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Bloodlust & Bonnets
From the creator of the hit webcomic My Life As a Background Slytherin comes a hilarious graphic novel pastiche of classic Romantic literature led by a trio of queer misfits—and several angry vampires.
Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.
But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled.
Both witty and slapstick, elegant and gory, Emily McGovern’s debut graphic novel pays tribute to and pokes fun at beloved romance tropes, delivering a joyous, action-packed world of friendship and adventure.
Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.
But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled.
Both witty and slapstick, elegant and gory, Emily McGovern’s debut graphic novel pays tribute to and pokes fun at beloved romance tropes, delivering a joyous, action-packed world of friendship and adventure.
205 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
November 14, 2019
Lucy is "a spirited young lady flouting the gendered expectations of her time, but in a cute way." When she's approached by a mysterious older woman about joining a "secret ancient immortal vampire cult," Lucy's kind of intrigued. But, then she meets a dark, brooding, vampire-slaying poet. He introduces himself as "It is I! Lord Byron! You know, from books." Now she's got a real dilemma on her hands . . . join Byron in a quest to extinguish the vamps, or, perhaps, become one herself.
Sometimes it's really hard for a gal to make up her mind.
I absolutely loved this hilarious, rollicking saga of swordplay and witty repartee. I'm not sure if the author's next project will be a sequel or a brand new escapade with brand new characters, but, either way, I'll be right beside her "walking in the general direction of adventure."
Sometimes it's really hard for a gal to make up her mind.
I absolutely loved this hilarious, rollicking saga of swordplay and witty repartee. I'm not sure if the author's next project will be a sequel or a brand new escapade with brand new characters, but, either way, I'll be right beside her "walking in the general direction of adventure."
November 8, 2019
Look. You're going to get exactly what you'd expect from something with the title Bloodlust & Bonnets by the author of My Life as a Background Slytherin.
Does it have a substantial plot beyond 'Lucy, Byron and their assorted group of misfits are very queer and very bad at hunting vampires'? No
Does it have a psychic eagle called Napoleon? Yes
Does a book with a psychic eagle called Napoleon need much plot? In my opinion: no
Does it have a substantial plot beyond 'Lucy, Byron and their assorted group of misfits are very queer and very bad at hunting vampires'? No
Does it have a psychic eagle called Napoleon? Yes
Does a book with a psychic eagle called Napoleon need much plot? In my opinion: no
July 9, 2025
3.5 stars.
May 17, 2020
Apparently I already knew this artist from the My Life As a Background Slytherin cartoons, but I didn't read the synopsis before downloading this. I really love those cartoons, so that had me even more hyped to read this when I figured it out!
And this started out very promising: as a silly, laugh-out-loud adventure. As it quickly turned out though, silly humour can get old really really quickly if it's not inventive enough, and this just felt like it repeated a lot of the same jokes. I did still find it funny at times, but not as much as I would have hoped.
Another issue is that there's really not much of a plot at all, which makes the graphic novel very difficult to follow and made it feel incohesive, more like a sequence of unconnected events. Because of this, I didn't end up enjoying this graphic novel as much as I'd initially expected to.
A very confusing and probably problematic aspect of this is the way the presumable non-binary character is handled. They're introduced when Lucy asks: "Are you a boy or a girl?" and they say: 'yes". Which makes it pretty clear to me that they're non-binary, and their actual gender is never made explicit. This is just treated as some joke though, and the character keeps being referred to as a girl without the characters ever having checked which pronouns they use. This felt an awful lot like they kept being misgendered, which made it very hard to enjoy the rest of the story.
And this started out very promising: as a silly, laugh-out-loud adventure. As it quickly turned out though, silly humour can get old really really quickly if it's not inventive enough, and this just felt like it repeated a lot of the same jokes. I did still find it funny at times, but not as much as I would have hoped.
Another issue is that there's really not much of a plot at all, which makes the graphic novel very difficult to follow and made it feel incohesive, more like a sequence of unconnected events. Because of this, I didn't end up enjoying this graphic novel as much as I'd initially expected to.
A very confusing and probably problematic aspect of this is the way the presumable non-binary character is handled. They're introduced when Lucy asks: "Are you a boy or a girl?" and they say: 'yes". Which makes it pretty clear to me that they're non-binary, and their actual gender is never made explicit. This is just treated as some joke though, and the character keeps being referred to as a girl without the characters ever having checked which pronouns they use. This felt an awful lot like they kept being misgendered, which made it very hard to enjoy the rest of the story.
