Description
'I was blown away by this dark, enchanting story of witchcraft, power and injustice' Mary Chamberlain
'A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint' Francesca Haig, author of The Fire Sermon series
Erzsebet Bathory, whose infamous place in history characterises her as the 'Blood Countess', is rumoured to have murdered 600 peasant girls. The Nightingale's Castle tells the gripping story of an intelligent and capable woman fighting to hold onto her wealth and independence, in a world where the poor and the wealthy alike face savage challenges.
In 1573, Countess Erzsebet Bathory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought up in one of the hamlets surrounding the Castle. Many years later, 15-year-old Boroka reluctantly leaves the safety of the only home she has ever known in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Trusted members of the countess's household have been sent out to gather new serving girls, and the kindly old man who has taken care of Boroka for almost all her life knows that it is too dangerous to turn them away.
Boroka struggles to find her place at Cachtice Castle: she is frightened of the countess's reputation as an alleged murderer of young girls, and the women who run the castle are terrifyingly cruel. When plague comes into the heart of the castle, a tentative bond begins to form between Boroka and the Countess Bathory. But powerful forces are moving against a woman whose wealth poses such a threat to the king: can the countess really trust the women who are so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous 'Blood Countess' where will Boroka's loyalties lie?
About the Author
Sonia Velton, a former lawyer, is the author of two other books. Her historical debut, Blackberry and Wild Rose, was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, long-listed for the HWA Debut Crown and has been optioned for film.
Reviews
I was blown away by this dark, enchanting story of witchcraft, power and injustice. The writing is exquisite, the atmosphere of late 16th century Hungary magnificently evoked with all its forbidding secrets, sinister machinations and heart wrenching detail. I was gripped from start to finish. The Nightingale's Castle is a triumph of story-telling and nothing short of brilliant * Mary Chamberlain *
The Nightingale's Castle is as intricately and deftly woven as the lace made by the girls of the castle. It's a moving, fascinating and haunting tale, immaculately researched. A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint * Francesca Haig, author of The Fire Sermon series *
The Nightingale's Castle is a gripping read - beautifully written, skilfully plotted, and a fascinating exploration of women's struggle to have their truth heard * Louise O'Neill, author of Idol *
Dark, unsettling and so skilfully written, The Nightingale's Castle is a novel that takes the reader by the hand and leads them to the wintry side of the human soul. Tinged with a creeping horror from the opening pages, it reads like the finest fairy tale. I loved it, and admired it greatly * Joanne Burn, author of The Hemlock Cure *
A gripping tale of feminism and power, love and deceit, secrets and revenge, all soaked in a dark and rich tapestry of history. An unforgettable novel that inspires and enthralls in equal measure, it had me reading well into the night. Velton's best one yet * Awais Khan, author of No Honour and Someone Like Her *
The Nightingale's Castle is a beautifully crafted story that keeps the reader constantly balanced between hope and fear, just as the characters are. A gripping tale of power, loyalty and betrayal. I loved it * Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women *
A dark and powerful tale of women fighting for their truths to be heard. Dripping with unease, it is a story filled with the bloodthirsty horror, not of monsters, but of humankind * Polly Crosby, author of Vita and the Birds *
Absolutely loved this novel of the 'Blood Countess' - secrets, betrayals and survival, and how women's stories are told and twisted and changed * Sarah Brooks, author of The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands *
The Nightingale's Castle is as intricately and deftly woven as the lace made by the girls of the castle. It's a moving, fascinating and haunting tale, immaculately researched. A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint * Francesca Haig, author of The Fire Sermon series *
Book Information
ISBN 9780349146096
Author Sonia Velton
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Abacus
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 156mm * 22mm
