novel-by-kiersten-white/

1.5

Let's talk about the best part of this book - the cover. It's an amazing cover to what I thought would be an amazing book. A continuation of Lucy's story from Dracula? It sounded right up my alley. I loved Dracula, and I expected to love this. But that's not the case.

The book starts off pretty well, if a little slow. It's told in 3 perspectives from the beginning - Lucy's past before she's turned, her transcripts to her therapist after, and Iris. I enjoyed the two perspectives of Lucy. She explains how she survived her murder in Dracula, and what happened to her after in the transcripts, and her life with Mina, her mother, and the other men from the original book. I hated Iris's parts. She's unbelievably whiny and bitchy without any explanation as to why, and by the time it's explained, it's too late to care.

And then we move on to the next part of the story. Had this solely been a book about Lucy, it probably would have been okay. But it turns into this Twilight-esque, "feminine empowerment", teenage drama garbage story dealing with a vampire MLM cult. I never thought I'd be typing a review about a vampire MLM cult which is really a pathetically veiled attempt by White to show her hate for a state and group of people, but here we are.

Lucy is portrayed as a victim to everything in life. All the men secretly want her money, her mother is abusive, and Mina doesn't love her the way she wants. After she's turned, she becomes this beacon of feminine power who singlehandedly stops World War I by telling the men in charge to stop, becomes a spy during World War II and helps end many plots against the allies, and changes the minds of other female vampires to become good people because she's a vampire with morals. Yes, really. She meets Iris, the sole heir to Goldaming Life (because White couldn't be bothered to remember that Arthur's lordly last name is actually Godalming, even though she professes to love the book SO MUCH), a whiny teenager who is ~special~. So a hundred plus year old vampire falls in insta love with a special teenager? Twilight, is that you? Also, the pet names. Butter chicken and my little cabbage? Right up there with spider monkey. Barf.

Iris, our super special teenager, has few redeeming qualities. She's paranoid because she believes her mother's entire workforce is out to get her, but makes friends instantly with a cab driver and his husband and Elle, the antiques appraiser, because queer people can't be evil, obviously (here's looking at you Kevin Spacey). She treated everyone like absolute garbage, whether the deserve it or not, and has no problem saying how much she wishes certain people would die, get murdered, etc., because she believes they should and obviously she is totally right and justified in her thinking. She also calls someone a psychopath for texting with a semicolon when she "almost has a literature degree." Like, what? I guess I'm a psychopath cause I text with correct punctuation all the time.

In the author's note, White states that she believes that Lucy was queer, causes reasons, and also that all the men in her life just wanted to murder her and take her money, and that she was this helpless victim to everything in life and she just needed to be turned into a vampire so she could become this strong, empowered female and change the world. None of the characters from the original book that end up in Lucy Undying even closely resemble the originals. White simply took the names and changed them into what she thought they should be (except Arthur, cause she couldn't even get the name right). I'm not sure how White could profess to love Dracula so much, and then eviscerate it so completely. Honey, I have some news for you. You don't love Dracula; you don't even like it.

Also, White has this personal vendetta against Utah, because reasons? I'm not really sure why. But you can't claim to be this person who loves and accepts everyone and then goes on to hate millions of people because you feel justified in it. Do I think there are problems in Utah? Yes. Do I think there's problems with the church and other religions? Yes. Do I think MLM's are pyramid schemes? Yes. Do I hate millions of people I've never met because of it and try to convince other people that that hate is justified? No.

This is probably going to be the last book by White I read. I can't take her self-righteous crusade anymore. 1.5 stars cause the cover really is lovely and there are a few parts of Lucy's early story that were interesting.

When the invite for Lucy Undying showed up in my email inbox, I almost deleted it. I have read enough takes on Dracula to not want another one. But, after reading the blurb, I decided to change my mind. I am glad I did because this was one of the best books I have read this year.

There are two main storylines in Lucy Undying. One revolves around Lucy and is told through diaries and voice transcripts and is mainly told in the past. The other storyline revolves around Iris, her mother’s company/cult, and the secret that Iris has and is told in the present. Both storylines were well-written and were able to keep my attention. The author added secondary storylines (with Mina and Dracula) in various parts of the book. Those storylines help explain certain events that happened in the past and present.

The storyline with Lucy was fascinating. It was told in the first person but through a journal/voice transcript. The storyline details Lucy’s life, which includes her unrequited love for Mina (her governess). The storyline also details Lucy’s travels and her eventual meetings with other vampires (or Brides of Dracula, as one of her earlier companions called them). Each interaction with the other vampires adds a different element to the book and depth to Lucy’s character.

