And I Darken by Kiersten WhiteMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first novel I've read by Kiersten White, and I thought it was terrific. I loved it.
I've always had an interest in the story of the "real" Dracula, the Wallachian prince raised in the Ottoman court, and there have been some (for me) close misses, but this is almost dead center. It is a retelling and a reimagining, with Vlad gender-swapped as Lada, a young princess instead of a prince, but this just makes the story more interesting. In all the ways that matter, the author has presented the history of the time in an accurate and comprehensible way, and that's what I have been looking for.
Meanwhile, she tells an excellent character-based story. Lada is a hard, driven, angry creature who is so selfish she seems cruel. Her unkindness to her younger brother, especially in their early youth, makes her almost unsympathetic, though she's exciting to watch, the way she insists on being tougher than everybody else. But as we get to know her, we realize that she cares deeply about her homeland, craves the approval of her father, and loves her brother, even if she's usually dismissive of him. She eventually grows to respect him to a degree, and they grow closer.
Lada is humanized most when she and her brother, sent to be hostages at court, become close to Mehmed, the prince and heir to the Ottoman throne. Though despises the Ottomans, especially at first, she finds a lot to appreciate. Lada trains with the Janissaries, earning their respect, then falls in love with Mehmed and even saves his life. Still, she never stops being angry and prickly and dangerous. The way the author makes us believe all of these things about this complex young woman is what I love most about the book.
Radu, her brother, has a whole different arc, and it's just as believable and just as crucial to the story.
I found the book compelling and am eager to see the concluding volumes. This is a Dracula I want to read more about.
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