The Reformed Vampire Support Group Character Roles

Protagonist: Nina Harrison

Nina's our narrator, and we spend a lot of time in her head, and we hope that only good things happen to her—like cuddly kittens, and finally hooking up with Dave. We also really sympathize with her, which helps when it comes to evaluating whether she's a citizen of Protagonist-land. For instance, when she starts feeling depressed about the situation with Casimir, it's tough to read about:

For several minutes I plunged deeper and deeper into an emotional black hole. Then, without enormous effort, I hauled myself out again. I made a decision. (6.69)

Don't you just want to cheer for her and cheer her up? Seeing Nina get motivated to get off her butt and do things in the world isn't just satisfying, though—it's fortunate since this book is her story and we're just reading it. It'd be a snooze fest otherwise.

Antagonist: The McKinnons

Barry and Dermid are some bad dudes. Not only do they pit Reuben and other werewolves against each other in fights to the death, they also don't mind straight-up killing people who get in their way. For instance, when they catch up to Father Ramon, they devise a plot to immobilize him with drugs, make it look like he overdosed by leaving pills by his bed, and flood the place with gas, hoping he'll either asphyxiate or burn to a crisp thanks to a faulty heater. They're in our main girl, Nina's, way at every turn, messing things up for her nearest and dearest.

Yeah. We're really not big fans of the McKinnons. No wonder they end up in the "bad guy" category.

Guide/Mentor: Father Ramon

Father Ramon pretty much radiates wisdom. Heck, he even looks the part, too: "With his solid build, shaggy gray hair, and soft brown eyes, he looked like an elderly Labrador, seasoned and weary but not disillusioned" (3.14). He's constantly counseling Nina and the other vamps not to rely on violence, and encouraging them to act with compassion. He provides moral support and he also drives Nina and the other vamps around. What more could you want in a mentor?

Foil: Reuben vs. Every Vampire

Because Reuben is a werewolf, he is totally different from all the vampires we come to know and love. It's like he's a completely different species or something… Check it out:

You could tell at a glance that he wasn't a vampire, because no vampire ever had such a warm olive complexion, or such luminous eyes. No vampire ever moved in such an energetic way, as if he could barely restrain his enthusiasm or his impatience. Even when he was standing still, Reuben seemed restless. (13.112)

Compared to our vampires, who seem like poster children for anorexic opiate addicts, Reuben is a bundle of energy. Keep an eye on his frantic need to talk, move around, and just do things, and you'll see what we mean.

Romantic Interest: Dave

Nina spends a good chunk of the book crushing on Dave, though she never makes a move because she thinks he's pining after his human ex-girlfriend. But guess what? It's actually been mutual all along. Boo ya.

After all the excitement, Nina reflects: "It was such a relief to find out that Dave was actually pining after me all these years, instead of his former girlfriend" (29.41). Now that they both know how the other one feels, they can finally act on their emotions and be together—well, as much as possible, anyway, given that they're both sickly vampires who have no energy.