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The Curse in Their Veins
Early one morning, in an old Romanian town known for its healing waters, eight-year-old Adela sees a witch outside her window. She rushes to tell her sister, a girl named Veronica who everyone says looks just like their dead grandmother. Together, the sisters embark on a fascination with witchcraft that follows them into adulthood. For a while, they seem to grow in opposite directions. Adela is haunted by night terrors, while Veronica is haunted by the legacy her grandmother left behind. Everyone says their grandmother was a cruel woman, and Veronica can tell she has more in common with the woman than just her looks. It is not until the sisters find themselves in a cave by the Celtic Sea that they discover the there is a curse running through their family bloodline. In order to break it, they must dive into the past and learn from the mistakes of their ancestors. Are we doomed to become like our forefathers and foremothers? Why is it that, once in a while, a child is born who bears an uncanny resemblance to a malevolent ancestor? The Curse in Their Veins explores what it means to break the intergenerational curse of narcissism. It weaves together Romanian culture, Paganism, sisterhood, Jungian psychology, and the sacred relationships between crones and granddaughters.
303 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2023
24 people are currently reading
650 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 17, 2024
3.75/5 (rounded up, since this is the author's debut novel)
The Curse in Their Veins by Ana Yudin follows the lives of two Romanian sisters fighting a curse that has plagued the women within their family bloodline. This fantasy has mystery, folklore, and witchcraft. It is told in 3rd person, multiple POV (primarily dual).
Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend it to readers who enjoy fantasy and historical fiction. I would consider Ana Yudin's writing style to be relatively flowery, which I enjoyed given the setting of this book.
Aspects of this book I enjoyed:
- Incorporation of folklore, history, and tradition
- The relationship between Adela and Baba Mihaela
- The setting descriptions; in many moments I felt like I was there with the characters
- Introduction of new perspectives from Rema and Kiara
- The quest at the end of the book
Aspects I struggled with and why I rated this below a 4:
I will chop this up to it being a debut novel, but it felt like Ana Yudin was trying to accomplish A LOT within so few pages. I would have preferred for her to focus on less and really dive deep—but, instead, I was left wanting more with a handful of loose ends.
I wish Ana Yudin chose to do the perspective shifts differently because it was a bit confusing at first. For most books I read with dual/multiple POV, the author provides the POV name at the top of the chapter (that wasn't the case with this book). Interestingly, Ana Yudin chose to do that for Rema and Kiara's chapters, which I appreciated.
Personally, I struggled to emotionally connect with any of the characters. They all felt very flawed, not just Veronica, with little to no redemption (e.g., father, mother, Rema). I could have connected with Adela's character, but what really hurt her character for me was taking away Veronica's powers early on in the book and it not ever being addressed. It felt like she never had to address her own bad behavior, while the attention was solely on Veronica's behavior due to her curse.
There was a big missed opportunity to further develop the relationship between Adela and Veronica. The story begins when they are 8 years old, which made it hard to relate to them and take their interactions as forming a deep sisterly bond. I would have preferred to have had them be 12/13 years old, but that is a personal opinion. The vast majority of the book felt as if they were in constant friction.
I felt there was a missed opportunity to further develop these key side characters: Bogdan and Baba Mihaela.
- As much as I love romance subplots, the relationship with Bogdan and Adela felt very random and unrealistic to me. His character development was non existent, and I felt he could have played an integral role in me feeling closer to Adela's character.
- Baba Mihaela was probably one of my favorite characters for how kind she was to the girls, especially Adela. Her de@th could have been a really emotionally impactful moment for me, but I felt as if I didn't have much time to get to know her.
Thank you to Dr. Ana Yudin for sending me her book in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to following her author journey.
The Curse in Their Veins by Ana Yudin follows the lives of two Romanian sisters fighting a curse that has plagued the women within their family bloodline. This fantasy has mystery, folklore, and witchcraft. It is told in 3rd person, multiple POV (primarily dual).
Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend it to readers who enjoy fantasy and historical fiction. I would consider Ana Yudin's writing style to be relatively flowery, which I enjoyed given the setting of this book.
Aspects of this book I enjoyed:
- Incorporation of folklore, history, and tradition
- The relationship between Adela and Baba Mihaela
- The setting descriptions; in many moments I felt like I was there with the characters
- Introduction of new perspectives from Rema and Kiara
- The quest at the end of the book
Aspects I struggled with and why I rated this below a 4:
I will chop this up to it being a debut novel, but it felt like Ana Yudin was trying to accomplish A LOT within so few pages. I would have preferred for her to focus on less and really dive deep—but, instead, I was left wanting more with a handful of loose ends.
I wish Ana Yudin chose to do the perspective shifts differently because it was a bit confusing at first. For most books I read with dual/multiple POV, the author provides the POV name at the top of the chapter (that wasn't the case with this book). Interestingly, Ana Yudin chose to do that for Rema and Kiara's chapters, which I appreciated.
Personally, I struggled to emotionally connect with any of the characters. They all felt very flawed, not just Veronica, with little to no redemption (e.g., father, mother, Rema). I could have connected with Adela's character, but what really hurt her character for me was taking away Veronica's powers early on in the book and it not ever being addressed. It felt like she never had to address her own bad behavior, while the attention was solely on Veronica's behavior due to her curse.
There was a big missed opportunity to further develop the relationship between Adela and Veronica. The story begins when they are 8 years old, which made it hard to relate to them and take their interactions as forming a deep sisterly bond. I would have preferred to have had them be 12/13 years old, but that is a personal opinion. The vast majority of the book felt as if they were in constant friction.
I felt there was a missed opportunity to further develop these key side characters: Bogdan and Baba Mihaela.
- As much as I love romance subplots, the relationship with Bogdan and Adela felt very random and unrealistic to me. His character development was non existent, and I felt he could have played an integral role in me feeling closer to Adela's character.
- Baba Mihaela was probably one of my favorite characters for how kind she was to the girls, especially Adela. Her de@th could have been a really emotionally impactful moment for me, but I felt as if I didn't have much time to get to know her.
Thank you to Dr. Ana Yudin for sending me her book in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to following her author journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2023
This story takes us on a matriarchal journey of the witchy women in a family finding out who they are (in a nut shell). It’s a blend of fall witchcraft and fantasy vibes all in one. We follow two sisters from their young childhood, through adulthood as they navigate family secrets, curses, and coming of age. The afterward from the author brought extra insight into the greater message in the book for me and I really appreciate her weaving her knowledge of psychology into this spooky fantastical read!
March 30, 2025
I first discovered author Ana Yudin through her YouTube videos about mental health. She is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology and brings many psychological insights into this novel. Still, The Curse in Their Veins is by no means a textbook – it is much more overtly focused on the supernatural, ancient European folklore, dramatic imagery, and the pain caused by family relationships tearing apart. This is an entertaining and powerful debut novel. I’m very much looking forward to the author’s second novel, a work of gothic horror called A Song at Dead Man's Cove being published in June 2025.
In the Afterword, Yudin reveals that she made use of Jungian symbolism to depict mental illness and how it can be overcome:
While this is heavy stuff, since Carl Jung had some elaborate ideas, The Curse in Their Veins is easy to follow and I think there is much that will resonate with readers of many different backgrounds. As a therapist, I am considering recommending the book to clients, especially young women who have an interest in spirituality. As a storyteller and as a psychologist, Yudin emphasizes acceptance, accountability, and individual empowerment.
As is fitting for someone inspired by Jung, Yudin fills her book with purple prose. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
***************************************************************************
[Image: Book Cover]
Citation:
Yudin, A. (2023). The curse in their veins (eBook). Ana Yudin. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C...
Title: The Curse in Their Veins
Author(s): Ana Yudin
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction - Novel: Psychological thriller with fantasy and supernatural elements
Page count: 305 pages
Date(s) read: 3/19/25 - 3/22/25
Book 63 in 2025
***************************************************************************
In the Afterword, Yudin reveals that she made use of Jungian symbolism to depict mental illness and how it can be overcome:
“Many past cultures told stories of heroes who went into the underworld for a period of time and returned with supernatural wisdom. Usually, they spent three units of time (days, years) in the underworld since three has long been a sacred number ever since the days of the feminine divine…
“...works of fiction that involve meeting our demons or descending into the underworld are, from a Jungian perspective, nothing but a descent into the unconscious in order to discover the shadow. It is in this underworld of our minds—the unconscious—that we can finally come to terms about who we are and who we could be...
“We spend so much time trying to divide each other into ‘us’ and ‘them,’ but all spirituality is the same at its core. The main difference is the meaning we make of these practices.” (pp. 301-2).
While this is heavy stuff, since Carl Jung had some elaborate ideas, The Curse in Their Veins is easy to follow and I think there is much that will resonate with readers of many different backgrounds. As a therapist, I am considering recommending the book to clients, especially young women who have an interest in spirituality. As a storyteller and as a psychologist, Yudin emphasizes acceptance, accountability, and individual empowerment.
As is fitting for someone inspired by Jung, Yudin fills her book with purple prose. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
“‘Well, what are we looking for?’ asked Veronica. Patience had never been her strong suit, not even in the womb. She had pounced out of her mother’s body two weeks early, clearly all too eager to start experiencing the world. Adela had been forced to keep up with her ever since.” (p. 12).
*
“Spring surrendered to summer, and the lime-green of nature’s youth matured to a deep jade.” (p. 23)
*
“The warm brown of Adela’s eyes glinted like dark ale.” (p. 28).
*
“...the cat sat on his hind legs and stared at something behind Adela, his eyes so wide that his pupils shrank down to slits and his irises glinted like faceted citrines. Adela would not turn around, in fear that whatever was behind her would scream in joy when their eyes met.” (p. 90).
*
“That’s what people do when they cannot take away a woman’s power: they rewrite stories to portray her as the villain, making her seem weak and powerless when, in truth, she is far from it. She may not avenge herself today, maybe not even tomorrow. But she knows time like the back of her hand, and one day, when the time is right, she will use those weapons that they could never take away.” (p. 93).
*
“To combat inflammation, make a potion from turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, cilantro, and cumin. For antioxidants, a concoction made of turmeric, pineapple, carrots, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, sage, honey, cilantro, and cumin. For healthy brain function, mix turmeric, rosemary, sage, ginger, mint, and blackberries. For good immunity, mix up pineapple, orange, rosemary, lemon, basil, cilantro, cumin, and oregano. For good mood, a tea made of chamomile and sage. To fight infection, use oregano, cilantro, and cranberry…
Sage was for healing, blessing, cleansing, and protection. Lavender for the invitation of the spirits and for safeguarding from evil. Juniper for masculine protective energy, luck, and abundance. Rosemary for confidence, energy, and clearing negativity…
“…agate and amazonite for relaxation, amethyst for meditation, apatite for manifestation, carnelian for success and creativity, cat’s eye for strength, citrine for confidence and creativity, emerald for power, garnet for passion and health, jade for prosperity, moldavite for celestial connection, moonstone for peace and fertility, obsidian for protection, onyx for safety, quartz for health and clarity, rose quartz for love, tiger’s eye for ferocity.” (p. 110).
*
“Baba Mihaela sat back in her chair, peering at Veronica through eyes like glass beads. ‘Do you see the pattern now? Bad things do not happen to you because the universe is punishing you—it is your own actions that caused these outcomes.’
Veronica Glared at her. 'What is it that every time I come here, I grow to hate you more?’
The baba dismissed her hatred with the wave of a hand. It seemed to glide off her skin like light off a mirror. ‘Because I tell the truth even when it isn’t what people want to hear, and some people have an aversion to the truth.’” (p. 135).
*
“Once she was past the veil, Adela was no longer in control. She was merely a passenger in the collective unconscious.” (p. 170).
*
"Make no mistake...this is your doing. You taught her to confuse pain with love. You made her feel like she was nothing, and when someone came along that confirmed her belief, she saw nothing wrong with it." (p. 225).
*
“In the wolf world, there was no good or bad, no distinction between the left-hand and the right-hand path. There was only instinct, the instinct to survive and win.” (p. 258).
*
***************************************************************************
[Image: Book Cover]
Citation:
Yudin, A. (2023). The curse in their veins (eBook). Ana Yudin. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C...
Title: The Curse in Their Veins
Author(s): Ana Yudin
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction - Novel: Psychological thriller with fantasy and supernatural elements
Page count: 305 pages
Date(s) read: 3/19/25 - 3/22/25
Book 63 in 2025
***************************************************************************
June 24, 2025
I feel very bad not recommending this book because I can tell the author is very passionate about her homeland. I just found the story plodding. There were times I didn't think I could finish the book. Veronica was too nasty for me to care what happened to her. She had times of self realization where she knew she wanted to be better but I disliked her so much I didn't care. The story itself took a strange turn at the end and basically switched genres. Overall, not for me.
September 18, 2024
This book was incredibly charming, though certain elements occasionally pulled me out of the story.
