Matt Haig’s black comedy ‘The Radleys’ looks at (vampire) family dynamics
Source: pittsburghlive.com
From Bram Stoker through Anne Rice, there’s a rich (and bloody) history of literary vampires.
Matt Haig’s “The Radleys” follows this tradition, but only tangentially. The middle-class British family of four featured in the novel are vampires, albeit reluctant ones. When the story opens, the parents, Peter and Helen, are struggling with an ever-present bloodlust they are trying to deny. Their children, Rowan and Clara, clueless about their heritage, are constantly confused about why they feel and look so different from their peers.
Change the Radleys’ affliction to alcohol, drugs or dementia, and the story still works.
“For whatever subconscious reasons, I’m always drawn to family,” Haig says. “I never know why, but I never want to tackle it straight. I want to come at it from some kind of angle.”
Haig’s previous novels were all variations on the family theme. “The Last Family in England” was narrated by a dog. “The Dead Father’s Club” was a reworking of “Hamlet” through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. “The Possession of Mr. Cox” featured an overprotective father in a tale of horror.
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This sounds like a really smart, witty and interesting take on the whole Vampire phenomenon that has exploded recently in scifi/fantasy books. It also sounds like it’s written in a way that I have always adored sci fi / fantasy to be written – using a supernatural guise to tackle a real life issue that is considered taboo in most circles.
What do you think of this book? Would you read it?
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