Book Review: “SLAY” Edited by Nicole Givens Kurtz
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire
Edited by Nicole Givens Kurtz
I love a good vampire story. And I mean good. Say the word ‘vampire’ and I’m interested, and it’s always better when there’s something different done with the monster. Luckily, SLAY is full of good and great vampire stories.
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire focuses purely on African and Afrodiasporic voices, with Black protagonists at its centre. The stories – and vampires themselves – are inspired by a wide range of mythology and folklore, and it all weaves together well to give a truly unique anthology.
The book is split into three sections: US & Britain, Africa, and The Future. Some think it’s time for the vampire trope to be buried and staked, but books like SLAY, with so many different voices and takes on this monster, proves those people wrong. It’s the kind of anthology where every story is strong and draws you deeper and deeper in.
The first story in the anthology, “Desiccant”, follows Tituba, as she moves into a new apartment complex where something strange is happening to the residents. It’s a really solid start to the whole book, with a unique voice and a really fascinating take on vampires. “The Retiree” focuses on an older protagonist, as he settles into a care home. Witty and dark, and very chilling. “Diary of a Mad Black Vampire” uses the epistolary format to great effect, utilizing it to give us an insight into this vampire’s mind and “Encounters” is a really wonderful, sweet tale.
Other standouts were “The Last Vampire Huntress”, “Di Conjuring Nectar of Di Blood” and “His Destroyer”.
The stories aren’t all horror focused, and there’s a variety of different genres and subgenres here, though the majority do carry an undercurrent of fear. There are a lot of different stories, and each one is worth the price of admission. There’s a little something here for every kind of vampire fan, while presenting different takes on the blood-sucking monsters.
As long as books like SLAY keep coming out, I’ll keep reading, and these authors prove vampires aren’t going away any time soon.
Grade: A
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08FM3MC3L/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/SLAY-Stories-Nicole-Givens-Kurtz-ebook/dp/B08FM3MC3L/
Bookshop UK: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/1605844706_slay-stories-of-the-vampire-noire/9781735219547
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
I received this eBook from publisher Mocha Memoirs Press via NetGalley