Customer Reviews
If only I could give zero stars...
This book was downright horrible. One big, long, boring angst fest. The author just ranbles on and on and on about even the most trivial things in the book. Besides, the characters are all Mary Sues. If you don't know what a Mary Sue is, look it up.
NOT reccomended. Check it out from the library first if you feel you really must read this drivel for yourself.
Perhaps the best of Rice's Vampire series.
Interview with the Vampire was the first of the Anne Rice series of vampire books and is my favorite. The book is fresh and pure. it is a mini-epic that is reads from the little I know of the author's life as semi-autobiography.
Here we have th story a Louis stricken with grief who is made a vampire by the vampire Lestat.
The story begins in New Orleans but takes us from there to the Balkans and then to France where Louis meets others of his kind.
Lestat and Lois read like two demons or philosophical points of view with which the author wrestles and explores. Louis is a well intentioned deeply religious figure where as Lestat is a bit of a hedonist, fop and trouble maker.
Before Lestat was elevated as a type of vampire super hero in the author's other books Interview with the Vampire had them as a pair of buddies (or blood brothers as it were). Quicky skillfully and with ease Rice developes these two characters and makes their interaction fascinating.
In essence it is quite a human story of two non-humans.
Rice re-invented the Vampire genre in this series but I think this book (as opposed to the others that followed) will appeal to the general reader of fiction and not just the fan of horror novels.
a creative telling [no spoilers]
"Interview with the Vampire" is the first novel from "The Vampire Chronicles" in the style of Louis de Pointe du Lac dictating to a human male recording the entire conversation. The writing style is well done but can be difficult to appreciate, especially during moments when another individual's point of view would have helped develop the storyline.
Louis of an 18th century New Orleans, Louisiana, narrates a tale from his pre-vampirism plantation owner days to the twentieth century. Other primary characters during his reflection are the creator of his existence Lestat and another fellow fledgling to complete the small group. Taking life to exist while trying to maintain his former humanity dominates his emotional struggles.
The author forgoes some of the traditional limitations found in the vampire genre such as the crucifix, holy water, and garlic, creating her own world where images on reflective surfaces are allowed and being welcomed into the household leaves no leverage for the residents. I believe having these restrictions on the undead brings balance for the victims yet the novel isn't as much about the conflict between vampires and humans as it is about internal turmoil and the lifestyle of a vampire.
As with just about every film-based novel, I would suggestion at least not watching the movie prior to reading the book if not forgoing the movies thereby leaving the series entirely to the imagination.
I recommend this book in the series to any fan of the romantic vampire genre.
Thank you.
