Review: 'A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture' by Violet Fenn

 Vampires have been central to so much of recent popular culture that it seems that they have always been with us. But in fact a lot of modern vamp lore is exactly that, modern! In A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture Fenn takes a closer look at this lore and its various guises. Thanks to Pen & Sword History and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 3/31/2021
Publisher: Pen & Sword History

Our enduring love of vampires - the bad boys (and girls) of paranormal fantasy - has persisted for centuries. Despite being bloodthirsty, heartless killers, vampire stories commonly carry erotic overtones that are missing from other paranormal or horror stories.

Even when monstrous teeth are sinking into pale, helpless throats - especially then - vampires are sexy. But why? In A History Of The Vampire In Popular Culture, author Violet Fenn takes the reader through the history of vampires in ‘fact’ and fiction, their origins in mythology and literature and their enduring appeal on tv and film. We’ll delve into the sexuality - and sexism - of vampire lore, as well as how modern audiences still hunger for a pair of sharp fangs in the middle of the night.

What I liked about A History from the start is that Fenn centres herself as a fan, as someone who has adored vampires and their lore for a long time. She approaches this as a fan and not an expert, per se, which means it is very clear that part of what she discusses is down to her personal preference. This isn't an academic compendium that covers everything vampire and popular culture. Rather, Fenn has selected specific representations she enjoys and wants to discuss. It makes for a joyful read, which at times feels like a friend chatting with you about their favourite obsession. This does mean there is a lot of jumping around and repetition. The chapters are centred around themes/ideas, rather than adaptations, which means A History sometimes feels in need of a more solid structure.

A History begins with a discussion of the origin of vampires and how it made its way into Western culture. From there Polidori and Bram Stoker are our next big names. Once the stage is set, Fenn gleefully moves around in popular culture representations. We get Byron's The Giaour but we also get the glorious, the amazing What We Do in the Shadows. Of course Twilight has to be discussed, if you're going to question why we are all so obsessed with vampires. Finally she arrives at a set of conclusions about this fascinating. Vampires , by their very nature, are not victim to change, they remain permanent and therefor remain with us. But key is that while they remain human-shaped, they shed the norms and rules that we control ourselves through and give in to baser desires. Vampires in books and films allow us to do the same, specifically when it comes to female vampires. I found Fenn's conclusions and insights absolutely fascianting and A History is a great example of how much analyses of popular culture can tell us about ourselves. What we admire or what we seek for in our entertainment often reveals our deepest secrets.

I give this book...

3 Universes!

A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture is a fascinating and enthusiastic deep-dive into vampire lore in popular culture which will hold revelations even for those already deep into the lore.