American Gothic by Michael Romkey

This novel crosses generations from 1863 to the present. It examines addictions to drugs, alcohol, violence, power, and blood. It probes the pains of love and loss, depression, and the meaning or meaninglessness of life and death. And it uses the theme of the vampire to explore what it means to be monstrously monstrous, monstrously human, humanely monstrous, and what can be found to be redeeming in humanity. The writing weaves in and out, meandering through time and places and lives in a hypnotic and compelling way. I was surprised that I enjoyed reading it as much as I did. I wasn't expecting that when I started out.