Synopsis
A savage, hypnotic dive into the lives and deaths of a coven of vampires living in 19th Century Paris on the cusp of revolt and revolution, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Laura Purcell and Elizabeth Kostova
Paris, 1869. The Théâtre Saint-Siméon is the place to be, if you can get in. The black slips of paper that guarantee entry are rare and highly desired, and given only to certain persons. The actors on stage are magnetic and ageless, performing only at midnight and never seen during the day…
Arnault and his clan of vampires have survived for as long as they have by observing a rigid set of rules. At night, they perform on stage at the Théâtre Saint-Siméon, picking off just enough people in the audience to survive. But they understand the city, and how to live in it without being noticed.
Their peace is shattered first with a visit from Béatrice, a witch who forms a strange connection to Arnault; then with the arrival of Victor de Rouvray and his sister Françoise, vampires from a very different world. And, as Arnault grows closer and closer to the beautiful, enigmatic Victor, he risks becoming distracted from the constant bickering of his immortal friends, from the daily running of the theatre, and worse, from the premonitions of blood, death and starvation that he receives at night.
For a terrible change is on the horizon, revolt and revolution are brewing in the streets and soon, the city, and Arnault will never be the same again.
Review
Thanks to Titan for the physical ARC! Love the cover, especially how it was also featured on the spine.
The Theatre Saint-Siméon is one of the most exclusive theaters in all of Paris. Little black slips serve as tickets, the only problem? They’re not for sale. Those who come into possession of them, from all walks of life, are welcomed to a night full of classical performances from a troupe almost too perfect. Their near perfection comes from the fact that they are vampires, one and all, their skill honed over the countless years of performing together. Arnault, their leader, keeps them on a tight schedule of rehearsals so that they’re never even a step out of line. The same control is extended to their life off the stage, as the coven feeds on the unsuspecting crowds post-show, slowly filling their coffers from the pockets of the dead. A witch, named Beatrice, appears as the proverbial knife in the first act, the shattering of peace. From that moment on Arnault is never fully himself again, and unfortunately, out-of-town vampires have just arrived. Ones who may not be as careful.
Now I happened to start this one the same day I began listening to The Brides by Charlotte Cross. Both are vampire novels, gothic in style, and are set in the 1800s. While Cross gave readers a stylistic prequel to Stoker’s Dracula through letters, medical records, and diary entries, Hinkley wrote a sumptuous period piece, with historical events wrapped up into the lives of a group of vampires. This theatrical coven gave readers a look into the nightlife, and even the eventful underbelly, of Paris, and I particularly liked the way the depiction delivered the mundanity and depravity. Bakers traveling to work in the middle of the night so there’s fresh bread for sale, horse carts filled with vegetables in the early morning going to market, even the dirt and grime of urine in alleys and unwashed bodies. Then the darker turning of blind eyes to dead drunks found in the morning, of just one more emaciated body on the stack. The environment was the perfect home for a carefully controlled group of vampires. And not wholly unlike my issue with The Brides, where I could not turn back and forth if I misplaced a name or section, this novel is filled with segments and stances of French (and I assume Italian?) plays, which, although certainly a me problem, I only speak English. In the same vein, at the start, with unfamiliar names, I had no idea who were men and women. This didn’t change the story whatsoever, but as a visualizer, it was just a bit confusing.
While I enjoyed so much of this, there were slow sections, as not very much could be called action. Still, the author has a great grasp on dialogue delivery, and the dysfunctional family of hundred(s)-year-old vampires was truly its own spectacle. The relationship between Arnault and Beatrice was really interesting. Almost a play by play on how you can go from enemies to reluctant friends—or even lovers—by forced, continuous, proximity. And I especially liked how this was not the “point” of story. Then there’s the relationship between Arnault and Victor, the richly dressed and beautiful visiting vampire. His flair for showing out and showing off Arnault makes for this almost fever dream of moments where the rest of the world seems less real. Then there’s of course the relationship between Arnault and his vampires. I loved the drops of lore and drama, how each vampire has this almost twisted offspring to friendship or relationship level connection with him. The mingling of blood proving to be more than just a transfer, it’s a sacrament. It dances between inappropriateness and devilish delight, offering fancies to deepest desires.
Then of course, there is the relationship between Arnault and his sire, which personally was a favorite. Leopold, Arnault’s benefactor turned responsibility, is old, grown somehow frail of mind and body. While their bond is still incredibly strong, his sire frequents bouts of lapsed lucidity, falling into memories and times long past. It felt reminiscent of Interview with the Vampire, and it really interests me the idea of this almost vampire dementia. Has the mind simply been alive too long, seen too much? Or was it something that removed the desires of life from the person, a loss of curiosity and discovery? This made me then think of Godric, Eric Northman’s sire, from True Blood. Then it had me wondering what changed between Arnault’s 500 years and Leopold’s 700? Was Arnault a ticking time bomb himself? These questions made the story so much more interesting to me. The lack of answers just more enticement.
For fans of historical stories. Of twisted romances. Of vampires and slow burns. Of intricate writing and beautiful gothic storytelling.
Leave a Reply