Too retro for religion: Self-identity and the presence of God in the works of L. J. Smith and Bram Stoker

Since vampirism threatens the psychological stability of human beings, religion is utilized to combat vampires in Bram Stoker\u27s Dracula. Jutta Schulze alludes to a dominant discourse that establishes moral binaries through religion. However, when the presence of God is limited or non-existent, individuals within L. J. Smith\u27s Secret Vampire cannot rely on moral binaries to understand vampires. Instead, they must redefine their self-identity without Christian beliefs that would otherwise deem vampires unacceptable. Too Retro for Religion examines the exclusive nature presented by religious binaries in Victorian literature in comparison with the transformative human-vampire relationship in modern fiction