DEAD COLLECTIONS

Dani Martineck's quiet narration, full of longing and anger, sometimes wry and sometimes earnest, is as richly layered as this remarkable novel. Sol is a trans vampire who is trying to survive by living in the basement archive where he works. When he falls in love with the widow of a famous lesbian TV writer, he's finally inspired to confront his future. Martineck smoothly switches between Sol and his lover, Elsie, during their many long conversations. They deliver the ephemera scattered throughout the novel with just the right amount of academic detatchment. They especially excel during the sex scenes, which are heated but deeply emotional. A complicated love letter to queer and trans culture, fandoms, and the power of archives, this audiobook is an unusually creative delight. L.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]