Vampires Never Get Old by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker Review

 Title: Vampires Never Grow Old: Tales with Fresh Bite

Author(s): Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Anthology/Short Stories

Series: Untold Legends, book one

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I love anthologies, and I happen to also love vampires (I blame the Twilight craze in high school.) This collection of eleven new stories touches on nearly every aspect of vampirism, from the Victoria era to modern India. I adored every single story in this volume; I loved how it took an age-old trope and gave it a modern, fresh spin. From a disabled young woman being sired into a vampire and out for revenge, to the modern, young Desi vampire receiving a packet of instructions from the mysterious people who turned her, and in Victorian times, a trans doctor in training must decide if he wants to live forever or pursue his elusive dreams. My favorites were The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: a young boy summons a group of vampires with a horrifying song and must make an unbearable choice, and House of Black Sapphires by Dhionelle Clayton, a lush, gorgeous love story wrapped in smoke and shadows. A young woman must decide between her family and a mysterious, alluring young man, the son of her mother’s former lover.

I really loved this whole book of stories; I love how it puts so many cool twists on a trope that tends to be overused! The stories were all so well-written that it was extremely hard to choose a favorite. This short story collection was so diverse and well-rounded, I very much enjoyed it. It was also super cool to see a disabled person get turned into a vampire; you don’t see that in fiction, ever! As a disabled person myself, it felt very good to be seen. Honestly there wasn’t a story that I didn’t love to some degree, and that’s extremely rare in anthologies. I adored it, and I’ll be sure to check out other works by this amazing, unique team of authors! The bottom line: Taking one of literature’s most classic tropes, the vampire and the making of one, Vampires Never Get Old is a fresh take on one of history’s most prevalent legends! Next on deck: Relish by Lucy Kinsley!