Loving Safoa by Liza Wemakor begins in 1999 in New York, takes the reader back to Ghana in 1799, and finally presents a vision for the future, all in the space of a novella.
Cynthia, a human, is in a committed relationship with the vampire Safoa. After eight years together, she still hasn’t learned about how Safoa became a vampire, nor about the woman whose name is tattooed on Safoa. With Cynthia on the cusp of becoming a vampire herself, Safoa must open up about her past trauma. The narrative switches between the past and present as the couple grapples with vulnerability, immortality, and what it means to truly commit to their future.
Cynthia and Safoa’s relationship is shown through lovely, pointed details. From their first meeting, their relationship has clear chemistry, and in the present it is full of devotion. I liked the use of tattoos as symbols of permanence that take on greater significance for immortal characters, whose bodies can become memorials.
I also enjoyed this story’s take on vampires. It portrays vampirism as something that can be either predatory or symbiotic, on the one hand representing the exploitation of colonialism and capitalism, and on the other hand offering possibilities for healing and community. Within Cynthia and Safoa’s relationship, feeding is a consensual, sensual act that provides for both parties. At one point, Cynthia likens vampirism to illness: “Loving her isn’t so different from loving someone with skin and blood conditions. As I see it: how lucky am I, that when my lover’s sick, I can replenish her with my own body?”
In contrast, Safoa originally experienced a much more brutal expression of vampirism, and she had to uncover her own capacity for making something different out of her new nature. She makes it clear that though vampirism is the vehicle for the exploitation she faced, that same exploitation can and does exist without it. As she narrates in regards to mortals she encounters, “One way or another, they all had blood captives—people they fed on with neither consent nor gratitude.”
This story is trying to accomplish a lot in around 80 pages, between two perspectives, multiple timelines, and the main couple’s personal stories being framed by their world’s structural problems. It would have been nice to see some elements fleshed out more. For instance, though watching characters undergoing a transition in their life is compelling, a lot of the internal conflict and opportunities for growth have already been more or less settled by the time the story begins. The characters’ choices may have been more impactful if I’d gotten to follow along on more of their journey.
I recommend this book if you want a unique take on a vampire story, especially if you enjoy healthy portrayals of sadomasochism and/or stories that use speculative elements to both critique our world and envision a better one.
Content warnings: slavery, colonialism, kidnapping, assault, abuse, and racism
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