The Gilda Stories

Set against a sweeping canvas of American history from the 1850s to a dystopian 2050, Jewelle Gomez's 'The Gilda Stories' follows a young woman's journey to self-discovery and belonging after escaping slavery. Finding refuge and work in a brothel, she is transformed into a vampire by two enigmatic women, becoming one who 'shares the blood.' Renamed Gilda, she embarks on a two-century quest for a true home, grappling with her identity as a Black lesbian immortal. Gomez masterfully redefines the vampire narrative, weaving in radical explorations of Blackness, environmentalism, chosen family, and the erotic. Gilda's saga is a poignant and powerful meditation on freedom, survival, and the enduring search for community in a world both beautiful and brutal, making her an enduring icon in speculative fiction.