House of Night#Lenobia's Vow

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Zoey and her friends face the usual teenage issues. Zoey keeps some secrets from her friends and gets in trouble with them, forcing her to consider the nature of friendship. Kristin Cast said that these moral dilemmas were included because "those are issues teenagers deal with... We're not afraid to discuss things that are actually happening."{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/609729|title=Toronto Star article | work=The Star | first=Vit|last=Wagner|date=March 29, 2009}} As with many contemporary vampire novels, exploration of human nature and social commentary forms a subtext.{{cite web|title=Prajznerová, Cultural Intermarriage, p.63}} and Tsi Sgili{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_oFqBqj4HVAC&q=%22tsi+sgili%22&pg=PA219|title=Jones, Evil in our Midst p. 219|isbn=9780757000096|last1=Jones|first1=David E.|date=September 2001|publisher=Square One Publishers }} are taken from real Cherokee legends.{{efn|Much of the Kalona myth was apparently made up by the authors, since it refers to events a thousand years ago in Oklahoma, and until 1830, the Cherokee lived not in Oklahoma but in the region of New Echota, Georgia}}

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Instead of "vampire", the authors use the variant spelling "vampyre" throughout the series. This convention is also applied to the words "vampyric" and "vampyrism".

In the fictional world of House of Night, a small percentage of the world's teenagers are changed into vampyres when adolescent hormones trigger a strand of what is otherwise junk DNA.Cast, Marked, p. 23 Fledglings are "marked" by a Tracker vampyre with a blue crescent-shaped tattoo on their foreheads; when they become full-fledged adult vampyres, this mark becomes solid blue, and is eventually elaborated upon with the addition of further blue 'tattoos', which extend over their forehead and cheeks, typically taking designs related to some aspect of their personality. Fledglings that die and then are later resurrected have their crescent tattoos turn red in place of the usual blue. Red fledglings appear to complete the change once they have made a choice to side with either good or evil, and their expanded tattoos are the same red. {{efn|Zoey is the only fledgling to be "marked" with a filled-in mark; as the series progresses, she receives further tattoo-like designs around her cheeks, over her shoulders and across much of the rest of her body.}} The marking of a fledgling, and the consequent gifts received as part of being a vampyre, are considered to be gifts from the goddess Nyx, the Greek personification of the night.

The change from human to vampyre takes four years, during which the vampyre teenagers, known as "fledglings", must attend one of the "House of Night" boarding schools,Cast, Marked, p. 6 and must remain in constant proximity to adult vampyres, as otherwise the fledgling will die. As a result, fledglings rarely leave the schools in which they live. While at the House of Night boarding school, fledglings are required to take lessons in vampyre history, sociology, and in the powers gifted to them as part of their transition into an adult vampyre. However, one in ten fledglings die before completing the transition into adult vampyre, as their bodies reject the Change. Fledglings who do survive the Change into adulthood are physically stronger than most adult humans, with accelerated reflexes, enhanced dexterity, a heavily extended lifespan, and heightened senses, including night vision.{{cite web|url=http://poetsandwriters.okstate.edu/OKauthor/p.c.cast.html|title=P.C. Cast interview|access-date=2009-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419011558/http://poetsandwriters.okstate.edu/OKauthor/p.c.cast.html|archive-date=2012-04-19|url-status=dead}}

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Older fledglings and adult vampyres need to drink small quantities of human blood, but vampyres at the House of Night do not attack humans to get this, instead receiving donations from blood banks. The taking of blood is pleasurable for both human and vampyre, comparable to and described as better than sex or a drug rush within the series, and may lead to a strong emotional bond between the human and the vampyre, known as "Imprinting". An Imprint can be broken through death, the vampyre Imprinting upon another, or through mystical means; when an Imprint is broken, it causes considerable anguish for both the vampyre and the human.

