The Bookish Hour

A Dowry of Blood by ST Gibson (part one)

• Jor & Fab • Season 1 • Episode 53

Share episode

Vintage Lenses & Gothic Pages

BOOKCLUB TIME!!

We decided to dive into A Dowry of Blood by ST Gibson. We wanted to break this up into two parts so this is part one of the book. Make sure you have read from the beginning to page 152 aka stop when you get to part three of the book.

Come join us on the vampy side!

Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
Follow Us:
Podcast: @thebookishhourpod
Fabienne: @oxonheart
Jordan: @sipsoffiction

Jordan:

welcome to the bookish hour with jor and fab.

Fabienne:

We really need to insert, like, some musical instruments. I feel like I'm gonna I feel gonna try and find some drums like a drum roll oh my gosh.

Jordan:

But then I feel like that would have to be at the beginning, like can I get a drum roll please? I don't know if you can hear that, but that was me drum rolling you know what?

Fabienne:

I am actually going to edit a drum rolling now so people will hear, like the second intro, like introducing us, like with the drum roll, but we digress already. Um, we should have started recording sooner, because I already asked you before, like how are you doing? What have you been up to? Huh, yeah, yeah, how are you?

Jordan:

doing? What have you been up to?

Fabienne:

I haven't, uh, been doing anything remarkable, to be honest, like nothing out of the ordinary, nothing really thunderous, nothing really new. Um, oh, that is actually a complete lie. I'm sorry. I am sorry. I I sort of like, um, um, no, wait, let me, let me backtrack. Okay, so I am into something new photography with like an actual film wait, but I thought you've always been into that I.

Jordan:

I kind of have. But it's. It's kind of mistaken, like it's oh okay, okay, put in the background like getting back into it into it sort of yes, I say very carefully.

Fabienne:

Um, I feel like, say, eight months ago, like nine, nine months ago, you know, like jay is into state and like into investors and everything, etc. Well, one time he was buying up like a property but the woman who wanted to rent it back really situation I'm not gonna dive into that she gave him like an entire box of old cameras okay, I definitely remember we have pictures of this like of like giving you

Fabienne:

cameras yeah, and it was like a while ago and we just like they were just like sitting here like collecting dust and everything, um, but I figured they sound like they're working. So last saturday, like last weekend, I went into the city center and I looked up some, you know, like some camera stores online and I walked in and said, hey, I've come into the possession of like a few of these. Can you just check for me if they actually function, if they still work? And then it was away like for about 10, 15 minutes and he came back and he was like, yeah, they work. So it was nothing special, but I was freaking out. I'm like, oh my, I have like these at home, like these old things, and they actually work. Granted, I only checked this one. I still have to get the other cameras and go into the store, but they're pretty heavy. This is like almost a kilo, which is I don't know how many, I feel like it's some type of use pounds right

Fabienne:

because, America's stupid? I don't know. No, no, no, america's not stupid. They have you. They're not stupid.

Fabienne:

Yeah, but yes, a kilo is pretty heavy for like a camera, I'd say it is okay, just the one anyways, but it's really cool. So I bought like a new battery for it. I it was like missing a cap, so he gave missing a cap. So he gave me a cap for free, which is always nice, and he showed me how to work it basically, and I got a film for it and it's black and white and I'm now on.

Jordan:

I think it has like 20 or 25 pictures that you can take with it and I'm now at picture 11, or actually 12, I should say, and then you'll have to like go get the film like developed and stuff, yeah, yeah, that's exciting.

Fabienne:

I want to see these pictures. Oh, you will. So because I kind of like spiraled in, you know, like these photograph accounts and everything, and sometimes you see like people share how to edit some stuff in Lightroom, adobe, lightroom, even though you only have like the negative, like the negatives of a photo. So apparently, if you just pull out the negatives and you just put it up to light and you take a very sharp picture with your phone or tablet or whatever, and you can edit the negative part counterwise in Lightroom and you can actually develop your negatives on your app, like on your phone. Are you still?

