My Goodreads review: Thirst

[ankh_hpl]

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


[My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]

Darkly lyrical and dreamlike, this feminist Gothic vampire tale examines the lives (un-lives?) of two women trapped in circumstances they never chose, struggling to sustain themselves through fragile relationships and disappointments. One, sold by her family as a consort/menu item for the local undead lord, finds herself abandoned and adrift through Europe and into 19th century South America. The other, a single mother in modern Buenos Aires, is sinking under the weight of her own mother's terminal illness and a difficult connection with her small son.

The first half of this tightly plotted narrative is a blood-tinged historical, with many classic vampire tropes put to good use. The second half -- linked by a somewhat artificial device -- is a family drama sliding toward tragedy. When the two narratives mesh, a third option for both women emerges -- something neither is entirely prepared for.

This is Marina Yuszczuk's first novel to be translated into English. I'm left wondering what other shadowed gems we've been missing, and how quickly the problem will be corrected. Highly recommended for vampire fans in search of more substance, dark feminist fiction enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a thoughtful approach to undeath.




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