Zarate's language is atmospheric and delivered with such a perfect cadence that it offers a sort of false security in the beginning of the novella, mirroring the lull of a ship's rocking or the calm before a storm. Because of that, the turns Zarate takes later in the narrative are all the more deceptive, with the language gaining power just as the story becomes more action-focused.

There are a lot of surprises in this little novella, but the opening material and afterword deliver extra context that makes the book all the more striking. I don't want to ruin the read for anyone, but suffice it to say that if you begin reading and push yourself through the deceptively quiet and unnerving opening section, you'll be rewarded with a payoff that brings the whole of the book together in a satisfying and utterly striking fashion.

Absolutely recommended, but do note that this is an adult read with explicit material, and there are some serious CWs to be taken into account if that's something you'd normally look up. ( )

I'm puzzled as to how to review this book. I'm definitely suffering from a situation of not clearly knowing what type of book I was reading before starting it. I thought this was a queer take on Dracula (centered around the ship voyage to England). As I started reading, the narrator's perspective was clearly not just queer, but highly erotic. I reread the back of the book and it did mention the captain's desires, but I still felt the level of detail was more intense than the blurb let on.

I enjoy erotic (and queer erotic) fiction, but I need to be in the mood and know that's the type of book I'm reading before I start. I was taken by suprise by the almost softcore porn tone of this book. This is not just a novella with a steamy sex scene or two thrown in. This is a story told from the perspective of a man who is practically consumed by his desire for his crew. So consumed by his desire that... he has a dream about penetrating his ship and climaxing inside the helm and also wonders if the rats aboard the ship enjoy tasting the ejaculate of the sailors. It just wasn't the content I was expecting and I didn't feel prepared by the blurb.

Beyond that, the writing style was too flowery and introspective for me, even if there was no erotic content. I wasn't connecting with the imagery or the sometimes redundant descriptions and thoughts of the captain. Plot-wise, the vampire content really takes a back seat. I would have loved some more tension. Or more vampiric activity. By the end of the story, I was confused about what was happening - and maybe this was intentional given the mental state of the captain at this point, but it wasn't clicking with me.

I do think it's great that this book was even published - it was back in 1998 in Mexico, when not only was sci-fi and fantasy rare but also queer fiction. I bought my copy a year or two ago through a crowd funding campaign to have it published for the first time in the US and I'm happy to have helped a marginalized author get his story to more readers. I also think books that tackle homophobia and queer guilt are important. This one also touches on assault, so there are a lot of heavy themes happening, given the low page count.

At the end of the day, it just wasn't a story for me, but YMMV! ( )

reworking of dracula with the details of how he crossed from Europe to Whitby. Told from the point of view of the (gay) captain of the schooner that was hired to carry specifically only a few boxes of dirt 'for scientific investigations'

It starts and ends with the captains actual voice/thoughts and then has a series of excepts from the log in the middle. Neither is perhaps the best, although epistolary format would be closer to the original. I skimmed lots of the thoughts because he was obsessed with sex but had to restrain himself in order to maintain the respect of the crew. It was dull and slightly gross. The vampire didn't actually make much of an appearance other than eluded to in the log.

Probably more of the interest is in original foreign language retelling of a western tale. Didn't work for me. ( )

A slow burning tale, written in a beautifully lyrical style, where menace increases as the voyage moves on. A sensual story of the hidden, the monstrous, and fear.
Spawned from the classic Dracula, this book explores the sea voyage from the viewpoint of the captain in an original and haunting way. It will no doubt be initially confronting to some readers in the candid directness of the captain's thoughts but it brings a fullness to the narrative that is vitally important. ( )

Lorsque le bateau Démeter entrait dans le port de Whitby avec, pour tout équipage, son capitaine mort et attaché au gouvernail, le comte Dracula arrivait à Londres pour y semer la terreur. La glace et le sel raconte le voyage de ce vaisseau et des mystérieuses caisses qu’il transportait dans ses cales.

José Luis Zárate a fait du capitaine un homosexuel refoulant ses fantasmes, ivre d’un désir concupiscent face à ses matelots qu’il n’ose toucher. Et les marins faiblissent et disparaissent, la peur s’installe et… malheureusement, l’ennui. Oui, voilà une lecture bien ennuyeuse ( )