The Night Library at Sternendach — A Vampire Opera Novel Review
Book cover image from Lanternfish Press
The Night Library at Sternendach answers a unique call: vampire opera in verse. The dark story puts a romantic twist on the classic vampire genre, each line mimicking an opera libretto. The cast of characters is listed along with the voice and description assigned to each part, so I found myself wondering which actor would play each part.
I am a huge fan of the vampire genre. I love the mystery and intrigue surrounding the creatures of the night, particularly when written in glorious, magical verse such as this. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll love this novel, too.
At a Glance: The Night Library of Sternendach
The Night Library of Sternendach reads as a mixture of Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera — revolving around the library at Castle Sternendach, the Graf’s home. The dance of words played in my mind’s eye with each new verse. All I needed was Andrew Lloyd Webber to write the music. I’ve already cast the show for him, if he’ll but ask.
Vibrant Plott, Cast, and Musicality at the Night Library
This grand opera has it all: love, jealousy, urgency, loss. I heard the vocals and saw the choreography of the Graf, Grafin, Timoch, and Kunigunde dancing across the pages. Oma terrified me and Eva’s strength emboldened me.
The magic of this paranormal novel is that each reader will have a different take, while creating a different cast of actors as they read. A key figure, the Graf, particularly worked his magic with verse — each line mesmerizing me as I read — even more than Kunigunde!
I won’t reveal the story with a hint of spoilers; instead I’ll say that I found the book virtually impossible to put down and wound up reading the whole thing in one sitting.
And then, I read it again. All through the second read, I sang my praises for the Night Library along with its owner.
If you are concerned about reading in verse, allay your fears. The rhythmic pacing enhances understanding with beautiful, lilting fluidity as the story brilliantly sidestepped the potential overdone tropes of so many vampiric tales. And truly, kudos for Jessica Lévai. She crafted rhymes for the entire book, yet avoided a “Dr. Seuss does Vampire” feel.
Who is The Night Library at Sternendach For?
For all those who love the vampire genre, this is a must read. The music, the rhythm, the magic, the dance… It’s all here wrapped up in the vampiric trappings without the overdone tropes you’ve grown to come to roll your eyes over.
If Andrew Lloyd Webber is looking for another idea for a play, this vampiric opera would be a fantastic venture. The staging, the lights, the feeling will have the audience reeling. Save me a seat at The Night Library of Sternendach!
If you’re looking for more fabulous tales, explore these titles reviewed or written by our team at the MockingOwl Roost.
- The Gold Persimmon – A Dark Novel Review
- Graveyard in the Attic – Ghost Story
- The Descent – a Paranormal Novel Review
- A Saturday in Paris – Speculative Fiction
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Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.
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