Not Your Normal Vampire

The only thing Chris really wants to do is be normal – hang out with his friends, get a date with his crush Rebecca Schwarts and get through school with out any major social damage. It’s a basic plan for a teenager; however his plan has one major flaw, Chris seems to be turning into a vampire, and unfortunately for Chris, his town is big on vampire killings.

Thirsty by M.T. Anderson shows a unique approach to adolescent vampirism aside from the usual story of a vampire falling in love with a human and then turning them. Thirsty puts a disturbing twist on a coming-of-age tale as Chris struggles to fight changing into something he can not explain.

With his parents divorcing, and an idiotic video-obsessed brother, it is no wonder Chris feels upset when his best friends, Tom and Jerk, begin to turn their backs on Chris. His personality is changing so fast, he has been finding it hard to deal with everyday things like being around his friends, and around people in general. His friends do not know how to handle him. Chris never expected to feel so upset when Tom turned to other people for friendship when he started to change. “I feel a violent urge,” Chris said. “I do not know where it comes from. I feel strangely strong. I want something terrible to happen to him. My mouth is watering.”

When Chet, a ‘celestial being’ appears in his life, Chris is told why he is feeling such strong emotions of anger and hatred, what this new hunger is that he is feeling, and is given an opportunity to stop them. Twists of betrayal lead to the anniversary of Chris’ town where a festival is held to keep the vampire overlord trapped in his own prison and from returning to their own world.

At times, vivid and horrific, Thirsty wonderfully shows Chris’ transition from boyhood to manhood to becoming a vampire and showing all the emotions that come with it.

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