Why are women drawn to such dark stories? Dark stories show us that our fears, experiences, and oppression is historical, universal, and valid. But they can also be empowering, educational, and use fantasy as a bridge to understanding reality. The Night Sender by Christina Tsirkas is one of those stories. Check out my review of Tsirkas’ book along with my interview with the author.
The Night Sender plot summary
On the night of her 18th birthday, Rose Woodburn celebrates with her fellow ladies of the court in the city of Dover. After her party, she retreats into her room to wait for her night sender. These half man/half demon creatures visit every lady of the court on her eighteenth birthday. While the girl is blindfolded, he bites her to signal the start of her womanhood. Soon after, she is expected to accept a proposal from one of the eligible bachelors in the city.
Unlike most of her peers who await their visit with trepidation, Rose is anxious for her visit and doesn’t believe the stories that the visit is painful and traumatic. As it turns out, she’s right. The demon’s bite brings her immense pleasure rather than pain, and she begs her night sender to return. Out of curiosity, he does. This sets off a forbidden romance that she must hide from her domineering mother, her fellow ladies of the court, and the young man who intends to propose to her.
A fantasy story for non-fantasy lovers
My general problem with fantasy is the world building aspect of the genre. When the world seems so different from our own, and there are creatures, rules, and otherworldly landscapes to keep straight, I lose interest. The Night Sender is a much more grounded story than your average fantasy novel. The night senders are the only truly fantastical element within the plot, and their look is simple, their purpose clear, and their backstory kept to minimum.
The worldbuilding from the human perspective is familiar to a traditional historical fiction novel. Though it’s unclear in what time period the story is actually set, it’s safe to assume that these characters live in a medieval setting. Technology is limited, and the patriarchy reigns supreme.
Most of the societal structure is limited to the rules set for the ladies of the court since our hero resides within that world. Rose’s knowledge in what is expected of her is clear, but the “why” behind these expectations is kept under wraps. So, she, along with her friend and fellow lady of the court, Vivianna, discover their dark history along with the reader. The reader is never working to catch up with the story. It’s unraveling along with the characters as we read.
The characters
Rose is your typical headstrong girl fighting against her confinement within her limited abilities. Her number one target is her traditional, overbearing mother throughout most of the story followed by fellow lady of the court Savannah, a gossipy, insult-throwing woman intent on embarrassing and belittling Rose every chance she gets.
A lady of the court’s life is planned by society from birth with little control over any aspect of their life. Her few chances to rebel against her station is in choosing a red dress to wear for her 18th birthday and indiscreetly insulting her most promising potential husband, Charles Devano.
Each character plays their role well. The heroes are likable, and the villains are unlikeable. Then, there is a third group of well-rounded characters whose motivations are shaped by the unfolding plot.
Rose herself is not the perfect heroine who always makes the right decisions, is the bravest person in the room, or is the classic damsel in distress. She’s different from the other women and definitely rebels whenever she can. However, her station in life has made her a bit self-absorbed in a very unapparent way. She rarely considers what her actions will do to others or how many have had it so much worse than her.
Meanwhile, Roosha, Rose’s night sender, has a very dark and tortured past. His relationship with Rose awakens a very selfless side of him that doesn’t rub off on Rose. Though he makes her feel special and humanized in a way she hasn’t known before, his tendency to put her on a pedestal objectifies her in a less obvious but still dangerous way. As a result, he puts them both at risk of terrible punishment should their relationship ever be revealed.
X-rated romance
While Rose Woodburn is barely eighteen years old, her romance with Roosha is pretty X-rated. As they become more daring in their nightly visits, the scenes get pretty raunchy for a YA-aged heroine. So, younger teen readers may find it a bit risqué compared to what they’re used to reading. But Rose’s pleasure is used to counter the oppression of the ladies of the court. While most of the girls feel pain at what should be a pleasurable experience, she subverts those expectations in what should be the standard experience.
They clearly live in an oppressive, unseen patriarchy, but we never learn who is in charge of their restrictive fate. Our view is limited to the few characters who live within this one bit of society along with the supernatural creatures who are dedicated only to this select group of women. But a gilded cage is still a cage, and this provides a very relatable message to the female readers of this story.
My recommendation
I recommend The Night Sender to older teens and women who love stories about high society or fantasy that is grounded more in reality than the fantasy aspects. You also need to be able to handle some intense situations, such as rape, murder, and suicide. This book kept me reading on, especially as its tension built and its plot unraveled bit by interesting bit.
About the author and book
Author name: Christina Tsirkas
Author links:
Book Title: The Night Sender
Genres: Paranormal Romance/Women’s Fiction
Links to buy:
Book summary
When a coming of age rite shrouded in secrecy awakens a part of Rose Woodburn that she never knew existed, the ever defiant Rose embarks on a mission to uncover everything she can about the mystical creatures known as the night senders. Obsessed with discovering the truth, Rose finds herself on a harrowing path of self-discovery and drawn into an affair so forbidden, its punishment is a fate far worse than death.
Book excerpt
“Roosha, I once asked you how you became a night sender.”
“You did,” he affirmed, afraid of where Rose was heading.
“You never told me.”
Roosha hesitated. “It’s not something I thought you’d want to know.”
“If I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t have asked.” Her reply was more indignant than she intended.
Roosha sighed. “Rose, sometimes we think we want to know the answers to certain questions, but we don’t realize that knowing them may do us more harm than good.”
Rose grimaced. She was reminded of her mother’s withholding information from her under the premise that it was for her own good. She folded her arms across her chest.
“Isn’t it up to me to decide what information I want to know?”
“Yes, of course,” Roosha affirmed softly. “But once you know it, you cannot unknow it. You may lose the calm sea of bliss that ignorance has had you sailing on and be thrust into rough waters you weren’t prepared to navigate.”
“If I cannot manage rough seas, then perhaps I am not worthy of the journey.”
Roosha’s eyes bore into hers. He admired her resolve and her determination to experience far more of life than her limited court world offered. But her confidence did not alleviate his fear that if she knew the truth, she would rebuke him for his dark past.
“You don’t have to prove anything, Rose.”
“And neither do you.” She looked at him sternly. “Nor do you need to hide anything.”
Review excerpt
Rich characters and a tempting plot led me to speed through each chapter. It’s a love story and mystery wrapped up in a fantastical world. Passion, love, friendship, betrayal, and sacrifice. The Night Sender delivers all. I look forward to the next in this series. – Stasi, Amazon Reviewer
Talking Shop
Name a fact or detail about your story that readers will never know is there.
The character of Anne is based on my grandmother, the same one I dedicated the book to. The only person who picked up on that was my mom. None of the other characters are based on anyone I know.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
The best compliment has been, “I couldn’t put it down.” As a writer, those are five magical words when strung together in that order.
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
From idea to publication took about two years. When I first started writing, I completed the first version in nine months, which is why I call it my baby. I then went on the hunt for an agent and got some great feedback. They liked the story and thought it had potential, but didn’t feel connected with it enough to represent me. So then it came down to the question of whether to keep plugging away at finding an agent or self-publish the book. Ultimately, I decided to self-publish and then spent another year editing the manuscript and learning what the process entailed.
What were your expectations for writing and publishing your first book? Have they changed since then?
I try not to have expectations, as they can often lead to disappointment. Of course, I’m hoping that the book will become a bestseller and get turned into a series, those are the ideal goals. But more importantly, as I receive feedback from readers and reviewers, I’m learning that the most rewarding part of publishing a book is sharing your story with the world. It’s surreal when you’re having a conversation with someone and they’re visibly excited, upset, worried, or angry about what your character said or did. They’re so invested in the story that it brings it to life. And that’s my new ideal goal – that as many people as possible read the story and connect with the characters.
