Blurb
Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force—a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses. It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.
Review
I usually don2527t
read pure horror stories but I2527ve always enjoyed vampire romance books and
vampire movies of any genre. The Vampire Chronicles Vol. 1 has sat on the shelf
for years at home and I finally decided to read it. The volume contains the
first three books in the series: Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat
and Queen of the Damned (I2527ll review the latter two in other posts). I grew up
with the movie, Interview with the Vampire, with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and
I think that2527s where my fascination with vampires began. Later, when the movie,
Queen of the Damned, came out, my craziness for hot goth guys and wild musicians
grew. This second movie, I believe, takes elements from the second and third
books so I2527m anxious to read those books to see how they differ from the movie.
read pure horror stories but I2527ve always enjoyed vampire romance books and
vampire movies of any genre. The Vampire Chronicles Vol. 1 has sat on the shelf
for years at home and I finally decided to read it. The volume contains the
first three books in the series: Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat
and Queen of the Damned (I2527ll review the latter two in other posts). I grew up
with the movie, Interview with the Vampire, with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and
I think that2527s where my fascination with vampires began. Later, when the movie,
Queen of the Damned, came out, my craziness for hot goth guys and wild musicians
grew. This second movie, I believe, takes elements from the second and third
books so I2527m anxious to read those books to see how they differ from the movie.
Anyway, on
to this book…
to this book…
I was a
little disappointed to realize the character of the interviewer was simply
referred to as ‘the boy2527 throughout the whole book and, although the book is
titled ‘Interview,2527 I2527d hoped the author showed
the story instead of telling it to us. Unfortunately, we are told everything that happens from Louis2527s POV. After a
while, I grew comfortable with this format and just focused on the story.
little disappointed to realize the character of the interviewer was simply
referred to as ‘the boy2527 throughout the whole book and, although the book is
titled ‘Interview,2527 I2527d hoped the author showed
the story instead of telling it to us. Unfortunately, we are told everything that happens from Louis2527s POV. After a
while, I grew comfortable with this format and just focused on the story.
Though I2527m
not surprised that thousands of humans died—this is a vampire novel after all, and
no love or happiness is needed or required—the cruelty and lack of conscience
was difficult to read at times. Louis and Claudia2527s relationship bothered me. She
was his daughter, his best friend, his lover of sorts, his pain, his abuser, and
his reason for staying trapped with Lestat and with her for so many decades. She2527s
a grown woman trapped in a five-year-old child2527s body. I didn2527t like her to say
the least. The way Louis and Claudia treated each other, as though they were
married and in romantic love, not parental-and-child love, disgusted me. The
sexual innuendoes to child molestation was surprising, though I don2527t think
every reader will pick up on that or agree with me.
not surprised that thousands of humans died—this is a vampire novel after all, and
no love or happiness is needed or required—the cruelty and lack of conscience
was difficult to read at times. Louis and Claudia2527s relationship bothered me. She
was his daughter, his best friend, his lover of sorts, his pain, his abuser, and
his reason for staying trapped with Lestat and with her for so many decades. She2527s
a grown woman trapped in a five-year-old child2527s body. I didn2527t like her to say
the least. The way Louis and Claudia treated each other, as though they were
married and in romantic love, not parental-and-child love, disgusted me. The
sexual innuendoes to child molestation was surprising, though I don2527t think
every reader will pick up on that or agree with me.
I hate to
say this but I thought of Louis as rather a weak character. He knew what he did
was wrong, what others did was wrong, but he just didn2527t care. He states in the
latter half of the novel that true evil is passiveness, that doing nothing to
prevent something bad from happening is just as bad as doing it yourself. He2527s
full of pain and regret; he lacks courage and a backbone to stand up to those
who control him (Lestat and Claudia). He wants love, kindness, light and
answers, but he lives in blood, deceit and darkness. He never receives his true
desire and I feel sorry for him, but I felt he brought this bad existence on
himself.
say this but I thought of Louis as rather a weak character. He knew what he did
was wrong, what others did was wrong, but he just didn2527t care. He states in the
latter half of the novel that true evil is passiveness, that doing nothing to
prevent something bad from happening is just as bad as doing it yourself. He2527s
full of pain and regret; he lacks courage and a backbone to stand up to those
who control him (Lestat and Claudia). He wants love, kindness, light and
answers, but he lives in blood, deceit and darkness. He never receives his true
desire and I feel sorry for him, but I felt he brought this bad existence on
himself.
Lestat is
cruel, manipulative, ignorant, and plain vicious but, unlike Louis, he doesn2527t
hide his true nature or deny it which almost makes him more likable than Louis.
Claudia is just like Lestat but she physically appears innocent and plays with
Louis2527s guilt better than Lestat ever could. The hero of this book, if you can
even call Louis that, is trapped under their spell for close to a century and he
finally escapes with the help of another vampire, Armand. Louis has so many
questions but doesn2527t ask them when he finally has the opportunity. It2527s
frustrating. Even with his new friend he2527s not truly free because he loses
himself to blandness and misery that can2527t be vanquished. Louis changes so much
throughout the course of the book, from a gentle, naïve man to a man full of shame
who still wants to be human, to a monster who ignores his shame and regret, to
a monster with questions and who tries to be human again, to a monster who
finally accepts the evilness inside him, to a shell of a man who lives his life
in a bubble of nothingness. It2527s a sad legacy to leave behind but his story is very compelling from cover to cover.
cruel, manipulative, ignorant, and plain vicious but, unlike Louis, he doesn2527t
hide his true nature or deny it which almost makes him more likable than Louis.
Claudia is just like Lestat but she physically appears innocent and plays with
Louis2527s guilt better than Lestat ever could. The hero of this book, if you can
even call Louis that, is trapped under their spell for close to a century and he
finally escapes with the help of another vampire, Armand. Louis has so many
questions but doesn2527t ask them when he finally has the opportunity. It2527s
frustrating. Even with his new friend he2527s not truly free because he loses
himself to blandness and misery that can2527t be vanquished. Louis changes so much
throughout the course of the book, from a gentle, naïve man to a man full of shame
who still wants to be human, to a monster who ignores his shame and regret, to
a monster with questions and who tries to be human again, to a monster who
finally accepts the evilness inside him, to a shell of a man who lives his life
in a bubble of nothingness. It2527s a sad legacy to leave behind but his story is very compelling from cover to cover.
Overall, I
enjoyed this book but from now on I2527ll probably just stick with the movie. Though
quite a bit is lost during the translation from page to screen, I think the
movie is easier to understand and it doesn2527t drag in description as the book
does. Hardcore Anne Rice fans may not agree with that assessment, but it2527s just my humble opinion.
enjoyed this book but from now on I2527ll probably just stick with the movie. Though
quite a bit is lost during the translation from page to screen, I think the
movie is easier to understand and it doesn2527t drag in description as the book
does. Hardcore Anne Rice fans may not agree with that assessment, but it2527s just my humble opinion.
3 Stars
Disclaimer
– I received this book as a gift from my grandmother-in-law. I am not paid or
compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change
or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.
– I received this book as a gift from my grandmother-in-law. I am not paid or
compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change
or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.