The storyline with Iris was interesting. The author deliberately kept Iris’s background under wraps until about halfway through the book. I admit I skimmed over some of Iris’s chapters at first. I don’t recommend doing that. I ended up having to go back and reread those chapters because of what is foreshadowed.

Usually, I wouldn’t say I like it when a book flips from past to present and back again. But, in this book, it worked. I liked seeing Lucy in the present day versus what she was like in the past. The author also did that for Iris but on a smaller scale. Also, Iris’s forays into the past show how she was shaped into the person she was.

Lucy was my favorite person in the book. She did much growing throughout the book, but she remained the shy, sweet girl who trusted and loved the wrong person (sorry for the minor spoiler). Even when she was with Iris, you could see her naiveness showing through.

I liked Iris, too, even if she got on my nerves during parts of the book. She also did a lot of growing during the book. The Iris at the beginning of the book was not the Iris at the end. I found her a little headstrong and impulsive (going after Dracula alone wasn’t exactly the smart thing to do).

The romance between Iris and Lucy wasn’t a slow burn, even if it felt like it. I loved their connection from the minute they met (Iris was almost run over in London). There was a moment when I thought that Lucy’s unresolved feelings for Mina would cost them everything.

The horror angle of Lucy Undying was well-written and gave me chills. The author didn’t hold back on the violence, sex, or blood involved with being a vampire. Just a heads up: There is a lot of gore and blood.

The end of Lucy Undying was action-packed, and a couple of twists took me by surprise. I loved seeing justice served, but I was surprised by who was behind everything (including Lucy becoming a vampire). I was also shocked by the very end of the book. There was an exciting memo and reveal that made me smile.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Kiersten White for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Lucy Undying. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

An absolute masterpiece. Dracula was one of my favorite books as a kid, but let's face it-Stoker did Lucy dirty.

This book rights that with multiple POVs and time jumps. The gorgeous writing weaves a web of self-determination and love as Lucy's thoughts are of the woman she loves. That's right! We get a sapphic Lucy! It's beautiful.

We're also introduced to Iris, a woman whose overbearing mother just died and the parallels between these two women are done so well..

I adored this book!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Retellings of any kind are a huge labor of love, especially retellings of classics like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a novel that shaped the horror genre as we know it to this day. Of course, with such a story being written so long ago, today’s modern lens presents the opportunity to revisit, and possibly redefine, the facets that are rife with possibility for further storytelling. Kiersten White does just this with Lucy Undying, deciding to give Lucy Westenra a different fate with very, very different consequences. Now here’s where I lose my horror card; I admit I have never actually read Dracula in its entirety. My limited knowledge (shoutout Wikipedia) undoubtedly affected my reading experience with Lucy Undying, but I’m more than confident there are other folks in my same boat. So, let’s unpack this.

Lucy Undying is a novel that undoubtedly has its heart in the right place with the best of intentions of rewriting the more problematic, less than feminist aspects of Dracula. White implements various perspectives and timelines to depict the duality of characters presented in Dracula such as Lucy, Mina, and of course, Dracula. These perspectives come in the form of Lucy’s diary entries, unveiling an inside look at her thoughts, feelings, and emotions for the many, many years she has lived both before and after her encounter with Dracula. Here is where some of White’s best writing shines, giving depth to a female character who was simply offed in her previous iteration. I can’t commend White enough for breathing life and complexity into Lucy, a woman tossed aside in the literary throes of the past.

Things do get a little tricky in Lucy Undying for the uneducated reader such as myself. My limited knowledge of the world of Dracula led to a bit of confusion for the first part of the novel. White utilizes many perspectives to paint the picture of Lucy’s life while also introducing a new character, Iris, in the present. We have diary entries from Lucy, an unknown perspective that is revealed later down the line, and the perspective of Iris. It is well, a lot. Lucy Undying is described as an epic and it absolutely is for how ambitious this reach is. However, I won’t lie and say I wasn’t slightly overwhelmed. I can say though, that there is a big pay-off for riding out my initial confusion, and White does expertly bring together these wandering plotlines into a succinct confrontation of past and present.