Jordan:

following, but wait. So do you not want to get them developed? You just want them. No, I will get them developed. I will get them developed, you just want them.

Fabienne:

No, I will get them developed. I will get them developed, but then obviously you get your negatives back. So then afterwards I want to try that. I don't want to say it's a hack, but then I want to see if it actually works yeah, oh my god, yeah, how cool would that be right.

Fabienne:

The only thing I'm really missing, though, because it doesn't. I mean it has like this viewfinder, I think is what you call it, but it doesn't have like a screen. Um, and I I really need a screen because blind as shit. So when, when you look like this, obviously what the cap is on, you do have like a certain like imagination of what the photo is going to look like, but it's so different again from like your phone or like an actual camera with like a bigger viewfinder, like with the screen, etc. But uh, so this is what what I've been up to really for the past week or like this past weekend exciting though.

Jordan:

So what have you?

Fabienne:

been taking pictures of honestly just random shit.

Fabienne:

So saturday, like I said, we went out, like I went out and came back home and I was like I was down, um, I was saying to jay, like okay, we have to go out, I just have to take some pictures, see if like works, you know, like trying to get to um, get into it again, like you know, like have an understanding of how the mechanics work. So we just went out, uh, just walked around a bit like through the streets here, um, obviously, uh, flowers, trees, took a photo of him, took a photo of myself, a car that went past, because I wanted to see how it does with motion pictures, like when the subject is like in motion, um, and some shade pictures like where, um, or like low exposure pictures is what I should say. So really too much. But also because film apparently is pretty expensive, it's like expensive how much was the film you got?

Fabienne:

15 euros, which is basically 15 for like 25 pictures. Yeah, that's a lot, you know, like. Can you recall like when you were younger and you would like develop these pictures, you would have like maps of like or like folders of like hundreds of pictures.

Jordan:

That was a guess of fortune well, yeah, because I just remember it's like when you get the the pictures developed, you have to pay for that. So it's like almost like so much more money, because it's just like having it on your phone and then like printing it like on your computer. I mean, granted, it won't be as nice quality, but you know what I mean.

Fabienne:

Yeah I know it's just uh, just it's an expensive hobby I'm finding out, but you know it's worth it. And it's not like I'm taking pictures every other day or like every day. It's just Also because you only have like a limited amount. You were trying to save it for the right moment.

Jordan:

Fair, fair, but I mean it's also like if it's something you like to do, it's almost worth it.

Fabienne:

It. It's also like if it's something you like to do, it's almost worth it it's true, so it's like if you're enjoying it, and you really, that is true. I mean, I could just like balance it, you know, like 150 euros for a book, 150 euros for a camera roll yes, you can so now I have another expensive hobby.

Jordan:

It could be worse, it could be true, true, what can you put the camera, the film on your wish list and then, hopefully, people buy that for you technically, I could hinted, hinted, yes, I shall look into it.

Fabienne:

Yeah, exactly, um, so that's what's, uh, what's up with me. So I was lying. Nothing too exciting. This is actually pretty exciting. But yes, as soon as I happen to develop, I will let you know okay, because I need to see these.

Jordan:

So you have to show yes have to.

Fabienne:

Also, I love your microphone, isn't? I don't think your microphone is connected. Like I hear you, but like I hate my microphone there well, why don't you you?

Jordan:

should have put a mic on your wish list. I hate my microphone.

Fabienne:

Well, why don't you already?

Jordan:

You should have put a mic on your wishlist. You should have.

Fabienne:

You need to send me your mic. I will. I'm going to text it. I'm going to text it to you right now. By the way, just just have it out of the way, because I am notorious for saying like I'll do it later and then just never do it. Oh the way, because I am notorious for saying like I'll do it later and then just never do it.

