Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide (33 page)

I shifted closer to Adrian on the bed and pressed my head against his chest. “We can make this work, I know we can. If I screw up again, you can leave.”

“If only it were that easy,” he laughed. “You forget: I have an addictive personality. I’m addicted to you. Somehow I think you could do all sorts of bad things to me, and I’d still come back to you.”

—Spirit Bound, page 437

 

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

WHAT WAS IT THAT ATTRACTED ADRIAN TO ROSE? IS HE NATURALLY INCLINED TO FALL FOR GIRLS WHO ARE LIKELY TO BREAK HIS HEART?

Rose made things difficult for Adrian from the very beginning, and honestly, I kind of think that’s what attracted him! Adrian has a lot of problems with a lot of things in his life, but charming people (especially women) isn’t one of them. He’s always been able to get former girlfriends, his mother, and even prickly Queen Tatiana to do whatever he wants. So, it was kind of a shock for him when Rose wasn’t instantly taken in by his usual tricks. The part of Adrian that just likes to be contrary and difficult couldn’t resist the challenge. It’s almost impossible for him to believe that a girl wouldn’t instantly fall for him. At the same time, he secretly likes that. Girls who give in too easily bore him, and he had been waiting for someone to stand up to him. Rose’s strength spoke to him and ignited a hidden piece of his personality that actually longs to be stronger too.

“You’re better than this . . . better than whatever it is you’re going to do now.”

Adrian rested his hand on the doorknob and gave me a rueful look. “Rose, I’m an addict with no work ethic who’s likely going to go insane. I’m not like you. I’m not a superhero.”

“Not yet,” I said.

—Last Sacrifice, page 581

 

Lissa and I had been best friends ever since kindergarten, when our teacher had paired us together for writing lessons. Forcing five-year-olds to spell
Vasilisa Dragomir and Rosemarie Hathaway
was beyond cruel, and we’d—or rather,
I’d
—responded appropriately. I’d chucked my book at our teacher and called her a fascist bastard. I hadn’t known what those words meant, but I’d known how to hit a moving target.

Lissa and I had been inseparable ever since.

—Vampire Academy, page 8

 

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

DID LISSA’S PARENTS INITIALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PUREBLOOD MOROI DAUGHTER HAVING A DHAMPIR AS A BEST FRIEND? WHAT HELPED THEM ACCEPT ROSE AS A PART OF THEIR FAMILY?

A lot of people wonder how Lissa’s parents could have been so accepting of Rose and Lissa’s friendship, particularly considering what we know about the divisions in Moroi and dhampir society. The biggest taboo in this area is actually when it comes to love and romance. That’s when Moroi-dhampir pairings become dangerous. Friendships aren’t looked down upon as much, and it’s actually pretty common for guardians who have protected a family long enough to be treated as just another family member. This is certainly what happened with Rose and the Dragomirs. Lissa’s parents also were understandably concerned about Lissa’s safety, and they knew that having someone like Rose—who was devoted as both a friend and guardian—would be the best way to ensure Lissa was always protected.

RICHELLE, ON THE BOND BETWEEN ROSE AND LISSA:

 

When I set out to write the series, I had a lot of characters’ stories and subplots in my head, and I had to decide early on how I was going to address those. Rotating characters with a third-person narrative certainly lets you get a lot of stories out there—but can also leave you with a thousand-page book if you’re not careful. I ultimately decided Rose was the character I was most interested in and that her story really formed the heart of the series. I chose her as my narrator but was still drawn to Lissa, both because she’s fascinating in her own way and also because of her close connection to Rose. I soon realized, though, that their very connection would let me get away with slipping in another character’s narrative. Rose’s ability to see the world through Lissa’s eyes allows us these moments of third-person POV that we wouldn’t ordinarily get in a first-person series. I ended up with a sneaky kind of hybrid style of storytelling that was ultimately told with Rose’s voice but expanded the world beyond her own experiences. This system became a really useful tool in
Blood Promise
, when Rose and Lissa were separated for the first time. Even though Rose was by far and away nearly everyone’s favorite character at that point in the series, I think we all would’ve been sad to have a book where we didn’t know what was going on with Lissa, Christian, Adrian, and the others. The bond let me continue keeping track of everyone, which became even more essential in later books as Rose and Lissa began to increasingly follow their own paths.

“You’ve been kissed by shadows. You’ve crossed into Death, into the other side, and returned. Do you think something like that doesn’t leave a mark on the soul? . . . You should have stayed dead. Vasilisa brushed death to bring you back and bound you to her forever.”—Victor Dashkov on the bond the girls share,

Vampire Academy, page 317

 

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

WHILE CHRISTIAN AND LISSA’S RELATIONSHIP HAS ITS PROBLEMS, THEY’RE NORMAL PROBLEMS THAT ANY TEEN MIGHT EXPERIENCE, LIKE JEALOUSY OR MISUNDERSTANDING. WAS IT INTENTIONAL TO HAVE A MORE DOWN-TO-EARTH ROMANCE IN THE BOOKS TO CONTRAST THE EPIC DRAMA OF ROSE AND DIMITRI?

Lissa and Christian, while far from being a “normal” couple, were meant to be a contrast to Rose and Dimitri (and even Rose and Adrian). I wanted to show that not every romance is fraught with epic, world-shattering problems! That isn’t to say things were always easy for Lissa and Christian. They certainly had their share of difficulties throughout the series, and it was important for me to highlight the typical ups and downs that any couple, vampire or human, might have. Some people might argue that if I’d really wanted something to contrast with Rose’s disastrous love life, I should have given Lissa and Christian a perfect, problem-free romance. There was no way I could do that, though. Aside from the fact that it wouldn’t be realistic, I also think those little relationship kinks and difficulties are what end up making Lissa and Christian such a power couple. Facing problems together ends up strengthening both their love and themselves as individuals.