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thecolouryes's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
This was a fantastic book. It took me much longer to read than I expected; not because the plot is slow, exactly, things happen at a decent pace, but because there was a lot of content to chew on. It's ultimately a book about identity and choosing to live as opposed to just not being dead. The vampirism is a metaphor, but not in the way you think. (It's a metaphor. It's always a metaphor, even if the creator didn't intend it as a metaphor.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing, Confinement, Mental illness, Blood, Dysphoria, and Transphobia
Minor: Sexism, Grief, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Car accident, Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
aiyam's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Deadnaming, Outing, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Blood, Homophobia, and Car accident
hobbithopeful's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Transgender Vampire. What a fantastic concept, and what a TERRIBLE execution.
In hindsight I should have DNF this book, and I regret not doing that. Truly the only redeeming factor is the excellent cover. (Which this book does not deserve!)
I have three main problems with this book.
In hindsight I should have DNF this book, and I regret not doing that. Truly the only redeeming factor is the excellent cover. (Which this book does not deserve!)
I have three main problems with this book.
- Dry Writing Style
- Harmful Rhetoric
- Plot? What Plot?
I read the first chapter and thought "Hmmm, some books have a rough beginning, I'm sure it will pick up." I was broken out of reading so many times while trying to slog my way through this drivel. I had to push myself to keep reading, hoping at some point the writing style would improve, the characters would suck me in, or there would be some kind of engaging writing. (I was wrong.) The closest example I could give you to what the reading style is like, is this. Imagine you are in school and you get assigned reading of your History textbook, and that textbook was written a million years ago and is incredibly outdated, dull, and overall seems to be a lesson in how long the author can drone on about a hallway. (Yes it was that bad.)
Next issue I have.
The author seems to have a personal hang up regarding Lesbians, specifically "Butch Lesbians." I don't even know to how to begin approaching this issue other then stating that Isaac Fellman (the author), has some clear personal hang-ups regarding people of that sexuality and presentation. The misogyny shines through in the writing, and in simpler terms: it gave me the ick. I could go more in depth on this and how it was represented in the book, but really it's not worth my time.
Finally
The plot? Where is it? After successfully slugging my way through this book, I couldn't even tell you what it is about. Other then of course, vampires. I'd say romance, but the utter lack of chemistry didn't even feel close to that word for me. Narratively speaking Fellman often transitioned to a show that Sol really enjoyed, and truly it was not a needed addition.
Overall, save your time, read a different book. (For searchers of Transgender/Monster symbolism I recommend Hell Followed With Us, an excellent read)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Blood
solspringsreads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I have really complicated feelings about this book. I spent a large portion of my time reading this book just sending my friend live texts trying to figure out how I felt and why I felt it—there’s a lot of gender discussion that made me feel not great, though it was clearly reflective of the author’s own relationship with gender and sexuality and didn’t seem to come from a place of intentionally triggering intense dysphoria in potential readers (AKA it’s not necessarily the book, it’s me)—and very little time just… enjoying the book.
Even so, the actual plot of this book is pretty interesting. It somehow manages to be exactly as advertised (vampire archivist!) and not at all what is advertised and then also more than what is advertised. The relationship between the main characters burns incredibly fast and is very intense, and like many other readers, I’m not sure I really… liked the main relationship. Not that I’m even sure that I’m supposed to? It’s complicated.
This is a book about very messy, flawed people trying to work through their chaos together. It’s not trying to be healthy or idealized, and that’s pretty great! We deserve to have messy queer characters figuring out who they are. I really appreciated what this book was doing thematically, even if the execution wasn’t my favorite. This book can also be very emotionally taxing if you, too, are a messy, flawed person trying to work through your chaos. Please check the trigger warnings before picking this one up.
Even so, the actual plot of this book is pretty interesting. It somehow manages to be exactly as advertised (vampire archivist!) and not at all what is advertised and then also more than what is advertised. The relationship between the main characters burns incredibly fast and is very intense, and like many other readers, I’m not sure I really… liked the main relationship. Not that I’m even sure that I’m supposed to? It’s complicated.
This is a book about very messy, flawed people trying to work through their chaos together. It’s not trying to be healthy or idealized, and that’s pretty great! We deserve to have messy queer characters figuring out who they are. I really appreciated what this book was doing thematically, even if the execution wasn’t my favorite. This book can also be very emotionally taxing if you, too, are a messy, flawed person trying to work through your chaos. Please check the trigger warnings before picking this one up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Sexism, Outing, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Biphobia, Hate crime, Transphobia, Misogyny, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Deadnaming, Infidelity, Blood, and Toxic relationship
bookishvicky's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
5.0
I went into this expecting a campy vampire romance in an archival setting and instead got a beautiful metaphor about bodies and memory and connection and otherness. While I’m certainly not one to say I understand Sol’s plight (as a cis bi woman who is unfortunately not a vampire), I feel as though I was reading someone’s memoir instead of fiction, and felt connected to the inclusion of early slasher fics and what they meant in the grand scheme of fandom and author identity, how we use these stories to better understand our own. It made me feel very human, and more aware of myself. Truly an amazing read—one of those rare books that’ll make you feel just so, so deeply. Beautiful prose, wonderful experimental formatting, and a gorgeous cover to boot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Deadnaming
Minor: Car accident, Death, and Outing
woweewhoa's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Transphobia, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Medical content, Outing, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
bibliophage_teamage's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia
dizzymissliz's review
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
uhhhhhhm......
from the perspective of a cis woman i think that this was an excellent recreation of the trans experience that really helped me to understand the fluidity and development of gender. there was also some truly beautiful prose that made me go "wow." and the ending was very beautifully written.
that being said.
the characters were barely fleshed out and felt like cardboard cutouts or characters in an educational video serving no purpose except to make Sol 3-dimensional. Else was super cute but I did not like Sol that much. Honestly I was kind of neutral about both of them but leaning negative, like, I would not like them in real life.
The main thing that made me have a sour outlook on this book was the author's treatment of lesbians, and women in general.
for one thing, the author (a MAN) continually uses the d- slur to describe characters, which is a slur he can't reclaim. also, lesbians are just treated very poorly and women are continually described in a way that kind of made me uncomfortable? Sol himself seems to love women sexually but doesn't like them very much otherwise which made me dislike him. I know that as a trans person there is some discomfort with your AGAB but DAYUM the author didn't have to be weird about it.
from the perspective of a cis woman i think that this was an excellent recreation of the trans experience that really helped me to understand the fluidity and development of gender. there was also some truly beautiful prose that made me go "wow." and the ending was very beautifully written.
that being said.
the characters were barely fleshed out and felt like cardboard cutouts or characters in an educational video serving no purpose except to make Sol 3-dimensional. Else was super cute but I did not like Sol that much. Honestly I was kind of neutral about both of them but leaning negative, like, I would not like them in real life.
The main thing that made me have a sour outlook on this book was the author's treatment of lesbians, and women in general.
for one thing, the author (a MAN) continually uses the d- slur to describe characters, which is a slur he can't reclaim. also, lesbians are just treated very poorly and women are continually described in a way that kind of made me uncomfortable? Sol himself seems to love women sexually but doesn't like them very much otherwise which made me dislike him. I know that as a trans person there is some discomfort with your AGAB but DAYUM the author didn't have to be weird about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Transphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Car accident and Lesbophobia
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
Genuine addition to the vampire canon. I really really liked reading this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Outing, Car accident, Blood, and Infidelity
oiabluenoon's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Homophobia, Outing, Death, Dysphoria, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Blood, and Sexual content
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