Common Sense Media Review
More violent and less romantic than Twilight but funnier.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Fourteen-year-old Alex Van Helsing just started school in a brand-new place: the Glenarvon Academy in Geneva, Switzerland. Despite the family name, his father has always insisted there was no such thing as vampires. Like the character Luce in Kate's The Fallen, Alex fears he is going insane until a vampire attacks him on his second day in Geneva. He quickly learns that vampires (and werewolves) do exist, he can "sense" vampires, that there is an actual vampire-fighting organization in Geneva called the Polidorium, and that his father was a former vampire hunter. When his new friends are kidnapped by a vampire clan lord known as the Icemaker, Alex must help the Polidorium find the vampires' hidden headquarters.
Is It Any Good?
Male-bonding over manga, girls, and bullying, a sympathetic mentor/vampire fighter who rides a fast motorbike, and lots of humor make this novel rise above the standard vampire fare. Author James Henderson also writes comic books, which explains his ability to write humorous dialogue and action-packed scenes. Some readers may enjoy the first part of the story more as it focuses on Alex's adjustment to his new school and making new friends at the same time he discovers family secrets and the existence of vampires; others may prefer the more violent and creepy attack on the vampire school. Either way, there will be more Alex Van Helsing books to bite into.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about horror and why some teens like to be scared. How does Vampire Rising compare to other vampire books you've read? More or less scary? Why do you think the vampire genre is so big right now?
What did you think of the violence in this book? Was it too intense? Was it necessary given the vampire storyline? Is it different to read about violence than experience it in a movie or video game?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Horror
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : May 1, 2010
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 249
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
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