In 2007, Richelle Mead published the first book in her best-selling Vampire Academy series, of which the first book was adapted into a movie, and readers fell in love with Rose, Dimitri, Vasilisa, Christian, and Adrian.
Over the course of the series, readers split into Team Dimitri and Team Adrian while they waited for Rose to finalise her decision as to whom she truly loved. Adrian, the wealthy troublemaker Moroi who which made his first appearance in Frostbite, was my choice from the beginning. He has a certain sadness in him which made me very protective of him. When Mead announced they will be a spin-off series called Bloodlines that would continue his story, I was excited. However, he has to share the spotlight with another known characters from VA, Sydney Sage, an alchemist who made her first appearance in Blood Promise and helped Rose find Dimitri after his abduction.
In Bloodlines, Sydney showed she is able to take over missions and start her work as an alchemist. Her first mission brings her to Palm Springs where she has to protect Jillian Mastrano Dragomir, half-sister of Vasilisa Dragomir. There she is joined by Adrian Ivashkov who was assigned to be near Jill because he is a friend of the Dragomir’s. At first, Sydney dislikes him because alchemist’s and Moroi’s never got along and never will. They are forced to spend a lot of time together and she starts to see behind his poker face and sees the real Adrian, the selfless, open-hearted, and artistic man he only showed to Sydney. As the story continues, Sydney, Adrian, and their newly made friends not only have to face every day school life, but make sure to protect Jill from Moroi rebels who want the kill her in order to invalidate Vasilisa from the throne, but also face her personal demons and first real love.
For me, Bloodlines is much better than Vampire Academy, but not just because I was able to read more about Adrian.
1. Bloodlines shows the complexity of the world better
There are different groups of beings in the Vampire Academy world. You have the Moroi, the born, mortal, and wealthy vampires and some of them develop abilities from the five elements. Then there are Strigoi who are made, bad, and everything we fear of vampires.
Dhamphir’s are half vampire and half human who become Moroi guardians. They are born with quick reflexes and increased strength. And then there are the alchemists and their job is to protect the human world and the world of vampires equally from each other.
In VA, we get to know the vampire world pretty well, but not how it looks like on the other side. Through Sydney we finally get to see the other side and that it is as broken as the one we know about already. There are hierarchies and secret organisations and conspiracies, and it is not easy to live in a world of secrets and lies. Why do alchemists dislike vampires so much? Why do Moroi think they can do everything? How hard is it to put aside everything you grow up with and make your own opinion of the situation and people around you? While Vampire Academy mostly shows us the world, Bloodlines questions it.
2. It may be a YA but it feels more grown up
Vasilia and Rose have to face current events and do their best to get out of them. They find their new position in their society and fight for the love they have found. Meanwhile, Sydney and Adrian have to face their own demons while being on their mission. Adrian is suffering from mood swings and diagnosed with bipolar, which he tries to cope with by drinking a massive amount of alcohol and not the solution to his problems. He feels a certain pressure because of his family name and all he wants is a life of his own and to pursue his art. To be a spirit user and be able to go into someone else’s mind does not help his mental state and confuses him more.
It is the first time Sydney has to be away from her home and family and living completely on her own. She heard so much about the world, but never was in touch with it and therefore she feels like she had lived in a bubble for all those years. She has anxieties and wants to see the wonders of the world, which distracts her a bit from her mission. Sydney feels responsible to represent the alchemists, but does want to taste the bit of freedom she finally has as well.
I think people can identify with both characters as they come from a troubled house, each in their own way, and have to face the world and certain problems at once.
3. Sydney fights for her rights and stands against everything wrong in society
Sydney is one of those characters I would call a role model. She is intelligent, kind of nerdy, and although she may feel socially awkward, she tries her best to be a part of society, especially being surrounded by a group of vampires she should dislike and not become friends with. Through Sydney and Adrian, we learn what discrimination can do to people and we see how you can survive.
As with almost every story, Bloodlines also has a love story in it. The love between an alchemist and a Moroi, between Sydney and Adrian. They should never be together alone because of their different heritages and they know it. They fought against it until they understood that it does not matter where they come from, the heart demands what it wants and does not care if one has to go to prison because of it.
4. Second chances: Adrian shows his real self
As I have mentioned before, I was always Team Adrian. I knew that behind his arrogant bad boy façade, there had to be more and an explanation as to why his is that way.