November 24, 2019
There are some clever bits and stupidly funny gags in the first half, but the book goes on a bit long for what it is -- an early 19th century British vampire slayer farce -- and loses momentum midway. As one character says at the halfway point, "It all started out so simply! Now I've got no idea who's doing what or why . . . I'm so confused . . . " The art is ridiculously stylized but actually worked for me.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 28, 2019
After unhappy and bored debutante Lucy slaughters her suitor (and an extra several others, for good measure) who happened to be a vampire (along with the others), she’s approached by Lady Travesty to be a member of her special Immortal Vampire Cult. That is, before Lord Byron (yes, that Byron, from books) temporarily explodes Travesty with his sword and convinces Lucy to be in his vampire slaying group of one (plus his psychic eagle Napoleon and his magical-but-not-very-competent castle, Castle). The two began a journey to defeat Travesty, find a third partner in the mysterious Sham, and bumble their way about England and Scotland.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but it was pretty funny. At times it was a bit too much of a running on gag, and I think it would have been better in smaller doses/chapters, but overall it was entertaining and off-the-wall ridiculous.
From exploding vampires to apathetic debutantes to incompetent castles to a poetic rivalry to post-Regency England to conversations on how to shoot a gun, this has almost everything.
While Lucy was entertaining, my two favorite characters were Lord Byron and BB.
Lord Byron because of his arrogant self—and how his toxic masculinity is skewered in every turn (and also how the brash masculinity of heroes is skewered as well).
And BB, because she’s 1) fabulous 2) incredibly wealthy and 3) has a habit of losing her husbands to really unfortunate and unforeseeable accidents with ornamental weaponry.
Also, she has a flair for the dramatic and calls everyone (chiefly, those underneath her station) urchins:
Another thing I loved about this book was the queer representation! We have Sham (she/her pronouns but responds to “either/or” questions with either “yes” or “no”), all around badass vampire slayer who nevertheless has a not-so-great sense of direction, and there’s also Lucy, a canon bisexual. And Lord Byron, who is…Lord Byron.
Altogether, it’s a sarcastic and funny parody of Regency and Post-Regency romances and adventures—and filled with vampire (and debutante) satire.
The illustrations are also entertaining, reminding me a little bit of Cyanide and Happiness and another comic that I can’t recall.
Lots of blood splatter, lots of vampires and lots of swearing, which is just up my alley for Regency-era anything.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Full review at The Suspected Bibliophile
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but it was pretty funny. At times it was a bit too much of a running on gag, and I think it would have been better in smaller doses/chapters, but overall it was entertaining and off-the-wall ridiculous.
From exploding vampires to apathetic debutantes to incompetent castles to a poetic rivalry to post-Regency England to conversations on how to shoot a gun, this has almost everything.
While Lucy was entertaining, my two favorite characters were Lord Byron and BB.
Lord Byron because of his arrogant self—and how his toxic masculinity is skewered in every turn (and also how the brash masculinity of heroes is skewered as well).
And BB, because she’s 1) fabulous 2) incredibly wealthy and 3) has a habit of losing her husbands to really unfortunate and unforeseeable accidents with ornamental weaponry.
Also, she has a flair for the dramatic and calls everyone (chiefly, those underneath her station) urchins:
Another thing I loved about this book was the queer representation! We have Sham (she/her pronouns but responds to “either/or” questions with either “yes” or “no”), all around badass vampire slayer who nevertheless has a not-so-great sense of direction, and there’s also Lucy, a canon bisexual. And Lord Byron, who is…Lord Byron.
Altogether, it’s a sarcastic and funny parody of Regency and Post-Regency romances and adventures—and filled with vampire (and debutante) satire.
The illustrations are also entertaining, reminding me a little bit of Cyanide and Happiness and another comic that I can’t recall.
Lots of blood splatter, lots of vampires and lots of swearing, which is just up my alley for Regency-era anything.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Full review at The Suspected Bibliophile
March 2, 2023
Страшенно мила і забавна історія про Люсі, панянку доби регентства, яка не хоче вишивати і грати на піаніно, а хоче пригоди (і можливо, стати членкинею вампірського культу, щоб займатися всякими кровожерними і розпусними речами, але вона ще точно не вирішила). Ми побачимо ворожнечу між лордом Байроном і Вальтером Скоттом, орла-телепата, емоційно недоступну мисливцю за винагородами з непевною гендерною ідентичністю, всяку нечисть, клуб танцюристів кадрилі і чорну вдову.
Якщо ви любите романтично-готичний вайб, безтолкових персонажок і похіхікати, цей комікс для вас)
Якщо ви любите романтично-готичний вайб, безтолкових персонажок і похіхікати, цей комікс для вас)
September 25, 2019
This book is a fun graphic novel in the mode of Pride, Prejudice and Zombies. It was a fast moving story, where the grass never grew under the protagonist Miss Lucy’s feet. With a full cast of humans, vampires and other beings it was exciting and sometimes it took a moment to catch up. Miss Lucy along with her sidekick or was she his sidekick…Lord Byron were trying to solve a grand mystery/reveal and battling anything standing in their way. There were some interesting side characters.
The illustration appealed to me with a simplistic approach to faces but great detail to costumes and background. That aspect really worked for me. It was colourful, somewhat bloody with great shading to various scenes.
Overall this is a couple of hour’s read that will appeal to fans of regency with a paranormal twist.
Thank you to Darkroom tours and Simon and Shuster UK for the review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Book Blog here.
The illustration appealed to me with a simplistic approach to faces but great detail to costumes and background. That aspect really worked for me. It was colourful, somewhat bloody with great shading to various scenes.
Overall this is a couple of hour’s read that will appeal to fans of regency with a paranormal twist.
Thank you to Darkroom tours and Simon and Shuster UK for the review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Book Blog here.
dnf
August 23, 2019
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
DNF around 50%, no rating
Look this was okay and fairly queer and sometimes fun but
• there is way too much text for a graphic novel
• it's way too long (more than 200 pages) and with so much text it started to become an issue
• I feel like there's a lot of stuff I'm missing because I don't know Byron
• the humor is not for me I guess
• the art is cute but I have a problem with the whole way this thing is structured, so much text and the strips being packed tightly made it hard for me to read it on my tiny iPad
This is definitely one of those times where I could have continued and finished but I just didn't want to, also it's worth noting that my main issue was how much text was in each page and how tiny it all seemed, which is something that might not bother others because I suppose the finished copy will be more readable than it was for me depending on how big the physical pages are. But the fact remains that I also would have pushed through if I had cared more about the story.
DNF around 50%, no rating
Look this was okay and fairly queer and sometimes fun but
• there is way too much text for a graphic novel
• it's way too long (more than 200 pages) and with so much text it started to become an issue
• I feel like there's a lot of stuff I'm missing because I don't know Byron
• the humor is not for me I guess
• the art is cute but I have a problem with the whole way this thing is structured, so much text and the strips being packed tightly made it hard for me to read it on my tiny iPad
This is definitely one of those times where I could have continued and finished but I just didn't want to, also it's worth noting that my main issue was how much text was in each page and how tiny it all seemed, which is something that might not bother others because I suppose the finished copy will be more readable than it was for me depending on how big the physical pages are. But the fact remains that I also would have pushed through if I had cared more about the story.
December 3, 2019
★★,5☆☆ | I really wanted to like it, guys!
I got this ARC AGES AGO and at first, I somehow missed the archive date (thanks, ADHD) so I was SUPER excited when it appeared again!!
Sadly, when I finally got to it I realised one thing.
I don't have much fun reading it????
And it was supposed to be FUNNY! Come on, it's a JANE AUSTEN'S HEROINE fighting vampires with LORD BYRON and A COOL BUTCH GIRL!!!
And yet, I was barely chuckling every now and then.
I think it fell flat for me because I'm used to things being QUICK and RIGHT THERE so the jokes seemed to me somehow elongated like when your uncle is trying to be funny at a family party but he had a few drinks already so he keeps drunkenly chuckling (only, you know, not racist).
If the pace was somehow faster, I think I would LOVE it though.
I liked how expressive the art was while so minimalistic and the LGBTQ+ rep and the Squad and many many things.
It was just hard to get through when my attention kept wandering.
I got this ARC AGES AGO and at first, I somehow missed the archive date (thanks, ADHD) so I was SUPER excited when it appeared again!!
Sadly, when I finally got to it I realised one thing.
I don't have much fun reading it????
And it was supposed to be FUNNY! Come on, it's a JANE AUSTEN'S HEROINE fighting vampires with LORD BYRON and A COOL BUTCH GIRL!!!
And yet, I was barely chuckling every now and then.
I think it fell flat for me because I'm used to things being QUICK and RIGHT THERE so the jokes seemed to me somehow elongated like when your uncle is trying to be funny at a family party but he had a few drinks already so he keeps drunkenly chuckling (only, you know, not racist).
If the pace was somehow faster, I think I would LOVE it though.
I liked how expressive the art was while so minimalistic and the LGBTQ+ rep and the Squad and many many things.
It was just hard to get through when my attention kept wandering.
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July 24, 2019
Lucy is sick of the patriarcy and the rich, and goes off on them, only to discover they are all vampires.
From that moment on, she decides to either fight them or join them, or both. She joins Lord Byron, from the books, as the says, as well as Sham, a transgender character who may be in love with Lucy, and other people who show up along the way.
It is all confusing, but fun.
Oh, and there is a talking castle. And a psychic eagle. And both are sometimes helpful, and sometimes not.
This all takes place, as the book says, in the late Regency era.
Does it all make sense. Not really, but it is definitely fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
From that moment on, she decides to either fight them or join them, or both. She joins Lord Byron, from the books, as the says, as well as Sham, a transgender character who may be in love with Lucy, and other people who show up along the way.
It is all confusing, but fun.
Oh, and there is a talking castle. And a psychic eagle. And both are sometimes helpful, and sometimes not.
This all takes place, as the book says, in the late Regency era.