This merger comes in the form of Lucy and Iris as parallels, both women experiencing an unmoored sense of existence in the world. White showcases her best prose, her best instances of cathartic female rage, through these two women in their struggle to find themselves. While I did find aspects of Iris’ character to feel a bit immature, her strife mirrors that of Lucy’s in the past despite the extensive time gap. Their treatment by men, their mothers, and those who they consider to be friends reflects the hardships of womanhood, of yearning to be taken seriously in a world that’s constantly doling out slights. However, we are sitting front and center to all of Lucy’s life which is a lot of time and a lot of lore explored by White. For the most part, it all lands quite well, but make no mistake, this novel is expansive. Numerous other intriguing female characters with various desires, conflicts, and challenges are given the space to breathe and develop alongside Lucy, a very refreshing aspect, but one that is very, very detailed. There is no stone unturned for Lucy and those who enter her orbit, making the length of this book both a strength and a weakness.

Yet, Lucy Undying is a tremendous entry in the horror zeitgeist that feels remarkably satisfying for shining a spotlight on the women of the stories we all know and love. And, it’s more than giving them the attention they deserve; White builds personalities and aspects of these characters that give them life that was previously somewhat ignored. Yes, this is a long book, and while I personally didn’t gel with some of these characters, that’s not to say Lucy Undying isn’t a tremendous success for its heart. I can’t help but adore Kiersten White’s ambition and execution of bringing forth characters that are diverse, complicated, and nuanced in such a way. Ultimately, Lucy Undying is more than just a Dracula retelling; it is a reflection of the trends in horror fiction to bring forth the voices that have been suppressed, to revel in inclusivity, complexity, and humanity. It’s a story about finding yourself in a sea of madness, deceit, and confusion, a love story.

First line: It starts the moment you look out the window.

Summary: Lucy Westenra was just a minor character in the story of Dracula. Or at least that is what everyone thought. Since she was changed into a vampire she has spent the years searching for meaning in her eternal life. From the battlefields of Europe to the streets of modern day London it appears that nothing will give her peace and the love she has long been looking for.

Iris is trying to escape her family legacy and the dark secrets of her past. In a bid to hide, she runs away to London in order to sell any family heirlooms worth anything for quick cash. However, she did not intend to meet the stunning and brilliant Elle, a local historian who gives Iris hope that there are good people still in the world.

As the women navigate the threats to Iris they discover that they have much more in common, including a mutual enemy. They create a plan to try and bring down the dark powers that are slowly spreading across the world in a daring chance to find their own happiness in the end.

My Thoughts: Dracula is my favorite of the classic gothic novels. I have read or watched many depictions or spinoffs from the original tale, so when I saw a book centering on Lucy I knew I needed to read it.

In White’s new take on the Dracula story we get a Lucy who is desperately in love with Mina and lures Dracula to her in order to save a woman who will never love her back. This is an interesting twist that continues to drive the story along. Lucy, through her remembrances and journal entries, shows us how she really felt about the men around her during her final days. And since reading this I will see these characters just a little differently.

The story does bounce around a LOT. Chapters alternate between Human Lucy, Vampire Lucy and Iris giving us all sorts of perspectives. It started out very confusing but as I got used to the layout I became more comfortable with it.

There were times while reading where it seemed the story had reached a natural end but then it continued on with a new revelation or event that pushed the narrative into new territories. At points it felt like the story was being dragged out and ran rather slow. I did enjoy the end when everything picks up and big reveals are made. It was a fun take on a classic story that many people are familiar with.

If you love Dracula retellings then this is the book for you as spooky season is upon us!

With beautiful prose and an innovative take on the classic tale, the novel delves into Lucy's immortal journey of self-discovery. While the multiple POVs and length may challenge some readers, fans of gothic fantasy with a modern twist will find this sapphic-positive narrative a captivating, if complex, read.

An absolutely unique story about Lucy, Dracula's first english vicitim, searching for revenge and a human girl in the midst of her families vampiric pyramid scheme. A must read for all lovers of Dracula and sapphics!!

Mister Magic was one of my favorite horror novels last year, so I was very excited to get my hands on Kiersten White’s latest horror novel, a gothic fantasy exploring the Dracula story from a new perspective.

Lucy Undying is an ambitious story. The story opens on Iris, a young woman who has escaped a mysterious past and is now looking to tie up some loose ends in London as weird things start happening to her. From there, we also get Lucy Westena’s journal, as well as transcripts between a therapist and their vampire client, and all of this is topped off with White’s signature social commentary.

