Book Review: The Deathless Girls

This hardcover is one of the most beautiful books on my shelf. It has a beautiful dust jacket, gorgeous endpapers – the way it’s presented just makes it that much better to read. My copy also has sprayed edges which are gorgeous. The hardcover is out of stock but you can get the Waterstones exclusive paperback online.

The Deathless Girls is an origin story for Draculas wives. It’s a book with the complexities of sisterhood at the forefront, has a f/f romance and all the vampire spookiness – perfect for the upcoming spooky season. I really love the fairy-tale like prose – this is a delightful read that packs a lot into it’s 300 pages.

Star rating: 5 stars

Lil is nothing like her beautiful twin sister Kizzy, but these two girls do everything together. When their group of travellers are murdered, including their mother, Lil and Kizzy are captured to be sold as slaves. Both are forced to work in the kitchens until Kizzy’s burned hands heal, where Lil meets Mira, a former serving girl who is learning to talk again after having her wind-pipe crushed.

The book is very dark – lots of horrible stuff happens to poor Lil and Kizzy. They both handle their new situation in different ways which leads to friction in their relationship. I really liked the contrast in their characters – Kizzy is much more feisty and disobedient where as Lil just wants to survive.

There are elements of fantasy within the book – from dancing with bears to mushrooms that give you visions, there is a lot more than just vampires. I really enjoyed the creepy atmosphere in the latter half of the book – and the ending is bold and unexpected.

Overall, I love Kiran’s beautiful, poetic writing, and the themes presented in the book. The romance could have been given more time, but that’s my only criticism.

Have you read any books by Kiran Millwood Hargrave? I encourage you to pick up The Deathless Girls – or The Mercies if you’re more into adult fiction! Let me know in the comments.