Bluebeard's Castle

A Novel

By: Anna Biller

Narrated by: Samantha Hydeson

Bluebeard gets a feminist Gothic makeover in this subversive take on the famous French fairy tale—from the acclaimed director of The Love Witch, and for fans of Jane Eyre

When the successful British mystery writer Judith Moore meets Gavin, a handsome and charming baron, at a birthday party on the Cornish coast, his love transforms her from a bitter, lonely young woman into a romance heroine overnight. After a whirlwind honeymoon in Paris, he whisks her away to a secluded Gothic castle. But soon she finds herself trapped in a nightmare, as her husband’s mysterious nature and his alternation between charm and violence become increasingly frightening.

As Judith battles both internal and external demons, including sexual ambivalence, psychological self-torture, gaslighting, family neglect, alcoholism, and domestic abuse, she becomes increasingly addicted to her wild beast of a husband. Why do women stay in abusive relationships? The answer can be found in the tortured mind of the protagonist, whose richly layered fantasy life parallels that of the female Gothic romance reader. Filled with dark humor and evocative imagery, Bluebeard’s Castle is a subversive take on modern romance and Gothic erotica.

©2023 Anna Biller (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. “Bluebeard” by Sylvia Plath is reproduced with kind permission of Faber & Faber and HarperCollins.

Critic reviews

“Impressively original, inherently fascinating and vividly brought to life with the narrative storytelling skills of Samantha Hydeson.”—Midwest Book Review

"Bluebeard's Castle [is] … a stylised retelling of the old fable that mixes self-reference and gaudy excess. Its heroine, Judith, a gothic-romance novelist, shacks up in a crumbling castle with a brooding husband; the sex, death and pricy cognac are of a wildly enjoyable piece."—Cal Revely-Calder, Best Fiction Books of the Year, Telegraph

"Both a fantasy and a nightmare ... [Biller] casts a chilling light on the kinds of real-world fairy tales we are all still so often encouraged to believe."—Elizabeth Dearnley, Times Literary Supplement

This girls that get it, get it

Anna Biller is a gifted filmmaker, storyteller, and now author. Like her films, she comments on the genre from within. It starts as a fantasy, then is stripped away to horror, and finally - reality. A horrific depiction of male violence and the need we as a society should feel towards protecting victims. Also, no one can set a scene like Anna biller - the descriptions of the clothing, setting, and characters is rich, detailed, and sensual.

Absolutely fantastic!

This book is gorgeous! I absolutely loved it and now that I’m finished I’m going to listen to again right after I watch my favorite movie “The Love Witch” for the billionth time. Thank you Anna Biller, you’ve changed my life!

A masterpiece!

This is the best audiobook I’ve listened to ages, and Anna Biller’s storytelling is sublime!

Fantastic Read

Finished this in a day. So beautifully written. It touches on so many relatable details.

Anna Biller’s So-Called Lovechild

Look, Anna Biller is a muddafuddin genius! What I love the most is how one can take a step back from an abusive situation they are in or have been in and see it told from an outsider’s pov. In this way, she is saving lives in a poetic and feminine and strong way!!!!