A review by kerry2046
A Brief History of Vampires by M.J. Trow

3.0

Only a small chunk of this book is a brief history of Vampires. Following that is a rather droning history of Romania and Vlad Tepes which would have been far more appealing if it didn't fill over half of the book. My main problem with this book overall, though, is the authors very clear opinion oozing from every page. He has a clear disdain for the modern and when criticizing certain books and films, he fails to appreciate any of the positives. His utter disregard for Neil Jordan and Interview with the Vampire, mentioning them briefly and almost ruefully, is an example of this. This guy just can't seem to appreciate the vast spectrum the Vampire myth has fallen upon. It was interesting to start with although, the first couple of chapters (that so happen to be about the vampire in cinema and modern novels) fall short compared to the following chapters that discuss and explore the Gothic theme and Dracula. So the origins of the fictional Vampyre.