This book explores the narratives of girlhood in contemporary YA vampire fiction, bringing into the spotlight the genre's radical, ambivalent, and contradictory visions of young femininity. Agnieszka Stasiewicz-Bienkowska considers less-explored popular vampire series for girls, particularly those by P.C. and Kristin Cast and Richelle Mead, tracing the ways in which they engage in larger cultural conversations on girlhood in the Western world. Mapping the interactions between girl and vampire corporealities, delving into the unconventional tales of vampire romance and girl sexual expressions, examining the narratives of women and violence, and venturing into the uncanny vampire classroom to unmask its critique of present-day schooling, the volume offers a new perspective on the vampire genre and an engaging insight into the complexities of growing up a girl.

Autorentext

Agnieszka Stasiewicz-Biekowska is Researcher and Lecturer at Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. Her academic interests comprise girlhood, YA culture, gender representations, vampire fiction, and the fantastic. Her recent publications include Female agency and desire in the universes of Sookie Stackhouse Continuum 33.2 (2019) and Hospitality, Rape and Consent in Vampire Popular Culture (Palgrave Macmillan 2017), co-edited with Stephanie Green and David Baker.

Inhalt
1.Chapter 1 Introduction: Vampire Fiction, Girls and Shame
2.Chapter 2 Writing (on) Girls' Bodies: Vampires and Embodied Girlhood2.1The Markings of the Vampiric Body2.2Such Hot Fangs! Vampirism and Beauty2.3You Don't See Fat Vamps: The Meanings of Body Size2.4No One Mourns the Ugly: Beauty, Style and Belonging 2.5Velvet! Platinum! Pearls! Vampire Girls as Consumers2.6The Magic of Makeover: Style as Oppression and Resistance2.7Conclusion
3.Chapter 3 A Love So Strong That It Aches: (Re-)Writing Vampire Romance3.1 Mates, Consorts, Oath-Bound Warriors: House of Night and Polyandry 3.2 The Truest of True Loves: Soul Mates and Enchanted Bonds3.3 Tying the Knot: Love, Marriage and Power3.4 The Lovely Bliss of Her Bite: Vampires and Same-Sex Romance3.5 Conclusion
4.Chapter 4 Pangs of Pleasure, Pangs of Guilt: Girls, Sexuality and Desire4.1 It Tasted Like Liquid Desire: Virginity, Blood Consumption and Sexual Awakening 4.2 Didn't the Earth Move or the Planets Align? The Tales of the First Time4.3 A Bloodlust-filled, Hornie Freak: Slut Shaming and Excessive Desire4.4 Blood Whoring, Female Virtue and Defensive Othering4.5 Conclusion
5.Chapter 5 Save Your Butt from Getting Raped: Girls, Vampires, Violence5.1 No Anger and No Condemnation: Vampires and Romanticised Abuse 5.2 A Questioning Touch of Teeth: Violence and Consent in House of Night and Vampire Academy5.3. A Monster Abused Me: Narrating Rape and Rape-Revenge5.4 Black. Angry. Merciless: Girls' Violence and (Self-)Defence5.5. Conclusion
6.Chapter 6 Biting into Books: Supernatural Schoolgirls and Academic Performance6.1 Heaps of Awesome Classes: The Unique Education of the House of Night 6.2 Slamming the Math Book Shut: Supernatural Girls and STEM Education6.3 Miss (Im)Perfect Schoolgirl: Girls and Academic (Dis)Engagement6.4 Too Smart? Academic Excellence and Popular Femininity6.5 Conclusion
7.Conclusion