Does it all make sense. Not really, but it is definitely fun.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 31, 2021
I really love to see a Regency or Victorian young woman kick ass. I really love to see a woman fighting in a non-stereotyped way Boxing aside, I love to see a woman stage fighting. I don't enjoy real fighting of any kind, nor do I enjoy real or staged boxing, regardless of who is doing it. My affection for fictional fighting extends to literary and, apparently, graphic novel formats. This has the added bonuses of quite a lot of fake blood splatter and Lord Byron hamming it up. Plus, a castle with a personality. Loads of vampires, too.
Also check out McGovern's My Life As Background Slytherin
Question about Sham:
Also check out McGovern's My Life As Background Slytherin
Question about Sham:
March 6, 2020
SO many laughs. SO MANY. I would highly recommend this graphic novel.
January 12, 2020
When Lucy kills a bunch of vampires, she’s approached by the mysterious Lady Violet Travesty. Before Travesty can recruit Lucy and induct her into her secret vampire cult, she’s killed by Lord Byron. At least, that’s what Lucy and Byron think because Travesty is a mysterious and ancient vampire who just happens to be immortal. Joining Byron’s vampire hunting team of one, Lucy embarks on a hilarious journey to find Travesty and defeat her. Along the way, Lucy and Byron gain a third team member: a very serious vampire slayer. Above all? She just wants to know what Travesty meant when she said Lucy was special.
When I first started this book, I wasn’t really into it. The story wasn’t drawing me in, and I thought Lucy and Byron were a bit too shallow and airy. However, once Sham joins the team, the story got rolling and I really got into it. Plus, it turns out that Lucy and Byron aren’t as shallow and vapid as they first appear. I grew to love them both along with Sham, BB, and Victoria. I had so much fun following these characters on their hilarious adventures.
As the story unfolds, it’s clear that our team is a truly fabulous team. Lucy is bisexual, sassy, and cares a lot about everyone even when she’s mad. Sham is a super serious vampire slayer who wants to be known as the best slayer. She goes by she/her and has a terrible sense of direction. Byron is a very self-involved character who thinks that the world surrounds him, but he has a heart of gold. Plus, there’s BB, Victoria, and the spacey magic house that means well.
This is a hilarious story with cute artwork, fun characters, and silly yet interesting storylines that I love to pieces. I love how it pokes fun at vampires, romance, and even itself. I’m glad I kept on reading when the story wasn’t pulling me in because then I would’ve missed out on this gem. I had a good time reading it and I enjoyed the artwork.
When I first started this book, I wasn’t really into it. The story wasn’t drawing me in, and I thought Lucy and Byron were a bit too shallow and airy. However, once Sham joins the team, the story got rolling and I really got into it. Plus, it turns out that Lucy and Byron aren’t as shallow and vapid as they first appear. I grew to love them both along with Sham, BB, and Victoria. I had so much fun following these characters on their hilarious adventures.
As the story unfolds, it’s clear that our team is a truly fabulous team. Lucy is bisexual, sassy, and cares a lot about everyone even when she’s mad. Sham is a super serious vampire slayer who wants to be known as the best slayer. She goes by she/her and has a terrible sense of direction. Byron is a very self-involved character who thinks that the world surrounds him, but he has a heart of gold. Plus, there’s BB, Victoria, and the spacey magic house that means well.
This is a hilarious story with cute artwork, fun characters, and silly yet interesting storylines that I love to pieces. I love how it pokes fun at vampires, romance, and even itself. I’m glad I kept on reading when the story wasn’t pulling me in because then I would’ve missed out on this gem. I had a good time reading it and I enjoyed the artwork.
July 28, 2019
This is excellent and such good fun!
Lucy joins with Lord Byron to hunt down the vampire Lady Violet Travesty. On the way they meet another adventurer called Sham who is also after the vampire. The three of them throw themselves into the hunt, killing vampires who dare to cross their paths, only for the vampires to spring up alive again, and getting into lots of scrapes.
As the adventures progress old and new friends are made, magic happens and the trio get into and out of several messy situations.
The best part about this novel is that it is tremendously funny with a talking castle, a bird who functions as a taxi service (when he isn't fighting duels in France) and many funny side characters.
It is really hard to explain the story, just that there is an adventure and the characters are simply useless at sticking to it!
I throughly enjoyed this and laughed all the way through it. I loved all the characters, including the baddies, and now I want a paperback copy of my own.
Copy provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Lucy joins with Lord Byron to hunt down the vampire Lady Violet Travesty. On the way they meet another adventurer called Sham who is also after the vampire. The three of them throw themselves into the hunt, killing vampires who dare to cross their paths, only for the vampires to spring up alive again, and getting into lots of scrapes.
As the adventures progress old and new friends are made, magic happens and the trio get into and out of several messy situations.
The best part about this novel is that it is tremendously funny with a talking castle, a bird who functions as a taxi service (when he isn't fighting duels in France) and many funny side characters.
It is really hard to explain the story, just that there is an adventure and the characters are simply useless at sticking to it!
I throughly enjoyed this and laughed all the way through it. I loved all the characters, including the baddies, and now I want a paperback copy of my own.
Copy provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 7, 2020
A sort of strangely-and-randomly bloodthirsty gal, Lucy, teams up with a bounty hunter and, um, Lord Byron to hunt down a vampire lady, but they all have different motives for doing so. The schemes are all hairbrained, the plot twist are excellently twisty and convoluted, and the banter is fantastically witty. I. LOVED. It. Exactly what I was hoping for from the author of My Life as a Background Slytherin.
September 19, 2019
Before I gush too much I may as well just come out and start with I LOVED THIS! It was brilliant in every way and if you are a fan of graphic novels IN ANY WAY, I think you need to pick it up. Hell, even if you don't like them, I think you'll find something here that you enjoy.
Now while I could probably leave the review at that, I should probably expand just a little....
Bloodlust and Bonnets is the tale of Lucy. A young woman who is on the cusp of steeling down. This book has everything you would expect. Romance, Lingering looks, Handsome men vying for attention, misjudged kisses, Scottish Castles, Ballroom Dancing and..... VAMPIRE HUNTING!!
The book starts with a bang with Lucy quickly dispatching of a crowd of vampires and running into Lord Byron, the famous poet/vampire hunter. It continues to be action filled and full of humour throughout. As the character sheets indicate above, they eventually team up with Sham - the gunslinger - and our trio is created. What follows is a fun filled romp around the country as Lucy, Sham, and Lord Byron search for their nemesis, although it seems they are all at cross purposes as to why.
I loved the artistic style, and while I will admit to not reading as many graphic novels as I would like to, it seemed very original to me.
The overall story line is brilliant and BLOODY (see what I did there?) HILARIOUS! Three things I learned while reading
All dresses should have pockets
Lord Byron is my idol
Ballroom dancing is as dangerous as many contact sports
To finish, I re-iterate that you absolutely need to read this one! Get on it!
If you plan on getting it I highly recommend the physical edition. :-)
Now while I could probably leave the review at that, I should probably expand just a little....
Bloodlust and Bonnets is the tale of Lucy. A young woman who is on the cusp of steeling down. This book has everything you would expect. Romance, Lingering looks, Handsome men vying for attention, misjudged kisses, Scottish Castles, Ballroom Dancing and..... VAMPIRE HUNTING!!
The book starts with a bang with Lucy quickly dispatching of a crowd of vampires and running into Lord Byron, the famous poet/vampire hunter. It continues to be action filled and full of humour throughout. As the character sheets indicate above, they eventually team up with Sham - the gunslinger - and our trio is created. What follows is a fun filled romp around the country as Lucy, Sham, and Lord Byron search for their nemesis, although it seems they are all at cross purposes as to why.
I loved the artistic style, and while I will admit to not reading as many graphic novels as I would like to, it seemed very original to me.
The overall story line is brilliant and BLOODY (see what I did there?) HILARIOUS! Three things I learned while reading
All dresses should have pockets
Lord Byron is my idol
Ballroom dancing is as dangerous as many contact sports
To finish, I re-iterate that you absolutely need to read this one! Get on it!
If you plan on getting it I highly recommend the physical edition. :-)
October 14, 2019
I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest review.
First things first, I’m currently unwillingly incubating a viral infection and my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, but I’m going to try my best.
Secondly, I love My Life As A Background Slytherin. It’s the only Harry Potter-related thing, official or otherwise, that I engage with anymore. I was super stoked to find out not only that Emily had written a graphic novel but that it was available on NetGalley.
I really, really enjoyed this. It was exactly the kind of madcap paranormal regency adventure I expected, complete with mystery, quests, subterfuge and ill-advised flirting, as well as references to other well-beloved fantasy and regency tales and a sneaky cameo by a certain bibbling old wizard, and, of course, Lord Byron being a right old dickhead.
(As one expects of Lord Byron.)
Near the end I did feel like it got a little meandering and I kept thinking “oh this is near the end” and I’d check the page number to find that I was only in the middle. But that is probably more to do with my being sick and generally exhausted and possibly not following on as well as I usually could, than any shortcomings in the narrative. Something I did specifically take note of was the character development, which a book like this easily could have left off, but this one did it and I was pretty proud of everyone for coming to terms with their feelings.
(Except Byron, who did not because he is the Worst.)
My one dissatisfaction with this graphic novel is that the nonbinary character Sham was never given space on-page to express her pronouns. The characters use “she” for her which appears to be fine, but it would have been nice if Sham could give this information personally. She is asked at one point (rather rudely) if she’s a boy or girl, to which she replies “yes,” so it would have been fairly simple for the interrogating character to then ask about pronouns—but this may have been a publishing decision and not necessarily an authorial one.
