Daughters of Darkness: Lesbian Vampire Stories (Paperback)

by Pam Keesey (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Although this collection is probably for a fairly specialized market, there are some excellent stories here--including works by Jewelle Gomez, Kathryn Forrest, and Robbi Sommers--which, as editor Keesey points out, are hard to find elsewhere. Before Dracula, much vampire lore in fact centered around female vampires, and Keesey is bringing to light some of that tradition. By combining the ideas of women as vampires and women as seductive lesbians, Keesey doubles the force of images that have historically crystallized society's fear of powerful women. This book will be particularly at home in collections of feminist fiction, folklore, and popular culture; the explicit eroticism may limit its use in popular fiction collections.
- Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. , Davenport, Ia.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
In the fascinating, scholarly introduction to these 10 tales, editor Keesey examines the role of women, especially lesbians, in vampire lore. She traces her own interest to the 1970s--"the golden age of lesbian vampire movies"--and pursues her quarry throughout literature, postulating that its origin might lie in traditions as old as the Bible. Discovering traditional characteristics of the female vampire, she concludes that the lesbian may be the skeleton-in-the-closet of vampire lore. Her choices for the anthology proper include LeFanu's classic "Carmilla" (1871) and nine much more contemporary stories, including sex-advice columnist Pat Califia's "Vampire," set in contemporary leather and S&M bars; mystery writer Katherine V. Forrest's "O Captain, My Captain," with its vampire of the future cruising the galaxies like the Flying Dutchman; and Jewelle Gomez's "Louisiana: 1850" from her Gilda Stories. The other choices are as varied and intriguing, and all are followed by a brief annotated filmography and unannotated bibliography. Marie Kuda --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Cleis Press; 2nd edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573440760
• ISBN-13: 978-1573440769
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #641,375 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #5 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( K ) > Keesey, Pam
  #37 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica > Sexuality in Literature
  #54 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica > Gay & Lesbian > Lesbian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Should have been SO MUCH BETTER!!!, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

How can you miss with a book about lesbian vampires?!!! This should EASILY have been both scary and intensely erotic --- but it was NEITHER!!! Problem #1: Too many P.C. authors, trying to make their lesbian vampires champions of the political plight of lesbian women --- BORING!!! Problem #2: Very poor mixing of terror and sensuality, which like terror and humor can very often mix together very well! Problem #3: Isn't the whole vampire thing usually portrayed as an older evil guy rapaciously pursuing innocent, virginal young women? So what's so hard about replacing the older guy with a beautiful slightly older woman, having her seducing pretty young women with or without their consent? No, this book was a failure because Ms. Kesey tried to go the politically correct route, and the result is a disappointing, very un-erotic collection of so-so stories.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Contribution for Hard Core Fans of Queer Horror, December 6, 2000

By A Customer

For those of us interested in the Queer Horror Genre, Daughters of Darkness is yet another of Keesey's exceptional contributions. First, the editorial introduction provides more insight into the genre, a map to seeing more between the lines of the stories -- in what has become a rarity in writing about literature -- an easy to read, accessible format. I actually _learned_ about what I was reading in the stories that followed. Second, the book provides an outlet for what are historically and contemporarily undervalued authors of meaningful horror stories, all respectful of the positive contribution of lesbian imagery and ideas in literature. No, this isn't an erotic pulp novel. It is also NOT the usual feminist PC approach in which all lesbian vampires are made out to be evil or pornographic characters. Instead, sexy and empowering images of lesbian vampires is celebrated in another luscious volume.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Daughters of darkness, April 9, 2004

By	Erica Anderson (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I never imagined myself that I would buy a book of erotic vampire stories but I have. Several years ago I saw Kim Deal reading Pam Keesey's book in the pages of a magazine. I admit I was curious about the book being the huge vampire fan that I am. I try to avoid the more cartoonish, horror vampire novels that plagues the book market (i.e Tanya Huff). I found a copy of the book at a local bookstore and decided to get it, not so much for the titilation of the sexual depictions described in the book but more from a feminist point of view in terms of female empowerment. In the introduction, Pam explores female empowerment through mythology, namely the supernatural as in vampires and other demons. I was tired of reading the same ridiculous cheesy vampire novel where women were usually the helpless victims or the sultry demon. I was more interested in reading stories of female vampires and how they differentiate from their male counterparts. I thought the stories were interesting to say the very least. And they are definitely different. One of the more interesting stories in the book was "Lousiana: 1850" by Jewelle Gomez. This particular story wasn't something I was expected. Normally I am used to reading about vampires who kill without prejudice and without conscience. Gilda was far from any vampire character I have read in any book. She didn't get off on killing people, let alone kill her victims. She merely would take a drink from her victim and leave. "Lilith" is more in tuned with any modern vampire novel where the vampire's intentions is completely sinister. The vampire seduces her victim and vamps her. The one story I didn't enjoy was "Carmilla" which honestly I found to be a complete bore. I have tried to read it in its entirety but I could not muster up the energy to finish the story, let alone get into it. Otherwise I enjoyed the majority of the stories in "Daughters of Darkness" (as well as in "Dark Angels"). If anything, Pam Keesey's books weren't entirely intended for titilation because the stories certainly underline female empowerment or feminism in some sort of way. As a vampire fanatic, I enjoyed Pam's books. They are a big guilty pleasure of mine.