I am reviewing the second book without reviewing the first book in a series. I read the first book about two years ago and felt I had to reread it to do a fair review, and I was too eager to see where the story went.
Marie Antoinette, it turned out, was a vampire that escaped the guillotine using a double. In the centuries since, she has been desperately trying to escape her vampire enemy by remaining hidden. In the second book, Marie was forced to flee her home after her vampire progeny was captured. Now Marie travels with his girlfriend, newly turned vampire Sybill, along with Mozart (THE Mozart) who it turns out was also made a vampire before his supposed death.
Fleeing to Venice, their group finds their ally Vincent had his hotel blown up and is assumed to be fully dead. Facing suspicion and hostility from the ruling vampires of Venice the three take refuge with Lord Byron, an older vampire child of Marie, and Dr Polidari in of all places a monastery. As they try to find new allies and plan their next move, little does Marie and her vampire family realize their enemies are slowly laying a trap they are helpless to escape.
The story is fast moving and makes Venice a character. There is a lot of historical references that add detail to the narrative. The idea of Lord Byron doing translation work in a monastery is actually fitting. I enjoyed the budding romance between Sybill and Byron as well as Marie and Cassanova. There is a lot of characters, but they all feel unique and engaging.
This book expands upon the world and explains vampirism within it. The explanation falls into the pseudo-science camp, which I admit I am not a fan of. I enjoy the more metaphysical versions. Although Polidari the mad scientist does bring flavor. There also isn’t an explanation of how Marie Antoinette became a vampire. She was a vampire before the French Revolution and had human children, which left me wondering are vampires able to give birth in this world or was she made one after? Were all the nobility vampires?
I also feel the historical character dropping is overdone. Yes, I enjoy seeing historical figures in the modern world as vampires but when you get past five its like getting sick from eating too much ice cream. Did anyone of importance actually get killed for real in the French revolution? (I didn’t even name all the historical characters that show up, a couple would be spoilers.) Someone in Europe had to actually die at some point or there would be more vampires than people by now.
While I like the character of Marie, for a centuries old vampire she seems pretty young. She strikes me as way too trusting when she falls for Cassanova. I find it odd Marie Antoinette doesn’t have a better back up plan in place, considering she has been on the run for centuries. Also, by now she should have much better crisis management skills.
But the story is enjoyable and I recommend this trilogy to vampire fans.