The Blood Confession

Born under the omen of a falling star, Erzebet Bizecka is a child of prophecy. The only heir of a powerful Hungarian count, she was predicted to die young or to live forever. Determined to survive despite the grim prophecy, Erzebet becomes obsessed with preserving her youth and beauty. Not even her closest friend, Marianna, can understand her crippling fear of growing older. Only the beautiful stranger, Sinestra, understands Erzebet's mania. He assures her that there are ways to determine her own destiny, pulling her into a dark world of blood rituals and promising eternal youth in return. Luring her victims to her tower room, Erzebet is determined to thwart God's plan for her life and create her own. How far will she be willing to go to protect herself?

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–As this novel opens, Countess Erzebet Bizecka, imprisoned in the castle tower awaiting trial for the murders of a number of her serving girls, recounts her gruesome story. A beautiful young noblewoman living in 16th-century Hungary, Erzebet becomes obsessed with youth and beauty after her mother goes insane, and performs a ritual that involves bathing in blood. As Erzebet herself teeters on the edge of sanity, she begins to hallucinate about an attractive young man who encourages her hobby and eventually convinces her that she must commit murder in order to gain immortality. Erzebet, based on a real-life Hungarian blood countess, is an interesting character. She feels trapped and powerless in a world dominated by men, but soon learns that her beauty is a source of power. Readers will sympathize with her feelings of loneliness and abandonment, while being repulsed by her actions. The descriptions are mildly gruesome without being overly graphic or sensationalized. Even so, the book is not for the faint of heart. While the characterization is solid, the depiction of Erzebet's descent into madness is overly lengthy, which may deter all but die-hard horror fans.–Michele Capozzella, Chappaqua Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Alisa M. Libby lives in Boston.

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