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Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
7 reviews
amberinpieces's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Ableism, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Racism, Violence, Alcohol, Death, and Grief
emily_mh's review against another edition
3.25
This anthology was a bit average for me. There weren’t any outstanding reads, but neither were there many terrible ones. My favourite was Senior Year Sucks. I will review each story individually:
Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton: This is one of two problematic stories in this anthology. It featured a romance between a teenager and a vampire who was hundreds of years old and looked like they were 30. This story says it’s all about the right to choose to become a vampire, yet how could the teenage MC be in control of her choices if she was being groomed?
The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: An atmospheric and compelling story ruined by its ending when the MC romanticises a murderer.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy: The MC of this story had great narrative voice, and the plot developed a philosophical question well. The romance was also cute.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig: This was spooky and atmospheric and worked really well as a short story.
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed: The format of this story gave both a fun and unique approach to the subject material, and had a great take on vampires and colonisation.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley: This was a really confronting story with a powerful resolution, defying “mercy” killings and the ableist “magical cure” trope. The mixed media format also worked well.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker: This was the second problematic story of the anthology. This is due to more grooming. Why on earth is it considered okay for a 200 year adult to be seeking friendship with a teenager?
Bestiary by Laura Ruby: In my opinion, this is the worst story of the non-problematic entries in this anthology. I simply didn’t understand the point of it. It was supposed to be related to animal companionship, but there was no plot or development generally, let alone one involving that concept.
Mirrors, Windows, and Selfies by Mark Oshiro: The blog format elevated the narrative, which was otherwise average.
The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton: This was incredibly atmospheric, but too much time was spent on the (albeit fantastic) worldbuilding, so that the plot felt squished in at the end as an afterthought. I think this concept would have worked better in a longer format.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab: I think this was a good story, but it was nearly identical to Senior Year Sucks which I found to be stronger.
Some final general notes. The first is that I am sick of YA modern vampire stories containing the immortal/mortal romance/friendship trope. This anthology even states it will be seeking to rectify the more problematic traditions in the vampire genre, yet it still includes this! Secondly, the editor’s notes at the end of each story were frustrating. Not only did it take you out of the fictional zone, but they should have been unnecessary, i.e., the story should have done a good enough job of showing its relevance to an aspect of the vampire tradition - and this often wasn’t the case. Finally, I listened to the audiobook for this one and it was also average. Some narrators were good; some, not so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Transphobia, Death, Violence, Bullying, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Animal death, Confinement, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Torture, Slavery, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, Medical content, Vomit, War, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Colonisation, Excrement, Gun violence, and Alcoholism
Graphic warnings for grooming, "mercy" killing. Moderate warnings for sick parent, blackmail, climate change/global warming. Minor warnings for the homophobic d-slur, mass death, loss of a loved one, nuclear warfare, physical illness, pandemic, divorce.lynxpardinus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Blood, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Animal death, and Cultural appropriation
The first story, Seven Nights For Dying, involves what I can only read as grooming, although it is not framed this way.More than one story has the issue many vampire YA stories have with a love interest being chronologically much older.
The cultural appropriation warning is for how the final story, First Kill, briefly namedrops a certain entity from Algonquian folklore that must not be referred to by name.
atlas_shruggs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is one of the few short story collections I have ever read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly throughout. The collection covers different aspects of the myth of the vampire, told both through short stories and short essays by the editors, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker. The essays were hilarious but also good addons to the stories, and give you better insight into the history of the vampire. The stories themselves are excellently written, and the characters in them often break the vampire stereotype, with one of the vampires being in a wheelchair and one of the vampire slayers being a fat girl. The view they gave of the vampire myths were refreshing, and I loved how good the representation in the stories was. I highly recommend this collection whether you're a fan of vampires or not, as it is highly entertaining and also wonderfully educational.
Average Rating: 3.75
Seven Nights For Dying: 3 stars
The Boys from Blood River: 3.75
Senior Year Sucks: 4
The Boy and the Bell: 3
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: 4.75
In Kind: 4.5
Vampires Never Say Die: 3
Bestiary: 2.75
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: 3.5
The House of Black Sapphires: 4
First Kill: 4.5
Average Rating: 3.75
Seven Nights For Dying: 3 stars
The Boys from Blood River: 3.75
Senior Year Sucks: 4
The Boy and the Bell: 3
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: 4.75
In Kind: 4.5
Vampires Never Say Die: 3
Bestiary: 2.75
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: 3.5
The House of Black Sapphires: 4
First Kill: 4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Torture, Blood, Ableism, Violence, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Animal death
inkdrinkers's review
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I. Love. Vampires.
If you know me, you know I devour vampire media like a blood-starved monster. I will read just about anything to do with them, or variations of the myth. I've owned this collection for a while and wanted to pick it up finally because of the First Kill adaption!
Since this is a collection, I have a breakdown below of my thoughts on each short story! Overall though, I really enjoyed each story for what they offered and the different angles they approached vampirism. To be fair, I wanted to give this a five star for the four stories I love, but I can't justify it since I really didn't like a couple.
Seven Nights For Dying by Tessa Gratton: 3 stars
This story had an interesting approach on the turning myth! It takes place over seven days and the two vampires luring the main character to immortality are sexy and interesting. I was annoyed by the main character's slightly childish approach to everything, which docked a couple stars.
The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: 5 stars
Oh. My. God. I love the Lost Boys and this story is inspired by it! I really loved the legend and folklore aspect woven into the Boys' backstory. Without giving too much away, it was chilling and the perfect promise of more at the end.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy: 5 stars
I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did! It gave me serious Buffy vibes, with a touch of something forbidden and dangerous. I would read a whole novel about the two main characters and the town Julie Murphy created, she always nails the southern atmosphere.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig: 2 stars
I wish I liked this one more. With it being set historically and on a main character who is trans, it sounded really promising. I thought the plot was flimsy for my tastes and the characters were a little wooden.
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed: 3 stars
This one had a more light hearted and funny approach. I liked the tongue in cheek writing and the cultural approach to vampirism! It was a really nice "revenge is okay sometimes" and accept yourself message.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley: 2 stars
I'll admit, I keep forgetting what this one is about and having to look back at my copy. It's like The Boy and the Bell - the premise is good and I wanted to like it more, but the characters fell flat. I will say, the newspaper articles were really well done and my favorite parts.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker: 4 stars
I really liked this one by the editors! The two characters were interesting, the premise was funny but entertaining, and the end promised happiness eventually for everyone involved.
Bestiary by Laura Ruby: 2 stars
I struggled with this one. The main character was a little too early 2000s emo for me and the zoo aspect was bizarre. It was an interesting setting for a vampire to work but more information needed to be fleshed out. It almost felt post-apocalyptic, but there was no concrete way for me to tell. (Other than the environmentalism aspect)
Mirrors, Windows, and Selfies by Mark Oshiro: 3 stars
I opened this one really expecting to dislike it because of the formatting. As I got into it, the blog posts grew on me, but it still really detracted from the story. I liked the end and the premise, but I know I would have loved the story more had it not been told like tumblr posts.
The House of the Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton: 5 stars
This blew me out of the water. I'm a HUGE fan of Kalynn Bayron's "This Poison Heart" and this was like a condensed short story version. I loved the magical world, the building of tension, and the end right on the breathless climax. I'll be rereading this one.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab: 5 stars
This wholeheartedly deserved its own TV Show and they better not screw it up. I LOVED this, Schwab never misses. I don't think it's possible for her to ever misstep. The backstory of Calliope and her family is fascinating, it was the Vampire Diaries meets Supernatural and wonderful in every way.
If you know me, you know I devour vampire media like a blood-starved monster. I will read just about anything to do with them, or variations of the myth. I've owned this collection for a while and wanted to pick it up finally because of the First Kill adaption!
Since this is a collection, I have a breakdown below of my thoughts on each short story! Overall though, I really enjoyed each story for what they offered and the different angles they approached vampirism. To be fair, I wanted to give this a five star for the four stories I love, but I can't justify it since I really didn't like a couple.
Seven Nights For Dying by Tessa Gratton: 3 stars
This story had an interesting approach on the turning myth! It takes place over seven days and the two vampires luring the main character to immortality are sexy and interesting. I was annoyed by the main character's slightly childish approach to everything, which docked a couple stars.
The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: 5 stars
Oh. My. God. I love the Lost Boys and this story is inspired by it! I really loved the legend and folklore aspect woven into the Boys' backstory. Without giving too much away, it was chilling and the perfect promise of more at the end.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy: 5 stars
I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did! It gave me serious Buffy vibes, with a touch of something forbidden and dangerous. I would read a whole novel about the two main characters and the town Julie Murphy created, she always nails the southern atmosphere.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig: 2 stars
I wish I liked this one more. With it being set historically and on a main character who is trans, it sounded really promising. I thought the plot was flimsy for my tastes and the characters were a little wooden.
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed: 3 stars
This one had a more light hearted and funny approach. I liked the tongue in cheek writing and the cultural approach to vampirism! It was a really nice "revenge is okay sometimes" and accept yourself message.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley: 2 stars
I'll admit, I keep forgetting what this one is about and having to look back at my copy. It's like The Boy and the Bell - the premise is good and I wanted to like it more, but the characters fell flat. I will say, the newspaper articles were really well done and my favorite parts.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker: 4 stars
I really liked this one by the editors! The two characters were interesting, the premise was funny but entertaining, and the end promised happiness eventually for everyone involved.
Bestiary by Laura Ruby: 2 stars
I struggled with this one. The main character was a little too early 2000s emo for me and the zoo aspect was bizarre. It was an interesting setting for a vampire to work but more information needed to be fleshed out. It almost felt post-apocalyptic, but there was no concrete way for me to tell. (Other than the environmentalism aspect)
Mirrors, Windows, and Selfies by Mark Oshiro: 3 stars
I opened this one really expecting to dislike it because of the formatting. As I got into it, the blog posts grew on me, but it still really detracted from the story. I liked the end and the premise, but I know I would have loved the story more had it not been told like tumblr posts.
