Overall I enjoyed reading this book even though vampire stories have never really been that much of interest for me. I think the way it was structured didn't quite work and the ending seemed a bit rushed. I think this book has so much potential but wasn't quite fleshed out fully. I thought the first half of the book would have made a great novella and I found the first half really enjoyable.

I did find one error: Loc 1661 in my ebook, about halfway through the page is "andimmediately" missing a space, just an fyi!

I'd recommend this book overall, but thought it wasn't executed as well as it could've been.

My review was posted on Goodreads.

I enjoyed the eeriness and beautiful writing of this book. It was hard for me to get into in the first half as we follow the first woman as she adapts to life as a vampire in a growing city. I really enjoyed the second part and it felt fast paced even going into it not knowing who this second woman was and how she connected to the first. I loved the third half and the ending was great!

3.5 stars ⭐️

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this book early, I wanna thank both the author, translator, and publishers for making this happen!!

This book has some of the favorite things: vampires, sapphic women, and gothic literary writing 🫶

This book is broken up into two parts, the first part taking place in the past (around the 1800s) and the 2nd in the present days.

I'm gonna start with the first part. It takes place in victorian era Europe from the pov of a vampire. I LOVED THAT PART OF THE BOOK. I love the feelings of longing and the need for her to destroy (even if the relationships she was forming started genuine-ish) I love how always at the back of her mind is her hunger and need to give in to her instincts. I loved that part of the book, this is the first time reading vampire lit and I adore it now!

The second part of the book is in the more modern era Argentina in the pov of Alma. She is mourning her sick mother (which is kind of a cool juxtapose of the first part) The pages show the passage of time using dates and the text itself has some of the similar themes as the beginning.

Overall I love the mix of sexuality and death. As I read I could feel the emotions coming off the pages. I think the longing contrasts well with the mourning in the 2nd half of the book but honestly after the vampire part ended I missed it. :'o)

Who doesn't love a good vampire story? I loved this book! I want to see this made into a tv series. I couldn't put this book down. It's such a easy and engaging read.

Vampires in Buenos Aires? Two times, two lives that intertwine in the end? Pain, sorrow and blood? Death and reconciliation? The Thirst is this and much more.

Finding myself caught up in lyrical, lively prose like Marina Yuszczuk's was something I didn't know I needed. Wrapped in a web of words that left me breathless, accompanied by tragic moments suspended in time, I became obsessed with this story.

The plot is divided into the cold and gray realm of the present and the hungry past. That starting point that introduces us to a protagonist searching for meaning in the tombs. And another that takes us into a woman thirsty for freedom. They collide at the end, a close, bold and exotic encounter. Loaded with anger, eroticism and truth. Two women who feed on survival. Two women who are trapped in limbo; infinite, indecisive, delirious. It is fascinating.

The most notable culminating aspect of this story is the pursuit of happiness. The longing desire to live that I could find in the characters is, in some way, desperate and human. Heartbreaking towards the end, with the magnificent tinge of melancholy, the author manages to close a crack that had been growing in the characters. A crack that devoured the meaning of living.

❗CW: burial alive, death due to illness, mourning, abandonment.

#Thirst #NetGalley.
Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC of Marina Yuszczuk’s Thirst.

I have given this novel five stars because I burned through it in a day and really enjoyed it. However, that is not to say it isn’t without flaws, which I will address in what follows. That said, this novel for me is easily up there with Interview with a Vampire, Carmilla, and even Dracula itself in some moments. The narrative voice, especially of the vampire, really reminded me of Louis in IwaV, which made the book very readable. There is a sense of presence with both narrators.

The overview: a woman vampire, raised as a child “gifted” to Dracula to live in his castle as a snack unless she dies first, but she is one of the few who survives to adulthood, at which point the Master turns her. She becomes one of his brides until he is killed by Harker and crew, leaving her and her two “sisters” to make shift for themselves. They do so for a time until they are captured and her sisters are killed. She is held as an experimental curiosity, only to escape, find a ship, and make her way to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is there that the majority of the narrative occurs, and if you’ve never considered visiting Buenos Aires before, this novel might make you want to. What follows is her narrative (we never get her real name) of hunting, finding places to live, passing as human, and occasional sexual relationships with humans, male and female alike. Near the end of the nineteenth century, she decides she’s tired of it all after one of her lovers commits suicide. So she befriends a guard at the famous La Recoleta cemetery and asks him to lock her in her coffin and crypt, keep the keys and pass them down to his ancestors.

