I loved this! Everything you could want in a short queer vampire read. The timeline jumps were executed very well and didn't detract at all from the ability to follow the story. We learn just enough about each character to understand their decisions and the flow of the story but not so much that we are weighed down with unecessary information. I do wish the queer aspect was more of a focus at some points in the story - it felt almost brief in the beginning and at the end, but unmentioned for much of the middle and felt like an afterthought. Overall a great read and definitely will be a recommended read on queer book lists this year!

I was convinced this was going to be a five star read until the end. The vampire perspective was perfect. She was a fascinating character and narrator and it really felt like all of that momentum and interest was gone when it went back to the modern day perspective. As the modern timeline kept going forward I found myself wondering when the vampire character was going to come back into the story. I really wish there were equal levels on interest, plot momentum or character development between the perspectives. I would read something by this author again. I absolutely adored the majority of this novel

I enjoyed this book immensely and would have devoured it in one sitting if I didn’t have a day job.

Thirst is a gothic, sapphic (sorta) vampire, literary and (kind of) historical fiction novel… which is to say it’s a fantastic book that bleeds beteen genres. It is told in two parts, where part 1 tells the origin story of a vampire who is grappling with the unending thirst and solitude of immortality, and part 2, in present day, follows a woman who is witnessing her mother deteriorate in front of her eyes and is trying to come to terms her inevitable death.

I enjoyed Part 1 SO much. Moving through the vampire’s experiences was exciting and horrifying (in a but I can’t look away kind of way). I also really liked part 2, but it felt like a totally different book - the tone and atmosphere changes so abruptly and it’s hard to recalibrate. I loved discussions of grief, so part 2 hit deeply for me.

I only wish we got to see more of the two main characters together. I loved the time we got to spend with them individually and it informed so much of the underlying tensions and the things that go unsaid once they meet, but I just wish there was morreee.

Anyway, I totally recommend this for the gothic, literary fiction girlies!

This was so boring I wanted to DNF it so bad.
The story is told in two parts, one that is in the 1800s that follows an unnamed vampire with an unquenchable thirst and one that is in present day that follows a woman dealing with the slow death of her mother. While I think the idea of this book is interesting, I simply could not care less. The vampire spends the majority of her time doing heinous acts that she’s proud of (which isn’t the bad part because it actually made her cool) but to no end. She has no goals in life other than to fill her need for blood. I wish there was just more substance than her just living her day to day life. The second part with our other main character was not entertaining as well. As her mother is dying, she is given these clues to help discover a big secret that is hiding in the mausoleum that she is so drawn to.
Honestly, I just wish there was more. The ending as well really ticked me off. I wish I could’ve just enjoyed this book for what it is but I can’t.

The first half of this book was so incredibly weird: a vampire is chased from her home country to Buenos Aires, where she proceeds to creep around, alternately stumbling into and (sort of) seeking out connections. The trouble with this is we basically just get a series of episodic chapters in which the MC meets someone and eventually kills them (this happens several times. do not get attached to any of these characters, they just get murdered before the MC moves on with little more than a shrug), until she finally meets someone whose help she needs, so she doesn't kill him. And it's not even like, she's so eeeeevil, what a mean and bad sexy vampire!! It's like, okay, so she doesn't care about anyone or anything. Then why am I supposed to care about anything she does?

Then the second part comes like an intruder storming into your quiet house and throwing you across the room and into a whole other novel. In this whole other novel we meet a character who's not having a great time either, but at least this is a story about being sad, rather than a story about being nothing. Our two mains are brought together by circumstance, and get together because this novel is labeled LGBTQ+, I guess, because I can't figure out from the narrative what they even see in each other.

Although it takes swings at being several different genres, Thirst ultimately reminded me of the all-too-common style of contemporary novel that's about a tired millenial with no friends, no goals, and no desires outside of bare-minimum survival. If I wanted to read about a bored bisexual without a lot going on I'd just go back through my own Twitter archive (oh, self burn!). Points to the second MC for blithely abandoning her child though - fuck them kids, am I right ladies?!

My thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC.

Heather Cleary's translation of Marina Yuszczuk's Thirst is able to maintain beautiful, hypnotic prose that firmly establish the classic gothic atmosphere. The narrative follows two women, one a vampire newly transported to mid-19th century Buenos Aires, and the other a single mother in the 21st century struggling to balance her work obligations with her family after her mother falls ill.

Character motivation and world-building are sometimes sacrificed in favor of the engrossing prose that carry readers forward. Unfortunately, this results in both women feeling two dimensional and incomplete. The first 80% of the novel, split between the two women, moves very slowly only for it to wrap up at breakneck speed. They don't meet until moments before the book ends in something of a whirlwind that does nothing to clarify their relationship or motivations beyond the typical ambiguity of the gothic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This novel was so interesting. I love the fact that this is a retelling of the classic Dracula story, but focused entirely on the female perspective. It gave a unique and compelling depiction of how sex and sexuality plays into the vampire canon. I also really enjoyed the way the novel was split into two parts. The prologue was very compelling, and I couldn't put it down. When we shifted into the first major part, the narrative slowed for me a bit, but quickly picked up. Strangely, though the second major half of the novel felt like it was were the author wanted to spend most of her time, this part was slower for me to get through. That said, I still very much enjoyed it. Great alternative to a classic tale.

DNF @33%

I don't like how this book is written. It makes me feel disconnected to the characters and everything happening to them. I'd rather be shown than just told.

Thirst by marina Yuszczuk was an interesting atmospheric horror that is set in two different time periods. The first part follows our vampire MC in the nineteenth century as she arrives in Buenos Aries from Europe and tries to manage her thirst which watching a city trransform. In the present we follow Alma, as she navigates her life as a mother and the grief she is experiencing. These two will eventually meet...

