3 out of 4 stars
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Croatian “Queen of Horror” Viktoria Faust presents a collection of nine short stories in It's Hard to Be a Vampire. The stories address the notion of our own mortality and how we try to increase our lives or at least our impacts on the world around us. This collection opens with the story of a young woman longing to be turned into a vampire, but then it moves into other forms of horror. From going to extreme lengths for artistic success to the perils of artistic creation, Faust creates unsettling settings that are sure to inspire uneasiness.
When I first came across this anthology, I was quite excited. I read a lot of paranormal books, many of which are intentionally humorous, and I thought Faust's collection would be right at home on my digital shelves. The first story shows how romanticized vampires are, especially in western culture; vampires are almost always portrayed as sexy and mysterious, able to woo their prey before either turning them or killing them. Unfortunately for the protagonist, vampires can be just as judgmental about physical attractiveness as humans, perhaps because they have much longer lifespans.
Each of the stories is memorable—to a certain extent. I found myself going back to re-read sections more often than normal, but I attribute this anomaly to cultural differences. I have not read many translated books or even many from non-Anglo countries, so I think I was working harder on a subconscious level, thus taking away from my initial comprehension. Now that I have finished reading the book, I have a better understanding of each story. However, I believe that I will need to read it a few more times to fully appreciate this collection. It is also important to note that while Faust is Croatian, her stories have no specific setting; this ambiguity allows readers to imagine the stories being local, thus making it even creepier for readers across the globe.
I was a bit frustrated that this collection did not have as much humor as I expected and that it did not have as many vampires as the title implied. I am a fan of horror and the macabre, and I understand that there are only so many types of stories, but I did not find much originality in several of the tales. One story reminded me of Stephen King's Misery with a slight twist, and another was reminiscent of King's The Mist. King is an icon of horror, and imitation is said to be the highest form of flattery, but I would have preferred more variety in such imitation.
The main obstacle I had with rating this book is the culture barrier. Faust's title of "Queen of Horror" in her home of Croatia does not seem to transcend national boundaries, and I think that impacts my perception of her writing. With that in mind, I rate this collection 3 out of 4 stars. There were more than ten grammatical/punctuation errors, so I cannot give it a perfect rating. I would consider reading other works by Faust to get a better feel for her writing, and I would recommend this collection to fans of horror, especially Stephen King, and those who enjoy international tales.
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It's Hard to Be a Vampire
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