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Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Will Slay You
Los Angeles author Seth Grahame-Smith’s follow-up to his New York Times best seller, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, bears an equally strange and amusing title. One would expect B movie style exploitation or a "Tales from the Crypt" horrorfest.
Instead, written in the style of renowned biographer David McCullough, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter works remarkably well as a parody of historical biographies. Any student who has had to slog through thick and dusty tomes will appreciate the comic subtlety of the fabricated photographs and footnotes.
You can even learn a few fun facts about the life of our 16th President while enjoying the book, as long as you remember to sort out the apocryphal stories (Lincoln grew a beard to hide a vampire-slaying injury, and wore the long coat to hide his vampire-slaying axe).
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Real events in Lincoln's life are interwoven with the mythical, attributing his mother's death (and many more to come) to vampires. But it is his mother's death that is the impetus for his axe-wielding vengeance.
The author ingeniously leads you into the world of vampires through a present-day character who is made privy to Lincoln’s secret diaries, in the style of Danielewsky's House of Leaves.
The tone of Abraham Lincoln’s own writing is imitated so well it is sometimes difficult to tell where the real Lincoln leaves off and the novel begins. Grahame-Smith is a descriptive writer who allows you to get lost in the story, even one this outlandish. It is engrossing to the point where at times you may be startled if anyone walks into the room while you are reading.
The book is such a fun read, it’s kind of disappointing when the overall storyline is revealed, exposing the "real" reason behind Lincoln’s battle for abolition.
In spite of the somewhat forced and uncomfortable allusion between vampires and slavery, the book manages to keep you on its side. It’s a good vacation read or useful prop to carry into jury duty. The book jacket depicts Lincoln holding a severed head behind his back. Display it prominently and that should definitely keep you from being chosen as a juror.
According to Deadline Hollywood, directors Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov are already interested in bringing Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter to the big screen (Pride and Predjudice and Zombies is already in the works starring Natalie Portman). There is even an app for those thirsty for more of Honest Abe.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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