Reviews

The Gilda Stories, by Jewelle Gomez

kochi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? N/A

5.0

emmalallenm's review

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

yazzzaayyyy's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Remarkable. A feat of storytelling, power, queerness, and a love letter to the Black community. Gilda is known and loved. Alexis Pauline Gumbs afterword is a beautiful and emotional tribute to a story and an understanding of black feminism and hope.

frahhn's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

beholdtheanimals's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 stars, rounded up. Okay, so admittedly the writing isn't my favorite favorite, style-wise, but that doesn't change the fact that is a thoroughly radical reimagining of vampire lore that both queers that old canon and injects it with some much-needed BIPOC presence and wisdom. It also presents a vision of the future that feels eerily accurate, a plausible and dark variant of the apocalyptic world we live in. I was shocked when I first heard of this book (through a great Twitter thread that examined Anne Rice's complex legacy after her passing) that I'd never encountered it before, and now that I'm done reading it I can say confidently that it's a damn shame The Gilda Stories isn't widely known as the seminal text it truly is.

In short, read it. This is the queer BIPOC refashioning of vampire lore that you never knew you needed.

dbuchheister's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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? No

4.25

readerpants's review against another edition

5.0

I JUST. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I really, really, really loved this.

hashtag_alison's review against another edition

2.0

Interesting. The characters were good but the bulk of the stories are expositional and very much telling instead of showing. And it does that thing where it gets right up to where something interesting is about to happen, then cuts to 30 years later. Which I understand as a conceit but that doesnt mean I have to like it. Romances are pretty Victorian so if you're looking for racy vampires this isnt it.

This is one of those kind of weird things where I'm glad i read it but i wouldnt necessarily recommend it or read it again.

n0rmann's review against another edition

4.0

This is a vampire story like no others. Violence is a minimum. The author uses the lifespan of her main character to show the world in different time periods throughout history. It starts to lose a little steam in the second to last chapter and the final chapter was not ne. eded. However, it does not ruin the book at all

books_plan_create's review against another edition

3.0

Beautiful book chronicling the life of Gilda-a young slave who escapes and grows up to become a vampire. I liked the story, and am glad I read it.