The Vampyre cover

The Vampyre

by John William Polidori

The Vampyre*, a short gothic novel by John William Polidori, was first published in 1819 and is considered the first modern vampire story. The story features Lord Ruthven, a seductive aristocrat with unnatural powers over men and women, and an insatiable thirst for blood. Polidori's innovative portrayal of the vampire as a Byronic figure is said to have set the template for the modern vampire.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?