Like you perhaps, I may only WISH for arousing writing. I’ve sometimes found stories in anthologies that stayed with me literally forever. Do I have the anthology I’m thinking of? Do I f**k! One of the few books I passed on that I now regret. In my twenties it was Anais Nin. Her stories were oddly transgressive. Much as when watching tv shows, sex scenes in books usually illicit from me an eye roll. I feel that I am reading the writer’s somewhat trite fantasy and that the writer doesn’t realise they are telling me way too much about themselves rather than their characters. Given the origins of my own stack this comment is hypocritical at best! Thanks for the compelling review can’t wait to read it!
This is an excellent book review. You provide a sense of context—personal for you, historical for the novel—you advocate for what the book does well, and you weave it all together in support of a attention-grabbing intro that you then leverage at the end to entwine your personal reading experience with Hungerstone’s best traits. That you managed to be informative while speaking from a personal purview makes this feel like a review but with more there.
Randomly, I have a friend whose first novel is in this precise genre, and I’ll be excited to bring Hungerstone up to them when we next talk. Along that note: Part of the is friend’s in-progress PhD thesis covers _The Gilda Stories_ by Jewelle Gomez, which is also historical fiction involving a lesbian vampire trying to extricate herself from an oppressive social structure. I read it earlier this year so we could talk about it, and from your review, Gomez’s novel might be of interest to you. It criss-crossed several eras in a way that kept the stories all feeling fresh.
In any event, I enjoyed your review. My favorite author releases his new novel tomorrow, and I’ve been toying with reviewing it when I finish, but I’ve felt uncertain about how. You’ve demonstrated a great approach. Thank you.
THANK YOU MICHAEL! this is such a lovely and thoughtful response. I really appreciate it. Ohhhhh, I am very interested. that sounds so cool, i'll have to check it out. As a Buffy girl from a very young age I have a huge soft spot for vampire fiction. I will be reading some more Ann Rice soon too.
Omg yay! yes! I will be awaiting your book review with bated breath.
A great sex life can be the antidote to many indignities - I often think that accounts (in part) for the centering of sex in the queer community. But you said nothing about the vampirism - the sex scenes must really have been good! ;)
Hahaha Oh my, that seems like a significant oversight on my part. Lets just say the vampirism is excellently written.
And I completely agree! Sex and desire, being explored and normalised in queer narratives goes some way in extending dignity and humanity to queer lives.
Like you perhaps, I may only WISH for arousing writing. I’ve sometimes found stories in anthologies that stayed with me literally forever. Do I have the anthology I’m thinking of? Do I f**k! One of the few books I passed on that I now regret. In my twenties it was Anais Nin. Her stories were oddly transgressive. Much as when watching tv shows, sex scenes in books usually illicit from me an eye roll. I feel that I am reading the writer’s somewhat trite fantasy and that the writer doesn’t realise they are telling me way too much about themselves rather than their characters. Given the origins of my own stack this comment is hypocritical at best! Thanks for the compelling review can’t wait to read it!
Yes, it seems that sexy stuff isn’t so sexy if your not involved haha. Thanks for reading!
Love hearing your perspective. I’m not a fan of reading romance either so you sparked my interest!
Thanks! It’s a very good book.
A fantastic review. Thanks, Evelyn!
Thank you for reading!
It’s so interesting to read one of your book reviews, as opposed to being accosted in the kitchen has you ear-beat me with them hehehe.
But in all seriousness chicken a fun, in-depth, and deliciously written reviews in fact, it was so good maybe I’ll even read the book… (not really) ;)
hehe well now I can accost you irl and online. Well you can borrow my copy if your ever tempted ;)
Thanks Chicken. I’ll let ya know… hehe
This is an excellent book review. You provide a sense of context—personal for you, historical for the novel—you advocate for what the book does well, and you weave it all together in support of a attention-grabbing intro that you then leverage at the end to entwine your personal reading experience with Hungerstone’s best traits. That you managed to be informative while speaking from a personal purview makes this feel like a review but with more there.
Randomly, I have a friend whose first novel is in this precise genre, and I’ll be excited to bring Hungerstone up to them when we next talk. Along that note: Part of the is friend’s in-progress PhD thesis covers _The Gilda Stories_ by Jewelle Gomez, which is also historical fiction involving a lesbian vampire trying to extricate herself from an oppressive social structure. I read it earlier this year so we could talk about it, and from your review, Gomez’s novel might be of interest to you. It criss-crossed several eras in a way that kept the stories all feeling fresh.
In any event, I enjoyed your review. My favorite author releases his new novel tomorrow, and I’ve been toying with reviewing it when I finish, but I’ve felt uncertain about how. You’ve demonstrated a great approach. Thank you.
THANK YOU MICHAEL! this is such a lovely and thoughtful response. I really appreciate it. Ohhhhh, I am very interested. that sounds so cool, i'll have to check it out. As a Buffy girl from a very young age I have a huge soft spot for vampire fiction. I will be reading some more Ann Rice soon too.
Omg yay! yes! I will be awaiting your book review with bated breath.
A great sex life can be the antidote to many indignities - I often think that accounts (in part) for the centering of sex in the queer community. But you said nothing about the vampirism - the sex scenes must really have been good! ;)
Hahaha Oh my, that seems like a significant oversight on my part. Lets just say the vampirism is excellently written.
And I completely agree! Sex and desire, being explored and normalised in queer narratives goes some way in extending dignity and humanity to queer lives.
Thank you for your thoughtful response.