Common Sense Media Review
Gripping Dracula family thriller gets off to slow start.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Cousins Dacia and Louisa are rich New York society girls sent to Romania to meet their mothers' family, the Florescus. Once there, they discover that their family members are actually shape-shifters and that they, too, can transform. They also learn the harsh realities surrounding how their family has used their magic over centuries to aid the nefarious Dracula family. Now, with the latest Dracula heir demanding their help to overthrow the beloved Romanian king, Dacia and Louisa must either blindly follow their family's orders or face battling them.
Is It Any Good?
This ultimately gripping thriller gets off to a slow start. Teenage cousins Dacia and Louisa, interested only in dresses, parties, and finding eligible suitors, make their way to their mothers' homeland of Romania amid lots of strange behaviors and secretive whispers. So many hints are dropped about the secretive "Claw, Wing, and Smoke" that it can be tedious to wait for Dacia and Louisa to finally learn the truth about their family and its ties to the Dracula family. However, once they're forced to confront the brutal reality about who they are, the action moves quickly as the girls must choose between loyalty to their family and forging their own path in the face of many threats and dangers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about standing up for what you believe is right. Should you do it even if it goes against what your family thinks?
Why do you think books about vampires and other magical creatures are so popular?
Once Dacia learns her true identity, she struggles with the question of whether she's a monster. What do you think?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury Children's Books
- Publication date : July 5, 2015
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate