CORN ON MACABRE OR REFLECTIONS OF A RELUCTANT VAMPIRE
by Martha Jones
A comedic self-help book for newly transformed vampires
Don’t let the unwieldy title of this book turn you off; it’s not nearly as cheesy as its unfortunate name would suggest. Debut novelist Jones contributes a worthy addition to the exploding vampire genre with her humorous take on the struggles facing new blood suckers. The book covers everything from relationships to dinner-party options for the undead. Jones writes that as vampires, “You’re expected to be the people eater, the shape shifter, and the sensitive boyfriend all in one and all at one time.” Cleverly realizing how overblown the concept of vampires has become in the popular consciousness, Jones sets out to offer joking advice to the recently bitten. The author is clearly well-versed in the history of the genre from Dracula to Twilight and draws on the subtleties of the blood-sucking archetype to paint a jokey psychological portrait. Jones writes in a breezy, witty style that induces constant chuckling. The book manages to lampoon the stereotypes of both the vampire genre and the hand-holding self-help book. Less successful is the frequent use of poorly drawn comics to complement the narrative. Jones would have been better served by folding these ideas into the text of the book. In spite of this misstep, this primer for monsters is a worthy addition to a genre that is quickly descending into boring self-parody. Jones manages to indulge in the zeitgeist while also pointing towards some of its more ridiculous and contradictory features.
A funny, tongue-in-cheek guide for the undead.