Review - The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle
BY: L.J. Smith
PUBLISHED BY: Harper Teen
PUBLISHED IN: 1991
ISBN: 978-1-61523-818-7
Pages: 492
Ages: Young Adult
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

I can’t believe these books came out back in 1991! I was excited to get my hands on the first volume. I remember when they first came out, but never got a chance to read them until now.

Elena Gilbert has come home to Fell’s Church, Virginia after visiting France. She begins her senior year at the Robert E. Lee High School, where she meets the mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore.

After the homecoming dance, Elena is attacked by her classmate Tyler. Stefan comes to her rescue, and they soon fall in love. Stefan’s older brother, Damon, comes into town. Strange attacks happen in Fell’s Church. Is Damon to blame? What is Stefan’s dark secret? If you’ve been watching the television show on the CW, you can probably answer these questions.

“The Awakening” is a fun teenage romance with a vampire twist. Oh, wait, I said too much.

“The Struggle” picks exactly where the first book ended. Stefan struggles to survive as his brother, Damon, tries to seduce Elena. Damon won’t tell her what he has done with Stefan. Elena uses her friend’s, Bonnie, psychic ability They find Stefan at the bottom of an empty well. He is close to death! Elena lets him drink her blood to keep him alive.

Later, while Elena is on her way to see Stefan, something comes out of the night for her. Her car goes off the road and into the river.

The second book is fast-paced. I have mixed feeling about the plot. It feels as if the author crammed two different books into one so there could be a cliffhanger.