Fantasy Worlds Showdown

“I felt her fear before I heard her screams.”

Premise

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the Earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever…

In a nutshell

This is how Richelle Mead starts her epic journey in the seemingly unobtrusive town of Spokane, Montana. I know what you’re thinking. A vampire academy. Ugh. Vampires? Again?! Not so fast, dear reader. This is not your typical vampire series – nobody glows or refrains from consuming garlic. Garlic is life.

I still remember the day when I first saw the book in a library. It had been a taxing day at college, and I badly needed an escape. As soon as I read the description above, I knew that this novel was something special. Maybe even life-changing. And so it was. Throughout the six books, I experienced a true roller-coaster of emotions along with Rose, Lisa, and their band of misfits in their quest for love, friendship, and meaning. In some way, their journey echoed my own struggles of becoming the person I am today―minus the fangs.

One of the things that set apart this series from the start is its deep roots in Eastern European myths and legends. As someone who comes from the same neck in the woods (Romania, not Montana), this spoke to me immediately. As opposed to other more superficial takes, Richelle made a true effort of thoroughly researching Moroi, Strigoi, and Dhampirs and twisting the lore into something unique, fresh, and exciting.

The world-building is rich and engrossing, the pace fast and captivating, the plot exciting and unexpected, with characters fleshed out in detail. Beautiful and flawed people who fight tooth and nail to discover who they are, where they come from, and who they can become. Needless to say, by the end of Last Sacrifice, the final book, the characters who inhabit this world are vastly different people than when it all started, with that chilling first line.

With the craftsmanship of a true artist, Richelle Mead tackles hefty themes of friendship, love, unbreakable bonds, change, sacrifice, mental health, class, social injustice, and even survival―in every meaning of the word. Even though the target audience is young adults, the depth and insights carefully woven within the almost 2000 pages make for a relevant and important read for people of all ages and dare I say, backgrounds. Precisely because everything is very relatable, even for the ones who didn’t experience the same things in real life.

“There's nothing worse than waiting and not knowing what'll happen to you. Your own imagination can be crueler than any captor.”― Richelle Mead, Frostbite

Packaging everything in an exhilarating dress coat, Mead manages to convey hard truths in a way that is palatable and easy to grasp. The dialogue shines throughout the series and carries the story beautifully and with ease, while the descriptions give heft and additional substance. The more serious parts are balanced with moments of levity that give the reader the chance to breathe and regroup. It never feels stifling or uncomfortable.

A more in-depth look

Lissa, the Moroi princess destined for greatness, is the last of her illustrious line after an accident claimed her whole family years before. As a result, she battles feelings of heartbreaking loss, alienation, anxiety, and depression, which push her to self-harm. But beneath all that darkness, there’s a blinding light that longs to be unearthed.

Rose, her Dhampir soon-to-be guardian and best friend since kindergarten, comes from a broken family. Virtually abandoned by her legendary guardian mother to the Academy as a child and having never met her father, Rose grew up brash, impulsive, loud-mouthed, arrogant, and reckless. Making the most out of the few years she had until graduation, when the guardians’ mantra “They come first” (Moroi) turns into reality, she struggles with abandonment issues, the sense of duty, her real worth, and even the meaning of life. Through incredible trauma and devastating loss, Rose discovers what she’s truly made of and ends up changing the vampire society forever. You'll need to find out for yourself the specifics because I don't want to spoil it. Is there a HEA? That's for you to figure out as well.

A truly engaging story aimed at young adults has to include a strong male lead and it certainly has that in Dimitri Belikov. “The Russian god”, as his adoring students call him, has legendary fighting skills that are matched only by his rugged appeal and unwavering loyalty. Until something (or rather someone) comes in and threatens his neatly arranged existence. Battling monsters has never been new to Dimitri. He’s done that since childhood. But as the whole vampire survival is on the line, the odds have never been greater. Neither were the costs.

The storytelling truly shines, producing many quotable passages, like my favorite one below.

“You're beautiful in battle. ... Like an avenging angel come to deliver the justice of heaven."―Dimitri about Rose in Spirit Bound.

Bonus points. All names are carefully chosen (starting with the lead characters and ending with ones we only see in passing), but the book titles send a powerful message in their own right.