As others have mentioned, the book is highly atmospheric. The scene where Adela takes a bath and has a vision stands out to me—it was beautifully written and truly immersive. The characters are complex and spark your curiosity, especially Rema and Kiara, whose stories I found particularly intriguing. It’s refreshing to see side characters play such a vital role in the overall plot. I also loved the relationship between Baba Mihaela and Adela. The supernatural elements were seamlessly woven into the narrative, and it’s clear that the author thoroughly researched the folklore and myths that inspired them. I was pleasantly surprised by the descent into the underworld, which served as a wonderful homage to the legends that inspired this work. I think it was a good way to give the story a cathartic conclusion.
On the downside, I felt there was too much explaining at times, which came across as unnatural or unnecessary, particularly when delving into the characters’ psychology or describing details like Romanian cuisine. This might have felt odd to me because I’m Romanian, but even without that background, I would’ve preferred a more contextual explanation, like describing the preparation process of a meal instead of simply defining the term. The dialogue also suffered from the tendency to over-explain emotions and intentions that aren’t usually verbalized or consciously understood. While the characters’ personalities were distinct, this was primarily achieved through narration and free indirect discourse, as their speech patterns felt too similar, which didn’t allow their unique traits to shine through in dialogue. I mostly enjoyed the romantic subplot but wished Bogdan had more presence in the latter part of the book.
Overall, it’s a strong debut novel, and I’m excited to see what Ana Yudin writes next.
As others have mentioned, the book is highly atmospheric. The scene where Adela takes a bath and has a vision stands out to me—it was beautifully written and truly immersive. The characters are complex and spark your curiosity, especially Rema and Kiara, whose stories I found particularly intriguing. It’s refreshing to see side characters play such a vital role in the overall plot. I also loved the relationship between Baba Mihaela and Adela. The supernatural elements were seamlessly woven into the narrative, and it’s clear that the author thoroughly researched the folklore and myths that inspired them. I was pleasantly surprised by the descent into the underworld, which served as a wonderful homage to the legends that inspired this work. I think it was a good way to give the story a cathartic conclusion.
On the downside, I felt there was too much explaining at times, which came across as unnatural or unnecessary, particularly when delving into the characters’ psychology or describing details like Romanian cuisine. This might have felt odd to me because I’m Romanian, but even without that background, I would’ve preferred a more contextual explanation, like describing the preparation process of a meal instead of simply defining the term. The dialogue also suffered from the tendency to over-explain emotions and intentions that aren’t usually verbalized or consciously understood. While the characters’ personalities were distinct, this was primarily achieved through narration and free indirect discourse, as their speech patterns felt too similar, which didn’t allow their unique traits to shine through in dialogue. I mostly enjoyed the romantic subplot but wished Bogdan had more presence in the latter part of the book.
Overall, it’s a strong debut novel, and I’m excited to see what Ana Yudin writes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Strong premise, weak writing :/
July 13, 2025
Link to the original review: https://www.tumblr.com/umutisiktagiye...
[SPOILERS]
I'll be making a more in-depth video review of this book on YouTube in a month or two, but here are my general thoughts.
I’ll start by clarifying where I know the author from, as this was her first novel.
Around 7 years ago, during my freshman year of high school, I got deeply interested in Jungian psychology and all of the philosophy that related to the field. As I got deeper into psychology I came across Ana’s channel, which was based on clinical psychology. She opened this entire world of practical psychology and research to me.
I cannot stress how much of an impact she had on my life, her videos were incredibly educational and formative during my development. And it was nice to see her achieve her milestones along the way.
She would often talk about finishing school and how difficult the entire process was. I was happy to see her graduation post, and it was rather funny how quickly she changed her channel name to Dr. Ana Yudin.
I remember her talking about her gripes with clinical psychology when I was around my Junior year, I was also planning to go into psychology but later decided against it. I was not surprised to see her quit the clinical environment and choose not to get licensed as I was also aware of the restraints of the modern psychology practice that she talked about.
She was thinking about moving back to Europe and becoming an author. I'm glad she did it, and congratulations on the baby.
I think I’ve watched every single video she put out at this point. I remember throughout high school I would listen to the videos during my commute, and now even in university, I make sure to listen in during my gym sessions, where I go through my watch later playlist on YouTube.
What I’m trying to get at is that she has been a role model for me as she was able to set realistic goals for herself and follow them relentlessly, and in the end, achieve them.
All that to say, I recognize my bias towards the author in this review. Yet, by recognizing its existence, I tried to overcome it to give this book a fair review.
I adore how she describes the environment in detail and composes a captivating mental imagery for the reader. However, I feel like she takes it too far sometimes. She made a video criticizing people who complained about purple prose, which I agree with to an extent, but I assume she made the video knowing, consciously or subconsciously, how much she loved using the technique herself.
It was also a surprise to see the story taking place in Eastern Europe, where I happened to come from the same culture. I feel like the culture is underrepresented. I did not realize how much I did not see my culture in media until this book made so many references to it. At every mention, I would be like “oh yeah, we do that!”. I will be going to visit Bucharest this year to visit a friend, but thanks to this book, which has invoked an interest in me, I’ll visit the countryside as well.
There are certain points where she over-explains, or tries to point directly at whatever she's trying to convey. I think she should pull back a bit and give the reader the benefit of the doubt that they have the intelligence to understand what she's trying to say.
(page 11, talking about the underbelly of the cat twice)
The sisters' dynamic reminds me of Marianne and Elinor from Sense & Sensibility. How Adela is more grounded while Veronica is fierce and rash.
I like how the sisters are opposites of each other, but wouldn't it be better if we saw the dark in Adale and the light in Veronica? Given that's how people work. This is like a single person split in half.
(I was surprised to see Ana mention this directly in the afterword section; it seems this was an intentional choice.)
I like the witty dialogue, and I was smiling for most of it.
(page 16)
The book overall is very fluent to read, and I didn't want to let it go.
Well done to Ana for making me care about random turtle eggs. I was almost tearing up when they were stepped on.
On page 81, Baba Mihaela repeats herself over and over again on how she looks like her grandmother, and at the end, saying "You really do look like Rema" is pretty unrealistic. It's as if the author is trying to point a finger at the plot so the reader gets the message. Rather than an actual human conversation is taking place. She already established in the previous chapters through a ouija board scene that the witch's nickname was Rema, we could've connected the dots ourselves, or make the name reveal by Baba Mihaela less forced.
I think that at Rema's proper introduction on page 84, her personality feels too cartoonish and archetypical. No one talks like that in real life.
There's an ongoing online gag about how men write women in their stories, objectifying them, which is mostly true. Yet it has to be mentioned that the opposite is also taking place.
Bogdan is inserted into the story as Adela's love interest from the very beginning. From Baba Mihaela's comments about him on how tall he is, and such. I think his personality was underdeveloped. Even though the story wasn't about him, and it shouldn't be. He could've been more than a one-dimensional placeholder.
For example, Jane Austen is my favorite author, and even though I dislike her for making the love interests of protagonists too perfect, without any real flaws, she at least adds a lot of personality to them.
Bogdan's entire personality is that he's a rural kid, wanting to start a family, which has no conflict whatsoever with what Adela wants.
On page 132, there's a minor grammatical error. "She was she was hiding something." It's easy to miss.
I had a feeling Veronica was projecting a lot of her issues to others, which was nicely touched upon early on.
The book itself is very well researched. From rituals, traditions, alchemy, psychology, to much more.
I enjoyed how she described the sisters' venture into the collective unconscious. The moon is used as a compass of sorts; that's very creative.
I like how the trials are about shadow integration. Veronica had to accept her instinctual nature and rage as a part of her. Adela had to face death and accept it to overcome her fearful nature.
Jung tied left-handed magic to the unconscious mind, where it's chaotic and connected to your shadow self. Veronica going down this path makes a lot of sense.
I think the book is a bit too short; I wouldn't mind 100 or so more pages. The ending, especially, was rushed to fit into the neat, tidy trope of the hero's journey.
The book could be considered a good piece of feminist literature, and I like that about it, but at times it goes too far in belittling and overgeneralizing men just to make a point.
I like how Kiara isn't a Disney villain, but a victim, like the rest. It's a cycle of grief.
I don't think it was right to kill her off like that. I know you're supposed to "slay the beast", but the sisters tricking and murdering her seemed out of character for them. It would've been a more symbolic story if they had comforted and accepted Kiara, if her trauma was resolved in some way, which would have led to her letting go of the curse.
She just wanted acceptance, and the sisters could have granted that.
I don't like the changes in Veronica's personality after Kiara's death, it places the blame on a scapegoat rather than on Veronica's actions. Is she not supposed to represent Veronica's shadow-self?
Page 293, "...malignancy inside her had all but vanished."
Regardless of what happens to Kiara, she was always going to be a part of Veronica. You don't just obliterate and erase your shadow; you accept and integrate it.
Ana does this by saying that Veronica accepted her feral and instinctual nature, and she's able to control it. Wield it for her good. I think she's implying that Kiara was merely the curse, but not at all connected to Veronica's shadow. But I think that's half-baked. Since we know how much influence Kiara has over Veronica's personality.
Kiara was also a part of her for two decades. The changes that she caused, her influence, should not have been destroyed the second she was out of the picture.
This is what Jane Austen did with Fitzwilliam Darcy, every character flaw that was associated with him at the beginning gets absolved by the end. The story recontextualizes around him not being at fault.
I love how, at the end, the witch Adela saw when she was young is revealed to be her future self. That was a nice touch.
I would've liked for magic to stay mostly unambiguous throughout the story. Constantly making the viewer question if the events are real or not, which makes the story more Jungian and symbolic. When you make it this involved, direct, and real, it turns the story into a Harry Potter-like fiction, which takes away from the symbolic elements of the story.
I know Ana mentioned that she wrote the book partly due to her anxieties around her pregnancy, as she thought she might miscarry. Adela being pregnant later on ties to that, however, I think Adela is not a self-insert.
Especially when Veronica is described in a way that looks exactly like her.
I think she's an amalgamation of both, which she mentions in the afterword.
Ileana, being the mother plot point that was foreshadowed well enough that I won't criticize it.
I see that she used Kiara as a symbol for narcissism inside Veronica, but I didn't see it that way. She was constantly plagued by it, and it hurt her constantly. Didn't give her any delusions of grandeur. Just the negative behavior. And more than half of the story, she was outright depressed.
For me, the story was mostly about hurt people hurting others, a cycle of destruction.
Maybe my interpretation is wrong, but the story wasn't about narcissism for me.
I'm giving this book a 6.8/10, already bought her new novel, and I can't wait to get to it.
[SPOILERS]
I'll be making a more in-depth video review of this book on YouTube in a month or two, but here are my general thoughts.
I’ll start by clarifying where I know the author from, as this was her first novel.
Around 7 years ago, during my freshman year of high school, I got deeply interested in Jungian psychology and all of the philosophy that related to the field. As I got deeper into psychology I came across Ana’s channel, which was based on clinical psychology. She opened this entire world of practical psychology and research to me.
I cannot stress how much of an impact she had on my life, her videos were incredibly educational and formative during my development. And it was nice to see her achieve her milestones along the way.
She would often talk about finishing school and how difficult the entire process was. I was happy to see her graduation post, and it was rather funny how quickly she changed her channel name to Dr. Ana Yudin.
I remember her talking about her gripes with clinical psychology when I was around my Junior year, I was also planning to go into psychology but later decided against it. I was not surprised to see her quit the clinical environment and choose not to get licensed as I was also aware of the restraints of the modern psychology practice that she talked about.
She was thinking about moving back to Europe and becoming an author. I'm glad she did it, and congratulations on the baby.
I think I’ve watched every single video she put out at this point. I remember throughout high school I would listen to the videos during my commute, and now even in university, I make sure to listen in during my gym sessions, where I go through my watch later playlist on YouTube.
What I’m trying to get at is that she has been a role model for me as she was able to set realistic goals for herself and follow them relentlessly, and in the end, achieve them.
All that to say, I recognize my bias towards the author in this review. Yet, by recognizing its existence, I tried to overcome it to give this book a fair review.
I adore how she describes the environment in detail and composes a captivating mental imagery for the reader. However, I feel like she takes it too far sometimes. She made a video criticizing people who complained about purple prose, which I agree with to an extent, but I assume she made the video knowing, consciously or subconsciously, how much she loved using the technique herself.
It was also a surprise to see the story taking place in Eastern Europe, where I happened to come from the same culture. I feel like the culture is underrepresented. I did not realize how much I did not see my culture in media until this book made so many references to it. At every mention, I would be like “oh yeah, we do that!”. I will be going to visit Bucharest this year to visit a friend, but thanks to this book, which has invoked an interest in me, I’ll visit the countryside as well.
There are certain points where she over-explains, or tries to point directly at whatever she's trying to convey. I think she should pull back a bit and give the reader the benefit of the doubt that they have the intelligence to understand what she's trying to say.
(page 11, talking about the underbelly of the cat twice)
The sisters' dynamic reminds me of Marianne and Elinor from Sense & Sensibility. How Adela is more grounded while Veronica is fierce and rash.
I like how the sisters are opposites of each other, but wouldn't it be better if we saw the dark in Adale and the light in Veronica? Given that's how people work. This is like a single person split in half.
(I was surprised to see Ana mention this directly in the afterword section; it seems this was an intentional choice.)
I like the witty dialogue, and I was smiling for most of it.
(page 16)
The book overall is very fluent to read, and I didn't want to let it go.