Sham is later asked (by someone else) if the correct term of address is “Mr Sham or Ms Sham” and the reply given was “no.” Sham is also variously referred to as “old chap” or “fellow,” and a few times Sham, Lucy and Virginia are collectively called “girls,” and Sham didn’t seem to feel strongly either way about any of those terms.
Sham was shown at one point shaving her face while her shirt hung open to display binding bandages, but this was halfway into the book and we had already seen both conversation examples mentioned above, so it wasn’t the classic and gross “trans reveal via nudity” that we all hate. In one scene where the other characters are notably naked, Sham remains fully clothed. So all in all, I thought it was pretty respectful and well done, the seemingly assumptive nature of her pronouns notwithstanding.
The humour and wild adventurous style was reminiscent of Nimona, which I also love, and I enjoyed this immensely and took many screenshots of my favourite bits. I would recommend it to anyone who likes Nimona or Background Slytherin, or who just wants to dunk on Lord Byron. It’s no more than he deserves, after all.
First things first, I’m currently unwillingly incubating a viral infection and my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, but I’m going to try my best.
Secondly, I love My Life As A Background Slytherin. It’s the only Harry Potter-related thing, official or otherwise, that I engage with anymore. I was super stoked to find out not only that Emily had written a graphic novel but that it was available on NetGalley.
I really, really enjoyed this. It was exactly the kind of madcap paranormal regency adventure I expected, complete with mystery, quests, subterfuge and ill-advised flirting, as well as references to other well-beloved fantasy and regency tales and a sneaky cameo by a certain bibbling old wizard, and, of course, Lord Byron being a right old dickhead.
(As one expects of Lord Byron.)
Near the end I did feel like it got a little meandering and I kept thinking “oh this is near the end” and I’d check the page number to find that I was only in the middle. But that is probably more to do with my being sick and generally exhausted and possibly not following on as well as I usually could, than any shortcomings in the narrative. Something I did specifically take note of was the character development, which a book like this easily could have left off, but this one did it and I was pretty proud of everyone for coming to terms with their feelings.
(Except Byron, who did not because he is the Worst.)
My one dissatisfaction with this graphic novel is that the nonbinary character Sham was never given space on-page to express her pronouns. The characters use “she” for her which appears to be fine, but it would have been nice if Sham could give this information personally. She is asked at one point (rather rudely) if she’s a boy or girl, to which she replies “yes,” so it would have been fairly simple for the interrogating character to then ask about pronouns—but this may have been a publishing decision and not necessarily an authorial one.
Sham is later asked (by someone else) if the correct term of address is “Mr Sham or Ms Sham” and the reply given was “no.” Sham is also variously referred to as “old chap” or “fellow,” and a few times Sham, Lucy and Virginia are collectively called “girls,” and Sham didn’t seem to feel strongly either way about any of those terms.
Sham was shown at one point shaving her face while her shirt hung open to display binding bandages, but this was halfway into the book and we had already seen both conversation examples mentioned above, so it wasn’t the classic and gross “trans reveal via nudity” that we all hate. In one scene where the other characters are notably naked, Sham remains fully clothed. So all in all, I thought it was pretty respectful and well done, the seemingly assumptive nature of her pronouns notwithstanding.
The humour and wild adventurous style was reminiscent of Nimona, which I also love, and I enjoyed this immensely and took many screenshots of my favourite bits. I would recommend it to anyone who likes Nimona or Background Slytherin, or who just wants to dunk on Lord Byron. It’s no more than he deserves, after all.
September 28, 2019
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I read this book over two nights and found it to be completely addictive!
The storyline was great, a complete mix of genres and it worked brilliantly. The images were superb and the author has done an absolutely cracking job.
This is not a book I would normally read but the blurb really intrigued me and I am so glad that I got a copy to read and review and that I was able to read something so good that was out of my normal choices. I have been converted and will definitely be looking for more graphic novels in the future!!
It is 5 stars from me, I loved it from cover to cover – very highly recommended!!
I read this book over two nights and found it to be completely addictive!
The storyline was great, a complete mix of genres and it worked brilliantly. The images were superb and the author has done an absolutely cracking job.
This is not a book I would normally read but the blurb really intrigued me and I am so glad that I got a copy to read and review and that I was able to read something so good that was out of my normal choices. I have been converted and will definitely be looking for more graphic novels in the future!!
It is 5 stars from me, I loved it from cover to cover – very highly recommended!!
September 26, 2019
Ok, I have to say it. Emily McGovern has the exact same sense of humour as me. This graphic novel made me laugh out loud! It’s all very tongue-in-cheek with lots of silly jokes and I just honestly loved it. This humour is honestly what made the book for me; every joke landed perfectly and McGovern was able to make me giggle with just one tiny detail in her drawings, like a raised eyebrow. I seriously had so much fun reading this.
