A review by bisexualwentworth
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

  • 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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