How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"To this slayer, all vampires are unreformed, or why kill them? So we'll be safe with Nina's mum, even if he does have the address. He'll take one look at Estelle while she's putting out the rubbish, or hanging out the laundry, and he'll decide there can't be any vampires in her house." (4.36)
A happy home is a vampire-less home… at least in the eyes of a vampire slayer, which is totally hypothetical because none of the vamps know who the slayer actually is. But making a house look vampire-free is at least a step in the right direction toward keeping everyone safe. Or that's the theory they're running with, anyway.
Quote #2
Nevertheless, it's been hard for my mother. […] Vampires make untidy houseguests. (5.12)
Can you imagine having a vampire as a roommate or a houseguest? They'd constantly be leaving little animal corpses around, the way normal people leave dirty dishes. Plus, they'd be up all night and they get sick a lot, which could potentially lead to messes. It doesn't seem like "vampire" and "nice, tidy home" really go together.
Quote #3
In a dingy, well-worn, utilitarian environment like my mother's kitchen, vampires are all of a piece with the discolored grouting, the ancient electric jug, and the baked-on grease stains in the oven. (5.24)
Never mind, maybe we don't feel so badly for Nina's mom hosting a bunch of vampires in her home anymore. If her home were going to be on HGTV, it'd be on one of those fixer-upper shows, not one of those "look how perfect my house is" shows. And, as Nina points out, it's oddly fitting for cheerless worn-down vampires to be sitting in a cheerless worn-down kitchen.
Quote #4
She went on to declare that her bedroom was out of bounds, that no one would be permitted to touch the washing machine, and that all guinea pigs were to be confined to the basement. Fanging was to take place in the bathroom only. (4.31)
Nina's mom makes a lot of rules for her vampire houseguests. Does it seem a little too strict to you? But on the flip side, we know that vampires can be a messy, lethargic lot, so maybe you don't want them spreading out and taking over too much of the house anyway—bloodstains are a pain to get out.
Quote #5
Horace made a dismissive noise. "That slayer doesn't know where we live," he insisted, with the kind of arrogance that makes other people want to kick him in the crotch. "We would have seen him, if he did." (7.31)
Oh, Horace; so full of assumptions and arrogance. Just because the slayer hasn't popped up at your home doesn't mean he isn't planning to, or that he hasn't scoped out the place in the daytime when you've been dead to the world. That's one big reason for vamps to be so selective and secretive about where they live: They're completely helpless in the daytime.
Quote #6
I was on my way.
"Bye, Mum!" Frantically I flapped my hand, leaning across Father Ramon to catch my last glimpse of her. (7.52-53)
As Nina departs on her road trip, she begins to realize that it's been years since she's left the city limits and gone out to really do anything. It's a little scary leaving home like that, especially when being a vampire makes you vulnerable to all kinds of things. No wonder most vampires in this book tend to be homebodies.
Quote #7
"We can't leave the poor guy here, Nina. He could choke on his own vomit or something. […] And what if the McKinnons come back? They'll kill him for sure."
"But he'd be in my house…" I said feebly, frightened at the thought of a domestic invasion. (15.113-114)
When Nina and Dave find the unconscious stranger in Father Ramon's house (who turns out to be Nefley), they debate what to do with him. Dave wins the argument, and they do bring him back to Nina's house… but she's not too happy about it. Who wants an unconscious stranger in their home, anyway?
Quote #8
And when, after thirty minutes, Casimir finally left the coffee shop, Nefley followed him home. As luck would have it, Casimir even checked his mailbox before disappearing inside—thus revealing his exact address. (16.10)
You'd think, for a centuries-old vampire, that Casimir would've been a little more careful about keeping the location of his home a secret. His lair should be like Batman's cave: protected, impenetrable, creepy in a good way. But instead, Casimir was careless and let Nefley trail him home. Is it any wonder dude wound up dead?
Quote #9
"Irresponsible?" Horace finally spluttered. "Irresponsible?" He put his hands on his hips. "I tell you what's irresponsible," he yelled after Sanford, "and that's bringing a complete stranger into this house!" (17.98)
Is it irresponsible to admit a stranger into your home? How well do you have to know someone to invite them in? On that note, we'll mention that vampires don't seem to need to be invited into someone's home in this world, so, um, be careful.
Quote #10
"Nina," she replied, "over the last week, I've had a basement full of vampires using up all my hot water, I've had a killer jumping out of an upstairs window, I've had a bloody kidnapper knocking holes in my ceiling, and I've had a werewolf eating me out of house and home." (27.19)
Nina's mom puts things into perspective: Over the last week, her home has been totally wrecked by strangers and supernatural creatures. We're guessing that her insurance policy isn't going to cover the damage. This is just one more way that supernatural critters and tidy homes don't seem to go together.