Well done to Ana for making me care about random turtle eggs. I was almost tearing up when they were stepped on.
On page 81, Baba Mihaela repeats herself over and over again on how she looks like her grandmother, and at the end, saying "You really do look like Rema" is pretty unrealistic. It's as if the author is trying to point a finger at the plot so the reader gets the message. Rather than an actual human conversation is taking place. She already established in the previous chapters through a ouija board scene that the witch's nickname was Rema, we could've connected the dots ourselves, or make the name reveal by Baba Mihaela less forced.
I think that at Rema's proper introduction on page 84, her personality feels too cartoonish and archetypical. No one talks like that in real life.
There's an ongoing online gag about how men write women in their stories, objectifying them, which is mostly true. Yet it has to be mentioned that the opposite is also taking place.
Bogdan is inserted into the story as Adela's love interest from the very beginning. From Baba Mihaela's comments about him on how tall he is, and such. I think his personality was underdeveloped. Even though the story wasn't about him, and it shouldn't be. He could've been more than a one-dimensional placeholder.
For example, Jane Austen is my favorite author, and even though I dislike her for making the love interests of protagonists too perfect, without any real flaws, she at least adds a lot of personality to them.
Bogdan's entire personality is that he's a rural kid, wanting to start a family, which has no conflict whatsoever with what Adela wants.
On page 132, there's a minor grammatical error. "She was she was hiding something." It's easy to miss.
I had a feeling Veronica was projecting a lot of her issues to others, which was nicely touched upon early on.
The book itself is very well researched. From rituals, traditions, alchemy, psychology, to much more.
I enjoyed how she described the sisters' venture into the collective unconscious. The moon is used as a compass of sorts; that's very creative.
I like how the trials are about shadow integration. Veronica had to accept her instinctual nature and rage as a part of her. Adela had to face death and accept it to overcome her fearful nature.
Jung tied left-handed magic to the unconscious mind, where it's chaotic and connected to your shadow self. Veronica going down this path makes a lot of sense.
I think the book is a bit too short; I wouldn't mind 100 or so more pages. The ending, especially, was rushed to fit into the neat, tidy trope of the hero's journey.
The book could be considered a good piece of feminist literature, and I like that about it, but at times it goes too far in belittling and overgeneralizing men just to make a point.
I like how Kiara isn't a Disney villain, but a victim, like the rest. It's a cycle of grief.
I don't think it was right to kill her off like that. I know you're supposed to "slay the beast", but the sisters tricking and murdering her seemed out of character for them. It would've been a more symbolic story if they had comforted and accepted Kiara, if her trauma was resolved in some way, which would have led to her letting go of the curse.
She just wanted acceptance, and the sisters could have granted that.
I don't like the changes in Veronica's personality after Kiara's death, it places the blame on a scapegoat rather than on Veronica's actions. Is she not supposed to represent Veronica's shadow-self?
Page 293, "...malignancy inside her had all but vanished."
Regardless of what happens to Kiara, she was always going to be a part of Veronica. You don't just obliterate and erase your shadow; you accept and integrate it.
Ana does this by saying that Veronica accepted her feral and instinctual nature, and she's able to control it. Wield it for her good. I think she's implying that Kiara was merely the curse, but not at all connected to Veronica's shadow. But I think that's half-baked. Since we know how much influence Kiara has over Veronica's personality.
Kiara was also a part of her for two decades. The changes that she caused, her influence, should not have been destroyed the second she was out of the picture.
This is what Jane Austen did with Fitzwilliam Darcy, every character flaw that was associated with him at the beginning gets absolved by the end. The story recontextualizes around him not being at fault.
I love how, at the end, the witch Adela saw when she was young is revealed to be her future self. That was a nice touch.
I would've liked for magic to stay mostly unambiguous throughout the story. Constantly making the viewer question if the events are real or not, which makes the story more Jungian and symbolic. When you make it this involved, direct, and real, it turns the story into a Harry Potter-like fiction, which takes away from the symbolic elements of the story.
I know Ana mentioned that she wrote the book partly due to her anxieties around her pregnancy, as she thought she might miscarry. Adela being pregnant later on ties to that, however, I think Adela is not a self-insert.
Especially when Veronica is described in a way that looks exactly like her.
I think she's an amalgamation of both, which she mentions in the afterword.
Ileana, being the mother plot point that was foreshadowed well enough that I won't criticize it.
I see that she used Kiara as a symbol for narcissism inside Veronica, but I didn't see it that way. She was constantly plagued by it, and it hurt her constantly. Didn't give her any delusions of grandeur. Just the negative behavior. And more than half of the story, she was outright depressed.
For me, the story was mostly about hurt people hurting others, a cycle of destruction.
Maybe my interpretation is wrong, but the story wasn't about narcissism for me.
I'm giving this book a 6.8/10, already bought her new novel, and I can't wait to get to it.
July 1, 2025
Very solid and extremely competent. I consider it an essentially approachable primer to the topics the book explores (generational trauma and being "guarded" with hints of living with controlling or narcissistic family members). It's extremely easy to read, and the characters feel very approachable in an unexpected way. I say this because we never quite get close to them. They almost stay as acquaintances in spite of all we learn about them. It's a very relatable feeling, my own family is like this in many ways, and it contributes to a lonely feeling that permeates throughout the novel.
I call it "approachable" though because it as a book it does a good job of not punishing readers who lack in broader media literacy. It is not excessively character or dialogue driven as many modern stories are. Which is a double-edged sword: you lose out on certain obsessive types of reader, but you gain in more balanced sets of eyes on your work, and it doesn't alienate those who wouldn't jive with particular veins of feeling.
That said, as I feel like is often the challenge of these stories, it'd be way too normal for any Veronica I know to care about reading it. While it does not explicitly challenge media literacy, for those steeped in personal comfort, it actually enforces a uniquely new kind of media literacy challenge onto the terminally alone: for them to see value in something that does not speak very directly to them. Any terribly guarded person I know is well outside this book's demographics. They'd all look at the book and say, "I don't see myself here. Veronica's pain brought me joy though I guess." And I'd be like, "what about Adela?" And they'd go "who?"
The most effective iterations of these kinds of stories I see tend to be in a new format (narratively-driven video gaming) which help do a lot of legwork in helping misunderstood people feel seen. Although, even then, the most effective of those games only influence less than half the demographics you'd expect them to reach in spite of their mass popularity. Especially because many people see games and books trying to talk to them and either willfully deny and ignore the problem, or they become spiteful to the idea of media appealing to them to convey a social message, often unwitting and uncritical of the suggestions being fed to them by their more-or-less arbitrarily defined "comfort food" media.
