Kiss of the Butterfly – a Review

Vampires are from Serbia. They aren’t attractive, either.

The question is – are vampires real? That is the question addressed in Kiss of the Butterfly by James Lyon. With the action taking place back and forth between centuries, the story follows grad student Stephen Roberts as he researches ancient folklore in a war-ravaged former Yugoslavia.

Lyon is a specialist in the Balkans, and it shows in the way he fleshes out the details of both past and present in his book Kiss of the butterfly. Lyon’s vampires are the originals of Balkan legend, not the romanticized Hollywood version. There is no superhuman strength and no capes. There are, however, butterflies.

Balkan legend is adamant on the connection between vampires and butterflies.