Beguiled by night - by Nicole Eigener

The beating bloody heart of Nicole Eigener’s magnificent Beguiled by night, is a 1900’s love story framed within the highly realistic world of a French Vampire, living down through the centuries (I'm sorry if I sound a bit Highlander there, but how often do I get to use that phrase?). The influences of Anne Rice’s highly memorable “Interview with the vampire” are evident, the language, the culture, the flair of that book find their way into BBN, but Eigener brings her own beautifully poetic prose to the fore, and the reader is drowned in atmosphere.

Let’s clear one thing up – I am not a vampire fan. I think the trope has been done – well and not so well – again and again, so when a vampire book grabs my attention, it’s nothing short of miraculous. And that’s what I think this book is – nothing short of miraculous. The main character Vauquelin is a loner, a vampire that refuses to give in to his vampiric nature, that will not sire any other vampire, not condemn anyone else to the darkness that devours him. The detail of his life told through flashbacks and memory, are wonderfully detailed, relevant to the story, and packaged in Nicole’s wonderful prose. And all of that is presented in a mystery, as Vauquelin is pulled mercilessly back through time, for reasons unknown.

And all of that is presented in Omni POV.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

Omni (Omniscient Point of view – we get the thoughts and actions of everyone we care to shine a light on) - The book is written in Omni. How long has it been since I read a book in Omni? Forever. And when was the last time I read a book in Omni that I liked? I can’t actually remember reading one that wasn’t written accidentally in Omni (I.e. The author got things wrong), and certainly not a book.

It’s such a bold step, but Nicole’s voice is sublime. Honestly, this is just wonderful, you think you are reading a book about a vampire, but you are in fact reading a love story, and even then, when you realize that the book is a love story, you don’t want the bubble to burst. It’s pure popcorn, entertainment on a literary level.

The detail of things and people and styles in the past in evidence here is magnificent. Nicole has done her research and poured her love of the time and the place and the people into the book. She has taken vampire lore and shaped it into her own version. The core of the book is a love story, but the whole is so fantastical in its presentation and voice and sweeping poetry, you could be forgiven for thinking this had been written as the high point of someone’s career.

This is her debut novel.

When you read it, and you really should read it, you’ll know that Nicole has poured her heart and soul into the book. That detail, love, the attention to atmosphere, can’t come from any other place. The time you spend in the novel is ultimately rewarding; You do not want to leave the time period Vanquelin lives through, it is frustrating to have to live, work, sleep, spend time away from her world.

Beguiled by night is simply remarkable. Meticulously written, outstandingly edited, enthrallingly presented.

Nicole Eigener likewise - Remarkable, Meticulous. Enthralling.

Sign me up for the next installment. I can’t wait to be beguiled all over again.

5 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s

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You can buy Beguiled by night by clicking on the Amazon store appropriate to you.

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