Young Adult Literature without Apology

Amy's assessment of contemporary young adult literature, organized by author and title, censored by noone.

Realistic | Romance | Science Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Libby, Alisa (2006). The Blood Confession. NY: Dutton Juvenile. ISBN: 0525477322.

Here's my confession: I actually work with the author of this book. And, I'll tell you what I told her: this is a great novel. I admit, I was prepared to read book, be less than impressed, and spend the next weeks either avoiding Alisa or smiling wanly as I nodded and tried to come up with vague superlatives to describe her first novel. Instead, I took the book home and ended up reading nonstop one Saturday; I was that into it.

The story is a gothic historical fiction based loosely on the real-life countess Bathory, who bathed in the blood of young girls in an attempt to retain her youth and beauty. Holed up in a drafty castle, the narrator of Libby's tale, Erzebet, longs for companionship, especially after her own mother spirals into insanity. By chance, Erzebet meets a village girl and befriends her and the two develop a relationship based in part on their genuine affection for each other and, I think, in part on each girl's envy of the other. When the bosom friend dies, Erzebet kind of goes around the bend and it is then that her obsession with youth and beauty begins. Critics have condemned this book for its length; however, look at that damn M.T. Anderson Book Award winner! Admittedly, this is not a novel for reluctant or inexperienced readers; it is however a chilly blend of historical fiction and gothic horror that will likely appeal to fans of Meyer's Twilight who are looking for a little more to chew on. (I couldn't resist!)