The Gilda Stories
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The Gilda Stories
A masterpiece of Black feminist fiction, The Gilda Stories is the cult 90s classic that reimagines the vampire myth.
'A groundbreaking work of Afrofuturism before the term was even coined' - Guardian
'A lush, exciting, inspiring read' - Sarah Waters
In this radically reimagined vampire myth, the night hides many things...
Louisiana, 1850. A young girl escapes slavery and is taken in by two mysterious women. Rumoured to be witches, the pair travel only at night, dress in men's clothing and seem to know others' innermost thoughts. But the girl sees the promise of true freedom in their dark, glittering eyes—the promise to 'share the blood' and live forever. They name her Gilda.
Over the next two hundred years, Gilda moves through unseen spaces—through antebellum brothels, gold-rush bars, Black women's suffrage groups, hair salons, and jazz clubs, searching for a way to exist in the world. Her body, powerful against the passage of time, will know both beauty and horror through the women she desires and the blood she craves. But can Gilda truly outrun the darkness of history and face a future where the lives of everyone she loves are at stake?
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Jewelle Gomez's novel is praised for being ahead of its time, offering a lush, exciting, and inspiring portrayal of Black lesbian community through the ages. It is recognised for its groundbreaking portrayal of identity and community, featuring a protagonist who embodies resilience and ethics amidst challenges of racism, sexism, and more. The book is celebrated as a revolutionary classic in speculative fiction, combining themes of queerness and historical retelling through a vampire narrative, making it both a classic and a timely exploration of important social issues.

Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781784878627
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 07 September 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Vintage Classics
Contributors:
- Afterword by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 38.0mm
Width: 136.0mm
Height: 218.0mm
Weight: 440g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Jewelle Gomez is a writer, activist and the author of the double Lambda Award-winning novel, The Gilda Stories. Her other publications include The Lipstick Papers, Flamingoes and Bears and Oral Tradition. Formerly the executive director of the Poetry Center and the American Poetry Archives at San Francisco State University, she has also worked in philanthropy for many years. She is the former director of the literature programme at the New York State Council on the Arts, the director of Grants and Community Initiatives for Horizon and the President of the San Francisco Library Commission. She lives in San Francisco.
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