What is your most stereotypical writer trait? Your least stereotypical?
My most stereotypical trait is being an introvert. As much as I enjoy socializing, I prefer being an observer in situations with large groups. My least stereotypical is probably that I’m extremely organized. My desk is neat, and I know where everything is. That’s not to say that I don’t have piles of notes near my laptop, which I do. It’s just that they are very organized piles.
“What If” Scenarios
If your book ever becomes a movie and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?
I think having final say over the cast is most writers’ dream scenario. I’ve given some thought to the lead roles, and while I do not have them all pegged, my top choices so far are:
Savannah – Lily Collins (I thought she was great in Emily in Paris and would love to see her play a snarkier character).
Roosha – Jason Momoa (Still dreaming about Drogo and think he’d make an equally dreamy Roosha!)
Avidan – Oded Fehr (Loved him in The Mummy and just envision him as the right fit for this character).
For the lead roles of Rose and Vivianna, I’d be open to exploring new talent. I’m an up and coming writer, and so, were I fortunate enough for my book to become a movie, I’d want to pay it forward by giving a couple of up and coming actresses a chance to be seen.
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
My grandmother, Ivy deLutio. Growing up, she really encouraged my writing and my creativity. When kids started instant messaging, my grandmother and I were still old-fashioned pen-pals, constantly sharing stories. It would mean so much to me if she were to read this book, especially having inspired the character of Anne.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
Scream, cry, jump for joy? It’s so hard to say! Having The Night Sender become a best seller would be the manifestation of my dream into reality. I know I would definitely call my dad first if it’s The New York Times bestseller list. That’s been his favorite publication since he was in high school.
You have the means to hire a full time assistant to help you with your writing. What tasks do you give them to do?
They’re going to hate me, but their main task would be proofreading. Making sure my grammar is correct is the worst part of the writing process for me. On a more fun note, I’d also love to hand off social media management, so I would definitely hire someone who enjoys posting and engaging with people online.
Your story gets picked up by a streaming service to make into a series. What service would you want it to be, and would you want them to follow your story closely, or would you rather see what directions they take it in?
I would LOVE to have The Night Sender made into a series (even more so than a movie!) and would be humbled to work with any of the major streaming services. The ones that I watch most often are Netflix and HBO, so they would be at the very top of my list. I really like the content Netflix is producing now. I’d like to see them stay true to the story, especially because I have a vision of where it’s leading.
Just for Fun
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
I’m a big fan of equine vacations, where you get to explore countries on horseback. I’ve completed two by myself, one in Mallorca, and one in Costa Rica, which were both items on my bucket list. The next one (and I need more riding lessons before attempting this) is a horseback safari in Africa.
Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.
My favorite place that I’ve visited is Barcelona. It’s a wondrous city. I lived there for a few months while I was studying abroad in college and still feel very connected to it. As for places I want to visit, there are many, but right now I would have to say New Zealand and Croatia are at the top of my list.
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
Emilia Clarke. She just seems so sweet, bubbly, smart, interesting, and fun – like she would be one of the warmest and most inspiring people to hang out with.
Favorite Halloween costume ever.
I’m not sure what you could call it… perhaps the walking dead, though not based on the show. A couple of years ago, my friend Julia did a gruesome makeup job where we both had horrible, bleeding gashes on our faces (there are photos on my Instagram page). I’ve never had such over-the-top makeup before, and it was so much fun sitting in the chair sipping champagne while my talented friend spent close to three hours on my face, and then going out and scaring everyone we walked past on the street.
A talent you have and a talent you wish you had.
I’m a good tennis player and have always been naturally inclined towards sports. I wish I were an amazing dancer, one that could nail down choreography in an instant while still maintaining grace and fluidity.
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A stunning cover and an alluring story make this book an addition to my spring reading list! I love that it defies expectations even within its own expectations. 🙂 <3
It definitely keeps you guessing as to what’s going to happen next!