The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft

 * TRIGGER WARNINGS * major themes of racism, misogyny, and gore

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward 
by H.P. Lovecraft
⭐⭐⭐⭐

H.P. Lovecraft is a legend but there are definitely some trigger warnings that are needed with almost all of his novels and stories (as stated above). Not only is there frequent misogyny, but Lovecraft was a well known and raging racist. Both of these themes can frequently be found throughout this book. Also, this story is about vampires, so gore is often mentioned as well. Please be aware of these warnings if ever you want to read this story!

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward was a very unique reimagining of the typical vampire story. Charles Dexter Ward is intelligent and has a very bright future, until he happens upon the story of one of his ancestors. This ancestor has an air of mystery and the rumors that surround his life are extremely disturbing - so much so, that most paperwork, letters, and any kind of files related to the existence of this ancestor have been completely destroyed. Charles falls deeply into a metaphorical pit of darkness, obsession, danger, and pure horror. 

In this story, Lovecraft weaves together a frightening and unique tale that holds your attention until the very end. Honestly, the main criticisms I have of this story is the misogyny and racism. It is so frequent in these pages and to put it simply - it was very unpleasant. 

This was a great horror novel and it was completely one of a kind, like most things that came from Lovecraft's mind. The descriptions were so vivid that I could literally almost smell this book. If you're interested in vampires or the twisted brain of Lovecraft, this is a really cool book that is worth reading!