A Vampire: Gothic tale about psychological vampirism – Illustrated edition

By Luigi Capuana

A Vampire by Luigi Capuana Gothic tale about psychological vampirism - Translated and Illustrated edition A Vampire is much more than a simple ghost story: it is a refined incursion into the unconscious, pain, suggestion and fear that delves into the depths of the human soul. Written by Luigi Capuana, one of the greatest exponents of Italian Verism, this tale represents one of his most surprising and disturbing deviations towards the literature of mystery and the supernatural. In this illustrated edition, the tale is presented to the reader in all its gothic intensity. The original images were created specifically to accompany and amplify the atmosphere of the narration: dreamlike, nocturnal, hallucinatory scenes, which faithfully reflect the events and the internal torments of the protagonists. This publication was born with the aim of offering the modern public a rediscovered work of literary art, making it accessible, fascinating and visually engaging. A meticulous work of layout, graphic adaptation and editorial care has been done. In particular: An original preface introduces the reader to the story and the historical and literary context of the author. There are exclusive illustrations generated with modern artistic technologies, but respectful of nineteenth-century taste and aesthetics. A biographical note and a list of Capuana's main works complete the volume, offering an essential overview of his contribution to Italian literature. The narrative of A Vampire is surprisingly modern. The story does not indulge in the most overused folklore of the "classic" vampire, but develops as a psychological and family drama, where the threat of the "other" -- the vampire -- manifests itself as an immaterial but devastating presence in the body, in sleep, in thoughts, in love. The heart of the story Lelio Giorgi, a poet and rational man, lives a disturbing experience with his wife Luisa. After a personal tragedy, a sinister shadow begins to creep into their nights: invisible presences, inexplicable phenomena, a child who mysteriously falls ill... Is it really a hallucination? Is it hysteria, or the posthumous revenge of a betrayed love? With vivid language, Capuana orchestrates a growing tension. Scientific and spiritual questions mix. Suggestion becomes terror. And the vampire, never seen but always perceived, seems to really exist. Why read it today In an era in which the horror genre is often populated by visual excesses and plot twists, this story offers a more subtle, slow, insinuating and therefore more lasting fear. Today's reader will discover in Capuana a modern author, a forerunner of themes that will later be explored by authors such as Pirandello, Poe or Maupassant: the double, consciousness, hallucination, the fragility of reality.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F66287FP
• ISBN13: 9798281071543
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 37 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.1" x 6.0"