The second half of the book is Alma’s story. Alma is the great-granddaughter of the cemetery guard. Her mother is dying from what sounds like MS. Alma has a young son named Santiago, but she is not married to the father. It was this half of the book in which the narrative began to drag a bit. I found myself wondering why I needed to care about Santi’s dentist visits or the fact that Alma goes on medical family leave to care for her mother, who is in hospital and being well cared for. It turns out that her mother has the keys to the crypt and the deed to La Recoleta’s plot where the vampire sleeps. It is now 150 years later. Alma’s mother doesn’t say whether she knows about the vampire only that Alma should not unlock it or go there, both of which she, of course, does. So the vampire gets loose, goes on a killing spree (excuse me, smorgasbord, buffet, eating binge). Alma sees her once in a crowd, recognizing her from a single photograph her grandmother also owned. At some point, Alma wakes to find the vampire standing in her room (permission to enter apparently unnecessary?) and they begin a relationship. Despite giving so many spoilers, I won’t also ruin the ending.

The much-vaunted queer aspects of the novel are there in a couple of sex scenes, but they are actually brief and not at all detailed by most standards. So if you’re reading it for that, you might be disappointed. The novel is really about loneliness and time. And really, all vampire narratives are queer under the connotation of otherness.

As an adaptation of Dracula, Thirst works beautifully. It picks up an unexplored thread of that story (the children brought to the castle, the brides) and imagines what those stories might involve. I would definitely teach this novel in a course on vampires or the Gothic. It also helps that it is written by an Argentinian author and translated, as both conditions might give way to discussions of material vampires like the original Dracula. For me, this novel was a winner, but I can imagine some readers (a) getting bored with Alma, and (b) being disappointed that it’s not a nonstop erotic fiction fest. Alas. Those will have to slake their thirst elsewhere.

"Thirst" by Marina Yuszczuk is a compelling novel that elegantly weaves together elements of the feminist Gothic genre with a modern narrative. Set across two distinct time periods, the book explores deep themes of fear, loneliness, mortality, and an insatiable yearning that haunts its characters.

This was a treat for any fans of vampire stories. I loved the gothic elements and the beautiful prose. The characters were very well written. 3 stars.

4/5 stars, but really more like 3.5/5…

a good, quick read (i got through it in one sitting) with lots of pretty words and a really nice handle on the topic of grief. i just wish it was longer! i could’ve read another two or three hundred pages of this and been so, so happy for it.

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk is a unique take on a vampire story. The book follows two characters using a dual perspective: a woman struggling with many of the relationships in her life and a vampire that has traveled the world for centuries.

Thirst's greatest strengths are its characters and settings. As each section of the book progresses, the two protagonists are brought to life through small moments in their lives (covering vastly different lengths of time). The moments when both characters interact were the moments I found myself most engaged in the book, as knowing each character in-depth made the moments they met all the more engaging. The setting in Buenos Aires is described beautifully, creating a gothic backdrop that keeps the tone of the book consistently dark.

However, the overall plot of Thirst is relatively simple. This is not a major flaw, as a more in-depth plot would have detracted from the characterization, especially considering the book's short length. That said, by the end of the book I was still hoping for more, as some scenes felt they could have been lengthened and I would have loved to have seen more interactions between the two protagonists.

As a whole, Thirst is a wonderful book for its characters, setting, and atmosphere. This would be a great recommendation for readers who enjoy vampire stories with carefully rendered characters.

★ ★ ★ ★ • 4

“It was blood that saved me. Blood that drove me mad from my first taste and that turned me, little by little, into a beast. The past shrank from me. I even forgot my own name; in due time, I was given another in a cursed tongue. There was but one truth, and that was my need to sate myself, over and over, and the generosity with which our Maker offered his own victims to me.“

“He stared at my sex as if a terrible secret were being revealed to him and I sensed, in the expression of pain that flashed across his face, the years of suppressed desire, of solitary torture. Then he sank his tongue into me, tasting me as desperately as he had kissed me. I wanted to enjoy the moment, but I also wanted to watch him suffer like a dog. I glared defiantly at that god nailed to a cross above the altar. Perhaps he didn’t exist, perhaps he could not be found in or through anything at all, but I wanted to offend him. He deserved it.”

This is one of those books where you can find an amazing quote to take from almost every page. The initial prose at the beginning of the book was a little awkward, but quickly improves as you get past those first couple chapters.

