Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Gilda Stories

Great story(ies), i really loved the interpretation/ application of vampire lore and mechanics here. A healthy mix of no-holds-barred action with moments of reflection. Also enjoyed the emphasis on family- and home-making. These vampires aren’t loners but recognize the importance of community!! Which rings very true imo for immortal yet not invulnerable beings.

A couple of points knocked off because I do have to say the writing style was very hit or miss for me- there were moments that felt very clunky or just weirdly written that didn’t quite deliver on the potential of the plot and characters. Additionally the ending felt really rushed to me. But that was mostly balanced out by the passages of brilliance!

Side note it was fun and depressing to read the author’s interpretations of life in 2020 and 2050!

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bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I liked this book! A friend recommended it to me and said that I HAD to read it, and I definitely understand why. It's a fascinating mix of historical fiction and low fantasy with sympathetic, mostly benevolent vampires, ruminations on humanity, a dystopian element, and of course lots of queer shit.

The book begins in 1850s Louisiana with the main character escaping slavery and then falling in with a group of vampires. I will say, my least favorite part of the book by far was the fact that Gilda initially didn't have a name (she's just "the Girl") and inherits her name from another vampire. I'm not against the "new Gilda" thing. I just wish that she'd had another name first or that she'd actively chosen to go by Gilda instead of it seemingly just being put on her. I felt like she lacked agency a lot for the first couple of chapters, and that made it hard to get into the book initially, which was unfortunate because that's where we meet most of the recurring characters and get introduced to the vampire lore.

I definitely think the book got stronger toward the middle. The Broadway chapter and the 2020 chapter were definitely my favorites.

The writing style didn't totally work for me, but the content very much did, and I would absolutely recommend this classic Black lesbian vampire novel.

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lynxpardinus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark inspiring reflective

4.0

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caseythereader's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

- THE GILDA STORIES is an expansive, meditative exploration of found family, womanhood, and Blackness told through the story of Gilda, a young Black lesbian vampire, as she lives through the centuries.
- It took me a bit to get into this story, as I often find older novels keep the characters at a bit of a remove for my tastes. But once I got a handle on it, I was invested in Gilda and her search for a place and people to belong with.
- It reminded me quite a bit of Octavia E. Butler's work, not just for the vampire parallels to FLEDGLING, but also for the considerations of complex relationships and families as characters navigate new situations and realities.

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elizalavenza's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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augusts_2020's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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stormywolf's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Breaking out of my reading slump to read last month's pick in Maven of the Eventide's (aka Elisa Hansen's) Vampire Book Club proved to be no easy feat. Unfortunately, my library did not carry the audiobook, and it turned out I had other obligations the night of the meeting. Luckily I found a copy of the audio online, and, as always, the book club meetings are saved for posterity, so while I wasn't there for the live discussion, I was able to participate in some ways (unlike the previous month's when my library didn't even carry a text copy for The Silver Kiss). And though I'd never heard of this book before the club picked it out, the premise seemed especially intriguing and I was eager to experience it. Let me just say, wow.

Read my full review at The Wolf's Den

Overall, this book will undoubtedly sit with me for quite sometime. From the characters, to the settings, to the long and tumultuous journey of self-discovery, I was wholly invested. The exploration of life, and what it means to live and love from the perspective of an outsider, along with powerful depictions of struggling to choose what's best for yourself and for those around you, even if that means starting over, were what impacted me the most. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, books featuring BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ main characters, empowering women, Afrofuturism, or just a fresh, new take on vampires—even hailing from 30 years ago!

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liminal's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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