The story is unique and it was cool seeing all of these disparate perspectives come together, but it took a long time for that to happen which meant that as a reader, I was very confused for a significant portion of the story. I would have much preferred for it to focus solely on Iris’ perspective as I found that the therapist transcripts and journal entries didn’t add much to the story and many of these chapters slowed down the action, especially the further I got in the novel.

Overall, this is a good pick for anyone who enjoys vampire stories and light horror with fantasy elements (there are almost no scares in this one.)

Lucy Undying hits shelves Sept. 10. Thanks to Del Ray and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very impatiently waiting for my boyfriend to finish reading dracula, so we could WATCH dracula, so then I could read this book. While I do wish it was October or November and not 100 degrees out while reading this I still enjoyed it! I really enjoyed the diary entries and the transcripts, but I did find the PoV of Iris as compelling as the others. I also found it a bit frustrating how everyone from the original tale was terrible except Lucy, when I quite liked a lot of the original characters from Dracula, and it is rather jarring having read the original, watched one of the movies, and then read this. Overall, I really enjoy Lucy's character and I think she's always deserved better than what she's got, so in the end I still did have a good time seeing her in a new context here.

Kiersten White is such an eloquent writer, I continue to enjoy her spinning tales!
Personally, I do not love the vampire genre as much as others do. I do not necessarily dislike the genre, however, feel it is overdone…….. need I list the millions of blockbuster hits. 😊
Regardless, Kiersten White is such a consistent, eloquent writer, I continue to enjoy the tales she spins! “Lucy Undying” was creative, varying point of views from various characters, and some back and forth time hopping though the various chapters. If you are a fan of the vampire genre, I recommend this read!

Okay, as beautiful as this cover is, the book itself was kind of meh for me overall. I will say, it was wildly atmospheric, especially during Lucy’s diary entries and therapist transcripts and it was very easy to get swept up in those chapters. However, the book dragged a lot in several places, particularly during the chapters that focused on Iris and the now timeline. I just did not connect with her as much as I did with Lucy and I found myself wanting to get back to her story. I did really love the redefining of Lucy’s character and how she was finally given some agency and autonomy. I also liked the big twist at the end, which I did slightly see coming, but I still thought it was an extremely cool way to bring the story full circle. I also enjoyed how the book dealt with trauma and healing, especially from family members and other loved ones. I think if you’re a Dracula fan, you’ll find the story interesting, especially with the familiar characters. And if you’re not super familiar with Dracula and the characters, don’t worry, you won’t be lost! I felt like the lore was explained super well, even with the reinterpretation. Overall, I did enjoy Lucy and her story as well as the gothic vibe, but I did think it could have been a little less long.
CW: child death, animal abuse, death, violence, sexual harassment, stalking, medical trauma, death of a parent

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Perfectly bloody, dark and Gothic feminist vibes. Good read for spooky season and or just anytime you wanna feel Like Lydia deetz

If you're looking for an intriguing take on women affected by Dracula, "Lucy Undying" is for you. This book immerses us in the life of Lucy, a young woman turned vampire that takes us on a mysterious journey through three unique perspectives:

1. **Iris**, a girl who is fleeing her family and slowly uncovering secrets from her family's past.
2. **Lucy's therapy records** with her psychiatrist, where she is brutally honest about her experience as a vampire (my favorite part!).
3. **Lucy's diary** before her transformation.

Although the plot is fascinating and has great potential, I must admit that the reading felt very slow, and it was easy for me to lose interest quickly. Despite this, upon finishing the book and reflecting on the story, I feel that it is a very interesting take on Dracula’s tale but, unfortunately, left me wanting.

- *Huge thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.*

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐ 3
Characters: ⭐ 1
Relationships: ⭐⭐ 2
Spice: 🌶️ 1
World-building: ⭐⭐ 2
Overall: ⭐⭐ 2

Si buscas una versión interesante sobre las mujeres afectadas por dracula, "Lucy Undying" es para ti. Este libro nos sumerge en la vida de Lucy, una joven convertida en vampiro que nos lleva por un viaje lleno de misterios a través de tres perspectivas únicas:

1. Iris, una chica que huye de su familia y poco a poco se va descubriendo cosas del pasado de su familia.
2. Los récords de la terapia de Lucy con su psiquiatra, donde es brutalmente honesta sobre su experiencia como vampiro (¡mi parte favorita!).
3. El diario de Lucy antes de su transformación.

