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shouldireadthis 's review for:
Mina and the Undead
by Amy McCaw
4 stars. A fun, nonsensical, whirlwind of a book. There’s a few inconsistencies, things that seem unbelievable or don’t make sense, and emotional beats don’t really hit but gosh darnit, this book is so much fun I’m willing to look over it all.
Is it the most high brow, intellectually stimulating read? No, of course not. But if you’re a 90s kid, a lover of nostalgia and a sucker for vampires then BOY do I have the book for you!
The story follows Mina as she visits her sister in New Orleans. The setting is fabulous - I love horror stories set in New Orleans as there’s such rich history. It’s a perfect macabre setting. Mina as a character is a delight and really easy to connect with her. There’s queer rep in this - her sister Libby is a lesbian - and it’s not made into a big deal, she has a girlfriend and it’s just quite lovely.
There’s lots of classic brooding moments in here too (love interest Jared) but it’s done in a light hearted-knowingly-cringe way, so I’m on board with this. I’m fine with Jared dressing up as Lestat from Interview with a Vampire and wearing eyeliner as we’re all on board with the joke. It’s not to be taken super seriously. If you love horror films, this book has approx 120400 references in it, so you’re in luck. Everything is atmospheric, creepy and fun.
Also, the page just fly by. I was in a bit of a reading slump and honestly I couldn’t stop reading this book it really took me out of it. It’s such an engaging read and at just under 300 pages it’s all action, all the time. There’s no filler pages here.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a fun read that has nostalgia, horror references and vampires then this could be your next fave read. Excited to see more from this author.
Is it the most high brow, intellectually stimulating read? No, of course not. But if you’re a 90s kid, a lover of nostalgia and a sucker for vampires then BOY do I have the book for you!
The story follows Mina as she visits her sister in New Orleans. The setting is fabulous - I love horror stories set in New Orleans as there’s such rich history. It’s a perfect macabre setting. Mina as a character is a delight and really easy to connect with her. There’s queer rep in this - her sister Libby is a lesbian - and it’s not made into a big deal, she has a girlfriend and it’s just quite lovely.
There’s lots of classic brooding moments in here too (love interest Jared) but it’s done in a light hearted-knowingly-cringe way, so I’m on board with this. I’m fine with Jared dressing up as Lestat from Interview with a Vampire and wearing eyeliner as we’re all on board with the joke. It’s not to be taken super seriously. If you love horror films, this book has approx 120400 references in it, so you’re in luck. Everything is atmospheric, creepy and fun.
Also, the page just fly by. I was in a bit of a reading slump and honestly I couldn’t stop reading this book it really took me out of it. It’s such an engaging read and at just under 300 pages it’s all action, all the time. There’s no filler pages here.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a fun read that has nostalgia, horror references and vampires then this could be your next fave read. Excited to see more from this author.