Review: The Eternal Heir by Liv Viola

A dark, gripping work of vampire fiction, The Eternal Heir is Liv Viola’s remarkable debut novel, and an exceptionally strong first installment of the Risen World series.

In a world in which even immortal, powerful vampires have to endure cruel rulers, this is also a story about love, family, and belonging that is emotionally challenging and rewarding. As the title suggests, family history, inheritance, and the passing down of power are all a pivotal focus of the novel. Ava is an orphan and her heritage is a mystery to her, which prompts her to investigate her roots, but little does she know that her family history is bound in a multi-century power struggle that scars the realm of the never-dead.

Ava is obsessed with her family history, which she knows next to nothing about. After finding out the woman who raised her was not her real grandmother, she starts to doubt everything she thought she knew about her family history. After moving to Berlin with the excuse of a job, but with the real intent of finding out more about her mother and her German heritage, Ava finds herself more and more isolated and yet determined to succeed in her quest. On a rare night out with her colleagues, her whole life changes – she is kidnapped by a pair of vampires, or Risen as they call themselves, who educate her on her past and train her to fulfill her destiny.

As it turns out, Ava belongs to the Line, a powerful, ancient family that many vampires despise for their cruel rules and their anti-democratic practices. This knowledge is shocking on many levels – not only Ava has now to reckon with an entire world she thought belonged to fairy tales and legends, but she also has to deal with the emotionally devastating discovery that the family she was so desperate to rejoin is one whose history is ridden by horrifying secrets, violence, and callousness – or so her kidnappers tell her. Ava’s conflict between attachment to family and their sordid past is recognizable to anyone who has trouble with family. Readers can immediately identify with her as she grapples with a new sense of loneliness and isolation, alongside her resolve to find her place in the world where she belongs.

Unveiling an ancient mystery, the third-person narration shifts the point of view between Ava and Jae, the vampire who first introduces her to the Risen world, delving into Ava’s history in a way that is both intimate and fully rounded. Viola builds convincing relationships between her characters, with particular attention to growing attractions, friendships in the making, and family ties, never forgetting to push the plot forward at remarkable speed. The unfolding of the plot feels natural while also being addictive, and its grounding in realistic details ensures that the fantastical storyline remains relatable all the way through.

All told, The Eternal Heir is a thrilling, deftly conceived novel, emotionally compelling and thematically complex, which will appeal to readers of vampire fiction and fantasy, as well as readers looking for a novel that is rich in both plot and style.