Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
Reluctant Immortals is a historical horror novel that looks at two men of classic literature, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and the two women who survived them, Bertha and Lucy, who are now undead immortals residing in Los Angeles in 1967 when Dracula and Rochester make a shocking return in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.
Combining elements of historical and gothic fiction with a modern perspective, in a tale of love and betrayal and coercion, Reluctant Immortals is the lyrical and harrowing journey of two women from classic literature as they bravely claim their own destiny in a man’s world.
I am always drawn to cool cover art for books, just like I am with bottles of wine and cans of beer.
Can’t even tell yall how many times I checked out a book from the library or bought a Merlot from Total Wine just because the cover or label was super neat looking.
What can I say….I am REFINED AF.🤣
So the trippy cover of this read caught my eye first…but THEN I read the summary and I was like “YES.”
I love me some reimaginings and retellings of old stories, ESPECIALLY when it switches the script and uplifts the voices of those who were silenced, quieted or oppressed in the originals.
This book also had a creepy horror vibe to it, which I am kinda into every now and then…as long as it’s the RIGHT kind of creepy horror.
I always have had a thing for vampires so that was the big pull for me here.
This was a super intriguing and edge of your seat story…the pace was great, the characters interesting and I LOVED the messaging the author imbedded in the pages.
But I gotta say…this wasn’t an uber creepy book in my opinion. Yes,there were horror elements obviously with all the vampires, undead folks, some blood and gore and immortality thingys.
What I think this book is REALLY about is women taking BACK their power, changing the narrative, and taking down the patriarchy…uuuggghhhhhh even undead men find ways to continue to oppress women.
The way the author included commentary on all the ways men overpower women and view them as disposable and inconsequential, even in LITERATURE, was powerful.
Male dominated perspective is RAMPANT in fictional stories AND historical accounts…while the women are forgotten, diminished and overlooked.
B and Lucy are DETERMINED to change that for themselves…and for the others who went before them and who come after them.
I WAS HERE FOR IT 🙌
Besides having a strong feminist message, this was just simply a really good fantasy/horror fictional read.
TERRIFIC audiobook narrator too so it was a super duper listen as well.
If you like a little creepiness with your woman empowerment, then this read is DEF for you.