Stephy Reading Challenge - Book 22

 

Vittorio, the Vampire by Anne Rice

I spent a lot of time while reading this book rolling my eyes at Vittorio. Because teenagers thinking they know best is apparently not a modern trope.

When Vittorio was 16, his entire family was slaughtered by vampires. An attractive female vampire, Ursula, allows him to live though. Which... Stupid...

Vittorio travels to a town, trying to find a way to have his revenge on those vampires. After a nightly visit from Ursula (when I think they had sex...), Vittorio learns that the town gives their undesirables to the vampires.

So, Vittorio goes vampire hunting.

And fails.

The vampires capture him and feed him a bit of vampire blood, which, I think Ursula did before... Anyway. It's a vampire court... A Satanic vampire court.

Ursula begs Florian (the leader) to turn Vittorio. Which doesn't happen. Instead, Vittorio passes out and wakes up in Florence (I think it was Florence...) where, holy shit, he can see angels now! At first, he just sees Fra Filippo Lippi's guardian angels. Then another angel. Then finally his own guardian angels. He convinces the angels to help him destroy the vampires. They agree, with the vow that he will kill all the vampires.

The angels take him to the vampire's castle, help him enter their daytime resting place. Where he slaughters the vampires. Well... All but Ursula.

He tells the angels that he's going to redeem Ursula's soul.

Ursula wakes up and tricks Vittorio and makes him a vampire. Because of course she does.

Together they slaughter the captive humans at the castle and most of that town that Vittorio stayed at before. 

They make their way back to Florence (I think...) where, hey, it's the angels! Since Vittorio broke his promise to the angels, they punish him by making it so he can see people's souls. 

And, that's the book.

I enjoyed it, but... I had some issues. Mostly the Vittorio and Ursula romance. He meets her when she is trying to steal away his younger brother and sister. Then the next night he's all "Monster! Let's kiss!" And the next night they're all "I love you!" Seems... Weird to me... But whatever.

Good side story to the Vampire Chronicles.