Are you sleeping with a vampire?

Writer Manuela Dunn Mascetti's new book Beyond Twilight pops up nail-biting apprehensions

The believers of the unknown and undefined world of vampires have loved the 'horrific' romance created by authors Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice and Stephen King. Author Manuela Dunn Mascetti in this book takes the legacy forward, and successfully.

The book as evident from the name takes dives deep into the world of the vampires and through pictures and illustration leaves an impression of the dreaded world. When compared to earlier books of the genres like Twilight, New Moon and Interview with the Vampire, this book not just focuses on vampires' history but also their present situation. The book drowns you in a host of chronicles to establish the similarities between the dark angels and humans.

The book is not just any ordinary read on the blood-sucking humans but at times so loaded with disturbing facts of the rituals of vampirism, anecdotes and antidotes that you feel trapped into the 'dark' world. The problem with this book is its proximity to fear and extensiveness of research, which many times get too disturbing to handle. Especially the historical references from Romania, Count Dracula's country and the most famous 'blood drinker' are too heavy.

As you flip pages, the author puts forth disturbing questions like do you think that there could be a vampire in your family? Could we fall in love with one of these terrible creatures? Could we turn into one of those beings that emerge after twilight? How can one recognize a vampire? Is it true that a woman who makes love with a vampire becomes immortal?

Everything written in the book is not alien to us since India finds a high-flying mention in the book. The writer conducted a brief survey on Indian vampires, Baital Pachisi, which have often been recorded in Asian horror stories.

Beyond Twilight
At: Leading book stalls
Publisher: Pentagon
Price: Rs 395