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A review by reaperreads
Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu
3.0
More like "Carmilla: The Thirst Vampire" amirite?
Jokes aside, this graphic novel was some good popcorn. It places itself in conversation with J. Sheriden Le Fanu's original short novel Carmilla, a story about a lesbian vampire living her best life, which predates Dracula by a couple decades. I still have not read Carmilla (so I'm not actually sure if she gets to live her best life, sorry), but this graphic novel has me more interested in reading it than I was before. Amy Chu's take on Carmilla follows a young queer Chinese American social worker, Athena Lo, who becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of why homeless queer women are dying of similar circumstances in her Manhattan neighborhood. The New York vibes are strong with this one, and the social commentary walks in stride with the plot, neither jostling the other for real estate on the page. Also, the Chinese folklore Amy Chu weaves into Athena's story is gorgeously brought to life by Soo Lee's artwork. Truly stunning color choices.
All this being said, it still felt like popcorn. Like, there's some fiber and some good crunch, and you can't stop 'til you've reached the bottom of the bucket, but it still didn't feel like a full meal. I think that boils down to how short this graphic novel is--I feel like I really wanted more about Athena's family life and a little more exploration of some of the reveals we get in the third chapter. This is a compliment, though; it means that I really enjoyed Athena's character and wished to spend more time with her. So, overall a very enjoyable graphic novel fit for a weekday snack (I finished it in less than an hour), and I of course appreciate any author who is doing the good work in making horror as queer as it should be. This is why I wish I could add a heart to my rating like I can on Letterboxd!!
Read and enjoy. Recommended to anyone who loves vampires, flawed queer characters, and New York giving New York.
For fans of: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, White Horse by Erika T. Wurth, Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Lost Boys (1987), Dracula (Netflix, 2020)
Jokes aside, this graphic novel was some good popcorn. It places itself in conversation with J. Sheriden Le Fanu's original short novel Carmilla, a story about a lesbian vampire living her best life, which predates Dracula by a couple decades. I still have not read Carmilla (so I'm not actually sure if she gets to live her best life, sorry), but this graphic novel has me more interested in reading it than I was before. Amy Chu's take on Carmilla follows a young queer Chinese American social worker, Athena Lo, who becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of why homeless queer women are dying of similar circumstances in her Manhattan neighborhood. The New York vibes are strong with this one, and the social commentary walks in stride with the plot, neither jostling the other for real estate on the page. Also, the Chinese folklore Amy Chu weaves into Athena's story is gorgeously brought to life by Soo Lee's artwork. Truly stunning color choices.
All this being said, it still felt like popcorn. Like, there's some fiber and some good crunch, and you can't stop 'til you've reached the bottom of the bucket, but it still didn't feel like a full meal. I think that boils down to how short this graphic novel is--I feel like I really wanted more about Athena's family life and a little more exploration of some of the reveals we get in the third chapter. This is a compliment, though; it means that I really enjoyed Athena's character and wished to spend more time with her. So, overall a very enjoyable graphic novel fit for a weekday snack (I finished it in less than an hour), and I of course appreciate any author who is doing the good work in making horror as queer as it should be. This is why I wish I could add a heart to my rating like I can on Letterboxd!!
Read and enjoy. Recommended to anyone who loves vampires, flawed queer characters, and New York giving New York.
For fans of: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, White Horse by Erika T. Wurth, Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Lost Boys (1987), Dracula (Netflix, 2020)