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batbaby's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I devoured the first half of this book in one sitting with thunderstorm sounds and gothic classical music in the background and it really matched the vibe.We follow a vampire for a few decades and watch how the city of Buenos Ares grows and changes in that time. I loved how dark the story felt and anytime you might be foolish enough to think the vampire had changed and maybe had a bit of humanity she’d prove to you the monster she was. There’s a point where the vampire doesn’t know how much time has passed and the chapter doesn’t have a number, I thought that was really clever.
The second half was a little harder for me to get into at first but I still really enjoyed it. We follow a main character who is continually grieving as her mother slowly succumbs to a degenerative disease. She becomes obsessed with things and ideas maybe in a way to distract herself from what’s really going on. She spends a long time considering and worrying about a Pandora’s box that her mother tells her not to open and her need to rebel against that. My only complaint is I that I wish the ending wasn’t so opened ended and we got a tiny bit more maybe even a page. I just don’t understand how she could abandon Santiago like that when the majority of the book we see how infatuated she is with him.
This book looks at the complexities of identity and humanity when facing death and grief.
#ad I received this book for free as an arc but the opinions are entirely my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
mhartford's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The first half was a little slow; the second half moved quickly, and kept me turning pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
lexcellent's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent
etbliss's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.5
felt a bit too disjointed for me tbh!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death of parent
jamieleepilk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Sexual content
readingpicnic's review against another edition
3.75
Erotic, but also deeply sad. The dreary, crumbling cemetery setting of most of the novel works so well towards creating a bleak atmosphere. This book wasn't the sapphic romance I initially thought it would be. It centers more on persecution and murder in an ever-changing and unfamiliar world in the vampire's case, and being a single mom and drifting away from everyone while grieving her ever-ailing elderly mother in Alma's case. I do think I preferred the vampire's chapters over the latter half of the book and found them more interesting; Alma's chapters dragged for me at times and it didn't feel like much was happening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Abandonment and Sexual harassment
dezaray_the_pale's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Such a melancholic, beautiful, emotional story. This could be a challenge to read while grieving or thinking about familial loss.
.
I adored the vampire's POV in the first half. Very gothic and poetic. A strong sense of character and determination.
.
Alma's POV in the second half was much harder for me to read because it was focused on watching her mother deteriorate while being denied the release of death.
.
I adored the vampire's POV in the first half. Very gothic and poetic. A strong sense of character and determination.
.
Alma's POV in the second half was much harder for me to read because it was focused on watching her mother deteriorate while being denied the release of death.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
dfrancis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I was excited by the concept of this book. And I did enjoy it. But it left me wanting more, and not in a good way. I feel like there needed to be more of a build up to the ending and a bit more mingling of the two POVs. It’s a translated book, and I feel like at moments it felt a little stilted and I can’t tell if that’s the author’s writing or the translation. Overall, enjoyed but expected/hoped for more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Gore, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
deckanddaughter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.5
This was a startling take on the vampire tale. It’s interesting because the first third of the book is familiar- the story of a turned creature existing for centuries trying to reconcile their feral side with the human world. Then we change to Alma’s perspective. Our human narrator. And it shifts in a profound way.
This is still a study on death, grief, connection, and of course, thirst (for various things). But the way Yuszczuk comes at it is refreshingly modern and relatable in a way that more traditional vampire literature isn’t (at least for me).
My main critique (and why it’s a 3.5 for me) is the pacing of the middle third. I understand we have to establish a lot with Alma’s situation but it drags in a jarring way after the first third.
This is still a study on death, grief, connection, and of course, thirst (for various things). But the way Yuszczuk comes at it is refreshingly modern and relatable in a way that more traditional vampire literature isn’t (at least for me).
My main critique (and why it’s a 3.5 for me) is the pacing of the middle third. I understand we have to establish a lot with Alma’s situation but it drags in a jarring way after the first third.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Abandonment
Explicit discussion and description ofbookishvicky's review against another edition
4.5
“We’re all standing at death’s door; someone has to be next in line”
THIRST was a beautiful novel about death and wanting, about mourning and identity versus an ever changing world. This unique take on the vampire genre was refreshing and wonderfully melancholic, yet animalistic to its core. Even as a vampire, she remains flawed, scared, lonely, emotions we see reflected in Alma, a human mother watching her own mother slowly fade from life.
I adored this book; while I did think the plot slowed down toward the end, the overall story was more than enough to keep me interested. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a new take on vampires!
THIRST was a beautiful novel about death and wanting, about mourning and identity versus an ever changing world. This unique take on the vampire genre was refreshing and wonderfully melancholic, yet animalistic to its core. Even as a vampire, she remains flawed, scared, lonely, emotions we see reflected in Alma, a human mother watching her own mother slowly fade from life.
I adored this book; while I did think the plot slowed down toward the end, the overall story was more than enough to keep me interested. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a new take on vampires!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail