The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

Why does the novel connect so much of its horror to aging?

Examine the motifs of hunger and greed. Why does James Harris not only attack through vampirism, but also through land development?

To what extent does the regional setting of the American South affect the gender and racial dynamics of the story? Why or why not is this effective?

Why does the novel stress the importance of having spaces reserved for homosocial relationships, but only allow its women to have such a space? Do the novel’s men also need a reserved space like this? Why don’t the novel’s Black characters get one?

Many of the novel’s white characters are resistant to change. Which characters do change? Is it for the better or for the worst? Why?

Examine the books the novel references in its section titles and in the text itself. How do these references relate to the text?

Safety is a major theme for the characters in the story. Are the characters justified in going to the lengths they do in order to feel safe again? Why or why not?

The novel is rife with crimes that go unpunished: Ed never has to answer for his police brutality, the townspeople never atone for lynching Leon Simms, no one goes to prison for financial malfeasance with the Gracious Cay project. Why are these plot elements in the novel, and how do they tie into the theme of justice served?