Vampire Academy

Frostbite

Shadow Kiss

Blood Promise

Spirit Bound

Last Sacrifice

Despite the heavy themes and incredible depth, the story has tenderness and loads of humor. Rose is a fire-cracker, a puzzling contradiction of recklessness and responsibility, with a magnetic presence that often gets her into trouble. A flawed but badass heroine whose verbal sparring is both lethal and hilarious. There are guaranteed chuckles and even occasional guffaws along the way.

Fandom

Vampire Academy inspired a thriving fandom, on par with its more famous cousins. Fans were so taken with the world Mead created, that they prompted her to write a spin-off series. Bloodlines is set in the same rich universe but focuses on different characters. Rest assured familiar faces still popped up and both the heroine and the hero have their roots in the initial series.

“Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." He paused to reconsider that. "Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try." (Adrian)” ― Richelle Mead, Bloodlines

Due to the series' success, the books were also released as graphic novels. Official guides are also available.

The fandom's dedication is also evident in the extensive fan art and fan fiction it produced. A simple search on www.fanfiction.net will reveal hundreds of takes on the Vampire Academy world. I strongly recommend Andrea Anderson’s work (pen name Gigi 256). Apart from original short stories, she retold the whole series from Dimitri’s point of view and it’s just wonderful. To experience up close and personal mysterious, brooding Dimitri was a real treat and she absolutely nailed his voice. I feel honored to have bonded with her over the course of this retelling and offering small tips and tricks here and there from a loyal fan’s perspective. Back then my writing was non-existent, so that's all I had to offer. Her work was so well received that it jumpstarted her writing career, with an original novel already published and more in the works. Look out for her. She’s going places.

Further proof of the franchise's success

Since the first book came out in 2007, the series sold more than 15 million copies in over 35 countries and started a worldwide discussion regarding the themes it conveyed. The books’ popularity was so huge that the fans took it upon themselves to petition for the creation of a feature film, with thousands of homemade audition tapes being sent from all corners of the globe. Eventually, the effort paid off when Preger Entertainment decided to green-light the project. Sadly, the end material released in 2014 was only loosely based on the book and failed miserably to capture its essence. Flimsy, commercial, and forced, it disappointed many die-hard fans and mostly failed to capture new ones, despite the talented cast and seasoned director (Mark Waters, of Heathers fame). But hope was restored this year when Julie Plec (Vampire Diaries, anyone?) and Marguerite MacIntyre announced they will be adapting the series to the small screen. Here’s hoping.

Personal experience

As a certified bookworm, it was very hard to pick just one favorite fantasy world. After all, I am first and foremost, a Potterhead, and always will be, regardless of the disappointment the author ended up being. Narnia, Westeros, Panem, Middle Earth, and everything Austen-esque, have shaped my character and kept me company on many lonely nights. Beyond the cultural heritage it draws from, what makes Vampire Academy stand out for me is its depth and insight, beyond the terrific escapism it provided. The characters felt real and relatable, their struggles overarching, regardless of the fantasy build. The search for meaning, the rage against social injustice, the longing for love and friendship, and above all else, the quest to finding oneself and resurfacing our authentic being are universal themes that speak to everyone. They surely spoke to me and provided much comfort in troubled times. It made me feel seen and understood, something I was missing in real-life.

Last Sacrifice came out right after my beloved grandmother, the woman who basically raised me, passed away, after losing the battle with a debilitating disease. In its pages I found a haven to cope with my heartbreak, to process it in my own way and time, to come out stronger at the other side. Watching Rose’s extraordinary evolution and Lissa’s journey into the light encouraged me to hope for a better tomorrow. Seeing Dimitri’s struggles and subsequent transformation helped me find the path obscured by all the nasty inside my head. Nothing comes easy and that’s okay. You need to do your part and be diligent in your conviction.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Vampire Academy series has something for everyone. Vivid storytelling, complex world-building, real and relatable characters, profound themes, and lots of humor that makes the reading seamless. In short, a true experience all around, immersive and complex.

Join Rose, Lissa, and the gang on their transformative journey and tap into a limitless well of inspiration that transcends literature and can even shape your life. Go ahead, I'll be waiting.

by Ana Maria Radulescu