The storyline itself reads more passively than active so it feels more like the narrating character is giving an overview of her life like the things she’s describing have already happened (even when it’s present tense).

What really got me into this book was the take on vampires through the perspective of a character who experiences emotion but seemingly not empathy or remorse… And how the lonely and aimless existence of immortality turned into a distain for humanity—the insignificance of it all. The author also did a fantastic job of capturing sensuality and violence, in how those can go hand-in-hand yet also be conflicting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was sold on a book talking about queer vampires! The first half of the book is perfection, but I did get a bit lost in the second half with the time change and shift in narrative. A great read though!

Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a book I had to sit with for a while. Yuszczuk's writing is beautiful, and Cleary's translation maintains the heady, eerie atmosphere so well. Both narrators are very different women, but their stories mesh well through shared themes of isolation, motherhood, and the feeling of staying static while the world seems to pass you by. Speaking of that world, Buenos Aires is alive in this story. The city grows and changes around the characters like a living being itself, which is a device I love in almost every story its used in.

That being said, I had some issues with the pacing. The first half of the book--part one--is near flawless in my opinion, but when part two begins, it feels a bit rushed. The passage of time is noted by section headings stating the date, but it does little to slow what feels like a downhill race to the end. For a book that's 161 pages, that's to be expected, but I do wish we got to spend a little more time with part two's narrator.

Overall, I am so glad this was my first read of the year and will be recommending it many times over. 4.5 stars.

Thirst IS a vampire novel and gothic-like but it is so, so much more.
The first part of the book follows the vampire Maria who escapes to Buenos Aires in the 1800's. As she acclimates to her new hope she watches the city develop and survive yellow fever. Maria is her own woman/vampire and very Anne Rice in that she does what she wants for good or fo bad. In part two, we meet Alma, a young mother who is struggling with the deterioration of her own mother. Her mother gifts her a clue which bring the two stories together.
Very beautiful in language and highly recommended to all vampire and gothic fans as well as lovers of literature.
#penguingroup #thrist #marinayuszczuk

I really wanted to enjoy this more, but it fell a bit flat for me. I loved the concept, the creepiness factor, and the tasteful gore. I read a *lot* of vampire fiction when I was a tween/teen and I liked how Thirst didn’t abide by all of the traditional rules of vampire lore. It felt like a fresh take on a classic in many respects.
I found the first person POV a bit limiting and it’s generally not my speed, but I completely understand why the author chose it. It keeps the story extremely intimate and it gets the reader into the characters’ heads.
The first chunk of the book felt a lot slower than the second and it took me a while to be completely invested in the story. The final third was the best part, especially when everything finally came together. (No spoilers here, but it was really good!!)

Personally this whole thing worked for me, i liked the twist on the vampire metaphor which I’ll get into below. I kind of hesitate to take a wide berth when recommending only because I know some readers looking for straight up vampire lore will leave a bit wanting, if only due to the structure of the book but to me the themes really balanced the plot.



The book is told in two parts, the first from the perspective of a female vampire traveling to Argentina in the 1800s after centuries of persecution in Europe. The second is set in modern day Argentina (maybe even 1990s/2000s?) from the perspective of another woman named Alma who is preemptively mourning the death of her terminally ill mother. In the first part you get all of the vampire lore and it is SO good! I could have had like 50 more pages just of the backstory considering it covers whole centuries. In the second part you see the themes of the book come more fully into fruition. I think you could tell that the second part is the story the author really wanted to tell, but the first part wasn’t lacking because of that thankfully.



The thing I most got out of the book was connection and this sort of desperate longing to be fully one with another person (and in turn be fully one with every part of yourself). Western culture veers away from death and sexuality to the point where it sterilizes the two and forces them into boxes where they are only socially acceptable in very specific circumstances. Vampires historically embody these two states but I think the author took it a bit further by emphasizing the real world implications of this type of culture. You specifically get the frustrations and yearning that come with not being able to express grief and sexuality in ways that are healthy but deemed morally wrong. In the end what we gather is that severing death and specially female sexuality from the “everyday” results in feeling disconnected from the self and from the wider community.