Jordan:

Oh my God, I'm so bad. Wait, so do I sound better now. Yes, perfect, yes, I don't know what it is, but like nobody, nobody like my microphone doesn't want to connect to like discord and I don't, or it like disconnects, like when we like are recording or something like that and I just, and it sucks, because this microphone was like a hundred bucks and it's poop, it's a fluke.

Jordan:

I wonder if I got like a lemon that's the only thing I can think of, because I'm like not that I would, and I know microphones can probably be more expensive like, if I get like a really nice one, it's probably like way more money, but you would still think $100 would be like this one was $100 thought that was like $150 or $200 oh, that could also be it because I didn't buy it myself.

Fabienne:

I'll look into it, I'll. Yeah, I'm so sorry, that's what I thought oh my god but it's almost like worth it though, actually it is because, didn't you know, this won't pick it, this won't pick up, but it has like a mute button on here. Look at the screen like on the microphone on. Yeah, so if I just click, this is a test. So if I click it, no, did you see, like the red? Uh, the red light, uh-huh, wow, the red ring of light.

Jordan:

Then it's, and then I couldn't hear you no see, that's really cool and I am jealous. I'm looking up your microphone now. Yeah, it'd be like 150. Actually there's two different ones, so I'm gonna have to like, I'm just gonna screenshot these and then I'm gonna talk to you later about which ones, because there's like 120, 150, so I don't really know.

Fabienne:

I don't remember so many options. But yes, yes, we'll talk about that later. Um the blood, or like a dowry of blood, sorry of blood.

Jordan:

Oh yes, sounds so like, ominous, so like it is ominous in a way kind of sinister, that's what that's the word. But then ominous works remember kb rose's books ominous sinister yeah, but like I don't know of blood, just sounded more sinister than ominous okay, I get that.

Fabienne:

Yeah, no, no, no, I kind of agree, I don't not agree okay, do you concur?

Jordan:

I concur, I concur do you concur?

Fabienne:

I concur, yes, yes. So a dowry of blood. Let it be known that this is a reread technically for you. Yes, had you actually reread it technically for you. Yes, had you actually reread it? Jordan for this episode. But it's fine, we'll just spitballing To page 27.

Jordan:

Oh well, you know it's just one more than 26, so Exactly I got 27 pages in and I know for our next episode I will have read the whole book.

Fabienne:

So Like, okay, you already did, but it's fine. It was my first read and I have to say I am fucking hooked. I need the next page as much as I need blood.

Jordan:

Yeah yeah, our writing style is very lyrically written, but it's not difficult to read definitely not.

Fabienne:

I had a feeling that it would be a little bit difficult because of like how? Um? Well, not because, but when I saw, like, the formatting off, like also, I took your advice and started reading from this paperback, because I have two versions I have the self-published one and I have the red hook published.

Jordan:

I think it's sure I think it's part of his chat. I think it's part of I'm not glad.

Fabienne:

Anyways, it's a cool edition, but like these, like these little I don't want to say, because they're not chapters, they feel more like they're entries.

Jordan:

Yeah, it's like a diary, yeah, it's almost like a diary, diary, wow that was really difficult to say. But I feel like we need to tell people that you should read parts one and two, and if you haven't, then don't listen to this, because we'll be talking about parts one and two. Stop at part three.

Fabienne:

I feel like that's pretty, yeah, yeah, solid, great information. Thank you, could not leave that out. I already forgot. No, but like you say, it's very lyryrically, poetically written and not difficult at all. I thought it was gonna be a little like difficult. Yeah, I expected it to be a little bit difficult because I felt, like you know, it's old in english, because she is from a very, you know, an old age.

Jordan:

Yeah, like you don't you don't have like a time frame, like you don't know when like this is happening, like you just know, but you know it's like of an older time but you have no years. I like, well, the first time I picked it up I thought so too. Um, like I thought it was going to be a lot harder to read. And and then you like start reading it and you're like, wow, I also, and why I like this? No, nothing against her like self-published edition, but I really like her. Like this edition by Red Tower, which is an imprint of Orbit, which is part of Fichette had to put that out there. The font is way bigger. Like the font is bigger and it's almost like it's easier to like read and follow along than like the self-published. But I have to say I really like the cover of the self-published edition.

Jordan:

I do too, it's like these little skeletons.

Fabienne:

I feel like the. I love like the elegance of the officially published or traditional, traditionally published that's what you call it right, yeah, I like the elegance of this, but I love the macabre of this one and I feel like it shows her creativity too, because obviously this is always like done with someone, unless the author is also very creative and like an illustrator themselves or like a Graphic designer. Thank you very much, but yeah, I I can't wait for like a special edition of this where it's like combined.

Jordan:

I was thinking the same thing, like I really want her to do a special edition if she's like, wants to like, if that's like one of her goals. But I would love for somebody to pick it up. But I don't know how that works with being traditionally published, like they might she might not have be able to. I think it kind of just like depends, um, like how, how that, like how her contract is. But I think like a special edition would be so cool and I want it I want it too.

Fabienne:

I wanted to. Um, obviously, what first stood out to me, like what was remarkable at the very first page, again, uh, the second person narrative. Technically, the main character here is Constanta, or that's her name, right, constanta, constanta, how do you say it?

Jordan:

I, I think it's like I have no idea how you pronounce it, like I know, if I say both ways pronounced it, then I would know how to say it both ways.

Fabienne:

If I pronounced it, then I would know how to say it, but like my Dutch ear interferes, because I know it's like this supposedly like the first chapter, which is not a chapter, took place somewhere, either Romania or like Bucharest. Is that Romania?

Jordan:

the entry? Like this first entry, or are you talking about like?

Fabienne:

Yeah, where she like. I don't think that it's been made clear in that first entry where they are from or, like where she is from. Yeah, I don't think so, but I have a feeling it's like either Romania.

Jordan:

You think that she's from or like where they are when she's like writing these?

Fabienne:

No where she is from. And now I have to look something up because I do not want to come across as stupid. Okay, yeah, see, I said something stupid. I said, oh, she's either from Romania or either from Bucharest, but Bucharest is the capital city of Romania.

Jordan:

I have a feeling she's from.

Fabienne:

Romania, because. I do remember someone saying Bucharest at one point at least, oh in here?

Jordan:

Yes, are you reading it? Yes, oh, and that I have to keep my eyes out for that. I have to say like, honestly, though I've like noticed Granted, I did read this like for the first time, like two years ago at this point, but like reading it again, knowing certain things, what you pick up on, which is kind of cool.

Fabienne:

That always happens with a reread it's very interesting to see.

Jordan:

Well, I feel like not all books, but like certain books. Have you had a book where it didn't happen for you? No, because I don't reread those.

Fabienne:

True, fair point.

Jordan:

But I do want to like. I just want to because I made sure to get to this part. My literal favorite part and it was my favorite part then and it's still my favorite part was the quote in. I almost wish there were like entry numbers so I could like read it to you, but it's on page 21, where she's like you did not let me keep my name, so I'll strip you of yours. And then there's like a lot of like saying that you're a ghost, a long night's fever dream, like basically saying you're nothing. And then I say you do not have a name. And I just loved that part so much that, like she, it's like everything that he did to her and it was like you, I'm going to tell my, my story, but you do not get like a face in it. But like you are part of my story but you don't, you don't get a face, and I just oh, I loved it then and I love it now still but you don't really see that.

Fabienne:

I feel like I mean, yes, I do not want to take away your thunder here, I'm so sorry, but can I add to that? Because I feel like I mean, yes, I do not want to take away your thunder here, I'm so sorry, but can I add to that? Because I feel like the second person narration here works really well with that, because the you in this story is him, but we as readers feel like we are so much more immersed in this story because of that second person narrative. Well, the second point, like the second person point of view I'm not really sure how you say it first person, second person narrative or the second point, like the second person point of view, I'm not really sure how you say it first person, second person, yeah, second person works, um, like you're so immersed within the story but you don't know who she is addressing to or like who she's addressing um.

