Vampire Academy (novel)
Vampire Academy adalah buku pertama dari seri Vampire Academy karangan penulis Amerika Richelle Mead. Buku ini masuk dalam daftar Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Buku ini juga direkomendasikan Booklist, teenbookstoo.com, and Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA). Vampire Academy juga menjadi buku pilihan nomor 4 setelah Eclipse karangan Stephenie Meyer, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows karangan J.K. Rowling, dan Diary of a Wimpy Kid dalam sepuluh besar ALA's untuk remaja.[1] Seri Vampire Academy ini juga masuk dalam daftar sepuluh besar dalam divisi buku anak-anak di New York Times Bestseller.[2]
| Berkas:Vampire Academy.jpg Cover of Vampire Academy | |
| Pengarang | Richelle Mead |
|---|---|
| Perancang sampul | Emilian Gregory Fanelie Rosier |
| Negara | United States |
| Bahasa | English |
| Seri | Vampire Academy |
| Genre | Young Adult Urban Fantasy Dark Fantasy Paranormal romance |
| Penerbit | Razorbill |
Tanggal terbit | August 16, 2007 |
| Jenis media | Print (Hard, Soft, Large) e-Book (Kindle, Nook) |
| Halaman | 332 p |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-1-59514-174-3 |
| OCLC | 732847643 |
| LCC | PZ7.M478897 Vam 2007 |
| Diikuti oleh | Frostbite |
Buku ini menuliskan kehidupan seorang remaja berusia 17 tahun, Rosemarie Hathaway, dikenal dengan nama Rose, yang merupakan seorang dhampir dan sahabat Moroi Rose yang bernama Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir yang dibawa kembali ke sekolah mereka di "St Vladimir's Academy" setelah melarikan diri selama dua tahun.
Plot
Seorang pengawal dalam pelatihan, Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway, dan seorang puteri Moroi, Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir, dibawa kembali ke sekolah mereka, Akademi St. Vladimir, setelah mereka melarikan diri dua tahun sebelumnya. Setelah mereka kembali, Pengawal Dimitri Belikov, yakni pemimpin tim pengawal yang dikirimkan untuk menjemput keduanya, ditugaskan untuk menjadi pengawal Lissa. Pengawal Dimitri menawarkan diri untuk melatih Rose dalam pelatihan pengawalan karena merasa Rose memiliki potensi dan untuk menggantikan ketinggalan Rose selama dua tahun. Ia juga yakin Rose bisa menjadi pengawal yang luar biasa bagi Lissa karena adanya ikatan batin satu arah yang langka. Ikatan batin Rose dengan Lissa ini membuat Rose merasakan emosi, pemikiran, dan keberadaan Lissa. Rose setuju, karena tahu bahwa ini satu-satunya cara agar ia bisa tetap tinggal di akademi dan setelah lulus menjadi pengawal Lissa. Meskipun mereka segera terbiasa dengan kehidupan di akademi, mereka menyadari bahwa Lissa telah kehilangan reputasi sosialnya di antara para bangsawan Moroi lainnya karena telah melarikan diri. Mereka memutuskan untuk tetap berteman dengan "sepupu" Lissa, Natalie Dashkov, yang merupakan anak dari Victor Dashkov yang sedang sakit dan sekarat. Di hari pertama mereka kembali ke akademi, mereka menyadari bahwa seorang siswa Moroi, Mia Rinaldi, yang saat itu berkencan dengan mantan pacar Lissa Aaron, menyimpan dendam terhadap Lissa (dan tentu saja Rose). Mia memanfaatkan setiap kesempatan untuk menghina Lissa dan sebagai akibatnya balas dihina dan diancam oleh Rose.
Lissa finds a friend, Christian Ozera, much to the ire of the ever protective Rose. Christian's parents had turned Strigoi (undead vampires) of their own will for immortality and had been killed by guardians. Rose mistrusts Christian because of his family history. It is also implied that she is jealous of Lissa's interest in him. Rose, in turn, starts falling for Dimitri. Things start getting worse when Lissa finds dead animals in her room along with threatening letters. Lissa starts going into depression and engages in self mutilation. It is revealed that though she has not specialized in any elemental magic (Air, Water, Fire, and Earth), she has a miraculous ability to heal, which was witnessed by Rose and their teacher Ms. Karp two years back. Rose finds out that this gift is shared by Ms. Karp, who is then taken to a mental institution. They find out that Lissa has affinity for Spirit, that might just be dangerous for her and Rose. This incident along with her increasing depression was what had caused Rose to run away with Lissa. While attending Sunday service, Rose hears that the Moroi saint St. Vladimir could heal people, and suffered from some form of depression. Also, he was protected by his loyal companion the "shadow kissed" Anna with whom he shared a bond. On returning from a shopping trip with Lissa, Victor, and Natalie, Rose has an accident and on waking up deduces from what Dimitri tells her (that she had a miraculous recovery) that Lissa had healed her. She reaches into her bond and finds that Lissa is lying on the attic of the Church bleeding from self-inflicted cuts. Her reporting this incident causes a slight break in their friendship.
