Interview with V. E. Schwab: Exploring Queer Themes and Complex Characters in 'Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil'

V. E. Schwab's fresh twist on villainy

V. E. Schwab, a beloved name in literature, wows us again with her unique ability in villain creation. Her latest novel, titled Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil, pulls us deep into a mesmerizing realm inhabited by toxic lesbian vampires. This one feels like her most personal work since giving us The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

With over 25 books in her arsenal, Schwab's left a mark with her hit Shades of Magic series and gripping Villains series. She's also behind Netflix's supernatural teen drama First Kill, which found its roots in one of her short stories.

Diving into toxic lesbian vampires

Q: What inspired you to write about toxic lesbian vampires in this book?

V. E. Schwab: Being proudly messy myself, I felt drawn to explore the complexities within queer relationships. After Addie LaRue's success, I wanted to push the envelope, being truer and braver with my narratives. I thought, why not dive into themes of toxicity and chaos, and the seductive notion of immortality? I wanted to flip the traditional vampire tropes and highlight how one can evolve from prey to predator.

To me, writing's a journey through complex psychological landscapes. Creating queer vampires lets me touch on power, visibility, and how identity shifts over time. Why no straight vampires? Immortality, in my view, broadens perspectives on love and attraction. Vampires naturally live with a hedonistic lens, perfectly threading through themes of self-awareness and humanity unravelling.

Untangling immortality's psychological threads

Schwab's storytelling thrives on psychological depth, seamlessly merging magic with reality. Her vampires enjoy eternal life, but it sure isn't free. Characters like Alice, Charlotte, and Sabine reflect Schwab's own queer journey, each showing different steps toward self-discovery and acceptance.

Q: How do immortality and identity weave through your writing?

V. E. Schwab: Immortality, in my books, always comes at a cost. It's a dance between what you gain and what you give up. In Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil, characters wrestle with identity while living with their choices' long shadows. Their immortality reflects their internal states.

Take Sabine: she fully embraces her desires and personal growth, echoing my own queer identity exploration. In contrast, Alice and Charlotte are finding their feet, wrestling with love, loss, and self-understanding.

Pushing for queer tales across genres

Schwab champions diverse storytelling, insisting on strong queer representation in genres from fantasy to horror. Her work challenges the idea that queer characters are boxed into identity-focused stories, instead letting them flourish in fantastical settings.

Q: What do you think about the place of queer narratives in today's literary scene?

V. E. Schwab: I'm a firm believer that we need a kaleidoscope of queer stories. Queer characters shouldn't just be defined by their identity or trauma; they should be actively living. I want to weave queer life seamlessly across genres, painting a tapestry rich in experiences that celebrate both the scary and the joyous parts of queer existence.

Ultimately, Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil empowers by diving into queer power and identity. It's a beautiful testament to queer stories' depth and nuance, nudges readers to embrace all dimensions of these characters.

Excited? V. E. Schwab's much-awaited novel arrives on June 10, 2025.