Dead Collections
A Novel
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Dead Collections
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Narrated by:
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Dani Martineck
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Written by:
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Isaac Fellman
About this listen
A whirlwind romance between an eccentric archivist and a grieving widow explores what it means to be at home in your own body in this clever, humorous, and heartfelt novel.
When archivist Sol meets Elsie, the larger-than-life widow of a moderately famous television writer who's come to donate her wife's papers, there's an instant spark. But Sol has a secret: He suffers from an illness called vampirism, and hides from the sun by living in his basement office. On their way to falling in love, the two traverse grief, delve into the internet fandom they once unknowingly shared, and navigate the realities of transphobia and the stigmas of carrying the "vampire disease".
Then, when strange things start happening at the collection, Sol must embrace even more of the unknown to save himself and his job. Dead Collections is a wry novel full of heart and empathy, that celebrates the journey, the difficulties, and joys, in finding love and comfort within our own bodies.
©2022 Isaac Fellman (P)2022 Penguin AudioWhat the critics say
One of The Atlantic's Must-Read Books of '22
"It’s tempting to slot into the most evident groove of interpretation with ‘Dead Collections’: that vampirism is a metaphor for being trans…But Sol’s story is much messier, much funnier, and a lot more interesting than a one-to-one allegory...[a] thoughtful, acebric, bracingly hopeful book."
--New York Times Book Review
"Fellman thoughtfully examines gender, sexuality, and belonging through an unforgettable main character, who explores what it means to truly embody himself. This bold and self-aware story delivers the goods."
--Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*
"The instant spark of attraction between Sol and Elsie and the romance that unfolds between them is very sweet, very intimate and very, very queer. In general Sol is a great character, and his voice is the core of the novel. Like Fellman’s previous work, this is a memoir written from a unique point of view, and every part of Sol’s identity is important ... Dead Collections is a...literary achievement, a book so firmly anchored in space and time, and so rooted in queer and trans intimacy that it achieves [a] hyperreal quality."
--San Francisco Chronicle
What listeners say about Dead Collections
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lindsay B.
- 2022-03-16
Loved the trans and chronic illness rep!
There is a lot to love about this book—how very, unapologetically trans and queer it is, the chronic illness rep, the nerdiness—but I do wish I loved it more. I think this would resonate more with the kind of people active in fandoms. I've always enjoyed things on my own, absorbing books and maybe talking about them briefly to those around me but not seeking out fan groups or forums. The fanfiction I've written remains firmly in obscurity on my hard drive, and I don't seek out supplementary fiction written by other fans. So the fact that this book revolves largely around a fandom and two people who connect (in part) through it meant that I didn't connect with that central aspect as well as I wanted to.
The other thing that made this book fall short to me was the way Sol (initially) treated Else's gender confusion. For a large part of the book, it felt as though he was trying to push his way of relating to transness with very little acknowledgement that there are other ways to relate to one's body. At times, it even felt like Sol was speaking over Else. Once that went away, it was like a blink from an attitude I thought was a bit of an issue to no problems at all, just acceptance of Else's choice.
I didn't like the way Sol was outed as a vampire, even though the behavior is called out. And although the ending fit, it also fell emotionally short to me.
But the things this book does well, it does WELL. I loved Else's complicated emotions when it came to widowhood and moving on romantically. The trans story is CENTRAL to this book, not incidental but baked into every step of the narrative in a way that grounded me as a reader.
And the vampirism as chronic illness was SO. WELL. DONE. I am a chronically ill person and I loved every aspect of it, from it being seen as a treatment to a terminal illness that will buy a few extra years (like chemo) to the side effects and how careful Sol has to be with his life. From the way he closets himself to keep himself safe to the risks he takes later on in the book. The chronic illness rep here, even if it is presented by means of a fictional illness, is fantastic.
Overall, I am very glad this book exists. I'm glad I read it. I recommend others read it too, particularly those who are fandom geeks.
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