Somehow discovering this, Mia insults Lissa, calling her unstable, causing Rose to punch Mia and break her nose. Detained by teachers and guardians, Rose is unable to follow Lissa; she reaches through her bond while confined to her room and finds that Lissa is being kidnapped by some guardians who assault Christian when he tries to save her. Rose tries to go and warn Dimitri and instead ends up nearly having sex with him. They stop when Dimitri unclasps a locket gifted by Victor from her neck and he manages to throw it away. It is later revealed that Victor had charmed the locket with a lust charm which causes people to act on already existing attraction, letting go of inhibitions. Through the bond Rose finds out that Victor is the one who kidnapped Lissa and plans to use her to heal his genetic disease. He reveals that Natalie was the one who left the animals in Lissa's room to see her heal them after accidentally catching her doing so. He also reveals that Lissa had specialized in the rare fifth element Spirit, and that her bringing back Rose from the dead after the accident was what caused them to have a bond. Using Spirit is what was causing Lissa's depression. Though Lissa heals Victor for the time being, the school guardians are able to reach the place and rescue her. On returning, Victor convinces Natalie to turn Strigoi by killing while feeding and gets her to break him free. She injures Rose who was visiting Victor, but is killed by Dimitri. Dimitri reveals that he too feels for Rose but cannot have a relationship with her because of their age difference and because he won't be able to guard Lissa wholeheartedly if she is near him.
Characters
Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway - Rose is the seventeen-year-old, half-vampire half-human (Dhampir) protagonist of the Vampire Academy series and is best friends with Princess Lissa Dragomir. She has a one-sided connection (bond) to Lissa, allowing her to read Lissa's thoughts, sense her feelings and see through her eyes. Sarcastic and quick-witted, Rose is training to become Lissa's Guardian and fiercely protective of her. Rose has semi-exotic desert-princess features: big dark eyes, dark brown hair, and lightly tanned skin. She is 5'7 with an athletic but curvy figure (which is envied by the slim Moroi girls). Rose is usually impulsive and believes in physical combat rather than talk.
Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir - A seventeen-year-old Moroi princess and Rose Hathaway's best friend. Lissa is the last vampire in the Dragomir royal line, giving her the title "Princess". Her family died in a car accident when she was fifteen. Lissa is described as angel-like, with long, platinum blond hair and jade green eyes, and having the typical slim Moroi build that makes her look like a runway model. Before she left the Academy, she was in a relationship with Aaron, who Mia Rinaldi started dating after Lissa left. Lissa is usually perceptive and reasonable (due to her using compulsion), managing to think things through which Rose has never been able to do. She is also a very compassionate individual, knowing and wanting to help in the pain of others.
Dimitri Belikov - He is a well-respected twenty-four-year-old Dhampir of Russian origin, assigned to be Lissa's Guardian along with Rose. Dimitri has a Russian accent, and likes old western novels. He is described to be about 6 feet 7; has brown eyes, chin length hair dark brown hair, and tanned skin. He is sometimes described as a 'God', referring to his reputation as one of the most 'badass' Guardians around. He offers to mentor and train Rose after their return to the academy. He is described as serious and dedicated and slightly non-social, preferring the company of his western novels rather than socializing.
Christian Ozera - He is an outcast because his parents willingly became Strigoi. He's a royal Moroi who holds radical ideas about fighting against Strigoi. He specializes in Fire magic. His physical appearance is described to be tall with black hair and crystal-blue eyes.
Mason Ashford - a Dhampir who is one of Rose's best friends, and also a novice Guardian like her. He is interested in her romantically, but Rose prefers to see him as a friend. Though that doesn't keep her from flirting with him frequently.
Mia Rinaldi - A non-royal Moroi. Mia holds a grudge against Lissa (and by default, Rose). She is described as having round cheeks and curly blond hair that makes her look very young and almost doll-like.
Victor Dashkov - A royal Moroi with Sandovsky's Disease. He is Natalie's father and was a dear friend of Lissa's father. Due to his disease, he does not have a chance of ever becoming king of the Moroi. He is an individual highly respected and liked by Lissa.
Natalie Dashkov - A royal Moroi with jet-black hair,emerald green eyes and pale skin. She is the daughter of Victor Dashkov, friend, and "cousin" to Vasilisa Dragomir.