I have lots more I could say but yeah I loved!! And not to be that person but my only critique is that I wanted more vampire lore! But I think what’s there is effective in getting the job done

To begin, the prose in this novel is incredible. Yuszczuk expertly combines the horrific with beautiful, elegant writing that gives the feeling of looking at the characters through a thin veil. This is also a huge accolade to the translator, Heather Cleary, for her work in making this masterpiece come to life. I have never highlighted so much of a book before! Throughout the novel, themes of grief and loss were woven within the women’s two very different relationships with death. The juxtaposition of their experiences created a complex, yet easy-to-digest story. Last, the portrayal of female rage and revenge is so gripping it’s nearly impossible to put the book down. The entirety of Thirst felt like something you should simultaneously look away from but can’t take your eyes off of.

While I absolutely loved this book, it will 100% not be for everyone. If you love “Tender is the Flesh” or Carmen Maria Machado are looking for your next genre-bending read, this is your book. Thirst is a true 5/5 stars for me, and I hope some of y’all enjoy it when it releases on March 5th, 2024. Just remember, please check the content warnings first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC of Thirst!

Initially intrigued by the cover and synopsis of queer vampire fiction, I ended up disappointed. I enjoyed the first half told from the vampire's point of view but my interest ebbed and flowed with the pacing. I then completely lost interest as I got through the middle and second half of the story. It just felt like the recounting of events, to which I didn't feel particularly connected to either of the characters telling their stories. It is, without a doubt, beautifully written but unfortunately did not hold my attention.

A vampire travels from Europe to Buenos Aires to avoid persecution, but while there she has to learn to intermingle with humans and adapt. Watching the city she arrives at transform from a village to a city, ravaged by the 1870s Yellow Fever, she is confronted by fear, loneliness, and morality. In another voice, set in present-day Buenos Aires, a woman is dealing with her mother’s terminal illness that is turning the woman she loved into someone she doesn’t recognize. At the same time, she grapples with her own relationship with motherhood. As the two women meet, they see their own selves in the other. Exploring consuming desire, overbearing loneliness, fear of the unknown future, and fragile morality, this is a story that I couldn’t tear my eyes from.

“’Nothing I do makes sense,’ I explained, and for the first time I understood that it was true. ‘ I was dragged Into this story; my only freedom is to create.’”

This feels like 2 books put in one as we follow two different narrators. One follows a mysterious vampire, set in the 1800s, and the other a young woman living in present-day Buenos Aires. I personally loved the first half of the book better than the second half, but that may also be because it’s a lot more bloodier, smuttier, and gory as we follow the main female vampire as she goes through her long life killing and fucking without much thought to her actions. A very “we support women’s rights, but more importantly their wrongs” sort of book. The second part is more introspective as it follows a human woman coming to terms with her mother’s incoming death. The ending was very abrupt for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Very different themes for both parts, but they came together somewhat in the end.

The first half was a slog. The second half picks up a bit, and several much more interesting conceptual questions about the roles of vampires and death are brought to the table. Thematically, this feels much more a book about grief than it is one about vampires, and the first half feels like it exists purely to establish the rules of vampires (largely the same as the ones we already know, making the first part superfluous) so that the second half can be the actual novel.

Is it the “genre-blurring” “feminist Gothic” the advertising blurb claims it is? It’s hard to say. Firstly, “genre-blurring” and “Gothic” both used as descriptors is oxymoronic, as well as incorrect: this is pretty firmly a vampire novel, and therefore pretty firmly a Gothic. While the boundaries that define a Gothic outside of the UK in the 18th century tend to be debatable, it feels firmly rooted in the literary conventions and monstrous archetypes traditionally associated with that genre, and, unless the parts that take place in modern day Argentina disqualify it somehow, I can’t see what’s really being blurred here. Secondly, the idea that this book is being marketed as feminist disquiets me. There’s not particularly feminist flags being flown here; there’s almost exclusively female characters, yes, and while they are afforded the opportunity to have wants and needs and agency, they don’t tackle any power imbalances or systemic oppressions with any sort of significance; they really don’t interact with men at all. While yes, novels about women are somewhat inherently feminist, the label feels like it distracts from the actual thematic content of the book, which deals largely with grief and death. There are even opportunities that Yuszczuk seems to turn away from—components like the nameless vampire’s turning, or the long history of vampires as monsters of a privileged inherited upper class—because she is so focused on interrogating grief and death, specifically. I’m not adverse to the label, it just feels a little…weird.

In general, the book was decent, if not particularly groundbreaking. At times I felt the translation was lacking, but the second half was, as aforementioned, improved. I can’t say I’d recommend it, but as I set out to broaden my own vampire canon, I don’t regret reading it.