Book review: Tales of the Mantequero

Every once in a while, there comes a book that makes me wish that I could rate with 6 stars, just to make that one book stand out triumphantly as it should. This book is definitely one of them!

The Mantequero is not your average vampire. This Spanish lad is surely handsome and just as evil as vampires come, yet, instead of sucking blood, he sucks the fat of beautiful young girls. He picks the plump ones and loves them, entering their bedroom through their open window at night and carries on until they’re dead; a mere carcass of skin and bones.

Although I am not a fan of horror, this delightful compilation of novellas on the subject has thrilled and enchanted me. Jenny Twist sure has a gift of delivering compelling prose and vibrant descriptions that transport you to the lush mountainsides of Spain, leaving you to roam the streets of ancient villages at dusk, full of trepidation over the damned creature lurking in the shadows.

It was hard to pick a favorite among these stories but I’ll tell you this: they seem to mature and improve as the story progresses. The author first wrote “Mantequero”, then “Disappeared” and the rest of the tales came under the pressure of her fans pushing for a sequel. The more the author imagined, the darker the story got, but at the same time the characters grew deeper and more involved with this evil creature. It’s odd actually, because althrough this is a set of novellas written in different times, each one in itself complete, this book reads like a single novel separated by chapters. It has a beginning, a middle and an end, and the author’s had one after another brilliant idea to keep the story going, all the more heightening the fascination and the horror in the mind of the reader.

I did pick a favorite among these novellas in the end; it’s “Sins of the Father”. It was the darkest of them all and the one that had me turning the pages at my most thirsty. Having said that, be warned: your reading pleasure will be ruined if you pick to read these stories out of sequence. Instead of buying any of the earlier novellas separately, pick out this specific publication and find out all about the Mantequero by reading it as a novel like I did. By the last page, chances are you’ll be feeling the same: detached from reality and tingly all over, overwhelmed by the thrilling, magical journey in rural Spain that this author has granted you. Well done, Jenny Twist!

 

My rating:

5 Stars

A thrilling vampire myth set in Spain that will enchant you.

Un-put-downable!

 

Do you love vampire stories, horror, or dark, mysterious tales set in exotic places? This book is for you and it comes highly recommended! Find it now on Amazon!