Fabienne:

So you almost feel like that you are the bad guy story but you are not named, you are not given a name. Really, don't you read it like that? I feel like I am being sort of like taken from my reality and taken into the story and I am appointed the bad guy because of the you Like you said it, it feels very accusatory. Guy because of the you like you said it, it feels very accusatory and it works really well because of that. Quote what you just like. What, uh, that you just mentioned too.

Jordan:

It's like in concord, like it's in accord with one another interesting because I I almost read it as in like it's diary entry. So I'm, I'm, I'm like taking like a step back and I'm looking at it from almost like that outside perspective, knowing that she's not talking about me because she's talking about this nameless person. So I almost like, I don't feel like I'm, I almost feel like I'm the fly on the wall when reading it. This is so interesting. I did not think we would have like two different perspectives I like it me too for a change you like

Jordan:

it and that's kind of why and that's like kind of why I like that line almost, because it's like we get to see basically how she was made and how she became who she is now from like the beginning. But it's basically this like one person, and it's almost like like you know how, like when you like, when you like when you're trying to remember a dream, but like as the you're waking up and you, everything becomes like really blurry. So you like almost like see, like you know that that's supposed to be a person, but you can't make any like distinguishing, like factors of that person because everything's kind of like fading away. That's almost like how I feel like you could picture who this like like my lord is, but you don't know, like you don't know like what he looks like, you don't know, like you just know he's like a faceless person and so that's what I love.

Fabienne:

Yeah, I like the um. I guess anonymity works in this context. I like the um how he remains anonymous and again it circles back to that specific one quote like she takes away his power by not giving him a name. It's almost like voldemort of harry potter, he who shall not be named.

Jordan:

Oh, that's true.

Fabienne:

In a way. But this is so much more better than Harry Potter, mind you, total different Calibre as well. Calibre Not Calibre, calibre, um. But yes, I also very much enjoyed the I guess, her first psychology of her being forced or like navigated or like directed into this polyamorous sort of relationship with magdalena, and how she explains that she doesn't really feel like it was consented at first, but then she kind of grew into the idea because of how it all came together. Pun intended, um, but it was. It's a bad pun, but I, I I like it. I really like where this story is going and I also love how it's not I mean, we have. Well, you are not the biggest fan of reverse harem. This is obviously not a reverse harem. This is a somewhat traditional harem.

Jordan:

Yeah, yeah, this is like more of like the polyamorous.

Fabienne:

Yes, traditional, yeah, but I love the, I guess, subtletyety, subtleness, subtlety of how it's written, like you know, like obviously there is like smut in this, but it's not as prevalent as the smut that we also read in different books like it's.

Jordan:

You see it happening, you see it on the pages, you read it and it's spicy, but it's not like it's not it, but it's not like um, it's um, it's like not it's not like porn spicy, it's like sensual spicy yes, yes, because I I don't want to say it's like not kinky in its like way, yeah, and maybe also partly because it's like not totally consensual, but like kind of fallen into in a way.

Jordan:

Not gonna lie, I haven't gotten to that part in my reread so I kind of don't totally remember it. So that's my bad but I do. I also like, from what I'm like remembering to of like reading it. It was almost like because there's it's not that there's that many of them, like so-called vampire vampires. Well, I for I forgot, I don't know how to pronounce like what she calls them, but basically like the m, oh the yes, but I thought it ended in.

Fabienne:

I do not pronounce the I well, maroi like hawaii maroi because that's like what her grandma do you pronounce like the french way, like the mo, the moho. That is really difficult.

Jordan:

Nobody can pronounce that yeah, and I like don't know how you pronounce it, but I I feel like it's almost kind of like there's not many of them, so she knows that he's the one that made her and he has. She has to stay with him, because where else is she going to go. So it's like whatever he kind of sets the ground rules of, like he's the Lord, their Lord, and like you can't like, whether you like it or not, this is like how it's going to be and you can't deviate from this path anymore yeah sorry.

Fabienne:

Um, I also looked up what moroy is and apparently okay, so I think it's safe to say that she's from bucharest, because I distinctively remember bucharest being mentioned in the book Moroi. Again, however you indeed pronounce it, it says here Moroi is a type of vampire or ghost in Romanian folklore, oh, and in some versions a Moroi is a phantom of a dead person which leaves the grave to draw energy from the living.

Jordan:

And then it says they're also often associated with other figures in, uh, roman folklore, romanian folklore, um, but yeah, that's gotta be like where she stemmed, like where she's from nails from, yeah, like where she's from hails from, yeah, like where he found her and you know, like he found her in like war. It was like the end, yeah, of like a battle that happened, yeah. So it's kind of like you kind of, but you don't, I still like I like that you don't know that much, like I like that you don't have a year, you don't have, you don't have it telling you where it is. Like you can kind of like from looking it up you can find out.

Fabienne:

There are some signifiers here and there. I mean she talks about Suleyman, like the Turkish emperor at one point. Layman, like the turkish emperor at one point. Um she talks about the um, like the war in vienna, like austria, and I want to say hungary like austria.

Jordan:

Hungary, that was like an empire before yeah, and I feel like too, like as they're traveling, she mentions like kind of where they go or like where they went and things like that, so you can kind of pick up on that. But I like that it does. It's like not where it's at the beginning of each like entry. Being like Romania, yeah, which you would normally have with entries, by the way exactly, so I really like how this one is done yeah, yeah, me too.

Fabienne:

I'm trying to um remember, because I also recall seeing like 1800 being mentioned, like thes. So I feel like they are. It's the 1800s. Is that like the enlightenment period, like the renaissance? Oh, I think so.

Jordan:

A piece of history I don't remember. I'm like so bad With history, not going to lie. When is you are bad with history?

Fabienne:

Not going to lie. When is you are fantastic with history? Do not lie.

Jordan:

Are you looking it?

Fabienne:

up.

Jordan:

Yeah, but the Renaissance, yeah, but the renaissance, oh, the renaissance arrived at different countries at varying, varying times. So italy was the first to experience the movement in the 14th century, so that's way off from 1800s, but that's italy. That's italy, though, so I feel like it doesn't oh, and I don't know, and I don't what well, because there's three major phases to like early, high and late. So I feel like, oh, I guess from the 14th to the 17th century, but then that would be 1600s. Right, because it's like a year.

Fabienne:

Yeah, 14th century is 1300s.

Jordan:

Yes, so 13 to 16.

Fabienne:

Yes, hmm, yeah, then we're way off, like at least by 200 years.

Jordan:

We tried, we tried. It was a solid effort on our part a for effort.

Fabienne:

Here's a star, you get a star, we all get a star. Um, yes, do you and this is obviously like a spoiler for the entire book again, because I'm trying to fish whatever I can fish from this very good pond that we have found ourselves in um, does it, does it tackle like contemporary times? Or are you saying, are you going to say, like, you just have to read to find out?

Jordan:

I'm not going to tell you, but I do. Let's just say you know the time frame it ends in. I remember being so excited getting to that like last couple entries, and being like, oh my gosh, and so you'll know that. So, like that's where I'm going to leave it, but I'm not going to tell you if it ends in like contemporary times or whatnot.

Fabienne:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. Well, it doesn't tell me anything at all. So, thanks for that. You're welcome. I'll just have to read on then.

Jordan:

You'll just be really excited. You'll be really excited. If I'm not, I'll buy a ticket.

Fabienne:

I'll come knocking at your door, honey. You said I was going to be excited, but I'm not. You promised me and you lied, finger pointing and all. I love this quote, by the way. The desire makes idiots of all of us. But you already knew that part, didn't you? What?

