Plot Summary
The story begins with the main character, Daniel Thomson (referred to as Zach), living in the mental ward of a Peterborough hospital. He isn’t insane, but he has a unique condition in which he can only eat a certain type of sundae, and can’t be exposed to sunlight. His peaceful life is shattered, however, when a strange man crashes in to his hospital, and tries to get him out. He fails, but the mystery deepens as Zach is met by his uncle who tells his that his father was a vampire hunter, and Zach himself is a vampire. Worse, he is also being pursued by the “Baron Vrolok”, who is intent on killing Zach after his father tried to kill the Baron many years ago. He also tells him that the police chief in Peterborough is working for vampires. Not much time passes, however, as the strange man returns, and breaks him out of the hospital, successfully this time. Zach learns that the man is also a vampire called Mr. Entwhistle. Mr Entwhistle tries to keep him safe. He is separated from Mr. Entwhistle, however, and is forced to flee away with his friend Charlie, all the while being pursued by the police. Eventually, his uncle takes him to a safe area, but it turns out that his uncle is actually deluded working for Vrolok. However, Zach manages to best Vrolok in a final confrontation and save the day.
Diction and Character Development
The diction in this book is well done, entertaining, and believable. The descriptions are not long, but they are enough to convey a mental picture of the action. It is also suite well to the character: he is 15, but has lived inside and at night throughout his life. The language conveys his immaturity well, demonstrating innocence through a use of small words and withholding of judgement throughout the book. The character development of the characters is smooth and uncomplicated; there are few discrepancies between the beginning and end versions of the characters. The dialogue is believable as it is consistent with the character’s personalities and does not go in any unnatural direction.
Page 162 (after he has recently discovered that he is a vampire and has been chasing a deer) “My eyes locked on the buck’s throat. An instant later, it was dying with my fangs in its throat.”
I like this passage because it gives very little detail, yet conjures a vivid image, that of him drinking its blood. This demonstrates the author’s skill of creating vivid images with few words. The abruptness of it also helps, too- rather than describe his lunge, the author simply cuts straight to the buck dying.
Appealing Passages
Page 146 (He is staying with his friend, Charlie, and meeting a female friend of his at a party)
“She was sitting beside me. When she spoke she had this habit of reaching out to touch my arm, as though she needed to get my attention every time she had something to say. It made my insides tumble.”
This passage is good because it is a great example of how the author uses diction to make the main character seem childlike. Rather than using advanced or complex phrases, he sticks to simple words arranged in a simple way, which manages to evoke more emotion than if he had used more advanced language.
Page236 (At the climax of the book, where he realizes that his uncle has been tricked and that Vrolok wants to torture and kill him)
“His eyes dug in to my brain. What he saw there made him smile, and that’s when I realized that my uncle had bee duped. My sanity was just fine. I didn’t need a test to tell me that. Neither did the Baron. This was about revenge. It was about cruelty. It was about evil and torture and death. And unfinished business.”
This passage appeals to me because it gives the main character a difficult moral and ethical decision, yet at the same time reaffirms his sanity and integrity and so is a comforting passage to read in relation to one’s real life troubles.
