Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide (34 page)

Christian dragged his eyes from me to her, and as they regarded each other, I felt such a powerful wave of attraction, it was a wonder it didn’t knock me over. Her heart was in her eyes. It was obvious to me he felt the same way about her, but she couldn’t see it, particularly since he was still glaring at her.

—Vampire Academy, page 168

 

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

CHRISTIAN’S PARENTS TURN STRIGOI, AND HIS AUNT IS A MURDERER. HOW DOES HE MANAGE TO COPE WITH ALL OF THIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING SHUNNED FOR YEARS AT SCHOOL? DOES HE EVER BELIEVE THAT HE TOO COULD BE CAPABLE OF EVIL ACTS IF IT RUNS IN HIS FAMILY SO MUCH?

Christian has one of the most interesting pasts of any of the characters—which is saying something, with this cast! From the moment we meet him, he has the legacy of his parents’ decision to turn Strigoi hanging over him. Later, he must contend with his aunt’s treason. These things go a long way to explain why Christian has such a prickly, rebellious nature. He doesn’t doubt himself or worry that he’ll follow in the steps of his family. The problem is that although he knows the kind of person he truly is, that’s not enough for some people. Since childhood, he’s been defined by others’ expectations of him. Everyone assumes he’s going to behave a certain way, and it’s incredibly frustrating to him since he often feels there’s no way he can convince others he’s different from the rest of his family. After a while, this is kind of what drives his tendency to act out. He figures if people think he’s bad, then maybe he should act bad! Fortunately, Lissa’s influence has had a huge impact on him. Although he’s still troubled by others’ opinions, she’s convinced him that going forward and being who he truly is will eventually convince others of his real nature.

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO USE RUSSIAN AND ROMANIAN MYTHOLOGY TO CREATE THE WORLD OF VAMPIRE ACADEMY THAT INCLUDES BOTH LIVING AND UNDEAD VERSIONS OF VAMPIRES?

I took a class at the University of Michigan on Slavic folklore and mythology. One of the units we studied was on vampires, and we had the opportunity to read some really great stories and examine a lot of the symbolism behind these old tales. Years later, when I decided to write a vampire novel, I decided I wanted to base my series out of that same region. So, I went searching through Eastern European mythology again and eventually found a reference to Moroi and Strigoi that I thought could really make a great foundation for a vampire society. Dhampirs are a little more widespread in pop culture, and I’d heard of them before, though they too come from this same region. What’s funny is that I decided early on that my kickass heroine would be a dhampir, simply because I liked the mix of human and vampire traits. Later, I learned that in a lot of Eastern European myths, dhampirs have a reputation for being great vampire hunters. There were those who believed that if an evil vampire was causing trouble, you needed to recruit a dhampir to come get rid of him or her. So, without even realizing it, I’d cast Rose into a traditional warrior role!

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

IF YOU WERE MOROI, WHICH ELEMENT WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO SPECIALIZE IN?

People often ask, “If the Moroi don’t use magic for fighting, what do they use it for?”

The answer is that in recent history, most Moroi have simply used their powers for ordinary, day-today tasks. That might seem like a waste to some people, but if I had the chance to use air magic, I would do it in an instant! I absolutely hate blow-drying my hair and would love to be able to use a little magic to zap it into place each morning.

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING THE WORLD OF ST. VLADIMIR’S ACADEMY?

St. Vladimir’s serves a lot of different purposes in the series, so I had to consider all of them for its creation. It’s not just a school; it’s also a sanctuary of sorts. Moroi parents who choose to send their children here are trading family time for safety. Students attend almost year-round and hardly ever see their parents. With those things in mind, I had to put St. Vladimir’s in a location that would preserve that high level of safety—both from Strigoi and curious humans. Backwoods Montana—with its vast forests and mountains—became an ideal setting. At the same time, I also had to keep in mind that students at a school like this don’t quite have the same experiences that “normal” students at a private boarding school would have. There’s no easy way to get off-campus. Field trips are few and far between because safety won’t allow it. Once Moroi and dhampirs are there, they pretty much stay there. As such, it was essential to make sure the school was the kind of place where they could live happily. Everything there is the newest and best, despite the façade of historic buildings. Computer labs, athletic facilities, and medicine—all of it is state-of-the-art. Academics are much more extensive than ordinary schools, in the hopes that there’s something there for everyone to be interested in. Equally important are the touches of ordinary home life, like religious services, movie lounges, and lots of open green spaces. The message one walks away with is yes, you
do
have to spend a lot of time at St. Vladimir’s… but you’ll like it.

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

IF YOU WERE A STUDENT AT ST. VLAD’S, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FAVORITE CLASS?

I’d probably take as many history and literature classes as I could! I love that kind of stuff, and one of the great things about the Moroi is that they have a much greater emphasis on their past and heritage than the rest of us tend to have. This makes a lot of sense when you look at what the Moroi have gone through. They’ve been hunted by the Strigoi and forced to spread out all over the world, sometimes hiding in isolation and sometimes mixing into human cities. When your people live with that kind of danger, preserving your culture becomes imperative. It’s that shared heritage that continues to unite the Moroi as a people and allow them to persevere.

Q&A WITH RICHELLE MEAD

 

IS THE MOROI ROYAL COURT MODELED ON OR INSPIRED BY ANY REAL-LIFE LOCATION? WHAT WOULD YOU COMPARE IT TO IN OUR WORLD?

I always picture the Moroi Royal Court resembling some of the old, sprawling universities found in the U.S. and Europe. I see lots of stone walled buildings and ivy, spread out on wide green lawns. We have to always keep in mind that the Moroi are living in a human world, and if they want to stay secret, they can’t really have anything that screams “royal palace.” Modeling their Court on a prestigious university gives them both a cover for humans and a presence that’s still very regal.