The series has a strong religious setting, with both Christianity and the beliefs of the vampyres a common thread throughout. In the human world within the series, various faiths exist in opposition to or in support of the vampyres; the "People of Faith", a fictional Protestant Christian denomination, is highly intolerant of those they perceive to be in opposition to their beliefs, including the vampyres.{{efn|In an interview, Cast stated that she modelled the People of Faith on "the worst fanatics of all religions", and not exclusively Protestantism.{{cite web|url=http://novelnovice.com/2010/05/03/interview-with-p-c-cast-a-chance-to-win-a-signed-book|title=P.C. Cast interview May 3, 2010|date=3 May 2010 }}}} Catholicism also plays an important role later in the series, with the fledglings joining forces with Catholic nuns against Kalona. The religious setting of the series gives it a strong moral perspective,{{cite book|title=Marked|url=https://archive.org/details/marked00cast|url-access=registration|year=2007|author=P.C. Cast|author2=Kristin Cast|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |isbn=9780312360269 |quote=Help me know the right thing to do and then give me the courage to do it.}} as it is often enforced that Nyx gives vampyres and humans free will.{{cite book|title=Untamed|url=https://archive.org/details/untamedhouseofni0000cast|url-access=registration|year=2008|author=P.C. Cast|author2=Kristin Cast|page=[https://archive.org/details/untamedhouseofni0000cast/page/72 72]|quote=We all have bad things inside us, and we all choose either to give in to those bad things or to fight them.}} Throughout the series, Zoey faces difficult decisions and commonly questions whether or not she has made the right choices, with one character dying as a result of her actions in Tempted.Tempted, page 316 In Burned, a Manichaen view of the Universe is presented, in which Good battles Evil, and characters must choose which side to be on, with the black and white bulls, known as Light and Darkness respectively, introduced as representatives of these forces.

The series is set in Tulsa, in a small and reclusive part of Midtown, with many locations in the series taken from real-life Tulsa itself. The House of Night campus is in the real life campus of Cascia Hall Preparatory School, and the climactic scene of the first book in the series takes place in the extensive gardens of the Philbrook Museum of Art. In the series, Zoey also sometimes travels off-campus to the real-life shops of nearby Utica Square, and several important confrontations take place in Utica Square's Starbucks coffee shop. Some of the novels' most dramatic scenes take place in a catacomb-like network of tunnels under downtown Tulsa, built by bootleggers during Prohibition; though a few such tunnels do indeed exist,{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/losttulsa/62498547/|title=map of tunnels|date=12 November 2005 }} and can be visited,[http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/02/tulsas-underworldto-lunch.html "Tasha Does Tulsa" blog]{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} they are far less extensive than the tunnels described in the series. The abandoned Art Deco train depot where the tunnels begin, however, is real,{{cite web|url=http://pccast.blogspot.com/2009/09/tulsa-depot.html|title=P.C.Cast's blog with photos of Tulsa Depot}} and is slated to become a concert hall.{{cite web|url=http://www.grsd.net/tso/tulsadepot.htm|title=Tulsa Symphony website|access-date=2009-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723140613/http://www.grsd.net/tso/tulsadepot.htm|archive-date=2011-07-23|url-status=dead}}

The location of Aphrodite's parents' mansion, South 27th Place, is a real street, though the mansion itself is fictional. Though Aphrodite's father, Mr. LaFont, shares a similar name to former mayor of Tulsa Bill LaFortune, his character is not based on LaFortune himself.{{cite web|url=http://pccast.blogspot.com/2009/04/rachael-ray-show.html|title=P.C.Cast interview}} The Benedictine monastery to which Zoey and her friends flee in the seriesCast, Hunted, p.289 is real, known as St. Joseph Monastery.{{cite web|url=http://www.stjosephmonastery.org|title=St. Joseph Monastery website}} The devastating ice storm through which they flee was based on a real ice storm that hit Tulsa in December 2007.[https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12075193&postID=661257758496444881 P.C. Cast Blog], 6:08 p.m. comment The climactic scene in Tempted takes place far from Tulsa, on San Clemente Island near Venice, called {{lang|it|Isola di San Clemente|italic=no}} in real life. The church at which the Vampyre High Council meets was built in 1131.{{cite web|url=http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/san-clemente-palace-island.htm|title=Venice tourist website about the island}}

Much of Burned takes place on the Inner Hebrides island of Skye, in the palace of Sgiach, the vampyre queen. According to Scottish tradition, Sgiach (usually spelled Sgathach) was a princess many centuries ago, who ran the best warrior training school in Scotland.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IRo9AAAAYAAJ&q=Sgathaich&pg=PA1|title=The Brave Sons of Skye|page=1|first1=John |last1=Macinnes|year=1899}} Princess Sgathach lived in Dunscaith Castle, which is today a ruin.

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The following lists a number of the characters in House of Night.{{Cite web |url=http://www.houseofnightseries.com/characters |title=Characters | House of Night Series |access-date=2014-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405100445/http://www.houseofnightseries.com/characters |archive-date=2014-04-05 |url-status=dead }}

• Zoey Redbird: the main protagonist of the series. She has an affinity for all five elements (air, fire, water, earth, and spirit), and is the only High Priestess to have ever been given that magnitude of power by the goddess Nyx. Zoey is also the youngest High Priestess in vampyre history.
• Neferet: Main antagonist and former High Priestess, now immortal consort of Darkness and witch queen of the Tsi Sgili. Neferet is initially introduced as a kind, loving mentor to Zoey, but is gradually revealed to be on the side of Darkness.
• Aphrodite LaFont: Former "hag from hell" and Zoey's enemy in the first book. Aphrodite starts as a rather bitchy and arrogant vampyre fledgeling. Aphrodite is later unmarked to save Stevie Rae and the two imprint briefly. Her visions remain in spite of losing her mark and becomes an oracle and prophetess. Gradually grows to trust Zoey and the rest of the nerd herd.
• Stevie Rae Johnson: Zoey's best friend, and the first red{{clarify|date=January 2021}} vampyre High Priestess in history. She also has an affinity for earth and is Rephaim's girlfriend later in the series.
• Erin Bates: A fledgling and member of the nerd herd with an affinity for water before she left to be with the evil red fledgling Dallas. Her body eventually rejects the Change and she dies.
• Shaunee Cole: A fledgling and member of the nerd herd with an affinity for fire. She is Erin Bates twin until she starts to grow her own personality much to Erin's dismay. Suffers the loss of her twin. Girlfriend of Erik Night in Redeemed.
• Damien Maslin: A fledgling, member of the nerd herd with an affinity for air. Jack is his boyfriend until being murdered by Neferet. Damien eventually finds love again.
• Heath Luck: Zoey's human " almost-boyfriend", who cannot seem to stay away despite her best efforts. Their Imprint breaks twice: once when Zoey Imprints with Loren Blake, and again when Heath is killed by Kalona. Part of Heath's soul later returns in Aurox, the Vessel created by Neferet.
• Erik Night: A former fledgling and Zoey's ex-boyfriend, now the vampyre Tracker for Tulsa's House of Night. Erik has a talent for acting, and once won an international House of Night monologue competition. He and Shaunee later start seeing each other.
• James Stark: A red vampyre who is introduced in the 4th book and eventually becomes Zoey's main love interest as well as her Warrior and Guardian, and has an affinity for archery.
• Nyx: The goddess of the vampyres and Kalona used to be her warrior that he loved too much and she banished him.
• Kalona: Fallen immortal Guardian of Nyx. Father of Rephaim and the Raven Mockers. He was once a glorious winged immortal of Nyx as well as her warrior, but he grew jealous of his brother and was eventually deceived by Darkness, and was thus cast from the Otherworld by Nyx, an act that broke her heart. His wings turned black after this, reflecting the taint of Darkness in his soul.
• Darius: A Son of Erebus tasked with guarding Zoey. He later becomes Aphrodite's Warrior.
• Loren Blake: The vampyre Poet Laureate and a professor at the House of Night. He flirts with Zoey and later Imprints with her after having sex with her, but is revealed to be Neferet's lover and puppet. Neferet kills him in Chosen when he begins to show real concern for Zoey.
• Kramisha: A red fledgling with a gift for poetry who is named Zoey's Poet Laureate.
• Dragon Lankford: Anastasia's husband, the fencing instructor.
• Anastasia Lankford: Dragon's wife, the Spells, and Rituals professor.
• Sylvia Redbird: Zoey's grandmother, a Cherokee Wise Woman. She owns a lavender farm and is often on hand to give Zoey advice and reassurance in the fight against Darkness.
• Jack Twist: Damien's boyfriend and a member of the nerd herd, who has an unofficial affinity for technology. In Awakened, Neferet, needing a sacrifice for the white bull, chose Jack because he refused to revoke Nyx in favor of evil, and killed him, making it seem like an accident.
• Rephaim: Kalona's eldest and favorite Raven Mocker son. Later he becomes Stevie Rae's boyfriend, and is given a normal body in Awakened, but because of the mistakes he made in the past, is only normal by night. By day, he takes the form of a raven.
• Shaylin Ruede: A blind girl who is the first fledgling to be Marked red. When Erik Marks her, she is gifted with an affinity for True Sight, and later for water.
• Nisroc: Kalona's second eldest son and second most evolved, took care of his brothers while Kalona and Rephaim were away.

