A review by raygersh
Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste

2.0

I really don’t know how it’s possible to make a novel about vampires, supernatural creatures, and other such immortals tromping through California in the 60s boring, but somehow Gwendolyn Kiste managed. The story follows Lucy and Bertha, as previously seen in Dracula and Jane Eyre respectively, two women whose stories are defined by the control exerted over them by the male leads of their stories. While the premise is unique, promising thrills and the dismantling of the patriarchy, I’m not sure it works. The characters are loosely connected and don’t seem fully realized. Even while establishing themselves as feminist heroes, they are still driven by Dracula and Rochester’s actions throughout the entire story. And it was dull. I wanted excitement and breakthroughs for these females but was left with dissatisfying fan fiction.

Overall: an interesting pairing of characters but a bit of a drudge to get through. 2.5 stars