What do you think?
Rate this book
Celeste
Adoration has a high price
Celeste is ancient, beautiful, and deadly. Aided by her servant, Clive, she has lived for over 200 years, drawing her life force from the adoration of others – first in her native country of America and, when forced to flee her home there, in London. Now she has a new target for her affections in Sam. And when she invades his dreams and his life in order to seduce him and feed on his desires, she doesn’t reckon on the power of his love for his wife, Marianne, or the terrible price her obsession with him will exact. A terrifying novel from the Shirley Jackson and British Fantasy award-nominated Marie O’Regan (Mirror Mere, In Times of Want and Other Stories), this will make you think, make you shiver and make you question your own closest relationships.
Celeste is ancient, beautiful, and deadly. Aided by her servant, Clive, she has lived for over 200 years, drawing her life force from the adoration of others – first in her native country of America and, when forced to flee her home there, in London. Now she has a new target for her affections in Sam. And when she invades his dreams and his life in order to seduce him and feed on his desires, she doesn’t reckon on the power of his love for his wife, Marianne, or the terrible price her obsession with him will exact. A terrifying novel from the Shirley Jackson and British Fantasy award-nominated Marie O’Regan (Mirror Mere, In Times of Want and Other Stories), this will make you think, make you shiver and make you question your own closest relationships.
- GenresHorror
294 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 18, 2022
3.5 rounded up. This was a fun read, and Celeste is a fantastic character. I loved the beginning of this because there were a lot of occult and voodoo elements. The middle kept my interest and the climax was very well done. Would definitely recommend.
February 25, 2023
The old saying suggests that "Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned." This is especially true when said woman in an adoration vampire.
This is a nice little twist on vampire lore, with the main character, Celeste, remaining young through the adoration of men. Her curse came via an old curse placed on her in Louisiana 200 years prior. True love was her goal, but that's not how things played out for her.
Fast forward to modern day London, where Celeste and her butler Clive return to youth after a period of decrepitude. We learn that it's a regular cycle, with the young Celeste wooing men and haunting their dreams in an attempt to find love. The repercussions when they find out that she is not what they believe her to be are harsh.
This is certainly a very different take on the vampire legend and one that is mostly entertaining. There are moments where the story drags just a touch and feels a little repetitive, but this is a book that I would still definitely recommend.
This is a nice little twist on vampire lore, with the main character, Celeste, remaining young through the adoration of men. Her curse came via an old curse placed on her in Louisiana 200 years prior. True love was her goal, but that's not how things played out for her.
Fast forward to modern day London, where Celeste and her butler Clive return to youth after a period of decrepitude. We learn that it's a regular cycle, with the young Celeste wooing men and haunting their dreams in an attempt to find love. The repercussions when they find out that she is not what they believe her to be are harsh.
This is certainly a very different take on the vampire legend and one that is mostly entertaining. There are moments where the story drags just a touch and feels a little repetitive, but this is a book that I would still definitely recommend.
March 18, 2022
Gathering my thoughts on this book, it was tempting to say O’Regan explores an oft-overlooked trope in desperate need of more stories, but that’s not exactly true. See, Celeste is a vampire story, and I didn’t realize that until after it was over. Comparing it to vampire horror fiction may be a slight in the eyes of some, but when an author tells the story of an immortal being who survives by feeding off of others (adoration in place of blood here) and manages to avoid falling into the age-old clichés every reader associates with a vampire tale? That’s a feat.
The titular Celeste has lived about 200 years, first in America, now in the UK, replenishing her youth by enchanting the lives of men, feeding off their desire of her ageless beauty. Complicit and reaping the benefits of immortality is Celeste’s familiar/servant, Clive. The two share a symbiotic, if abusive, relationship that O’Regan explores in bits and pieces throughout the story. It makes for some of the more complex and intriguing characterization in the book.
The two men who experience different sides of Celeste’s wrath/indifference are Paul and Sam. While Paul is painted as a sympathetic love interest, Sam and his girlfriend Marianne exemplify the type of victimization Celeste imparts over the years to retain her youth. The storytelling is effective in providing modern day examples of the cost of living. This setup pays off in dividends toward the end of the story.
O’Regan focuses more on Celeste’s abuse of power than the origins of the villainess. While the source of her immortality is explained, I would’ve liked to spend a little more time there. Of course, that is personal preference and ultimately doesn’t impact the resolution or create any plot holes.
Clive Barker calls O’Regan’s work “beautifully-crafted” and “elegant”. Celeste fits into that mold wonderfully. Marie O’Regan has crafted a story that dances across time and plays on our fears of helplessness in a way that might remind readers of Dan Simmons’ Carrion Comfort. A picturesque example of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely.
The titular Celeste has lived about 200 years, first in America, now in the UK, replenishing her youth by enchanting the lives of men, feeding off their desire of her ageless beauty. Complicit and reaping the benefits of immortality is Celeste’s familiar/servant, Clive. The two share a symbiotic, if abusive, relationship that O’Regan explores in bits and pieces throughout the story. It makes for some of the more complex and intriguing characterization in the book.
The two men who experience different sides of Celeste’s wrath/indifference are Paul and Sam. While Paul is painted as a sympathetic love interest, Sam and his girlfriend Marianne exemplify the type of victimization Celeste imparts over the years to retain her youth. The storytelling is effective in providing modern day examples of the cost of living. This setup pays off in dividends toward the end of the story.
O’Regan focuses more on Celeste’s abuse of power than the origins of the villainess. While the source of her immortality is explained, I would’ve liked to spend a little more time there. Of course, that is personal preference and ultimately doesn’t impact the resolution or create any plot holes.
Clive Barker calls O’Regan’s work “beautifully-crafted” and “elegant”. Celeste fits into that mold wonderfully. Marie O’Regan has crafted a story that dances across time and plays on our fears of helplessness in a way that might remind readers of Dan Simmons’ Carrion Comfort. A picturesque example of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely.
February 28, 2023
Thank you to Encyclopocalypse for providing a review copy.
3.5 stars rounded up. This is the story of Celeste, some kind of vampire or succubus who lives off of the attention of men. It's never explicitly stated what Celeste is, although we do get her origin story. Mostly it's the story of the various men in Celeste's life and the absolute chaos she causes them. It's well-written and has some very sympathetic characters. It was an interesting twist on the traditional vampire story.
3.5 stars rounded up. This is the story of Celeste, some kind of vampire or succubus who lives off of the attention of men. It's never explicitly stated what Celeste is, although we do get her origin story. Mostly it's the story of the various men in Celeste's life and the absolute chaos she causes them. It's well-written and has some very sympathetic characters. It was an interesting twist on the traditional vampire story.
April 3, 2022
This was a very enjoyable fast paced story that kept me engaged throughout. I would say that it's a take on vampirism, not with blood, but psychically. Celeste needs men to give her attention and will grow old without it
3.5 stars I might move this to 4 after I process the story more.
3.5 stars I might move this to 4 after I process the story more.
June 13, 2022
Review to follow
September 9, 2023
Hell hath no fury like a succubus scorned!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews