Japan, 1899. A party of vampires - exiled from Britain by Prince Dracula - seeks refuge in Tokyo and are confined to Yokai Town, a ghetto where the Meiji Emperor keeps the country's vampires - bizarre creatures as different from European nosferatu as they are from living humans. Dr Geneviève Dieudonné, Kostaki, a soldier, Daniel Dravot, a spy, and Christina Light, a revolutionary princess, try to survive in Yokai Town as forces within and outside its walls threaten to destroy the newcomers and the long-time residents. What secret lies under the Temple of One Thousand Monsters?
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['There are no vampires in Japan' said Baron Masamichi Higurashi. 'This is the position of the Emperor'.]***
(Titan Books, 24 October 2017, ARC provided by the publisher and voluntarily reviewed)
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I've read very little by this author and never heard of Anno Dracula before but the premise intrigued me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I definitely want to read more of the series. I wasn't sure what to expect and had a great time with Newman's crazy, warped universe.
One Thousand Monsters is one of the most, if not the most original vampire horror novels I've ever read. I love how the author blends real characters from history and fiction with a twisted version of history.
I got a taste of Newman's unique voice when I read an review copy of his novel Angels of Music and I'm glad to say One Thousand Monsters is just as unforgettable.