Jordan:

page. Is that on? Okay, so I have the red hook book like this one, so do so. Do I okay? On 107.

Fabienne:

Oh, oh yeah, that's good.

Jordan:

That's a good quote. I choked on my own spit. She has just like great lines Like I've just like I've basically highlighted. Everything Like even loneliness, hollow and cold becomes so familiar when it starts to feel like a friend.

Fabienne:

Yep, I have never heard of her. Dare I say ST Gibson. I have never heard of her before.

Jordan:

Is this like a?

Fabienne:

first novel.

Jordan:

Yeah, she has like, I think she has like a kind of a small like novella that she published a while ago like Robber Girl. She published a while ago, um, like robber girl, but, um, a dowry of a blood was basically her first one, and I think now that this, yeah, I think because, yeah, this one, um, now that this, the traditionally published one, is out in the world, it shows as, like, may 2023. But that one, the self-published one, I believe, was 2020. Oh yeah, do you have a date in there? 2020. Oh yeah.

Fabienne:

Do you have a date in there? Um, this says here, published by Nick's publishing 2021.

Jordan:

Oh, okay, so 2021. Okay, I thought it was like 2020. Maybe not, but she has robber girl and that that came out in 2019. That's, oh, that's out in 2019. Oh yeah, oh, that's actually 200 pages. I didn't know. That was not a novella. No, and I thought it was a novella, but it does say that was Kindle Pages. Let me look at this Kindle Pages.

Fabienne:

Kindle Pages are not reliable. Oh, okay.

Jordan:

That was actually pretty reliable, but I'm pretty sure. Now I'm double. I have to double check, but I'm pretty sure, saint, yeah, she, her, that's what I thought, um, saint gibson. But she has two more books coming out in, ones in February, the an education in malice that I'm so excited for, and she has sorry no, you continue.

Fabienne:

Continue, please, no, no, no, I apologize.

Jordan:

And she has another one coming out in the summer that I don't know the name of Wait this summer, like this summer still, or like next summer no like next summer. So she has like the education in malice is coming out in February 2024. And then the other one is in summer 2024, but I am so excited for an education in malice, I think can you see what it's about?

Fabienne:

I'm so sorry, I cut you off.

Jordan:

Oh my god. No, it's a dark academia. Rivals to lovers. Carmilla, reimagining the sapphic companion novel to A Dowry of Blood.

Fabienne:

Oh my god.

Jordan:

It's gonna be so good and I'm so excited.

Fabienne:

Honestly, the the dark academia is what sold me I feel like we have um, gravitated toward like a different type of genre that we have come to really enjoy. I mean, we've already like, loved the goth system, like, and like the dark romanticism aspect of, again, dark romance, hence the name. But for some reason, like the overall or like accompanying genre of dark academia, love it so much and it ties in with like one of your favorite tropes, like rivals to lovers. There we go oh my gosh.

Jordan:

Yes, it's just. I don't know what it is about. Dark academia, that is just like so great. But I think it's just. I love the whole like. I think like ever since reading like gothicana, I just like want to like have that again and again and again, and whether it's like slightly different or like similar in those kind of settings. But I feel like this is very. This isn't quite dark academia, but it gives off those like. But I think it's more of her writing style that gives it off yeah it like what.

Fabienne:

What would qualify as dark academia, by the way, do we know that? I mean we slightly digress, but then again, what's new we're tackling?

Jordan:

the subject anyways, it's almost like it has to be like in. I feel like I get an old library kind of setting like dark, musty, it's cloudy Like and that's I know I'm describing like a scene. But that's like what I feel it works for me.

Jordan:

It's like, but that's like what I feel like dark academia would be, like I want to be in like an old, like mansion, or Like an estate, or even like I'll take an old school, like an old university, kind of like Gothicana. But I feel like and it's weird Because I would almost Like, like, even though I Okay, so Does it hurt? I feel like if they wound up not on a lighthouse on an island, but like, let's say, it was an estate on an island, I think it would have counted as like dark academia. But because it wasn't that estate, it was like a lighthouse, it's not. But I feel like, what do you think Like you? What do you think like? What do you think for?

