The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce is a set of classic books that have been loved and admired by many fans – young and old, for ages. The difference between these vampire books is that these are pure fantasy; they aren’t set in normal modern times like Twilight or Sookie Stackhouse. They are set in a world of magic and mystery, a new and strange world with curious creatures. It’s a fairytale that will pull you into an enchanted world fit for any dreamer.
The first book, The Darkangel, was a book I read in one sitting I was so enthralled. In this first book Eoduin, a beautiful young woman goes out to gather flowers with the help of her servant Aeriel. While on the hill Eoduin is captured by the fearsome vampire prince who wants the beauty to be his bride. Aeriel, determined to avenge her mistress, returns to the peak from which Eoduin was stolen and waits until the vampire returns. Eventually he comes for her but she can’t kill him because of his beauty and power. He takes her, but not to be his bride like the others, for she does not have their beauty. She is to continue her existence as a slave, but now she has thirteen mistresses, the vampire’s brides, who have all been reduced to wraiths by the stealing of their blood, hearts, and souls. Unable to tell which is Eoduin, Aeriel eventually learns to love them all.
Wandering in the garden of the vampire’s castle, she comes upon a duarough, a tiny man who turns to stone in sunlight, but becomes flesh in shadow. He is a mage, and he gives her a rhyme and sends her on a quest, for if the Darkangel (the vampire) isn’t destroyed before he takes his fourteenth and last wife there will be horrible consequences involving the evil White Witch. And so begins Aeriel’s quest.
There is so much to the story, so many wondrous and magical things that I could go on and on about but I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone. Let’s just say there is love, loss, an epic quest and an assortment of magical and mythical beings.
– Moonlight
