*Trigger warning: this post discusses heavy topics such as sexual assault and kidnapping.*
Often touted as a combination of Steel Magnolias and Dracula, Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires explores topics beyond charming, sweet tea loving, Southern women and the traditional tropes of gothic vampiric fiction. Hendrix dives deep into misogyny, racial inequality, and predatory men in positions of power, while somehow retaining the charm and amiability of a sweet Southern belle.
A Southern Woman’s Wifely Duties
Set in the early 90’s in South Carolina, the story follows housewife Patricia Campbell as she navigates raising two children, being a housewife to psychiatrist husband Carter, and caring for Carter’s mother Miss Mary, an elderly woman who suffers from dementia and has recently moved in with the family. Already from the beginning of the novel, the reader is thrown into the perspective of a yielding housewife; a woman who bears the emotional, physical, and mental load for not only herself but her entire family.
Hendrix wraps the crux of the novel, a group of women reclaiming agency through their book club of reading novels they actually enjoy, within the setting of the Southern ideals of womanhood. Through the empowerment from her book club, Patricia slowly begins to see herself and her role amongst her family for what she really is: a maid, a caregiver, a babysitter. Roles that were involuntarily bestowed upon her.
Hidden in Plain Sight
The vampire that warrants slaying by Patricia’s book club is James Harris; a young, attractive, charming man. His assimilation to the small town is crucial to his undertaking of the children of Mt. Pleasant. Hendrix manages to use the mythology of the vampire as an allegory for sexual violence against children. The character of James infiltrates the town, assumes a position of power, and then abuses that position in order to groom, exploit, and abuse children. His abuse is overlooked by the various characters in the town due to the trust he has gained from the adults. Hendrix’s ability to convey these messages through classic folklore is a powerful use of literary devices in storytelling.
Being Attacked by Vampires Only Matters if you’re… White?
One of the main catalysts for Patricia’s deeper investigation into James Harris is the whisperings of a menacing creature kidnapping children in the neighborhood of Six Mile, a predominately black community. When Patricia learns of these happenings, she pieces together that it is the same person behind the eerie events that are taking place in Mt. Pleasant. Hendrix highlights the racial inequality of the town’s police force as they choose not to thoroughly investigate the murders in Six Mile, while simultaneously only giving attention to the events in Patricia’s neighborhood.
The novel examines the mistreatment and often overshadowing of marginalized communities, especially in the instance of a predominantly white community facing similar circumstances. The neighborhood of Six Mile is left to fend for themselves in a time of crisis, which James Harris utilizes as an asset for him. The children of Six Mile are left in a more vulnerable position, and James capitalizes on the perception that no one will care if something happens to them. When all is “resolved” towards the end of the novel, the community of Six Mile is left to pick up the pieces for themselves, a choice that Hendrix makes that further cements the harsh realities of the way marginalized communities are often treated in real life.
Final Verdict
Grady Hendrix encapsulates a charming, cozy environment amongst a haunting, menacing story. He depicts topics of injustice and inequality while simultaneously inviting the reader to be comfortable and content along the ride. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is for the readers who want horror that wraps them in a warm, choking hug.
Leave a Reply