I liked the setting and how Yuszczuk was able to fully immerse the reader in this book; however, I think I set my expectations too high for this one.

This is more of a meditation on death, grief, and mortality than it is "sapphic vampire novel."

Thanks to Dutton and Netgalley for the ARC!

If it's lit fic + vampires then I am guaranteed to read it! Thirst is a novel in translation told in two parts. In the first, we follow the life of a young woman who has been turned into a vampire. We follow her as she adapts to the world of her new life and the consequences of her action in 1800s Buenos Aires. In part two, we follow a young mother who navigates the grief surrounding her mother's terminal illness.

The writing in Thirst was absolutely beautiful. This is a bit of a slower burn, so even though it's not a particularly long novel it did take me a bit to become invested in the story. I almost wish we had spent the whole time following the POV of the vampire main character as I did not enjoy the second part as much as the first (and I usually love stories about grief).

If you liked books such as Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda and The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland then I think you would enjoy Thirst.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for a review copy. I'll definitely read from this author again in the future.

Thirst started quite interestingly but unfortunately didn't stick the landing for me. Each "half" had a fascinating dark tone throughout (more so in the past than the present). Ultimately, it read like two different novels that were almost connected successfully. Nonetheless, it was beautifully written and engaging and is a great introduction to Marina Yuszczuk's works.

Fully enjoying re-entering my vampire era. Loved the two parts. The first follows the vampire and her journey through time making her way to Buenos Aires, the second half follows a woman that lives in Buenos Aires dealing with her dying mother. Life and death. I am sure things were lost in the translation but I still really enjoyed both halves.

This was dark and mysterious. The words literally jump off the page. I highly enjoyed this! If you’re into cemetery vibes, this is for you.

Quick take: 3 stars. Into the vampire story, but couldn’t care less about this lady who loves long walks in cemeteries. The ending was 👎 💩 Unsatisfying and emotionally nonsensical. But the vibes 🧛‍♀️

I'm on the fence between a 3 and a 4 on this book. It's a very unique read that flowed and flowed and flowed together. Act 1 had me thinking this book would be 100% 5 stars, I was giddy with anticipation about what would happen next, and I yearned for the protagonist to shine, shine and shine on some more. So many more adventures to go on and trouble to get in! Such a great and gritty character. She was a dark delight. She could have filled the whole book, and I would have delightfully eaten every word and gone back for seconds.

But then Act 1 ended and the story went into a very different direction. I understand the authors point and reason for act 2, but it fell short for me. The focus of the second act did not capture my attention and I had to continually remind myself to keep reading. As bits of Act 1 entered the storyline, it felt different, not as fleshed out and not as captivating. Perhaps it was different for others. I was surprised when I looked down and the story was ending. It was like it was rolling down the road and then suddenly dropped off a cliff and I watched it go with all of my luggage inside. I just sort of sat there saying, "wait, what?"

So yes, somewhere between 3 and 4 stars is where I sit. Wanting to know more about the first MC, but also not wanting to know anything more about the second. LOL for real. I've chosen 4 stars because of how beautiful the first part of the book was written.

Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House for this ARC.

When I heard gothic sapphic vampire novel, I said "SIGN ME UP!" And overall, I was pleased with the story and the character development of our two main characters. But also, I feel like something was missing. At times, the vampire narrative felt very typical and didn't really delve deep into the emotions of our main character so when it came time to leap forward and meet Alma, it felt uneven. With her, we get a real sense of where she's at in her life and in her inner turmoil, watching her mother die before her very eyes. And I understand why she does make the ultimate choice but why did our vampy friend also make that same choice?

I am glad I read this book and I hope more of Yuszczuk's work gets translated so I can read it but I am not sure I'd urge friends to read this as an introduction to her work.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵. 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴.”

In Thirst, the streets of nineteenth-century Buenos Aires thrum with the throes of transformation as a vampire fleeing from Europe seeks refuge amidst the burgeoning chaos. Centuries later, a modern woman grapples with her own mortality, her mother's impending death a constant shadow. Through lush, exquisite prose reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier, Yuszczuk navigates themes of fear, loneliness, and the haunting allure of immortality, and as the two women's lives intertwine, desires ignite, and fate plays out in interesting and unexpected ways. Thirst is a captivating exploration of female agency and the stories that happen in the shadows between life and death--and I thoroughly look forward to exploring this darkness further with this incredible, new-to-me author.

Thank you to Net Galley with providing a preview.
What a wonderful addition to the Latin American gothic genre- this work was an easy read, but compelling just the same with two timelines and interesting parallels between two women to find their respective places in the world.
A unique feature is the way in which the narrative elicited sympathy for the central vampire in the work, as she's clearly the victim, having endured abuse, exploitation and finally alienation through the centuries. While empowered in the last two centuries, she's ultimately destined for a solitude existence.
Well crafted, smart writing and a great translation as well.

2.5 stars

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵. 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴.”

Alright, I really wanted to like this book, but it was a little confusing. This might have had some deeper meaning, but I was not understanding it. 😅

Thirst focuses the majority on a pov from this female vampire whose real name we never get. I loved this pov as her story is so compelling and interesting. Then we get to the female humans pov and that’s where it lost me. I didn’t care for the character and also didn’t understand her actions. 🤷🏻‍♀️ The ending is also ambiguous, which I’m not usually a huge fan of, but in this story it makes sense.

Thirst is a story of female empowerment, the power of desire, and the fragility of life and death. It will force you to be aware of monsters and what those look like. 🤍 Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who wants more lgbtq representation in horror, atmospheric writing, and strong female characters.

I was absolutely hooked by the first half! The historical setting was rich and immersive, and the main character's unpredictable, animalistic behavior kept me on edge, eagerly anticipating each twist.