- The Good: Native American vampire horror
- The Bad: Prepare yourself for violence and gore
- The Literary: Epistolary; allegorical horror; beautiful prose
Etsy Beaucarne’s tenure as professor at the University of Wyoming is denied, so she pins her hopes on publishing a book about one of her ancestors. Her great-great-grandfather, a Lutheran’s pastor, kept a diary in1912 in rural Montana, and it was only recently discovered and sent to her. As she reads his story about an interview with a man called Good Stab, a violent tale emerges, stemming from the massacre of 217 Blackfeet women and children.
I know this description sounds quite academic but stay with me. Yes, this is an indigenous historical epistolary novel, but it’s also a horror story with vampires and supernatural revenge. The prose is incredibly beautiful, sometimes gothic. The characters are rich, playing off each other’s culture, religion, and language. The plot is complex, engaging, and multilayered. I love this book.
I’ll tell you what this isn’t. This isn’t just a western, a Blackfoot man who turns into a vampire and rains his vengeance down upon white America for the decimation of his tribe and family. There’s so much more here.
You could call this a Native American Interview with the Vampire, as Good Stab tells his tale, confesses his sins to pastor Arthur Beaucarne over several sessions that focus on events in the 1870s. Athur, a man of God, doesn’t believe this man’s story of subsisting of blood alone and never aging, and he has his own ideas about who Good Stab really is.
Arthur seems to be a sweet man, with a kind heart and a good sense of humor, who is maybe a little tired of his congregation. The unlikely duo, perhaps even fondness between the two men, is surprising given Good Stab’s narrative, which is bloody, violent, and full of pain and guilt. There is a humor between the two, often at the others’ expense, and a deeper commentary on the human experience.
Of course, there’s a rich backdrop of Blackfeet culture, a sacred mountain, and a depth that allows the reader to see beyond flawed and flat Native American portrayals. Good Stab’s revenge is both personal and for his people, but don’t expect him to be a hero. After all, he is the nightmare of the white man—an Indian who can’t die.
As a vampire novel, I love to see something new, an original take on the genre. It’s not just the indigenous angle, though a vampire who is also a Native American does create a fascinating worldview. But the magic and lore and rules of his vampiric nature are different too, and they are key to the plot.
While I love this story, I admit this one’s difficult to read. Be prepared for horror, both real and imagined, lots of murder and suffering, including of animals and young kids.
Get your hands on the audiobook, expertly narrated for all three protagonists. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and vampires (the terrifying kind; not the sparkly kind).