Aunque la trama es fascinante y tiene un gran potencial, debo admitir que la lectura se sintió muy lenta, y me fue fácil perder el interés rápidamente. A pesar de eso, al terminar el libro y reflexionar sobre la historia, siento que es muy interesante pero tristemente me quede con ganas de saber más sobre los personajes. Es curioso cómo algo que se sintió eterno también puede dejarte con muchos vacíos.

*Un enorme agradecimiento a NetGalley por una copia electrónica de este libro a cambio de mi honesta reseña.*

Trama: ⭐⭐⭐ 3
Personajes: ⭐ 1
Relaciones: ⭐⭐ 2
Spice: 🌶️ 1
Construcción del mundo: ⭐⭐ 2
En general: ⭐⭐ 2

This was one of the most interesting and well-written Dracula retellings/interpretations that I have come across. There are plenty of elements that put a spin on the events of the novel, which are told alongside the stories happening in the present day. This book does Lucy Westenra's character and story justice and introduces several other strong, intriguing female characters (some of whom are vampires).

Narration is primarily split between Iris and Lucy. Both characters are compelling and a lot of fun to read. Watching both of them on their respective journeys was extremely satisfying and their character arcs were fulfilling. All characters, even some of the more minor side characters, were interesting to read about. Iris adds a lot of humor and life to an otherwise dark story, and she has some unforgettable turns of phrases. Several different plot lines are introduced, and all of them are balanced well. The pacing is perfect to build suspense as things are revealed to us and to Iris (I was never frustrated and waiting for Iris to catch up on the revelations). There were plenty of twists and turns in a plot full of intrigue, mystery, and shady, corrupt family/company dealings that stretch back for generations. The vampire lore was also a great addition.

The story overall is so much more than a Dracula retelling--it's like an expansion that focuses more on the events leading up to and following the confrontation with Dracula. It adds a different perspective on some characters' relationships, which I will definitely keep an eye out for when re-reading Dracula. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic retellings with a slow burn romance and journeys of self discovery and empowerment.

I want to say thank you so much for the chance to read this advanced copy. I saw vampires and RAN! I also did enjoy this authors previous novel Hide so I was excited to read this one. I think the gothic vibes were totally there, however what kept me from truly falling in love with the story was the pacing and there was a lot of characters which is usually fine for me to keep up with, but I just think I was slugging through a lot of this. I think it’s a good story with a great premise so I know there will be lots of readers who fall in love with it.

I was so disappointed by this book. I really wanted to love it, I mean a queer retelling of Dracula! That's right up my alley. Yet this book failed in so many ways. First, it was predictable, I was able to guess what was going to happen hundreds of pages before we got there at every turn. Secondly, it was over written, over explained, and way too long. Thirdly, it was just doing too much, there was so many threads that while easy to follow, could have been edited down. We would read Lucy's journal just to have Iris over explain the same information chapters later, which made it feel like the author didn't expect the reader to understand theme and nuance. All of the therapy could have been truncated, I get we needed to meet the other vampires but really it was too long. This book tried to be on par with the likes of The Invisible Life of Addie LeRue, A Dowry of Blood, and Rouge; Which writing wise it couldn't even compare, as it felt like fan fiction of the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). I was happy to see that nearly every character was queer and that the cover is stunning, but that wasn't able to cover up all the issues with it.

Lucy Undying is a Dracula novel that uses multiple POVs to tell a rather needlessly complicated tale. Kiersten White does not hide the fact that there are vampires in this story (as if the title alone isn't enough to give it away) and instead gives the mystery over to another character who was rather bland and hard to connect with. And personally, the writing style didn't jive well with me. While I can see this being a hit with vampire fans, I can't help but compare it to other books of similar nature that came before and made a bloody impact.

Man, this was disappointing for me. I wanted to like this so much especially with how beautiful the cover is, I was in a Masters Program for English and took a whole vampire course, where I fell in love with Dracula and all the other tales that I got to read. This book was slow moving and did not create a strong connection with the main characters. I also strived for the females that were written in Dracula.
I would have DNF'd this book but I pushed through. I think has made it clear that Kiersten White is not the author for me after trying a few of their books.

I did love the multiple POV and the FF romance throughout the story, but that was not able to save it for me.

The pool of Dracula retellings coming out over the last year has caused a influx of books that have not measured up with the classics when they could fully develop something amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the e-ARC for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I’m not even sure where to start with this or how to find the words to describe how much I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down and I’m definitely planning on buying a physical copy once it releases. If you love anything that has to do with vampires or just gothic vibes in general, PICK THIS UP.