Ratings3
Average rating2.7
Samara Breger's A Long Time Dead is a lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die. Somewhere foggy, 1830 . . . Poppy had always loved the night, which is why it wasn't too much of a bother to wake one evening in an unfamiliar home far from London, weak and confused and plagued with a terrible thirst for blood, to learn that she could no longer step out into the day. And while vampirism presented several disadvantages, it more than made up for those in its benefits: immortality, a body that could run at speed for hours without tiring, the thrill of becoming a predator, the thing that pulls rabbits from bushes and tears through their fur and flesh with the sharp point of a white fang. And, of course, Roisin. The mysterious woman who has lived for centuries, who held Poppy through her painful transformation, and who, for some reason, is now teaching her how to adjust to her new, endless life. A tight, lonely, buttoned-up woman, with kindness and care pressed up behind her teeth. The time they spend together is as transformative to Poppy as the changes in her body, and soon, she finds herself hopelessly, overwhelmingly attached. But Roisin has secrets of her own, and can't make any promises; not when vengeance must be served. Soon, their little world explodes. Together and apart, they encounter scores of vampires, shifty pirates, conniving opera singers, ancient nobles, glamorous French women, and a found family that throws a very particular sort of party. But overhead, threat looms--one woman who is capable of destroying everything Poppy and Roisin hold dear.
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Thanks to Netgalley i received an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
I think this was overall an enjoyable read. MC Poppy is a sex worker from the 1800's and i really liked the way this was portrayed in a positive light. One day, she becomes the victim of old vampire Cane's attacks and that's how Poppy becomes a vampire herself. Roisin will take her under her wing and they will live and bond together in a secluded place. Later on, Roisin wants to track down Cane so she leaves Poppy with her new found family: the Brood. (This is where i feel like the pacing goes very slow). By the end of the book, there's a very graphic scene of a fight with Cane and the Brood and after lots of tension Cane gets killed and their human friend almost die so they decide to turn her. And in the epilogue we get to see Poppy and Roisin getting engaged.
Pros: • i liked the writing style a lot, very unique
• the horror in this book was just enough to shock you, not too much nor too little (mostly gore/body horror, violence and profanity)
• fav tropes, found family, grumpy x sunshine, pining
• lesbian MC, trans lady side-character, gay male character (just queer vampires in general)
• favorite parts of the book were the beginning and the ending
• the romance was quite nice
• sex scenes were bearable
Cons: • a little too uneventful for my taste
• slow pacing
• plenty of details didn't make sense to me (especially Cane's motivation)
TLDR; enjoyable read, but i can see how it might not be for everyone