Slayers, Every One of Us is a queer Buffy-focused memoir by podcasters Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs (4/5 stars)

Slayers, Every One of Us is a queer Buffy-focused memoir by podcasters Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs.

I must admit, I picked up this book having never listened to an episode of their podcast, Buffering the Vampire Slayer. But Buffy the Vampire Slayer the television show was very formative for me while I was growing up.

But I didn’t need to listen to the podcast to be very affected by this memoir; I definitely cried several times throughout the book.

I borrowed the audiobook from my local library and followed along in my advanced review copy. There are doodles and other visual things in the book, so I do highly recommend checking out a physical copy (or especially the PDF that comes with the audiobook). It was great listening to the authors read their story themselves, and they also include music they created during their podcast throughout the audiobook!

If you’ve never seen the show, you probably shouldn’t read this since it spoils a whole bunch of plot points. So maybe watch it (it’s very good!) and then pick up the book.

The memoir is about their process of making the podcast, and how their lives behind the scenes alternatively helped or hindered that trajectory. The authors really dig deep into their personal relationship; they were married when they started the podcast, and when they finished it (after going through the whole 7 seasons of BtVS), they were divorced, with both of them remarried to other people. And some of this happened on top of the COVID pandemic.

Now that I’ve read this book, I plan to re-watch BtVS and follow along with their podcast!

CW: divorce, COVID

I received a complimentary review copy from St. Martin’s Press. All opinions contained herein are my own.

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