The characters were brilliant. Lord Byron’s pomp was utter perfection and he totally stole the show for me. His scenes had me in stitches. I also loved the casual inclusion of a non-binary character, and the sentient castle and psychic eagle were further highlights. Trust me 😉
In terms of the illustrations, I really liked McGovern’s style. The drawing had a simple, blocky technique to it (I say simple but I can’t draw to save my life so I have so much respect for people who can!) As I’ve already mentioned, I could feel the emotions radiating off the pages even when all that changed were a couple of pen-strokes.
I also really loved the vibrant colour scheme! You can see in my photograph below how bright and bold the cover is and that was consistent throughout the book. It really made the illustrations pop and I thought it was fabulous.
Overall, there’s not much more I can say about this one because I think it’s best to just dive in and experience it for yourself! If you’re into things like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or other satirical takes on Regency era stories, then definitely consider picking this one up! It would be a fun, fast read for the spooky season 😉
The characters were brilliant. Lord Byron’s pomp was utter perfection and he totally stole the show for me. His scenes had me in stitches. I also loved the casual inclusion of a non-binary character, and the sentient castle and psychic eagle were further highlights. Trust me 😉
In terms of the illustrations, I really liked McGovern’s style. The drawing had a simple, blocky technique to it (I say simple but I can’t draw to save my life so I have so much respect for people who can!) As I’ve already mentioned, I could feel the emotions radiating off the pages even when all that changed were a couple of pen-strokes.
I also really loved the vibrant colour scheme! You can see in my photograph below how bright and bold the cover is and that was consistent throughout the book. It really made the illustrations pop and I thought it was fabulous.
Overall, there’s not much more I can say about this one because I think it’s best to just dive in and experience it for yourself! If you’re into things like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or other satirical takes on Regency era stories, then definitely consider picking this one up! It would be a fun, fast read for the spooky season 😉
November 24, 2019
I really enjoyed this book when I first started it, the characters are hilarious. I mean Lord Byron? Romantic stereotypes. The dialogue and experiences were funny. But then the story dragged on. They went hither and thither, which was almost too much. It wasn't fully clear why they were going back and forth. That may have been part of the stereotype/trope. Maybe part of it was that I didn't read it all in one sitting and keep going back to it which may have made it take longer.
Well worth a read. It's quick, hilarious, and well thought out. I recommend it.
"I say! That woman is becoming hysterical!' 'Unacceptable!' 'Subdue her!'" (p. VII)
"It is I, LORD BYRON. You know, from books"(p. VIII).
"Don't be stroppy, Byron.' 'I am NOT stroppy, I am an enigmatic and unpredictable genius!'"(p. 31).
"I've read books, ok? I know that when someone is emotionally distant and consistently rude, it means they have a huge secret crush on you and want to marry you and move you into their massive castle. But I'm starting to think you might ALSO just be a DICK.'
'I--what books have you been reading?'
'Filthy ones! Anyway I'm tired of it.'"(p. 135).
Well worth a read. It's quick, hilarious, and well thought out. I recommend it.
"I say! That woman is becoming hysterical!' 'Unacceptable!' 'Subdue her!'" (p. VII)
"It is I, LORD BYRON. You know, from books"(p. VIII).
"Don't be stroppy, Byron.' 'I am NOT stroppy, I am an enigmatic and unpredictable genius!'"(p. 31).
"I've read books, ok? I know that when someone is emotionally distant and consistently rude, it means they have a huge secret crush on you and want to marry you and move you into their massive castle. But I'm starting to think you might ALSO just be a DICK.'
'I--what books have you been reading?'
'Filthy ones! Anyway I'm tired of it.'"(p. 135).
August 11, 2019
Esilarante e un po' nonsense questa graphic novel dai colori netti e dai disegni accattivanti, ambientata nell'Inghilterra Regency (anche se le Terme Romane di Bath non erano ancora state riscoperte; la loro inaugurazione risale al 1897), molto sopra le righe, che mi ha riportato alla mente soprattutto Love and Freindship di Jane Austen versione pulp, ovvero contaminata da Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - anche se in questo caso si tratta di vampiri - e che strizza l'occhio anche alla trilogia di Jane Bites Back di Michael Thomas Ford.
Credo che tutti gli appassionati di Jane Austen potrebbero apprezzarla.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Credo che tutti gli appassionati di Jane Austen potrebbero apprezzarla.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 8, 2019
If you have somehow managed to be unfortunately comatose or living in a hole in the ground (hobbit or otherwise) you may have missed Emily McGovern's My Life as a Background Slytherin, this is your opportunity to discover the sheer adorable ridiculousness of her art. Like, excuse me, who gave you permission to create a regency vampire cartoon?!?! And can I have more?
