A review by ellelainey
A Vile Season by David Ferraro

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 
 ** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE ** 
 Copy received through Netgalley 


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 A Vile Season, by David Ferraro 
★★★★★ 
 400 Pages 
 1st person, single character POV 
 Content Warning: mentions of assassination, kidnapping and murder, violence, arranged marriage, declining physical and mental health, occult activities, betrayal, secret societies and forbidden love, mentions of killing family members 




 A Vile Season is a softly romantic adventure novel with a vintage style and a unique twist on a classic trope. There are strong romantic suggestions but nothing explicit, while the novel keeps to the traditional aspects of classic vampire tropes: sleeping in a coffin, staking, no reflection, powers and a superior attitude etc. Ferraro manages to give the entire concept a uniqueness by having openly LGBT attitudes, and a world where humans are aware that vampires exist, while challenging the limits of the traditional tropes. 


 I loved everything about this book – from the gorgeous cover and interior, excellent use of flashbacks at appropriate times, the original plot, every twist and turn, the incredible ending, the individuality of each character, and even Beezle the cat! I loved that, even though I guessed the big twist early on, I enjoyed how it was revealed and the impact it had on the characters. 


 The book begins on an incredible first line, then keeps you engaged all the way through. The concept of a vampire becoming human again, for a purpose – and that plot being clear within 6%, so that we know the who, where, what, when and why of how the entire plot is set to begin – means that it takes a truly original twist from the prospect of the vampire being the main character. 


 Count Lucian Cross has spent centuries as a vampire, but barely a dozen years as a human before that, and it's fascinating to watch him try to navigate the newfound emotions that come with humanity. Beyond him, there are a vast array of interesting secondary characters, who all have some impact on the plot, including the two rivals for Lucian's affections: brothers Maxwell and Ambrose. 


 A Vile Season was everything I could have wanted and hoped for. With evocative and emotive writing, a skilled ability at storytelling, Ferraro did a fantastic job of keeping me engaged from start to finish. Now that I'm done, I'm off to read The Alchemy of Moonlight, by Ferraro, since I have it and I can't wait to see what else they're capable of. 


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 Favourite Quotes 


 “I would rather strangle him than stroke his ego any longer. Would it be worth sacrificing immortality to bludgeon him to death? I was debating.” 


 “I don't know what I would do without you. You sort of grow on people. Like a fungus.” 
 I chuckled. “Like a fungus. Quite the endorsement.” 
 “I almost said parasite, but that would have been a little too on the nose, with the sucking blood and all.” 
 My eyes widened. “You little brat.”