The Théâtre Saint–Siméon is not a place you can just walk into. Unless you’re given a special black slip of paper, you will not be granted entry to this exclusive Paris theater. And what a wonder it is! There’s something unnaturally beautiful about the actors on the stage. They seem ageless, perform only at midnight, and seem to spin on point shoes faster than any simple performer. Arnault, the leader of a clan of vampires, has kept his people alive by forcing them to follow very strict rules. Each of his actors learns to live within the wonders of Paris at night, without attracting attention. They are only allowed to take so many lives from those who attend their shows. These careful rules are challenged by the arrival of a witch named Beatrice. She demands much and leaves Arnault spent and barely recovering after two days. Then, seemingly by magic the theater is visited by two sibling vampires: Victor and Francoise de Rouvray. Arnault is drawn to Victor, finding himself distracted from own duties within his theater. He also loses his ability to sense dangers and premonitions that warn him of a terrible change coming to his theater and city.
Set in Paris 1869, The Red Sacrament is richly detailed down to the materials of the chaise lounge in Arnault’s room. It is easy to picture this theater of vampires and how frustrating it must be to find oneself going over the same librettos, donning the same costumes, and searching desperately for a sense of variety while the leader of your group demands over and over not to be too exceptional and risk detection. We have young vampires, still old by human standards, but full of the desire to risk it all for applause. We have prima donnas long since having lost their desire to perform, but longing to still be the star. Sara Hinkley tells a deeply seductive tale that captures the reader’s attention and holds them fast; not unlike a vampire’s victim. If you found yourself reading Interview with the Vampire and wishing there was far more about the Theatre de Vampire, The Red Sacrament is the book for you.
The Red Sacrament is available now from Titan Books.
