Vampires in BC by Keith Costelloe – Book Review

Vampires in BC is an interesting exploration of identity and what it means to be human. The vampire lore is steeped in tradition but also innovative and original. Despite a few hiccups, it is an enjoyable story and worth checking out.

Vampires in BC by Keith Costelloe – Book Review

Release Date: September 20, 2024

I was drawn to Vampires in BC for two reasons: a fellow Canadian writer and vampires. When I was younger, I rejected vampires, feeling they were overdone, but over the last few years, I’ve been reading more and more vampire fiction. I’ve shifted my stance from “overdone” to “classic”. I enjoy traditional takes as well as modern twists on the creatures. Costelloe’s vampires embody both of these elements nicely. 

His vampires have a lot of the classic tropes:

transform into bats, drink blood, shun daylight, but he introduces new elements to keep it fresh. For example, his vampires can transform into more than just bats. They can shift their human-like appearance into any form or gender they want. This ability is more than just a power Costelloe has added to his vampires, it forms the crux of the novel, because while Vampires in BC is, on its surface, a novel about vampires, what it really is about is identity.

Our main character is Jude, a confused teenager with an unhappy upbringing. Raised in an oppressive household, Jude is never able to explore who they really want to be. Jude is born male, but perhaps wants to transition to female. Throughout the novel, they use their newfound abilities to explore their sexuality and gender identity. As well, Jude also wrestles with their status as human vs. vampire. They longed to become a vampire and embraced the opportunity when it arose, but there is a darker side to being a vampire that Jude must also reckon with.

These explorations of identity are where the book shines.

Jude grappling with who they are and who they could be is the heart of the novel. Interspersed through the narrative are flashbacks to Jude’s life before vampirism which grant insights into the character.

Where the book is a bit weaker, in my opinion, is the other vampires and the pacing. The lead vampire, sometimes called Dr. De’Ath and other times simply “Vampire Leader” is an irritating character. They spend a large portion of the book “sampling” humans like fine wines. Especially in the early chapters, Vampire Leader focuses on the specific vintages, aromas, and notes of each human’s blood in more detail than I felt warranted. Thankfully, this dies down in the later part of the book as the focus shifts more to Jude’s character and their new friend, Gav. Gav is another character who starts off annoying but grows better over time.

Originally an arrogant teen, Gav becomes fully rounded and someone to sympathize with and root for by the end.

The pacing of the book oscillates between high action and slower scenes but not in a way that felt like a natural build up of tension and release like I’m used to. I found myself captivated by one section, only to drift off when the narrative was interrupted by radio broadcasts or Dr. De’Ath. I was also unclear if this was meant to be the start of a series or a stand-alone as the description says nothing about sequels, but the story does end on a cliffhanger with a few things unresolved.

Vampires in BC is an interesting exploration of identity and what it means to be human. The vampire lore is steeped in tradition but also innovative and original. Despite a few hiccups, it is an enjoyable story and worth checking out.

Vampires in BC by Keith Costelloe

In a quiet city in British Columbia, vampires stalk a hospital, looking for victims to milk, kill, or recruit as partial vampires that instinctively desire humans for their life-giving blood.

Although Jude loves the power of being a partial vampire, which includes shapeshifting into whatever he wants, he struggles with guilt over the harm his vampiric nature may cause. His human side clings to his past, but as a vampire he has access to a world of power, immortality, and liberation from human limitations.

Should he work to destroy the world he lives in and dominate the planet, or side with humans in fighting the vampires that control him?