Confusing and boring. I could not bring myself to caring for the protagonists at all

I've read the books in this series but I put this one aside after 60%. There is no plot, dozens of characters and nothing really happens. It is vampires in Japan. Weird but unengaging.

Kind of a mid-quel to Newman's Anno Dracula series, this volume sees a boatload of exiles from Dracula's England (where he had married Queen Victoria, defeated van Helsing and set himself up in the open) seeking refuge in 1899 Meiji Japan, where the years of isolation have given rise to creatures as strange as the European vampires. This is very elaborate world-building, with references to anime and Japanese cinema that I am sure I did not fully appreciate.

Bit harder to catch all the references in this one, as my knowledge of Japanese genre is limited & certain that a few things went by - but an enjoyable read, as always.

This was a very interesting and fun take on the vampire mythos and vampire fiction. I also liked how this book stood very well on its own. I haven't read the rest of this series, having picking up his novel in a thrift shop not knowing it was in a series (I know I guess that's partially my fault), but despite that I could follow the characters and story told very well without having to read the previous books. Not to mention I adored Geneviève and Kostaki as characters.

While the story was well written and the characters we followed were compelling and fun to read, there was a hint of a "white savior" type beat that just rubbed me a little wrong during the climax of this book. Maybe it's just me but idk, it took me out of the experience a bit. That and some chapters and scenes just felt a bit tedious to read through, I would read a chapter and then immediately forget the details of what the hell just happened. The only scenes that stuck with me were the climax and the main character (Geneviève) being jailed for a murder she was framed for. It just felt like it took too long to get to the juicy bits.

This series is back on track in my opinion, a more familiar era with it being set in 1899 and nearer to the events of the first Anno Dracula novel. Set in Japan it features a very fun and enjoyable plot. Not so many references as past titles, I was expecting a showing from Godzilla but was left disappointed.

I did find this a lot more enjoyable than Johnny Alucard. I have the last book of the series (so far) lined up to read but I think I may save it for a week or two. I looked forward to reading this one and it was worth it.

Another very solid entry in the finest alternate-history/fantasy mashsup series there is. This entry takes us back to the late-nineteenth century and gives Newman a chance to play with Japanese folklore and monster mythology. Suffers from an influx of inconsequential characters and those unfamiliar with Japanese may struggle committing them all to memory, but the unique relationships between the main characters, particularly Genevieve Dieudonne and the Princess Christina Light, provide an intriguing counterweight to the gorefests standard in the series.