READING : Hotel Transylvania by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Le Comte de Saint-Germain - cultured, well-traveled, articulate, elegant, learned, honorable, an alchemist, and a man of many secrets - he is a mystery to the court of Louis XV. For Madelaine de Montalia, making her debut in society, he is as fascinating as he is enigmatic, an admiration he returns.But others are interested in her as well. The dark folly of her father's youth exposes her to danger that only someone of Saint-Germain's vast experience can comprehend or repulse. In this first book of the Saint-Germain cycle, Saint-Germain establishes himself as the compassionate hero whose adventures span continents and millennia.

Comte Saint Germain is an elegant,charismatic and mysterious foreigner, in mid-18th century Paris.Saint Germain is one of the  million names he has acquired throughout his existence, which basically counts back to the beginning of time.He is, of course, a vampire.However, he's unlike any vampire I have ever read.What came as a complete surprise to me, is his character.He is good.He is THE hero.He is there to save the damsel in distress because he feels it's his obligation, as a noble and gallant man.Not because he desperately wants her or because he wants something in return.I'm not saying that all the other vampire's I've read about are like that, but they all had a darkness in them,giving off a sense of danger even to the ones dearest and closest to them.St.Germain is not like that.He is so good and kind hearted, it's almost awkward.In a sentence : he is the purest vampire in the history of vampires.

He cannot feel ecstasy through the act of sex, since,according to Yarbro's take on vampires, "they[vampires]are not capable of genital sexual contact, but they express their desires through their biting". I know a lot of people who are into PNR may be put off by this, and I'll be honest, I was too at the beginning.But when I finished reading, I found myself being fascinated and intrigued by the change of the vampire status quo.Being different is not always bad.However, the lack of sex scenes does by no means indicate that this is a Young Adult book, far from it.It contains extensive and very detailed descriptions of Satanic rituals along with nudity.

Hotel Transylvania may not be the best one of the series storywise, but Yarbro's exquisite writing is what's keeping it alive,in my opinion.She portrays vividly and with impeccable period details the glamour of 18th century Paris upper class and high society along with its decadence and immorality.She is an amazing historical fiction writer(romance is mostly a sublot in this book).

You should definitely try out at least one book of the St.Germain series, since,as far as I know,each one is set in a different place and in a different time, so continuity is not an issue.I recommend them,basically because of Yarbro's incredible writing but also because after all these modernized teen hunky vampires, it's good to sit back and find out where it all began, enjoying a wonderfully written, classic vampire novel.

3,5/5