To Live Forever and Never Grow Up: The Vampire Child

Immortality isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be — especially if you end up trapped in the body of an immortal pre-teen. In this episode, Rebecca and Hannah discuss when the promise of eternal youth turns into the horror of never-ending childhood, what it would feel like to be a grown woman trapped in the body of a little girl, the logistics of sourcing blood when you look like a doll (it may or may not work in your favor), and the relationship between maturity and memory. Be warned, these kid vampires are not for kids.Come vamps, join us around the campfire.CW: pedophilia, sexual assault, and child abuse in fictionMajor Spoilers:* Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, 1976* Interview with the Vampire, directed by Neil Jordan 1994* Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist, 2004* Fledgling by Octavia Butler, 2005* Let the Right One In, directed by Tomas Alfredson, 2008* Interview with the Vampire, 2022-* Abigail, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, 2024Other media mentioned in this episode:Fiction* “Morella” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1835* The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice, 1985* Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton, 1993* Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer, 2008Film* Dracula’s Daughter, directed by Lambert Hillyer, 1936* The Twilight Saga, 2008-2012* Let Me In, directed by Matt Reeves, 2010* Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023* Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger, 2025TV* Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997-2003* True Blood, 2008-2014Additional Reading* Dracula’s Daughters, edited by Douglas Brode and Leah Deyneka, 2013Want more vampire content in all your feeds?Check out our Pinterest @vampirecampfirepod to capture the aesthetic of this episode.Follow us @vampirecampfirepod on Instagram and TikTok for podcast updates & vampire memes.Find us on Letterboxd and Goodreads for a peek at what we’re consuming next.Consider becoming a paid member of our Substack to get bonus episodes — the first one is available now!This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rebecca Glazer & Hannah SpiegelmanNote: We’re an affiliate of Bookshop.org and earn a small commission if you purchase through our links — allowing you to support indie bookstores and an indie podcast at the same time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe