Home › Oliver Nocturne: The Vampire's Photograph

Oliver Nocturne: The Vampire's Photograph

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 08:46 | Michelle Pursel
in

Oliver Nocturne, hero of Kevin Emerson's The Vampire's Photograph, is your typical 13-year-old vampire. At least that’s what he always thought. He’s the youngest in his family, which consists of a businessman father, a sophisticated mother, and a bossy older brother.

Early one evening, while having trouble sleeping; Oliver hears a sound upstairs. Sneaking out of his coffin because his parents and brother are still asleep, he creeps upstairs into the decrepit human house that serves as a decoy above his families vampire crypt. There he encounters Emalie, a human girl around his age. She is snooping around the house and taking photographs. Oliver knows he should turn her in, but he's too enthralled by her presence to do more than watch her. When a careless misstep alerts Emalie to Oliver’s presence, she snaps a picture of him and runs off.

Oliver is torn as to what to do.  You see, vampires have been secretly co-existing with humans for years, living underground or in abandoned buildings, feeding on humans without hurting or killing them.   If Emalie has a photograph proving vampires exist, it could put Oliver’s friends & family and their way of life in jeopardy. Oliver decides to confront Emalie himself instead of telling his parents.

As the story quickly unfolds, answers lead to more questions, and Oliver is surprised to learn things about humans as well as his own origins. Is he really a full-blooded vampire? And what role does he play in an ancient prophecy? Oliver is stuck in the middle of everything, and he is more confused than ever. 

I really enjoyed all the details of the vampire-world that Emerson creates. The Oliver Nocturne series has all of the elements that make vampires so fascinating, but it also introduces the reader to cool details of vampire life like how they reproduce, the powers that they employ, and the way they organize their society, complete with their own culture.
 
This novel is perfect for the 9- to 12-year-old set transfixed with vampires. Oliver is a curious boy who gets himself into some tight situations. The story is fast paced and packed with lots of teen angst and rebellion. With cliffhangers and continuing mysteries, this series is sure to hook young readers. You can explore the world of Oliver Nocturne at its Web site.