Thirst

Across the span of two different epochs, Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk intertwines the lives of two women as they face their innermost fears, solitude, mortality, and an unsettling desire that leaves them restless. From one of Latin America's most compelling new voices in feminist Gothic literature, this groundbreaking novel deftly navigates the boundaries of genre and human experience.

In the 19th century, a vampire escapes the clutches of the Church and arrives on the shores of Buenos Aires. Alone and adrift, she must integrate with humanity while concealing her true nature. Her survival hinges on discretion, adaptation, and a careful mingling with the human populace.

Fast forward to modern-day Buenos Aires, where a woman stands at a crossroads. Confronted with her mother's terminal illness and her own complicated notions of motherhood, her life is marked by indecision and existential turmoil. Her encounter with the vampire in a cemetery sparks a profound connection, a catalyst for transformation, bringing the two women into a realm where their fates are irrevocably intertwined.

Evoking the haunting echoes of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and drawing inspiration from feminist Gothic stalwarts like Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier, and Carmen Maria Machado, Thirst delves deeply into themes of female autonomy, the overpowering force of desire, and the precarious essence of even the most immortal beings.

Thirst is rich with queer representation and lush, lyrical prose, weaving together a gripping narrative that explores the intersections of life, death, and longing. The novel combines intimate personal struggles with the historical backdrop of Buenos Aires, encapsulating a unique fusion of the personal and the cultural.

- Mariana Enriquez, author of Our Share of Night

- The New York Times

- Fernanda Trias, author of Pink Slime