I loved seeing McGovern keep her simple, quirky style while creating her own world. I very, very, very much hope the Potterheads who have embraced the sly yet sweet humour of @emilyscartoons jump right into Bloodlust & Bonnets. BYO vamp stakes!
4.5 gleeful stars
I loved seeing McGovern keep her simple, quirky style while creating her own world. I very, very, very much hope the Potterheads who have embraced the sly yet sweet humour of @emilyscartoons jump right into Bloodlust & Bonnets. BYO vamp stakes!
4.5 gleeful stars
July 23, 2019
This was a delight. The artwork was fun, the text was AMAZING - so many one liners and panels that were done splendidly and I want to use as reactions. I loved how queer it was and how willing to poke fun it was. I cannot wait to get a finished copy for my collection.
October 14, 2019
This book is perfectly in my wheelhouse, and I loved it. I laughed out loud many, many times - when I saw the curling papers in Byron’s hair, I had to put the book down I was laughing so hard. The plot goes around in circles and is anticlimactic, but the main appeal is the pure silliness.
September 1, 2020
What a rag-tag group of lovable idiots.
March 20, 2021
I adored reading this book so much! It was so much fun to sit and read and I absolutely flew through it so if you are looking for a super fun read for an afternoon then this is for you.
The characters are all so dramatic and very extra and full of representation, I loved them all. I mean Napoleon the psychic eagle, hilarious and honestly, there could be a whole book dedicated to him alone, and Lord Byron was the absolute best. I mean he introduced himself as Lord Byron from books and I can't, he was just so flamboyant and perfect. Lucy the heroine of the tale was also great because she was just trying to do what she wanted at the same time as following Lord Byron around. And of course, we had Sham who is brilliant and I love her so much as well. Everyone was just so great and I really want another book following them all round as they go around England doing some crazy things.
The plot was brilliant, I mean a group of people trying to find a secret coven of vampires in the regency era. BRILLIANT. Literally two of the things that I love to read about lol. Plus, it was hilarious and it had me laughing out loud quite a lot over the course of the book. It was such a delight to read and I will definitely be re-reading it at some point soon because it is just wonderful to read. You guys should definitely check it out!
The characters are all so dramatic and very extra and full of representation, I loved them all. I mean Napoleon the psychic eagle, hilarious and honestly, there could be a whole book dedicated to him alone, and Lord Byron was the absolute best. I mean he introduced himself as Lord Byron from books and I can't, he was just so flamboyant and perfect. Lucy the heroine of the tale was also great because she was just trying to do what she wanted at the same time as following Lord Byron around. And of course, we had Sham who is brilliant and I love her so much as well. Everyone was just so great and I really want another book following them all round as they go around England doing some crazy things.
The plot was brilliant, I mean a group of people trying to find a secret coven of vampires in the regency era. BRILLIANT. Literally two of the things that I love to read about lol. Plus, it was hilarious and it had me laughing out loud quite a lot over the course of the book. It was such a delight to read and I will definitely be re-reading it at some point soon because it is just wonderful to read. You guys should definitely check it out!
September 13, 2020
I just moved to a new town and so of course I had to stop in and get a library card.
.
When walking around the library I saw this book and thought it might be a quick, easy, graphic novel and it was!
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"Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.
But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled."
.
When walking around the library I saw this book and thought it might be a quick, easy, graphic novel and it was!
.
"Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.
But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled."
January 15, 2020
*Actual rating is a 2.5*
Bloodlust & Bonnets was a somewhat perplexing read that seems like it's trying to do too many things at a time. The story follows Lucy and Lord Byron as they attempt to hunt down a vampire who invited Lucy to join her secret immortal vampire cult. There are balls, a talking castle, a psychic hawk, and loads of other unusual elements.
I didn't really feel like the story Bloodlust & Bonnets tells is best suited for a graphic novel format. There's a high volume of talking -- I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel that contained this much dialogue -- and the story doesn't seem to really need the illustrations to advance itself.
Bloodlust & Bonnets was at turns entertaining and bewildering. I enjoyed the witty turns-of-phrase but was emotionally uninvested in the story.
Bloodlust & Bonnets was a somewhat perplexing read that seems like it's trying to do too many things at a time. The story follows Lucy and Lord Byron as they attempt to hunt down a vampire who invited Lucy to join her secret immortal vampire cult. There are balls, a talking castle, a psychic hawk, and loads of other unusual elements.
I didn't really feel like the story Bloodlust & Bonnets tells is best suited for a graphic novel format. There's a high volume of talking -- I don't think I've ever read a graphic novel that contained this much dialogue -- and the story doesn't seem to really need the illustrations to advance itself.
Bloodlust & Bonnets was at turns entertaining and bewildering. I enjoyed the witty turns-of-phrase but was emotionally uninvested in the story.
November 17, 2019
Alright, this was pretty adorable. Weird and nonsensical, but funny too? If you want to read something different I definitely recommend it.
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