Don't judge a book by its cover… or a vampire, for that matter. In The Reformed Vampire Support Group,vampires are sickly, pale, and generally unappealing to look at, but that doesn't make them bad people (unless we're talking about Casimir, that is). Nina might not ever win a beauty competition, but she's a winner on the inside. Same goes for Dave.
Reuben, by contrast, is a hot-looking guy, though how much of that is due to being a werewolf, and how much is due to winning the genetic lottery, we're really not sure. Horace chooses to dress like a stereotypical cheesy 90s movie vampire, thus attracting unwanted attention with his appearance, and Nina's fictitious heroine, Zadia Bloodstone, also looks like a typical vampire, all sexy-like. We wonder if dressing like a vampire is only a good idea when no one will suspect you of actually being one? We're thinking so.
Questions About Appearances
- Why do you think Horace wears stereotypical vampire clothes all the time? Give evidence from the text.
- Which aspects of Reuben's appearance make him such a contrast to the vampires who he now hangs out with?
- If you got to take Nina shopping, how would you make her over?
- Which of the characters in the book do you think most looks like your mental image of a vampire, and why?
Chew on This
Nina's attempts to blend in don't matter because she appears too different from humans to pass as one.
Zadia Bloodstone's physical appearance is the exact opposite of Nina's in every way.