That entire tangent was not a criticism of this book. Rather, it was more me thinking aloud. I think this book is the best most writers can reasonably do within the limitations of the novel when it comes to embodying the truths written here.
This novel I consider to be one of many reminders to people that technology and society is not progressing as fast as they may want to believe, with their heads in the clouds, immersed in technology and drama and self-loathing ironic memes. The elements of native faith and culture here are refreshingly isolating in how little they touch upon the eternal assault on your senses that is the internet-- but in that vein I also feel like I yearn to see Veronica and Adela confronted by the infinite black of command prompts and terminals. The internet is an assault not just on the senses, but on culture and faith too. It's a place where one gambles with the foundation of their very perspective, where the risk is high and the reward even higher.
In so many words: it's definitely a thought-provoking novel. Although, I find myself vacantly wishing for something that would fry my dopamine receptors right outta their sockets at the same time, and I would occasionally take breaks to fantasize incredible things derailing the story, something which I do with many stories.
I call it "approachable" though because it as a book it does a good job of not punishing readers who lack in broader media literacy. It is not excessively character or dialogue driven as many modern stories are. Which is a double-edged sword: you lose out on certain obsessive types of reader, but you gain in more balanced sets of eyes on your work, and it doesn't alienate those who wouldn't jive with particular veins of feeling.
That said, as I feel like is often the challenge of these stories, it'd be way too normal for any Veronica I know to care about reading it. While it does not explicitly challenge media literacy, for those steeped in personal comfort, it actually enforces a uniquely new kind of media literacy challenge onto the terminally alone: for them to see value in something that does not speak very directly to them. Any terribly guarded person I know is well outside this book's demographics. They'd all look at the book and say, "I don't see myself here. Veronica's pain brought me joy though I guess." And I'd be like, "what about Adela?" And they'd go "who?"
The most effective iterations of these kinds of stories I see tend to be in a new format (narratively-driven video gaming) which help do a lot of legwork in helping misunderstood people feel seen. Although, even then, the most effective of those games only influence less than half the demographics you'd expect them to reach in spite of their mass popularity. Especially because many people see games and books trying to talk to them and either willfully deny and ignore the problem, or they become spiteful to the idea of media appealing to them to convey a social message, often unwitting and uncritical of the suggestions being fed to them by their more-or-less arbitrarily defined "comfort food" media.
That entire tangent was not a criticism of this book. Rather, it was more me thinking aloud. I think this book is the best most writers can reasonably do within the limitations of the novel when it comes to embodying the truths written here.
This novel I consider to be one of many reminders to people that technology and society is not progressing as fast as they may want to believe, with their heads in the clouds, immersed in technology and drama and self-loathing ironic memes. The elements of native faith and culture here are refreshingly isolating in how little they touch upon the eternal assault on your senses that is the internet-- but in that vein I also feel like I yearn to see Veronica and Adela confronted by the infinite black of command prompts and terminals. The internet is an assault not just on the senses, but on culture and faith too. It's a place where one gambles with the foundation of their very perspective, where the risk is high and the reward even higher.
In so many words: it's definitely a thought-provoking novel. Although, I find myself vacantly wishing for something that would fry my dopamine receptors right outta their sockets at the same time, and I would occasionally take breaks to fantasize incredible things derailing the story, something which I do with many stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2025
I would like to preface my review of this book with the fact that I haven’t been able to read anything for the past 3 years due to a burnout I had while writing my master’s thesis - I thought I just simply broke my brain and wasn’t able to enjoy reading anymore 😅 but something spoke to me about this book based on Ana’s descriptions of it on her youtube channel and I decided to give it a go.
It took some time to warm up to this book, maybe also because I was just coming back into reading, but I felt like there was something lacking in the first part of the book. The childhood chapters established Adela and Veronica’s characters well, but I felt some kind of emotional disconnect in the beginning. I thought a lot about why that could be, and the only thing I can point out is that sometimes it felt like the language of the book took away a bit from the emotional depth, as if the carefully crafted prose was more words than meaning at times. This is the only thing that didn’t click with me all the way, and this feeling completely disappeared in the second part of the book, where the emotional investment arrived for me and I felt like it was harmonious with the language, too.
I resonated a lot with Veronica, and I think her point of view was really well done, because I could feel the pain of her being rejected, especially when she is trying to make lunch and Bogdan gets into an argument with her, and immediately after, when her mother tells her she’s all wrong. I thought, well of course she’s full of resentment and rage, when all her life, she’s been told that something is wrong with her, and she watches people around her get the things she longs for the most. Adela recognized that her sister needs kindness, but even though she knew that, it felt like the most she could do at times was friendly distance or avoidance. This is great writing because it made me feel exactly like Veronica to the point where I was no longer sure who was the bad guy here, because I didn’t feel like it was Veronica - I suppose this is what it feels like to be in the head of a narcissist?
In all honesty, this got me thinking about myself and whether I should worry if I have any narcissistic traits. The afterword linked narcissism to being rejected by one’s ancestors, and I have definitely experienced rejection and generational trauma in my family, and while I’m self aware and I’m trying to do everything to act with kindness and compassion and not transfer any of my pain onto others, I do recognize Veronica’s internal monologue as my own. Whether me being kind and generous is a way to compensate for my shadow self, to cover up my inner vitriol or even to try to get people to give me back the same level of kindness or generosity. But as it was also mentioned in the afterword, self awareness is the first step to trying to get to the bottom of all this, and this book definitely made me think about my own flaws in a different light.
Initially, my other piece of criticism would’ve been that sometimes, Adela’s and Veronica’s point of views kept morphing together and the narration shifted from being in the mind of one to the other, but now I understand that it was a conscious choice, to think of them as two sides of the same coin, and in this case, I think it was a really great one!
I liked the pagan and witchy elements too, and how they acted as a frame that uplifted the story instead of taking the focus from the message. The setting spoke to me as my grandmother is from a small village in the Carpathian Mountains, not too far from where the story is set.
Thank you for this story, Ana, and I’m looking forward to reading more of your writing 🤍
It took some time to warm up to this book, maybe also because I was just coming back into reading, but I felt like there was something lacking in the first part of the book. The childhood chapters established Adela and Veronica’s characters well, but I felt some kind of emotional disconnect in the beginning. I thought a lot about why that could be, and the only thing I can point out is that sometimes it felt like the language of the book took away a bit from the emotional depth, as if the carefully crafted prose was more words than meaning at times. This is the only thing that didn’t click with me all the way, and this feeling completely disappeared in the second part of the book, where the emotional investment arrived for me and I felt like it was harmonious with the language, too.
