Review of The Brides by Charlotte Cross

2026 is definitely the year of perfectly plotted and beautifully written retellings of Gothic fiction, with female characters at the forefront of the literary stage, including the atmospheric and gripping Three Brides, an imagined retelling of Dracula from the perspectives of his ‘brides.’

I immediately felt swept up in this reimagining. The way that Charlotte chose to tell the story through the exchange of letters between the female characters in the lead up to their journey to Transylvania, helped us, the reader, to gain more of an understanding of them as individuals and the events of the storyline. 

The pace is slow, eerie, and deliciously dark, and with each page I felt more drawn into the book, especially the sapphic romance element. Charlotte is a fabulous new voice in the Gothic fiction space, and I’m already intrigued to see what she has up her sleeve next.

Published on 19.03.2026 by Tor Nightfire

Reviewed by Danielle

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