Synopsis:
Sloane Parker is dreading her birthday. She doesn’t need a reminder she’s getting older, or that she’s feeling indifferent about her own life. Her husband surprises her with a birthday-weekend getaway―not with him, but with Sloane’s longtime best friend, troublemaker extraordinaire Naomi. Sloane anticipates a weekend of wine tastings and cozy robes and strategic avoidance of issues she’d rather not confront, like her husband’s repeated infidelity.
But when they arrive at their rental cottage, it becomes clear Naomi has something else in mind. She wants Sloane to stop letting things happen to her, for Sloane to really live. So Naomi orchestrates a wild night out with a group of mysterious strangers, only for it to take a horrifying turn that changes Sloane’s and Naomi’s lives literally forever. The friends are forced to come to terms with some pretty eternal consequences in this bloody, seductive novel about how it’s never too late to find satisfaction, even though it might taste different than expected.
Review:
Imagine if your night out resulted not in a regrettable tattoo, a walk of shame, or a killer hangover, but with an unquenchable thirst for blood, and an eternity to fill. Well, that’s the particular predicament Harrison throws our way this time. Having already sunk her fangs into werewolves and witches, myself and the rest of bookstagram were awaiting Rachel’s take on the vampire with bated breath. It’s no surprise, she didn’t disappoint. A biting, feminist cocktail of friendship and self-discovery, “So Thirsty,” is a continuation of the blood-soaked brilliance we’ve now come to expect.
Sloane Parker is not feeling at her best. Unable to look in the mirror without seeing only her flaws, and too comfortable to face leaving her cheating scumbag husband, she is not in the mood to celebrate her birthday. Another year older right? When the cheating scumbag in question gifts her a weekend getaway with her best friend Naomi, realistically only so that he has the house to himself for his extramarital extracurricular, she’s still far from enthused. Fortunately, Naomi has enough enthusiasm for the two of them, and it’s a deadly combination of Naomi’s love of people, and Sloane’s love of Naomi, that alters the course of their lives forever. The duo end up at the wildest party they’ve attended in the past 15 years, but things take a drastic and bloody turn, and Sloane is forced to face an impossible decision:
“To live forever or die as you are.”
Harrison’s character work is as tight as usual, cutting to the bone and exploring every raw nerve and tender vein. The relationship between Naomi and Sloane is the beating heart of the novel, with a pulse that quickens as they grapple with their new “lifestyle.” Their friendship is a study of contrasts, yet rooted in a deep and unique understanding of one another. They have the funniest, most frustrating, connection- and it’s a breath-takingly accurate depiction of what true best-friendship really is, in all of its messy glory. They are fiercely protective of one another, they drive one another insane, they love and resent in equal measure, they have their similarities and differences, and bring out the very best and very worst.
The relationship between the two goes to show that adversity can often strengthen relationships, as well as sever them (in the case of the cheating scumbag). Arguably however, the most important relationship in the novel is Sloane’s relationship with herself. When we meet her, she does not want to look in the mirror, only able to pick out every wrinkle and flaw. Our body image is something we’re critical of, always wanting and wishing to tweak and change, but as Sloane learns when her reflection disappears completely, as time passes we often end up wishing for yesterday’s problems. From my perspective, a big takeaway was that the pursuit of perfection is an unreasonable one. A bigger one however, was that we should always pursue happiness. We should not acquiesce, and settle for less than we know we are worth. When the boat needs rocking… grab an oar.
Far from the brooding, cape-clad, garlic-averse blood-suckers of yore, Harrison’s vampires are pretty… normal? There’s the whole immortality deal, and the blood-thirstiness issue- but that aside, if vampires truly are as Harrison writes them, then they could be anywhere… your neighbour, your friend, your favourite book reviewer… It’s not just vampires themselves that Rachel reinvents, but the very definition of vampirism.
Yes, Rachel has written a vampire novel, but it’s not one that’s content to tread the same tired, blood-soaked path as its predecessors. It’s less about fangs, and more about finding yourself. Sloane is left feeling hollow and monstrous as a result of her unfulfilling marriage, and beige home life. When she is forced to walk away from that (although it’s of course for the best) she finds respect, love, and a neck to nibble on. This isn’t an act of gluttony, but a matter of survival, flipping the script on the outdated notion that women are simply to be content with what they are given. In Sloane’s case it’s really about rejecting those dusty, societal standards, and embracing a life that’s really, truly, eternally her own.
In a genre already saturated with vampire stories, “So Thirsty,” stands out as a refreshing blood-splattered take. Less of a tale about the dead, and more of a commentary on living- if you’re looking for a horror novel that bites, then “So Thirsty,” is the one for you. Thank you Titan and Netgalley for the ARC, you can savour every drop from September 10th.
Leave a Reply