I resonated a lot with Veronica, and I think her point of view was really well done, because I could feel the pain of her being rejected, especially when she is trying to make lunch and Bogdan gets into an argument with her, and immediately after, when her mother tells her she’s all wrong. I thought, well of course she’s full of resentment and rage, when all her life, she’s been told that something is wrong with her, and she watches people around her get the things she longs for the most. Adela recognized that her sister needs kindness, but even though she knew that, it felt like the most she could do at times was friendly distance or avoidance. This is great writing because it made me feel exactly like Veronica to the point where I was no longer sure who was the bad guy here, because I didn’t feel like it was Veronica - I suppose this is what it feels like to be in the head of a narcissist?
In all honesty, this got me thinking about myself and whether I should worry if I have any narcissistic traits. The afterword linked narcissism to being rejected by one’s ancestors, and I have definitely experienced rejection and generational trauma in my family, and while I’m self aware and I’m trying to do everything to act with kindness and compassion and not transfer any of my pain onto others, I do recognize Veronica’s internal monologue as my own. Whether me being kind and generous is a way to compensate for my shadow self, to cover up my inner vitriol or even to try to get people to give me back the same level of kindness or generosity. But as it was also mentioned in the afterword, self awareness is the first step to trying to get to the bottom of all this, and this book definitely made me think about my own flaws in a different light.
Initially, my other piece of criticism would’ve been that sometimes, Adela’s and Veronica’s point of views kept morphing together and the narration shifted from being in the mind of one to the other, but now I understand that it was a conscious choice, to think of them as two sides of the same coin, and in this case, I think it was a really great one!
I liked the pagan and witchy elements too, and how they acted as a frame that uplifted the story instead of taking the focus from the message. The setting spoke to me as my grandmother is from a small village in the Carpathian Mountains, not too far from where the story is set.
Thank you for this story, Ana, and I’m looking forward to reading more of your writing 🤍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2025
The Curse in Our Veins is Dr. Ana Yudin's debut novel, and what a debut it is.
A lush, lyrical story about sisterhood, intergenerational trauma, the cycle of hurt, claiming and the responsibility of one's power, and the duality of one's nature, this is one that will stick to my soul for ages.
I adored the backdrop of Romania and how Yudin wove elements of her culture, modern and ancient, within the fabric of her story. She was able to truly immerse the reader in the moment with her prose - some lines were just so good, I had to hold the book to my chest and let them settle with me so I could just feel them - and evoke a feeling of compassion for the characters, even in their darkest moments.
Veronica and Adela could not be more different, their connection to witchcraft aside, yet it is the love the two of them share for each other that sits at the very epicenter of this story. You grow up alongside them at a languid yet racing pace that lingers, yet never drags.
Baba Mihaela was definitely among my favorite character, a delightful crone figure, who initiates the girls into witchcraft. Yudin does a great job in showing the diversity in which a witch's form takes, how the craft evolves over the centuries, and how even as Christianity became the mainstay religion in Veronica and Adela's town, where the pagan roots still linger. There is also the conflict - the one that broke my heart how their choice to practice the craft temporarily separated them from their mother, who feared for their souls. But by denying and hiding this part of themselves, that surely would have made it so that the curse within Veronica would have stayed.
My main complaint would be that the last section of the book could have been a little longer. Perhaps that is because, as a reader, I wanted to stay in Yudin's world forever. I was both rushing to get to the end because I wanted to see how things carried out, but also dreading it because that meant the book was at its end.
To all the lengths that the book went to show how the curse affected Veronica and affected Rema, their grandmother, I would have liked to see a little more on how the curse-giver, Kiara, lived. She was a scapegoat to her community, the first one to inflict her own wicked nature upon their ancestor, Dayana's, descendants. Perhaps that content was cut out - selfishly, I want to see it.
As another note, I adored the little romance between Adela and Bogdan and how that helped the novel end on a hopeful, positive note.
In the end though, the story was about the love shared between Adela and Veronica, and how that love helped both sisters in the end.
The book has given me a lot to think about in regards to my own relationship with my own sisters, my own nature, and how I go about the world.
I cannot wait to read the next book of Dr. Ana Yudin's.
Thank you so much for this gift that you have brought into the world.
A lush, lyrical story about sisterhood, intergenerational trauma, the cycle of hurt, claiming and the responsibility of one's power, and the duality of one's nature, this is one that will stick to my soul for ages.
I adored the backdrop of Romania and how Yudin wove elements of her culture, modern and ancient, within the fabric of her story. She was able to truly immerse the reader in the moment with her prose - some lines were just so good, I had to hold the book to my chest and let them settle with me so I could just feel them - and evoke a feeling of compassion for the characters, even in their darkest moments.
Veronica and Adela could not be more different, their connection to witchcraft aside, yet it is the love the two of them share for each other that sits at the very epicenter of this story. You grow up alongside them at a languid yet racing pace that lingers, yet never drags.
Baba Mihaela was definitely among my favorite character, a delightful crone figure, who initiates the girls into witchcraft. Yudin does a great job in showing the diversity in which a witch's form takes, how the craft evolves over the centuries, and how even as Christianity became the mainstay religion in Veronica and Adela's town, where the pagan roots still linger. There is also the conflict - the one that broke my heart how their choice to practice the craft temporarily separated them from their mother, who feared for their souls. But by denying and hiding this part of themselves, that surely would have made it so that the curse within Veronica would have stayed.
My main complaint would be that the last section of the book could have been a little longer. Perhaps that is because, as a reader, I wanted to stay in Yudin's world forever. I was both rushing to get to the end because I wanted to see how things carried out, but also dreading it because that meant the book was at its end.
To all the lengths that the book went to show how the curse affected Veronica and affected Rema, their grandmother, I would have liked to see a little more on how the curse-giver, Kiara, lived. She was a scapegoat to her community, the first one to inflict her own wicked nature upon their ancestor, Dayana's, descendants. Perhaps that content was cut out - selfishly, I want to see it.
As another note, I adored the little romance between Adela and Bogdan and how that helped the novel end on a hopeful, positive note.
In the end though, the story was about the love shared between Adela and Veronica, and how that love helped both sisters in the end.
The book has given me a lot to think about in regards to my own relationship with my own sisters, my own nature, and how I go about the world.
I cannot wait to read the next book of Dr. Ana Yudin's.
Thank you so much for this gift that you have brought into the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2025
This is one of the best stories I have read and has instantly become one of my favorite books. The Romanian setting and culture was something completely new to me that brought distinct and fascinating insights. Add to this the focus on occult Witchcraft and regional traditions and I was constantly searching up terms to try wrap my head and envision these foreign outlooks. I am fascinated and always excited to learn how traditions, that we commonly celebrate, have origins in some of the most unexpected places.
The main Characters Adela and Veronica are each others counter part; Adela is a smart albeit shy girl while veronica is a charismatic hot head. They are a compliment to each other and their interactions help push forward the story to its eventual conclusion. The novel constantly subverted my expectations and at every turn the story weaved in an unexpected direction. Sometimes light and cheerful and others dreadfully somber. I could never quite predict what would happen next and for all intents and purposes my wit was bested in all possible facets. I cannot explain just how good this book is and I highly recommend it to any one.
Message to author:
Congratulations to you and your husband on y'all first child. I wish y'all success, happiness, and good health.
P.S that final reveal in the mirror caught me completely off-guard. I mean the clues were there I just failed to put them together; Good stuff.
The main Characters Adela and Veronica are each others counter part; Adela is a smart albeit shy girl while veronica is a charismatic hot head. They are a compliment to each other and their interactions help push forward the story to its eventual conclusion. The novel constantly subverted my expectations and at every turn the story weaved in an unexpected direction. Sometimes light and cheerful and others dreadfully somber. I could never quite predict what would happen next and for all intents and purposes my wit was bested in all possible facets. I cannot explain just how good this book is and I highly recommend it to any one.
Message to author:
Congratulations to you and your husband on y'all first child. I wish y'all success, happiness, and good health.
P.S that final reveal in the mirror caught me completely off-guard. I mean the clues were there I just failed to put them together; Good stuff.
January 16, 2026
The curse in their veins is the first book I have read from Ana Yudin, and is one I would recommend to anyone interested in witch/supernatural books. From a basic rundown of just the book, the story is very well done, the characters are relatable in a way I could not only sympathise with them, but imagine they are real people. The writing is wonderfully done as it eloquently puts the story into your mind as it flows from page to page. You can tell the author has done their research, not just on Romania, but the myths and legends within the story. I think it would have been nice to have a little bit more in some places, but for a first fictional book it's perfect and easily one of my favourites.
I originally came across this book from her youtube channel, and thought it would be fun to check out as I was curious to see what it was like, and experience something different and interesting. That being said being a book of a favourite youtuber doesn't mean it gets the 'instant love', as for me that has to be earned, and I think it has very much earned it.
Now I am just waiting on the deliver of her second book.
I originally came across this book from her youtube channel, and thought it would be fun to check out as I was curious to see what it was like, and experience something different and interesting. That being said being a book of a favourite youtuber doesn't mean it gets the 'instant love', as for me that has to be earned, and I think it has very much earned it.
Now I am just waiting on the deliver of her second book.
May 13, 2024
This was such a fun tale of 2 sisters who are figuring out who they are as they mature through life. The book follows two twins, Veronica and Adela, as they learn about their family history but also learn to embrace their powers given to them by their ancestors. Unfortunately, one of the sisters ends up down a dark path that she can’t seem to get herself out of. The vibes in this book are spooky, witchy fall vibes. If you’re looking for a fun, enchanting witchy read for the fall definitely check this out. There’s so many references to witchcraft, crystals, healing herbs and various spells that made me feel like I should be taking notes! The author, Ana Yudin, has a psychology background and it was so cool to see how the author worked her background into the story. The “afterward” in the end really wraps everything up so nicely and it was cool to see the connections to real life psychology.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, The Curse in Their Veins, by a newer author, Ana Yudin, like the witches in this tale, she expertly mixed themes of witchcraft and Jungian psychology into a hearty heroic brew that show cases the effects of intergenerational trauma on a family. Set in the misty lands of eastern europe, a tour through time, with two very different sisters. The book ends with a psychoeducation blurb about some of the content, and a fellow psychoanalyst, I was pleased to see this! Well written and well thought out, and what was I believe is that she is writing better on her first novel, than I was doing on my 10th novel, so keep an eye out for more from Ana Yudin, a rising talent!
January 21, 2026
This book was just brilliant! The way the author wove the tale and brought in her psychological therapist knowledge was just incredible. The sisters were just incredible to be apart of their journey. The way the author turned generational trauma/curses into a book that explained it so beautiful was awe inspiring. The plot twist at the very end was INCREDIBLE didn’t even see it coming. I love that both sisters had their own trials to face their shadows. The afterword explained everythjng the author did to educate and tell a story about generational trauma and narcissism. It was so good! 10/10 recommend!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2025
It’s a weak ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. I loved the setting and the two sisters representing the duality within ourselves. But I wish the trials at the end would’ve built up more suspense. All of them were a bit short and anticlimactic. Kiara, the villain, could benefit from more depth. She had trauma and longed to be part of a family but it was harder to feel empathy for her since she mainly was portrayed as a person with no regard for other people and a tendency for vengeance. I want her story from before she escaped the attempt to sacrifice her. What runs in her veins? Was she always like that?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2025
I usually skip the description of the surroundings since I found it soulless more than interesting BUT here i couldn't get enough of it! I fell in love with the characters and with their homeland. the book is also filled with fascinating trivia, made me want to practice witchcraft myslef.
strongly recommend 👌
strongly recommend 👌
July 31, 2024
Floral, obsessed
August 28, 2024
I looooooved this book. Big witchy book fan & this one scratched a historic itch others don’t. Felt so authentic to their culture it was sooooo good
November 29, 2025
I loved this!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 6, 2025
I appreciated that the author has put real consideration into weaving symbolism, mythology and psychology into the story. The descriptions prompt you to immerse yourself on a sensory level, and you can tell they've put decided care into word choice.
I found myself struggling to connect with the story, even though I really love the concept. The dialogue feels stilted, and often the "showing" is followed up by quite a lot of "telling". The reader doesn't have enough space to form the connections for themselves, making the experience of reading the book feel passive.
After a while I found myself expecting explanations by the author that summarize what's going on, taking away all ambiguity.
I prefer having more room for interpretation — space between what's said and left unsaid. For me that's where the magic happens.
I found myself struggling to connect with the story, even though I really love the concept. The dialogue feels stilted, and often the "showing" is followed up by quite a lot of "telling". The reader doesn't have enough space to form the connections for themselves, making the experience of reading the book feel passive.
After a while I found myself expecting explanations by the author that summarize what's going on, taking away all ambiguity.
I prefer having more room for interpretation — space between what's said and left unsaid. For me that's where the magic happens.
June 3, 2025
The Curse in Their Veins is beautifully written, which is refreshing in this day and age. The storyline is unique and immersed me completely. The novel also details cultural aspects that are different than my own in an informative and authentic manner. I appreciated Adela's character and the fact that even the narcissistic characters had redeeming qualities.
June 12, 2025
One of my favorite new writers! Ana combines psychology, magic, and gothic fiction, seamlessly. An enticing story that moved me deeply, and kept me entertained the whole while. Great characters, great writing, great plot, and great insight. I'm excited for her next book!
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