I enjoyed the latest novel from V.E. Schwab, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, a great deal. The story follows three young women – Maria, Charlotte, and Alice – across time periods from the 1500s to the present. Each is feeling restricted, to one degree or another, by society’s expectations of women and the paths open to them.
Maria and Charlotte both find mysterious widows offering them an alternate path, which seems better than the alternatives. However, the widows have not spelt out the reality of their choices or the consequences. They are vampires and offer the women power, but also darkness and violence.
Alice is given no choice. A one-night stand throws her onto the same path already travelled by Maria and Charlotte. But Alice is a very different person, and doggedly searches for answers and revenge.
Vampirism is portrayed as brutal and violent, and unpleasant in some aspects. This isn’t a new slant on vampirism, but it’s vivid and infuses both the plot and the characters. It is a crucial part of both the plot and atmosphere.
The primary female characters are all lesbians, and as such, lesbian relationships are described frankly and frequently. Although the cover warns of explicit content, I found the adult content quite mild and not particularly explicit compared to some of what’s being published as romantasy.
However, the emotional content of the relationships is what really matters, and that’s conveyed with both sensitivity and, at times, a kind of brutality which matches both the social attitudes of different times and the violent themes which underlie much of the action.
I found this a slow read to start with. The early part of the novel focuses almost entirely on Maria, and I found the novel more interesting when other characters became involved. That’s probably partly because the Maria storyline also carries much of the responsibility for explaining plot elements.
The social mores and expectations are different in the three timelines, and yet the women have a great deal in common. This is undoubtedly part of Schwab’s point, but for me, it was the least engaging part of the novel. I was more interested in the individual character development, and that’s handled with depth and skill.
I found this an interesting, if occasionally slow, read, and it’s one I’ll remember for a while. The dark presentation of the vampires was an interesting change from the softer representation that’s snuck into pop culture in recent years. I recommend this for readers who like their fantasy dark or who want to be challenged a little.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I love sharing that joy.
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, across all genres. There’s not much I won’t at least try. I’ve been an enthusiastic book reviewer for years. I particularly enjoy discovering writers new to me, and sharing good writing with others.
My career has included time spent writing and editing technical documents, but it’s fiction that really moves me. I’ve reviewed for a number of different outlets over the years, and have been a judge in literary competitions.
I’m now raising little bookworms of my own, which brings a whole new kind of joy to sharing books.
More of my reviews can be found on my review blog www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog .
V. E. Schwab’s novel Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, is a dark story that moves across the centuries, following the experiences of three women: Maria in 1532, Charlotte in 1837, and Alice in 2019 . Marie struggles with a confining marriage, Charlotte doesn’t fit in and Alice is coming to terms with her grief. All feel constrained by their own expectations and the realities of the life they find themselves in.
The book touches on love, loneliness, societal conformity and perhaps fundamentally the price of taking control …
I was unfamiliar with V.E. Schwab’s work and to be honest it was not what I was expecting… and I had to push myself to keep reading.
While the book was well written and the multiple timelines easy to navigate, I found the actual storyline quite slow paced and basic. I also found the fantasy aspect cliched and catering too much to what has become a ‘popular’ genre – vampires. Unfortunately the author has nothing new to say about these vampires except that they are dangerous lesbian vampires…
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
by V.E. Schwab,
The story is about 3 young women their bodies planted in the same soil their stories tangling like roots.
We first meet María in 1532, a wild spirit in a world that tries to tame her. Her story is driven by hunger not just for food, but for freedom and agency in a patriarchal world.
Then there’s Charlotte from 1827 London, locked in a gilded cage of privilege, who discovers love and freedom in the most unexpected way but at a cost.
Finally in 2019 Boston, we follow Alice, a modern young woman whose rage fuels a search for truth, justice, and identity after trauma reshapes her life.
The writing is poetic, raw, evocative.
Despite the different centuries, the emotional struggles of each woman feel relatable.
This book is dark at times, and the content warning is warranted it has mature and explicit themes.
The stories are very powerful, a reflection on how women survive, break free, and rise again, even when the world tries to bury them.
Thankyou Beauty and Lace I enjoyed reading this book although at times I thought I would put it down I kept coming back for more .
Definitely for mature Adults only .
I thought this book was out of my league but it got better as I got into the stories. I could understand who the author was talking about and I found I wasn’t getting confused .
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel that follows three women across centuries—María (1532), Charlotte (1827), and Alice (2019)—each confronting the weight of silence, control, and identity in a world that tries to bury them.
Schwab’s prose is lyrical and haunting, with a quiet intensity that builds slowly but purposefully. The timelines weave together seamlessly, and while the story touches on supernatural elements like vampires, it’s more a meditation on power, grief, and transformation than a traditional fantasy.
It’s a dark, poetic read—more about emotional depth than action—and best suited to readers who appreciate elegant writing and layered themes. Quietly powerful and deeply affecting.
Many thanks to Beauty and Lace for my copy of Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E Schwab to read and review.
I haven’t read much fantasy or supernatural books so this was a bit of a different read for me.
It is a story about three lesbian women who become vampires and whose stories become entangled over time.
I like how it was written, each girls story easy to follow. The characters were strong women trying to find themselves in the vampire world.
This book comes with content advice for mature themes and explicit content which I agree with.
I would read future books from this author.
‘Bury our bones in the midnight soil’ was such a surprise package, I absolutely LOVED this book. Having never read anything by V.E Schwab before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It quickly transpired I was hooked, this book is so well written! The text is so creative (but not in that wordy, overdone way, if that makes sense).
Her descriptions are so vivid, it felt like I was walking through the cobblestone alleys of Europe or sitting in the eclectic cafes of Boston.
Without giving too much away, this book spans from the 1500’s, right through to 2019, following the stories of 3 young ladies. Their lives somehow intertwine in unexpected ways.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a bit of history with a twist!
Highly recommended & I’ll be looking for more of V.E Schwab’s work.
Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E.Schwab is beautifully written and provides insight into the lives of three women, Maria, Charlotte and Alice.
Maria’s story commences in the 1500s and details the social norms of this period and the frustrations held by a woman who is stifled in a marriage and dreams of more for herself before being trapped further.
Charlotte is introduced to us in London’s 1800s, and again, we learn of her dreams and what leads her to a decision made to move beyond society’s expectations.
Alice is introduced to us in the 2000s, Boston, and how hopes and fears for her future. While I am not usually a fan of fantasy books, this one was told in a manner that the vampire-side of things was a tool for developing the characters, their interactions with each other and learning about what it means to be a female, and a female vampire at different points in history. I didn’t find the subject matter of sexual content overly explicit, and I have read far more explicit content from this genre.
At each story point, V.E.Schwab details and shares insight into each character, developing them with their own unique voices and circumstances. A slow-paced book, the stories intertwine and unravel as the story progresses. The writing is articulate and descriptive and leaves the reader with a real sense of the environment.
While I enjoyed reading this book, I found it was one I would have to read at intervals so it took me a little longer to read than other books with a faster pace may have done. I thought the writing was beautiful and V.E.Schwab showed her talent. I plan on reading other books by her.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.
Maria wanted more, more than to be a wife, more than to just do as her brother, the family patriarch, wants. She knows she has something to work with, from an early age, beauty. Her meeting a widow one day just inspires her more, shows her there is more out there.
Yes, he was the one, the one to free her from her country home, to escalate her into society. But you should care what you wish for.
Maria goes through changes in the presence of a controlling husband, finds new answers and opportunities that she never saw coming. Power of another kind, with much still to learn, but she will have time, at least when she becomes Sabine.
Alice was trying to find her way, she had moved country, started studies and wanted to be braver than she felt in this new environment. Breathe, just take a breath and center, be the Alice you wish you were. Never did she realize that that interaction, the one woman who brought out the inner Alice, would change her life, or take it from her.
The underworld, a spin on vampire tails, this was an intriguing read.
First impressions were – where is this leading. I loved Maria, a fierce head strong and highly impressionable character who I thought would be cut down to size, especially the era she began in. The writing was colourful and descriptive and flowed nicely. I also found this with Alice, atho she was of a different character altogether but where was it leading? Then it all changed!
That completely came out of left field, made the storyline more interesting but about ¾ of the way thru I thought it should have wrapped up sooner, it became a little bit tedious. I understand that it had to follow the hole way thru to come to full circle. I did love the poem and where
I think my daughter will love it more as it is her thing.