The House of the Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton: 5 stars
This blew me out of the water. I'm a HUGE fan of Kalynn Bayron's "This Poison Heart" and this was like a condensed short story version. I loved the magical world, the building of tension, and the end right on the breathless climax. I'll be rereading this one.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab: 5 stars
This wholeheartedly deserved its own TV Show and they better not screw it up. I LOVED this, Schwab never misses. I don't think it's possible for her to ever misstep. The backstory of Calliope and her family is fascinating, it was the Vampire Diaries meets Supernatural and wonderful in every way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Child death, Deadnaming, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Colonisation, Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Toxic friendship, Medical content, and Murder
All your common triggers for vampires. The Boy and the Bell features a main character who is Trans and they are often referred to with the wrong pronouns and misgendered. Relationship lines are blurry in some stories with characters being teens and in relationships with hundred year old vampires. Death of a child is a child turned vampire. Abuse is inflicted on a main character as his parents isolate him.sofipitch's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
The collection was mostly just fun. Some stories I have strong opinions on, which I'll share, but the ones I don't mention were mostly just entertaining. I'm a sucker (haha) for vamps so I'm usually biased in the favor of vampire stories already.
Some stories I'd give 5 stars to: In Kind, A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire, and First Kill. I'm very excited for First Kill being adapted by Netflix, it's fun on it's own but I'm really looking forward to seeing this story expanded upon. In Kind deals with disabled rights and the value of a life and Guidebook deals with vampires as a metaphor for colonialism while staying really funny and original in concept.
The House of Black Sapphires is in a weird spot where I really likedit but it felt like it ended too abruptly, it honestly felt like the beginning of a full book and not a short story.
And then the bad ones were the ones that felt way to infantile. This collection is YA which means all the protagonists are teens, but these stories just felt like the authors assume teens lack any depth, and feel like they are belittling their reader with how they write them. They feel like it's more important to name drop words like instagram, selfie, and ao3 (which gave me massive brain damage) than connect with their audience. These stories that are total skips are: Vampires Never Say Die, Senior Year Sucks, and Mirrors, Windows & Selfies.
Some stories I'd give 5 stars to: In Kind, A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire, and First Kill. I'm very excited for First Kill being adapted by Netflix, it's fun on it's own but I'm really looking forward to seeing this story expanded upon. In Kind deals with disabled rights and the value of a life and Guidebook deals with vampires as a metaphor for colonialism while staying really funny and original in concept.
The House of Black Sapphires is in a weird spot where I really likedit but it felt like it ended too abruptly, it honestly felt like the beginning of a full book and not a short story.
And then the bad ones were the ones that felt way to infantile. This collection is YA which means all the protagonists are teens, but these stories just felt like the authors assume teens lack any depth, and feel like they are belittling their reader with how they write them. They feel like it's more important to name drop words like instagram, selfie, and ao3 (which gave me massive brain damage) than connect with their audience. These stories that are total skips are: Vampires Never Say Die, Senior Year Sucks, and Mirrors, Windows & Selfies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Bullying, and Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent and Homophobia
stormywolf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
My library has been a bit hit-or-miss with the Vampire Book Club's selections, but I was able to find this one for December. Admittedly, I wasn't in the best mental space to read books surrounding death and immortality, having lost my grandmother earlier this year and having that wound reopened with our cat's death (cancer) just after reading the first story. But after a bit of time (and some Christmas movies & music) I was excited to dive back in and experience some new takes on one of my favorite paranormal creatures.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, a fine anthology filled with some of the best vampires I've encountered. There was a huge variety, not only of genders, sexualities, and skins, but of vampiric powers, weaknesses, settings, and societies. If I had to pick my favorites, I'd probably stick with the peppier school-based-fare of Senior Year Sucks and First Kill, but I also found a lot to love in the more sombre stories of Seven Nights for Dying and The Boy and the Bell, not to mention the vivid world-building packed into The House of Black Sapphires. Needless to say, I definitely have a few authors to add to my watchlist. So if you have a hankering for some unique YA takes on old blood-sucking favorites, or if you're seeking a quick nibble to break up longer reads (or to break back into reading at all!), then I'd definitely recommend this anthology.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, a fine anthology filled with some of the best vampires I've encountered. There was a huge variety, not only of genders, sexualities, and skins, but of vampiric powers, weaknesses, settings, and societies. If I had to pick my favorites, I'd probably stick with the peppier school-based-fare of Senior Year Sucks and First Kill, but I also found a lot to love in the more sombre stories of Seven Nights for Dying and The Boy and the Bell, not to mention the vivid world-building packed into The House of Black Sapphires. Needless to say, I definitely have a few authors to add to my watchlist. So if you have a hankering for some unique YA takes on old blood-sucking favorites, or if you're seeking a quick nibble to break up longer reads (or to break back into reading at all!), then I'd definitely recommend this anthology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Transphobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Cannibalism only in the sense that vampires used to be human and feed off of humans.
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