Delirium Nocturnum: House of Glass by Rojana Krait is a dark story that pushed my boundaries with every decision the characters made, but it was also oddly endearing. If you love the idea of a romance between a hostage and a captive; and if you love the idea of being rescued against your will by a powerful being with a lot of money and then smothered in love (while still being a captive) then this is your kind of book.
Elodie Glass is a hundred-year-old vampire. She is part of a coven dedicated to bringing justice to the scum of the earth. The thing is, Elodie is quite a dark soul. She festers with an obsession for a human named Aya.
When we first meet Elodie she is at a support group for PTSD Survivors. She is, in part, stalking Aya and, in part, looking to help the members of the survivor’s group by putting a stop to some really bad people.
Aya Lachat is the sole survivor of a family massacre. She barely lives now. Her existence is filled with sorrow, fear and loneliness.
Aya also often feels like she is being watched and chalks it down to paranoia that comes from her childhood trauma. What she doesn’t know is that she has caught the eye of an old vampire who will do anything to keep Aya safe, including imprisoning her.
When a turn of events gives the vampire an opportunity she whisks Aya away to live as her captive in a comfortable, renovated farmhouse.
What Elodie doesn’t know is that Aya is not just going to meekly surrender.
In a push and pull of hurt and comfort, boundaries are explored and stretched as we delve into pain, pleasure, forgiveness and revenge.
This book is not for folks who don’t like dark themes, but if you do then this is a fascinating ride.
Story
Krait rode an interesting line between power, obsession and overstepping boundaries.
There were times when I felt like decisions that were so wrong were being justified under the pretence of helping or being in love with the victim. But, I was also fascinated by the entire process.
I don’t inherently understand the hurt and comfort trope but I do understand that the trope often covers things that I see as crossing lines. I think that it’s about victims (especially of abuse) taking back power in an environment that is safe. It’s an environment where all responsibility is taken from them. Food is prepared, choice is taken and money is not an issue. This makes it safe for them to spend the time they need to heal. And the power dynamics make it so that the caregiver is a powerful figure but an essentially good one. But, I am also open to hearing other thoughts on this idea.
I find this a complicated trope to understand but an intriguing one, nonetheless. And if you are able to put aside your limits and lines on what you consider right or wrong then this is an entertaining read.
Writing
Written entirely in the first person and jumping between Aya and Elodie’s points of view made the story fun to read. I enjoyed Krait’s ability to give us differing perspectives on the same events making each character feel fleshed out and different from the other. And I love that there were small differences in the point of view and that was never discussed or resolved in any kind of way. It just existed. Genius.
Pros
There are cute narrative devices like section titles that play with the idea of glass. These are exactly the kind of detail that I adore in books. That extra little oomph makes me a happy reader.
I also appreciate the list of trigger warnings and the fact that the author was really open to chatting with me about my concerns with regard to the use of the term sisters to refer to the coven when one of the members is a non binary person.
On that point, Krait says, “My character Jayden Irons identifies as both genderqueer and a sister. Gender expression and identity are both highly individual and variable. It would definitely be exclusionary and inappropriate to refer to a large population (large enough where one wouldn’t know the personal preferences of every member) as “sister,” but a group of four vampires can communicate and agree amongst themselves how they identify and prefer to be addressed.
“The history of Jayden’s personal journey (and struggle) with gender identity and expression is part of the plot of their book, House of Iron.”
Heads up
The author does provide a long list of potential triggers including the things I am about to mention. I encourage you to pay attention to it as the author does a lot of work to keep readers safe and communicate clearly what could be problematic for readers.
Most of the potential triggers were not an issue for me. But I do want to give you all a heads-up about the ones that I found myself wincing at. There are a couple of mentions of child abuse and rape, but nothing gets graphic here. There were also a couple of almost-rape scenes and one scene where a man jerked off onto one of the characters while she was tied up and naked.
The Conclusion
I was highly entertained by the book. I like things that are different and Krait did a good job at keeping things difficult but not going so far over the line that I couldn’t keep reading.
I enjoy challenging my perspective on the world and exploring ideas like hurt, comfort, captivity, love and desire.
And, honestly, this is a difficult kind of subject to write as a romance. Can you really love someone who is keeping you hostage? Can you really love someone who you are caging?
I think the author did a lot of things right. There was an attraction between Aya and Elodie from the beginning which made it more convincing that there could be real feelings. Elodie never took advantage of Aya sexually which was a big thing for me.
This book made me feel a gamut of emotions and kept me turning the pages and when I was done I was glad that I took this journey. It may not have been a happy journey or a kind journey but I think everyone turned out a little better off at the end.
If you are like me and are okay with pushing boundaries while you look for that ever-elusive read that takes you somewhere new then this is worth your time.
Excerpt from Delirium Nocturnum: House of Glass by Rojana Krait
How can it be that the more empty the streets are, the less alone I feel?
I fight the urge to stop walking and turn around yet again, to scan the sidewalks trying to find the eyes that I can feel on the back of my neck. Instead, I pull my hoodie tighter around me and pick up my pace, eyes locked on the lamppost glowing on the corner just ahead of me. Just another hundred yards or so and I’ll be home, locked safe in my apartment.
Not that I ever actually feel safe there.
I was at home when I lost everything and I had felt safe in that home, with my parents and my sister and my two brothers. And that house was definitely more secure than my shitty apartment. I don’t even have any kind of home security system, though I desperately want one. They’re just way out of my price range while I’m living on disability and can’t work.
All the more reason to get better, I try to give myself another pathetic pep talk. I can’t help it though. I feel like I’m barely treading water with my recovery, but I still want all of the shiny new opportunities that are supposed to come with getting better. All of the experiences that normal, healthy people my age take for granted.
Once I get over my PTSD I can go to school and make friends and get a job and do all those things that I had assumed I would do until everything including my own future got ripped right out of my hands by Olsen Leonard. I’ll stop panicking every time I go out in public and I’ll make enough money to pay my own bills so that I don’t have to prove to the social security office how fucked up I seriously am over and over and over so that they don’t discontinue my benefits and make me homeless.
I’m not even to the lamppost yet before I’m stopped dead in my tracks, my train of thought derailed by pure instinct. The hair rises on the back of my neck and I can feel cold sweat prickle all over my skin. My breath turns shallow and my ears strain.
I heard something. I know I did.
I try to listen harder as my eyes dart around, looking for a safe place to run. This part of the city isn’t even the ‘bad’ part but there are still several abandoned row homes I can spot on this block alone. I could try to hide in one of those, or I guess I could scream and hope that the person who hears me is less dangerous than the person who is following me.
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Series: Delirium Nocturnum
House of Glass by Rojana Krait
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number:
Publisher: Indie Author
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