Member Reviews
The Gilda Stories is a sweeping, timeless story full of magic and majesty. It is a darkly compelling vampire story set against glittering backdrops of decadence and delirium. Originally published in the UK in 1992, this is the first UK edition of the book in over 30 years.
You can tell this is a vampire classic, it is a vampire book that does so much with the fact it is about vampires, but also with race and queerness and community and how these can be explored through the vampire myth.
The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.
This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
Thank you so much to the author - @vampyrevamp as well as Helia at @vintagebooks for allowing me this opportunity to have a first UK edition.
There is so much to love about about this book. The Black, queer representation. The love between the characters. The joy, positivity and agency that Gomez allows for characters living on the margins of society. The use of vampirism as an allegory on trauma and connection is a stroke of genius and allows a fabulous long-term view of society through the eyes of a single character.
The reason that all these wonderful elements don't warrant a higher rating from me is due to the writing. I found it clumsy in several ways, the way the narrative shifts from one POV to another is done' without any consistency, often within the same scene. It unmoors the narrative and the voices of the characters are not sufficiently distinct leaving everything messy and unclear. A similar thing happens with the setting where it can be difficult to distinguish place and time until something very obvious appears to identify them.
The potential for this novel was huge, with a truly fascinating and original concept of some wonderful imagery and turns of phrase but the execution sadly didn't allow it to be fully realised.
BRILLIANT! I am so glad this has been reissued, it is a groundbreaking part of the canon of SFF, I will be recommending to all fantasy fans and anyone looking for a vampire book.
I first read this book at uni and was shocked it wasn't more well known. So pleased that it's getting re-issued with such a gorgeous cover and that more people will get to discover this story.
'Here is a black woman who wrestles for generations with the need for space and intimacy, interdependence and agency'.
The afterword says it all far better than I would (and I'd recommend reading that almost as much as this wonderful book itself)
I read an eARC of this book so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this.
The Gilda Stories was a really interesting take on vampire literature, in so many ways it felt very familiar. The atmosphere, the themes of death and hunger, outliving mortals and loss. And yet, Gilda’s experience felt quite unique. Gilda still has to deal with racism and prejudice even with the power that comes from her vampirism. The author described this as feminist, lesbian vampire fiction and this again creates a vampire narrative that feels really unique. The power of female relationships is so prominent throughout this book. I found it notable how kind vampires are in this novel. They rarely kill, they don’t cause suffering. Their power is to give their prey sweet thoughts as they feed, thus creating ‘sharing’ rather than just consuming. It felt that the female dominant narrative created this kindness. With older vampires teaching the fledglings how to use their powers responsibly.
I found the start and the end of this novel thrilling, though it did feel a little slow at points in the middle. The novel takes place in time jumps with Gilda in a new place and decade. She must move around less the local mortals become suspicious of her lack of aging. Gilda picks up new skills and jobs in each decade and her independence grows as she lives through the decades.
This was an unusual read and one I was left thinking about long after I’d finished it. It satisfied a love of vampire fiction that began with Dracula and Anne Rice two decades ago, whilst also feeling new. I enjoyed the kinder, less violent vampire tale that still felt dangerous and romantic without becoming too detached from reality.
For me this is a book of 2 parts.
The sections set in the past are brilliant. I enjoyed the abruptness of their beginnings and endings. I liked the frustrating lack of information about some of the side characters and felt this mirrored how Gilda had to keep humans at a distance from her. I loved the glimpse into life for a black woman in the various times and places, with the vampire aspect almost being a side plot.
The 2020 and 2050 sections were disappointing though. They felt very tacked on the end and like they were very different in tone to the earlier parts. The 2020 on in particular was jarring, in similar ways to how 1984 feels now. Tech predictions are very hard, and they miss the mark here enough that it brings you out of the story. The 2050 section was better, but again the tone was so different to the rest of the book that it was a bit odd.
The commentary at the end was entirely depressing. Written in 2015 it talks of progress in equal rights that are currently being rolled back, and so i was actually left feeling quite despondent about the future of humanity!
I understand form other reviews that the final sections were added in the reissued versions, so that would account for the change in feeling of them, and I kind of wish I'd stopped before these sections!
Overall I'd recommend this book. It's been a springboard for me to seek out other queer black female writing, and that feels like a positive outcome!
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
The Gilda Stories is a novel about a girl who escapes slavery and becomes a vampire, and how she navigates her existence over the next two hundred years. In 1800s Louisiana, a girl recently escaped from slavery meets two mysterious women who can talk through thoughts, who take her in. They promise to share their way of life with her and name her Gilda. She learns how to move in the shadows, to find friends and allies and to exist as a vampire who is Black, who loves women, and who lives in a rapidly changing world.
Now about to be reissued in the UK and first published in 1991, you can tell this book is a real vampire classic. I first heard of it from a YouTube video essay about Confederate vampires, pointing out that it tells a much more interesting story of a vampire who was a slave, and it should be part of the vampire book canon, not only for the perspective of Gilda, but also for the way that it explores queer found families through vampires. There's also a lot about longing and desire, both through a vampire and queer lens, and what people must hide about themselves, as well as what Gilda cannot hide about herself.
The narrative is told through a series of time periods, and the time jump aspect actually works very well, throwing you into the next part of Gilda's life so you can see all the changes that take place. The end of the book takes it into the 'future' after the book was written, and I enjoyed this part a bit less just because it starts to go a bit sci-fi dystopian, which isn't so much my thing, but I liked how wide ranging the book was and it is an interesting place to take a vampire novel, seeing as vampires are usually so much about the past.
A vampire book that does so much with the fact it is about vampires, but also with race and queerness and community and how these can be explored through the vampire myth, The Gilda Stories is not just for vampire fans, but also it is great if you like seeing what books about vampires actually do with said creatures. It's great that it is being reissued so more people can discover it.
The Gilda Stories is a sweeping, timeless story full of magic and majesty — a darkly compelling vampire story set against glittering backdrops of decadence and delirium. Originally published back in 1991, this is still as relevant and striking as when it first printed.
It weaves a vivid, rich tapestry not only of an endless life, but of still relevant and timely musings about queerness, race, feminine identity and belonging in the most probing and fantastic ways.
The prose is delicate, poetic and subtle — moving fluidly and slowly between times and eras, showing the things that have changed, and the things that have stayed exactly the same. Every character was distinct and recognisable with a clear voice, their own thoughts and motivations which pushed the story forwards.
There is a quiet power lingering throughout every single page — not only creating a gothic literary masterpiece but one that encapsulates feminine fury and generational trauma giving it a voice that cannot be ignored.
Gomez’s spectacular vampire story with a black, queer female lead is rich with narrative and intricate descriptions. This book follows the life of Gilda over 200 years and is set in different parts of the US. This story really transported me and was thrilling to read, it explores power and love in poetic ways and I would definitely recommend this to everyone!
Review in progress and to come.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez is an iconic queer classic that reimagines the vampire myth in a profoundly insightful and creative way.
Gilda is a slave runaway who, when taken in by two mysterious women, discovers they offer the promise of true freedom with the option to 'share the blood' and live forever. But to do so would mean she must move through unseen spaces throughout the years and discover what freedom, love, and life means in the process.
Gomez intricately details her explorations of blackness, community, and female love and illustrates the horrifying but captivating duality of human existence and immortality. A timeless tale of acceptance and belonging in a world seemingly filled with only oppression and terror, The Gilda Stories celebrates resilience, courage and beauty, despite whatever trials may lie ahead.