Secrets of the Vampire

by Légère, Julie; Whyte, Elsa; Pérez, Laura

• ISBN13: 9780711285071
• ISBN10: 0711285071
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2023-08-08
• Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions

Summary

Step into the shadows and uncover the centuries-old myths and legends that lie beneath the figure of the vampire, with this magical compendium of facts and fiction.

Whether rising from a coffin in the dead of night or stalking its prey, hidden in plain sight, the vampire is one of the most alluring beings in world folklore. These undead bloodsuckers are as alive as ever in modern pop culture, from movies and books to video games and TV shows.

But despite their cultural immortality, mystery still surrounds their shadowy origins. Secrets of the Vampire compiles every scrap of vampire lore into one essential volume, covering everything from famous vampires such as Count Dracula and his historical counterpart, to the vampiric aversion to sunlight and garlic and their supernatural abilities.

With this lavishly illustrated field guide, decode the deathly world of the vampire. Discover the meanings behind occult symbols, the ancient origins of vampire tropes, the most powerful and frightening vampires from stories around the world, and the real people said to have inspired the grisly tales of these creatures of the night. Learn how to tell a vampire from a living person and get wise to their tricks and powers.

Secrets of the Vampire is the perfect deep-dive into a fascinating figure of folklore, for any and all vampire-obsessed 9-14 year-olds.

Author Biography

Julie Légère is a writer living and practicing in Paris. Secrets of the Witch was her first book for children.

Elsa Whyte is a writer, editor, and witch living in Paris. She is the author of Le Génie Pissenlit (The Lucky Dandelion, Le Cosmographe, 2018) and Les Saisons Dans l’Art (Seasons in Art, De La Martinière Jeunesse, 2019), and has translated children’s books into French including Look Up at the Stars (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2019).

Laura Pérez is an illustrator, animator, and witch. She studied illustration in Spain, France, and Canada and her artwork has been exhibited all over Europe and Asia. She has illustrated several graphic novels. Secrets of the Witch was her first book for children. Her exquisite illustrations have been featured in many publications including The Washington Post, National Geographic and the Wall Street Journal. Laura was awarded the Valendia National Comic Illustration Award in 2015.

Table of Contents

By Way of Introduction…
Vampires around the world
Antiquity & the Origins of Thirst
The reign of bloodthirsty goddesses
Lamia
Revenants of the ancient world
Philinnion, living dead of antiquity
Blood, elixir of the gods
Lilith the accursed
Strigoi, the first Slavic vampires
The Middle Ages, When Revenants Take Shape
When the dead arise from the grave
The draugar of Norse sagas
Vampires and epidemics
Fear of the living dead
The Renaissance, a Dance Led by the Devil
Demonology and vampiric phenomena
Dance of the living dead
The origins of the nightmare
Vampires and werewolves
The Gandillon family
Eastern Europe, Land of the Vampire
The shroud-munching dead
Outbreaks of hasty burials
Vlad the Impaler
Elizabeth Báthory
The faces of the vampire multiply
A gallery of Eastern European vampires
The Enlightenment Paradox: the Vampire is Born
The vampire is baptized
The case of Arnold Paole
Dom Augustin Calmet and the quest for truth
The pope’s letter to the archbishop
Voltaire and the vampire
Vampirism in the light of science and reason
Vampirism put to the medical test
The Vampire Transforms
A triumph of ink and blood
Romantic heroes and femmes fatales
Victorian England shivers with delight
Dracula, the modern myth
Bram Stoker and Marie Nizet
The Mercy Brown case
New Generation Vampires
Dracula on screen, a tale of love and blood
Coppola’s Dracula, the vampire tormented by his sins
Down with Dracula: the birth of the modern vampire
From darkness to light
Buffy the stereotype slayer
Edward Cullen, the eternal Prince Charming
Adam and Eve, immortal lovers of a world in decline
Vampire Symbols and Emblems
Garlic, Silver, Hawthorn, The Vampire Ball, Mist, Canines, Coffin, Bat, Cross, Daylight, Wolf, Shadow, Stake, Dust, Rats, Reflection, Blood, Birthplace, Poppy seeds, Salt, Talons
Glossary