abstract
| - The series encompasses a lot of things that many schoolchildren find difficult. One of Vlad's early concerns is adjusting to living away from his native country and speaking a new language in order to pass as a "normal" human, which of course is all he wants to be. There is divorce and adultery in both the Dracula and Van Helsing households, and in each the children despair at how out of touch their respective fathers are - a complaint of many young teenagers. Vlad, Jonathan and Robin feel isolated, not only from other children, but from the rest of their families. By contrast Ingrid, who really wants to be a vampire, rages at the preferential treatment her brother receives from their father despite her greater skills and better grades at "vampirism". Above all, difficult, irregular and complicated family relationships (a trait that Vlad, Ingrid, Robin, Chloe and Jonathan all share, despite being otherwise quite different characters) is an ongoing theme. In later years the series explores other complex issues such as maintaining peace between rival groups and dealing with family feuds. Jonno and Mina are dead set on revenge against the Dracula family. Necessary violence is also a theme and the protagonist makes several decisions which are questioned by the other characters. The series is perhaps unafraid to have an element of darkness about it, making it different from quite a lot of other children's series.
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