The story is told from Erzebet's point of view, and so the reader empathizes with her at least a little; if the story was told from Marianna's point of view, or Rowena's, or Snow's, or one of Erzebet's "girls," Erzebet's actions would seem inexplicable and horrifying, but from her point of view, they are justified. "What is true is less important than what you believe" is the theme of this book, though the character who most often voices it is an incarnation of the Devil, telling Erzebet what she wants to hear (and even he betrays her and leaves her in the end). It shows the extremes someone will go to if they are deeply afraid of death and have convinced themselves that there is a way to avoid it.
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Summary: Fictional autobiography inspired by the real Countess Elizabeth Bathory, aka The Blood Countess, who believed that she could remain young and beautiful by drinking and bathing in the blood of her virgin servant girls.

Review: I agree with other reviewers who say this isn't appropriate for younger readers. This is definitely for older YA and adult lovers of gothic horror. The story was very creepy and macabre and stuck with me long after flipping the last page. Although it's only 360 pages, it seemed very long sometimes because it goes into great detail and so much was going on. It was telling of her entire life. It was still very enjoyable so I gave it 4/5 stars. ( )

This book has very dark subject matter and I am not sure I would agree with the library having this in the young adults section of the library.

The book is a fictional account about Erszébet Báthory, a Hungarian countess who lived in the 1600s who killed virgin girls and bathed in their blood. The main character Erszébet as a child finds a prophecy that predicts an early death for her that strikes fear in her heart and she becomes obsessed with finding some way to stop herself from aging. With the assistance of Sinestra, she is taken down a very dark path that leads her to forsake God and commit murder all in the hope of staying young forever.

This book at times was very gripping but at other times I really considered giving up on it because I was so disinterested. It sadly didn't make me want to learn more about this historical figure and I have to say that the end while true to history was very anti-climactic and made the book feel unfinished. I think this could have easy been solved by the author put a brief biography about the countess at the end of the story. ( )

This is the fictionalized story of Erzsbet Bathory the Hungarian Countess who tortured and kiled serving girls so she could bathe in their blood to keep herself young. When she was finally caught she was walled up alive in a room in her castle.

Although this is less gory than many of the more historical versions that I have read I wouldn't consider this appropriately published as YA fiction. It is a tale of madness and murder, more appropriate for adult lovers of gothic horror. ( )

Couldn't get past the first 50 pages.