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This submit on horror impressed by Elizabeth Báthory was initially printed in our horror e-newsletter, The Fright Stuff. Join it here to get the newest and best from the world of horror!
In hindsight, I ought to have used this subject for the Valentine’s Day Fright Stuff. I imply, what’s extra romantic than an especially enticing lady who could or will not be a vampire however is certainly bathing within the blood of younger ladies and doubtless seducing them as properly? I don’t know what’s, however Báthory-inspired horror simply makes me consider Valentine’s Day!
As a life-long vampire fan, I’ve a tender spot in my coronary heart for tales impressed by the darkish historical past of the “Blood Countess.” However let’s be truthful right here for a second: like strongest however maligned ladies in historical past, a lot of the ugly legend that surrounds Elizabeth Báthory is now regarded as little greater than slander by her enemies. Simply as her crimes have been most probably a entrance used to strip her of her affect and independence. There’s a scarcity of eye witness proof that might be alarming by fashionable requirements, and it’s no coincidence both that one of many features of Báthory’s punishment for the alleged murders was the elimination of all of the extraordinarily priceless holdings she gained management of following her husband’s demise. (Can’t have that, now can we.)
There aren’t a ton of assets I might discover about Báthory that appear not less than plausibly credible – one of many downsides of getting your legacy defamed by historical past, apparently, is that your story attracts quite a lot of oddity and never quite a lot of scholarly consideration. There appear to be a number of historical past books on the market that is perhaps value monitoring down, however actually it’s slim pickings. This lack of choices may even be made obvious later with the books I’ll talk about. Sadly, not lots of them are written by individuals of coloration. If you wish to be taught extra about Báthory, although, I like to recommend that you simply try folklore blogger and podcast host Icy Sedgwick’s fascinating podcast episode debating the reality behind the legend. It was an enormous assist this week!
Nonetheless, regardless of the probability of her innocence, Elizabeth Báthory’s infamy (nevertheless fictional) has outlived no matter her true story could have been. And never not like the historic determine that impressed Bram Stoker’s well-known vampire, the fictional model of Báthory is extra prone to dwell perpetually than the girl who impressed her. The truth of it’s a bit unhappy (and a bit rage inducing), however on the identical time, individuals love a narrative. And a lovely murderess who bathed within the blood of tons of of younger ladies is sort of a narrative.
So whereas we give a nod to the a lot defamed historic Báthory, who deserved higher than her destiny, on this week’s Fright Stuff, we additionally elevate a glass to her bloody fictional legacy. They tried to destroy her, however you possibly can’t maintain a nasty bitch down. And we’ll be remembering Elizabeth Báthory, in a single type or one other, lengthy after their names are mud.
Blood Countess by Lana Popović
Although historical past is aware of her as Anna Darvulia, the Blood Countess’s witch companion, firstly of Popović’s e-book, Anna is only a scullery maid introduced on to work within the fort of the glamorous, stunning Countess Elizabeth Báthory. When Anna catches the Countess’s eye, she finds herself elevated above her station to the position of the Countess’s private maid and companion. A confidante. Finally, her plaything, as Anna quickly finds herself drawn deep below the Countess’s affect and remoted from everybody she is aware of and loves. The prisoner of a assassin. And Anna is aware of that being Elizabeth’s pet will solely spare her life for thus lengthy earlier than the Blood Countess ultimately activates her as properly.
Once I Arrived on the Fortress by Emily Carroll
Once I Arrived on the Fortress is an excellent work of Gothic, erotic horror, rendered in Carroll’s favored white, black, and crimson palette. On this retelling, a younger cat-like woman arrives at a darkish fort on a narrative night time on a mission to destroy the evil inside. Too many ladies have come earlier than her, by no means to be seen once more, and the gorgeous lady on the fort door hides a monster behind her face. Once I Arrived on the Fortress is certainly unusual and sudden in the most effective methods. It’s additionally queer! Actually, I ought to level out, that every one three of the titles on this listing are queer horror.
Caveat: Whereas I used to be placing this article collectively, I made the disappointing discovery that apparently Once I Arrived on the Fortress is out of print. I select to not take it out of the e-newsletter as a result of, once more, I discover Carroll’s work good, and well worth the effort to trace down. And, fortunately, now we have libraries and the fantastic energy of inter-library loans!
Home of Starvation by Alexis Henderson (October 4th)
The wait to October goes to be SO lengthy, as a result of I’m already dying to get my arms on Alexis Henderson’s new queer, Gothic horror novel, impressed by the Báthory legend. Seeing it as her solely technique of escaping town and poverty she was born into, Marion Shaw solutions a newspaper itemizing to be a bloodmaid for a rich noble lady within the north. A servant within the notorious Home of Starvation, presided over by the seductive and exquisite Countess Lisavet. When Lisavet fixes her eye on Marion, it appears Marion’s fortunes are on the rise, however a string of disappearing bloodmaids throws Marion’s new life into chaos. She finds her self drawn right into a harmful recreation that will properly see Marion numbered among the many lacking herself.
