What makes a good vampire story?

The last decade we saw the revival of the vampire monster genre. A lot of books and tv-shows are devoted to the supernatural creature of the night that comes and sucks your blood (or counts). I have seen some itterations and have steered clear of others (sparkling vampires… seriously?)

What in my humble opinion makes a good vampire story?

I must admit that I am now reading the vampire chronicles of Anne Rice (after having tried several years ago, but couldn’t keep myself focused long enough. Now with Rilatine, this is possible and I am enjoying myself. I have watched the movies spawned from the books though)

I have read a vampire encyclopedia, so I think I am wel versed into vampire folklore and itterations of the story. To me, Anne Rice’s book about the nocturnal blood fiend are one of my favourites. Why? Because she makes something so evil human.

This is also the reason why I love how Anthony Hopkins portrays Hannibal Lecter. He makes a serial killer human. Anne Rice does the same with Louis (the vampire being interviewed in the first book). In that book his becoming a vampire and his life afterwards is told from his point of view, in first person. A very, very difficult writing style, but which Anne Rice pulls of asthonishingly affectively and it adheres to the folklore.

The stake and crucifix are addressed and they are not immune to sunlight, and this is my biggest pet peeve with stories like Twilight and the copycats that want to reap what it has sown. Vampire folklore is tainted by this obomination of a bookseries, and this is is also why I will never watch it, or read it. Ever.

For me, vampires can’t walk in sunlight, or there must be a specific antidote to why they should be able to do so, I think in True blood, they are also able to walk in sunshine,

Twilight moks the vampire of legend. It makes them lame. Why would a century old vampire stalk a high school because he seems to like a girl there. I don’t know how old edward Cullen is in the books, but isn’t it creepy that a let’s say century old man has a crush on a teenage girl? Talking of pedophilia.

This is why I love Anne Rice and her vampires. She made them adhere to folklore rules and made them human, capable of compassion and shows how boring eternal life actually is, instead of making it a glorified, rape-loving teenage crush (yes, bella is raped in the twilight series, although not by the vampires I believe).

For me, after watching Interview with a vampire, I knew this was the best depiction of vampires in fiction. Showing their complexity and their depth. To me, interview with a vampire and the rest of the series is a must read if you even think you love vampire fiction.