The Darkangel

This book is now one of my favorite dark fairytales. It is the story of a darkagel, a vampire, who is collecting “wives” to harvest their souls. Aeriel becomes involved when her mistress, Edouin, is taken. Aeriel goes with the darkangel and becomes the keeper of the souls of his wives and his hideous creatures which guard his castle. But while she is there, trying to determine how she can help free the souls of the “wives” Aeriel begins to fall in love with the darkangel, sensing that there is some small amount of humanity remaining in him.

I think my favorite part about this story was the darkness, and the refusal to lean toward easy love. This line illustrates that point quite well:

“Aeriel turned back to him. ‘I am to be your bride,’ she said, not questioning. The certainty of it overwhelmed her.
The darkangel looked at her then and laughed, a long, mocking laugh that sent the gargoyles into a screaming, chattering frenzy. ‘You?’ he cried, and Aeriel’s heart shrank, tightened like a knot beneath the bone of her breast. ‘You be my bride? By the Fair Witch, no. You’re much too ugly.’”

The story is original, dark, and well written. The prose at times is poetic and the descriptions are beautiful. Needless to say, this book is a five star book, and I have purchased it to add it to my bookshelf.