Adrian deserved a second chance with the audience as well as in his life. He comes from a troubled home, he loves his mother unconditionally, but hates his father just as much. He had to behave because of his family name, but never felt truly accepted and because he is a spirit user and be able to feel other people’s emotions, it is a burden for him. Over the course of Bloodlines, he finally gain control of his powers and because he is far away from his family, he has the time to think about his future and actually has the chance to be happy.
He falls helplessly in love with Sydney, who at first does not want to admit that she feels the same way. He opens up his heart as he has never done before. For me, Adrian is the one characters who has one of the most beautiful declarations of love:
“No, you ‘will’ listen. For once, you’re going to hear something that doesn’t fit into you neat, compartmentalised world of order and logic and reason. Because this isn’t reasonable. If you’re terrified, believe me- this scares the hell out of me, too. You asked about Rose? I tried to be a better person for her- but it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I’m around you, I want to be better because… well, because it feels right. Because ‘I’ want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, ever word, every glance. I look at you, and you’re like… like light made into flesh. I said it on Halloween and meant every word: you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth. And you don’t even know it. You have no clue how beautiful you are of how brightly you shine. And I know, Sage. I know how you guys feel about us. I’m not stupid, and believe me, I’ve tried to get you out of my head. But there isn’t enough liquor or art or any other distraction in the world to do it. I had to stop going to Wolfe’s because it was too hard being that close to you, even if it was all just pretend fighting. I couldn’t stand the touching. It was agonising because it meant something to me and I knew it meant nothing to you. I kept telling myself to stay away altogether, and then I’d find excuses like the car anything to be around you again. Hayden was an asshole, but at least as long as you were involved with him, I had a reason to keep my distance.”
5. A better love story
This series features a better love story in a Romeo and Juliet kind of way, but at least with a happy ending. It is a love that can move mountains, literally. They not only overcome their own boundaries, but also show society that nothing really bad comes out of it. Why should they not follow their hearts? They even get married because it is their way to say that they feel this love will last until the end of times. Unfortunately, they have to go through hell and Sydney has to suffer the most while she gets abducted and held a prisoner by her own people.
6. Fighting for yourself and the people you care about
Bloodlines is a series strong with courage with everyone is trying to help and looking out for one another. The world is not safe so they have to make the best out of it. If only every human being on earth would feel the same we could be living in a better world in a blink of an eye. To see the characters doing that, it kind of gives you hope that one day we are able to do the same in real life.
7. Growing up means accepting changes
Growing up is a scary thing as you not only have to find your new place in the world, but also try to combine your current life with the one you want for yourself. Adrian has to distance himself from his parents to be capable of doing so. Sydney has to make the choice between her father and two sisters and the love of her life, especially since her father would never accept Adrian as his son-in-law.
How far would you go to follow your path? Would you leave everything you know behind? Well, you not always have to act like that, but sometimes it is the only way to find your happiness.
8. Abilities and art are an important part of communication
What I like the most in Bloodlines is that the abilities and the art are a very important part of the story. Not only can Adrian help the others with using the spirit element, but he can also create beautiful places in the mind of others. Through the dreams he creates and reaches out to Sydney so they can spend some time together without anyone being suspicious about how they treat each other. When Adrian is not building things with his mind he likes to paint. As we know, the artist puts his soul into his art and art is also a way of coping with everything for him.
How important art is for Adrian can be seen in the end of Indigo Spell. After Adrian has told Sydney how he feels about her, he leaves her coordinates which leads her to an ancient Roman and Greek museum where she then tells him she loves him.
I hope after reading this you will want to pick up Bloodlines immediately! If so, please do not be shy to tell us what you think about it.
Let’s not completely lie to ourselves 😭 Sydney isn’t nearly as compelling as Rose was as a narrator and Adrian is still baby, but him alone can’t carry a whole series on his own. I just know his back is tired, Sydney isn’t that intriguing of a character for him to be paired or married to. No hate just my personal opinion! ❤️ Each to their own of course! I hope she writes us a spinoff one day with Christian and Lissa too
Do you feel like Bloodlines is still worth reading? I just finished VA after reading it off and on for 10 years and am feeling a yearning for more of the world but idk if I’m drawn enough to Sydney’s character for a 6 book series.
I became a part of Adrian Ivashkov fan club right from the very beginning. Actually, when I was done with VA, I was sad, like really sad. I read bloodlines, enthralled enough to finish the whole series in two days. It’s really one of a kind.
It’s true and you SHOULD say it!!!! Bless you for eloquently stating what I’ve been thinking for years!