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Awareness of Life’s Purpose
The Diary of Vivienne tells the story of a society through the eyes of Vivienne and Richard, as they navigate strife, natural disasters, and moral decay while following the teachings of a mysterious entity called Neferatu. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The spirit world is enmeshed in our physical existence whether or not we are aware of it. Much of what we witness in the world has a spiritual basis. There is the famous dictum: “The devil made me do it.” We often speak of a good angel sitting on one shoulder while an evil one perches on the other. These are telling. What drives us has its origins in the subtle realms – the spiritual world. Having a figure like Neferatu playing such a significant role in the life of the protagonist and other characters is indicative of this reality.
This is an intriguing setup to a novel that is high in social commentary. What was your moral goal when writing this novel, and do you feel you’ve achieved it?
The goal has always been enlightenment, meaning, our awareness of life’s purpose. The novel strives to promote this through the centrality of the mythic figure, Neferatu. Amid greed, selfishness, and the violence we create out of ignorance, there are seeds of goodness that grow in us, if we but allow them. The dissolution of evil is always imminent. The ‘Diary’ never swerves from this truth.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
Suffering. We all suffer – no matter our station in life. This is indisputable. Suffering is arguably the nature of the human condition. We suffer not only physically, but morally, emotionally, and psychologically. And throughout, we strive to surmount this enduring pain using every method known. This is in itself is intriguing and the basis of every literary endeavor that captures the imagination.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Diary of Vivienne?
That we are spirits experiencing a physical existence; and that ultimately we must journey home to our origins – pure and unblemished; that our experience here is transient but significant, for without its many challenges, we cannot attain enlightenment. Without surmounting our every challenge, we cannot journey home victorious.
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The plot unfolds against a backdrop of war, suffering, and societal collapse, set in the future, where characters grapple with existential crises and moral dilemmas. The narrative explores the complexity of human nature – our ability to be both selfless and destructive – and delves deeply into spirituality, particularly through a figure called Neferatu, a mysterious entity whose teachings shape the lives of the characters.
As the world moves through strife, natural disasters, and moral decay, the characters, led by Vivienne, struggle to survive and make sense of their circumstances. The story transitions from this chaos into a utopia, where peace and enlightenment reign. However, it poses critical questions about idealism and whether humanity can truly learn from its mistakes or is doomed to repeat them.
The Diary of Vivienne – Is hope enough?
The Diary of Vivienne unfolds as a layered and haunting story. It follows a hidden journal discovered in the ruins of a future society that has scrubbed away its own painful past. The entries from Vivienne Rose, her partner Richard, and the ethereal teachings of Neferatu paint a world that swings between collapse and renewal. War tears through nations, faith shakes, and reforms itself, and ordinary people cling to hope as their only compass. The book wanders through violence, prophecy, political decay, and spiritual awakening, then suddenly shifts into a bright new age where humanity tries to forget what nearly destroyed it. The result is a narrative that asks, again and again, if hope can save us or if forgetting our darkness only guarantees its return.
I found myself caught between admiration and discomfort as Ashby moves from intimate confessions to sweeping political commentary. Sometimes the writing feels like a storm that refuses to settle. Other times it quiets into soft moments of grief or tenderness, especially when Vivienne speaks of her daughter or her friends. I loved those parts. They felt raw and human. But I kept circling back to the idea of Neferatu. His teachings land with a strange mix of poetry and severity. I felt drawn in, then pushed back out, unsure if I was reading wisdom or warning. That tension made the experience oddly addictive. I kept turning pages just to sit with that uncertainty.
The political edges of the book hit me differently. Ashby writes with open frustration about the collapse of governments, the decay of social trust, and the failures of institutions. Those sections made me pause because they echoed fears many people carry but rarely spell out so boldly. Sometimes I nodded along. Sometimes I winced. The diary style makes these passages feel personal rather than preachy. Still, the blend of prophecy, politics, mysticism, and dystopia can feel dizzying. But I liked the daring mix. The emotional swings, though, are what give the book its pulse. I felt alarm, sadness, wonder, and even hope that felt shaky but real.
I would recommend The Diary of Vivienne to readers who enjoy stories that blur the line between spiritual reflection and dystopian fiction. It fits anyone who likes a narrative that thinks out loud, pokes at uncomfortable ideas, and makes you question what you believe about society, faith, and the future. If you want a book that lingers in your mind long after you close it, this one will do just that.
Pages: 288 | ASIN : B0F6TFS5DG
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