Fabienne:

um, I think like um canon literature, like classic literature, like greek, um greek plays, like greek tragedies, um gothic literature as well.

Fabienne:

Cathedrals is what I vision, like, envision in my head. If I think of dark academia um, the name suggests academics I think of like scholarly settings, um the will to learn, like to study um the occult, the unknown, like mysticism, gloomy and dark weather. Again, I'm also setting a scene, because that just like comes with the image. You know, like if I, if I have to pick like take a picture with my new camera or old camera, depending how you look at it and I had to like capture dark academia, I would go to a cathedral and all the people are like either reading or wearing, like you know, like um classic trousers, like fall outfit yes, it's fall like the weather is gloomy, it's slightly drizzling, there might be thunder coming, uh, coming up um classical music. It is more. I feel a feeling that comes with a certain I don't agree, it's so much. Yeah, I don't really know how to explain it. It's like, obviously it's an aesthetic, people classify it as an aesthetic, but it's also a feeling.

Jordan:

It is Because I googled what is dark academia, just for the fuck of it, and it says dark academia is defined by darkness that overshadows the students, creating a solemn tone and aesthetic. It is often a murder, overpowered professors and difficult student life. That was from october 2022, um, and so dark academia is both an aesthetic and a subculture that is primarily focused on higher education, the arts, calligraphy, museums, museums, writing and reading, and the shadowy classic, greek and Gothic architecture. Totally agree. Didn't even think of museums, but yes, museums would be like.

Fabienne:

Like the statues, you know, like the Greek busts and everything. Yes, yes, yeah, I don't know why. I feel like it's also the nostalgia that comes with um in a way not really sure what type of nostalgia, because I sure as hell didn't experience dark academia in my studies no me um me either, but I wish I did um I know, for this spooky season which I don't know what happened to it.

Jordan:

I'm reading Dracula. I am reading Dracula.

Fabienne:

I want to read it so badly.

Jordan:

Really. Yes, I bought it somewhere. I had a copy, and that's why I didn't buy the one at Barnes Noble when we were there in Texas. But I don't know where it went. It just disappeared in the night, just like dracula does. But yeah, so I like, I definitely am reading that. I'm like looking at my bookshelves trying to find it, but I can't find it. But yes, I want to read that this like fall or like November oh, you want to.

Fabienne:

I'm so sorry. I thought you meant that you are reading it now, but you want to read it.

Jordan:

Oh, oh yeah, no, no, I want to read it.

Fabienne:

I mean, this is the smutty book podcast. But you know, just for the health we could do a buddy read.

Jordan:

We can just like we're broadening our horizons.

Fabienne:

Thank you, I got you.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, it's been a long day Fab.

Fabienne:

It's been a long day yeah no, I know, know, sweetheart, it's fine. We'll just wrap it up soon too, so you're good, okay, cool, cool, but we can. We can read dracula together, maybe, and maybe not even for the smyboot podcast, but just like for the hell of it for ourselves, oh my gosh, we haven't done that in so long. And I apologize. Why do you apologize? I don't know, it's just part of who I am.

Fabienne:

Don't do that, I'm sorry, You're right, but I remember like we used to do that all the time I know A podcast, yeah, and then life happens, and then you start turning 30, and then shit just like gets turned around All goes downhill and you don't know what's happening anymore. Yes, no, let's just wrap it up, because otherwise we'll just actually spiral down this really weird hole. But this was a fantastic first part of A Dowry of Blood. We have a little bit more spoilers maybe in the next book, because we will be discussing the entire book. Jordan will have read it too, right, jordan? Yes, good, good, my bad girl, Good girl. And yeah, that's it for today, folks. Thank you so much for listening.

Jordan:

And please don't forget to rate and review wherever you can find us. So catch you next time. Bye.