Book Review: Vampire Academy Graphic Novel

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel

Illustrated by Emma Vieceli; Adapted by Leigh Dragoon

August 23, 2011

Publisher: Razorbill Penguin

Source: Publisher. Thank you! 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Recommended? Of course! 100%

Buy the Book: Amazon US | Amazon UK

After two years on the run, best friends Rose and Lissa are caught and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, a private high school for vampires and half-bloods. It's filled with intrigue, danger - and even romance. Enter their dark, fascinating world through a new series of 144-page full-color graphic novels. The entire first Vampire Academy novel has been adapted for book one by Leigh Dragoon and overseen by Richelle Mead, while the beautiful art of acclaimed British illustrator Emma Vieceli brings the story to life. - Goodreads Page

This is the first full graphic novel I have ever read, and now that I’ve read it I am dying to read more. The drawings are fantastic overall; I think Emma Vieceli has done a great job at bringing our favourite characters to life. The depth of the emotions shown was really striking, and I felt I didn’t even have to read the descriptions to know what the characters were feeling. 

The plot of the original 300+ page novel was condensed quite a bit, as expected, and as a result every single scene in the graphic novel holds some importance to the overall arc of the plot. I personally would have liked to have seen more of Dimitri and Rose, and their relationship developing, but I feel there was just enough to make me want them together already. 

Regarding the drawings, I thought most of the characters were brilliantly drawn. Dimitri was hot, as expected, but – dare I say – Christian was even hotter! I fell in love with him all over again in this book. Yum. His scenes were awesome and I also loved it when he was using his magic. That was also blazing hot. Excuse the pun. 

I would definitely recommend reading the novel by Richelle Mead first, if you haven’t done so already, as there is a lot more description and fleshing out of the plot and I think this is important to the story.

I applaud both Leigh Dragoon and Emma Vieceli for bringing my favourite series to life, so to speak. Overall they both did an amazing job! My only peeve is that my favourite quote was changed! “If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you.” Is one of my favourite quotes of all time, and I was a bit upset when it read as something else. I’m not sure how necessary the change was, but I would have much preferred it if they had left it in. But anyway, go and buy this book. It’s a must for your Vampire Academy collection!