1. Marked (May 2007) – {{ISBN|9780312360269}}
2. Betrayed (October 2007) – {{ISBN|9780312360283}}
3. Chosen (March 2008) – {{ISBN|9780312360306}}
4. Untamed (September 2008) – {{ISBN|9780312379834}}
5. Hunted (March 2009) – {{ISBN|9780312577995}}
6. Tempted (October 2009) – {{ISBN|9780312609382}}
7. Burned (April 2010) – {{ISBN|9780312387969}}
8. Awakened (January 2011) – {{ISBN|9780312650247}}
9. Destined (October 2011) – {{ISBN|9780312387983}}
10. Hidden (October 2012) – {{ISBN|9781250041746}}
11. Revealed (October 2013) – {{ISBN|9780312594435}}
12. Redeemed (October 2014) – {{ISBN|9780312594442}}

1. Loved (October 2017) – {{ISBN|9781538431122}}
2. Lost (July 2018) – {{ISBN|9781538440742}}
3. Forgotten (October 2019) – {{ISBN|9781982548056}}{{cite book |title= Forgotten (House of Night Other World Series, Book 3) (A House of Night Other World)|last1= Cast|first1= P.C.|first2= Kristin|last2= Cast|date= 29 October 2019|publisher= Blackstone Publishing|isbn= 978-1982548056}}
4. Found (July 2020) – {{ISBN|9781982548100}}{{cite book |title= Found|last1= Cast|first1= P.C.|first2= Kristin|last2= Cast|date= 7 July 2020|publisher= Blackstone Publishing|isbn= 978-1982548100}}

• Dragon's Oath (July 2011) – {{ISBN|9781250000231}}
• Lenobia's Vow (January 2012) – {{ISBN|9781250000248}}
• Neferet's Curse (February 2013) – {{ISBN|9781250000255}}
• Kalona's Fall (July 2014) – {{ISBN|9781250046116}}

• The Fledgling Handbook 101 (October 2010) – {{ISBN|9780312595128}}
• The Nyx in the House of Night: Mythology, Folklore (June 2011) – BenBella Books, Inc. – {{ISBN|9781935618553}}
• House of Night: Legacy (July 2012) – Dark Horse Comics – {{ISBN|9781595829627}}
• Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle Cards: A 50-Card Deck and Guidebook (October 2012) – Ten Speed Press – {{ISBN|9780770433444}}

