A Vampish Revenge! (Vittorio the Vampire : New Tales of Vampires - Anne Rice)

Member Name: happybunny75

Product:	Vittorio the Vampire : New Tales of Vampires - Anne Rice
Date:	02/07/01 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suspense, Excellent plot and outcome

Disadvantages: Not long enough!

Is good and evil as straightforward as Heaven and Hell? Are Lucifer’s disciples damned and God’s Angel’s saviours? Where does the human condition stand in relation to these?

These are questions which are asked, and partially answered in ‘Vittorio, The Vampire’, which is the first in a series of New Tales of the Vampires.

Set in Renaissance Italy, 16 year old Vittorio seeks revenge when his family is barbarically murdered by “demons”. Vittorio, the only survivor is prevented from being slaughtered by an “angel of death”, Ursula. His search takes him to Santa Maddalana, a small town that seems too good to be true: free of illness and crime. But Vittorio soon suspects that the town hides a sinister secret.

As the title suggest Vittorio, becomes a member of the species in which he is seeking to avenge. Rice creates a suspense which is similar to a ‘who dunnit’ crime novel. The reader is led down paths ands confronted by Vittorio’s temptations. This is a story of willpower and of love, hate, good and evil.

The novel thematically revolves around Vittorio’s love for Ursula and his moral obligation to humanity and his celestial angels. In doing so Anne Rice raises interesting points about how good and evil is distinguished: the assumption being that all vampires are unquestionably immoral and representatives of God are undoubtedly right an just. The reader however is left to decide.

Controversially, Rice provides a picture of corrupt religion. In seeking help Vittorio is told by a Pastor to “Go away and take your misery with you!” and an artist monk who has a passion for women. What Rice conveys is the fragility of the human condition and a parody to the temptations of Adam and Eve.

‘Vittorio, The Vampire’ is not just a horror novel. In fact in categorising it as horror the novel would be taken at face value. This is no
t a work, which is only meant to provide a plot, suspense and adventure, but one that symbolises and offers a differing viewpoint to good and evil. The themes divulge into areas that are on a similar plain to Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ and Milton’s 'Paradise Lost'.

This is an extremely enjoyably read, which will leave you hungry for more!

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