In November 2011, it was announced that the film rights to House of Night had been acquired by producer Samuel Hadida's production company, Davis Films, with Lionsgate having the distribution rights, with plans for five movies created, and an outline of the screenplay written. However, {{as of|2009|lc=y}}, there were no known future plans for the movies;{{cite web|title=P.C. Cast's Website: Latest News|url=http://www.pccast.net/latestnews.html|access-date=11 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091116162928/http://pccast.net/latestnews.html|archive-date=2009-11-16|url-status=dead}} the contract for the rights to the movies expired in the fall of 2020.{{cite web|title=Movie Update – Infinitely Interesting|url=https://www.infinitelyinteresting.co/hon-movie-news|access-date=25 September 2019}}

P.C. Cast announced on her website that a graphic book adaptation of the House of Night series, titled House of Night: Legacy, would be published in monthly issues by Dark Horse Comics starting the November 9, 2011. The comic book spanned five issues, each relating to a different element. The action takes place between Marked and Betrayed concerning Zoey's struggle to become a good leader for the Dark Daughters. To help her learn, Nyx places five tests in her way, each dealing with a story from The Fledgling Handbook 101. The drawings were done by Joëlle Jones, cover by Jenny Frison.[http://pccast.net/houseofnightcomic.html Comic book] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912010901/http://www.pccast.net/houseofnightcomic.html |date=2011-09-12 }}

The series has received generally good reviews, reaching 5th in the New York Times Children's Bestsellers list.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401EFD7163EF937A25750C0A9669D8B63&scp=3&sq=Burned%20%22House%20of%20Night%22&st=cse New York Times] "Children's Bestseller" list

• Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Marked (Young Adult Novel)[http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/marked Marked] on Romantic Times
• Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Tempted (Best Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Novel)[http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/tempted-5 Tempted] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824210028/http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/tempted-5 |date=2011-08-24 }} on Romantic Times
• Goodreads Choice Award for Burned (Favorite Book, Young Adult Fantasy, Favorite Heroine){{cite web|url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6917952-burned|title=Burned (House of Night, #7)|website=www.goodreads.com|access-date=2 April 2018}}
• A nomination for Teen Read Award for Best series in 2010.

The sixth novel in the series, Tempted, went on sale in October, 2009 with a first printing of a million copies,{{cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=67&articleid=20091025_67_G4_TheChi174184|title=Tulsa World article}} entered the USA Today bestseller list that week at #1.{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/life/books/booksdatabase/default.aspx|title=USA Today lists, search archive for Nov 5}} In January, 2010, Gezeichnet, a German translation of Marked, reached the #1 spot on the Der Spiegel bestseller list.{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-68885117.html|title=Der Spiegel list for 2/1/10}} The seventh novel, Burned, was released on April 27, 2010,{{cite web|url=http://pccast.blogspot.com/2010/02/burned-cover-revealed.html|title=P.C. Cast official blog for Feb. 2010}} and like Tempted, entered the USA Today bestseller list at #1.{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/life/books/booksdatabase/default.aspx|title=Bestseller list retrieved May 10, 2010 | work=USA Today}} Awakened, released in January, 2011, also entered the list at #1.{{cite web|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20110116/LIVING/301160039/Best-sellers|title=USA Today Bestseller List 1/16/11}} {{Dead link|date=May 2011}}

In 2014, pastor Phillip Missick of King of Saints Tabernacle created a petition to ban the House of Night series as well as the Twilight series, and other vampire themed books aimed at teen audiences. He stated that he wanted the books "purged from the shelves" of the Austin Memorial Library in Cleveland, TX.{{Cite web |last=BRASHIER |first=VANESA |date=2014-08-21 |title=Church leader pushing petition to ban certain books at Austin Memorial Library |url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/cleveland/news/article/Church-leader-pushing-petition-to-ban-certain-9720090.php |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=Chron |language=en-US}}

In 2009 Henderson Junior High School in Stephenville, Texas, banned the entire series from its libraries, including the books that had yet to be written for "sexual content and nudity".{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/free_downloads/2010banned.pdf|title=ALA Banned Books Week|website=ala.org|access-date=2 April 2018}}

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{{reflist}}

• [http://www.houseofnightseries.com Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411232748/https://www.houseofnightseries.com/ |date=2018-04-11 }}

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Category:Culture of Tulsa, Oklahoma

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