Customer Reviews

The Vampire Lestat

5 star:		(276)
4 star:		(69)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

If Anne Rice had never written another book after "The Vampire Lestat," her reputation as a rare genius would have been created and sealed with this one novel.

Unlike most Rice fans, I read this book first, and it has always been my favorite of all the Vampire Chronicls, much more so than "Interview with a Vampire."

I cannot count how many times I have reread this book, and with each reading, I find a new richness, a new insight, a new awe-inspiring peak into the mind of a woman whose genius may be madness, but with whom I will gladly cross the line. (Case in point: This is the only book ever for which I stood in line for hours to have the author inscribe her name.)

I won't belabor the plot here; it is simply too baroque to try to put into simple words. Suffice to say that, in the first person, we meet Lestat, the teenaged son of an impoverished 18th-century nobleman, whose life is at best cold and harsh, at worst, a constant battle with cruelty of every sort for one's mere survival. One particularly dark and fiercely cold night, Lestat, a beautiful young man despite all his hardships, is out with his beloved dogs, hunting wolves. Into the strange fog he rides...and when he first hears the deep, surreal, and otherworldly voice calling him..."Wolf killer, wolf killer," we are there with him. And we are by his side as he becomes, in a strangely but riveting erotic passage, one of the undead. A vampire unto eternity.

All of Anne Rice's intensity, her eroticism, her love of history, her incredible sense of detail, and her dark view of the world is present in this book, much more so than "Interview with a Vampire."

It is my suggestion that, if you want to sample Anne Rice, and have never read any of her works, this may be the book you want to read. And if you know Rice's works but not this particular novel, I urge you not to deny yourself another minute. This is truly one of the must-reads of one's life.

Published 9 years after "Interview with the Vampire", this sequel tells us the story of Lestat, the villain of the first book. Opening in 1985, we read that Lestat is now a "rock and roll" star. (Note to Anne Rice: people have not said "rock and roll" for quite some time...) This seems a strange change for the brooding vampire of the first book, and it's not entirely successful to me as a reader. It may have worked better in 1985, but by now, it seems a bit unnecessary and kind of silly. Thankfully, this plot is only a framing device for the life story of Lestat de Lioncourt (and that's why I insist on giving this book 5 stars.) "Lestat" is quite a different novel from the first in the series, but we are dealing with an entirely different vampire here than the depressed and vulnerable Louis (who remains my favorite vampire). Lestat's story goes throughout the centuries, and he meets other vampire's who tell their tales. This book is a fantastic pageant that goes back to Ancient Egyptian times, to classical Rome, to pagan Europe, to the times of the French Revolution, to an old, decaying Parisian cemetery and even up to the present time. "The Vampire Lestat" is a much denser novel than the first (which has now become a sort of prelude or teaser to the entire Vampire Chronicles) but it's just as enjoyable. This book seems to be the hands down favorite of most readers of the Vampire Chronicles, but this is not an incentive to read these books out of order. "Interview with the Vampire" contains some very important passages and character development that are important to your understand of the second (especially in one of the final sections of "Lestat"). Amazingly, Rice maintains the continuity between the two novels, and doesn't make any of the "revisionist history" in the second seem false or forced. (Of note is the explanation as to why Lestat's father but not mother was in the first book... that revelation is a shocking one.) Another fun aspect is Lestat's reaction to reading Stoker's "Dracula". And fear not, some of our favorite characters from the first book do appear again... in unexpected ways. One of my favorite characters to be introduced into this book was Akasha, who is the Queen of the Damned of the third novel.

With The Vampire Lestat, Rice again does a wonderful job with her prose; it's a beautifully written, exciting and captivating book. I had no idea where the book was going from one moment to the next, and it never disappointed. Rice even successfully depicts twentieth century America as a fascinating place to be. I never thought a drugstore would seem so interesting. Read this book, but don't read it too fast... savor it, it's worth the time.

I read this book in English. I am Italiam, and it was not that simple for me. But _The Vampire Lestat_ is something you cannot restist. _Interview_ is a beautiful book, indeeed, but I think it's a substantial mistake. Why does Louis obstinately hate Lestat? Why does he not understand that Lestat loves him? Why does he prefer the treacherous Armand? Lestat's end in _Interview_ is terrible, unbeareble. You cannot let a creature die of depression. Even if he were much and much worse than he is descripted. So, thanks to _The Vampire Lestat_! Miss Rice understood what depression really is. Maybe she knows this terrible disease. She gives a chance to her bad boy, to her villain, to her horrible, enchanting and intriguing character. And besides, she writes so well!

I have some mixed feelings about Anne Rice's "The Vampire Lestat", but all things considered, I truly believe it is a worthwhile read. In this follow-up to "Interview with the Vampire", we are told the life story of Lestat de Lioncourt, and I was bothered by the inconsistencies between the two books. Lestat tells us that Louis has lied about all kinds of things, and the cruel and cold-hearted villain we came to know and love in "Interview with the Vampire" becomes a moral, soft-hearted, and tortured soul, always trying to do the right thing and find the answers to life's mysteries. Hmmm. I think if I had not read "Interview with the Vampire", I would have found "The Vampire Lestat" far more enjoyable, because then I would have been blissfully unaware of the transformation of Lestat's character. With that said though, "The Vampire Lestat" is a compelling, if lengthy and somewhat verbose, tale, and in the end I was glad I read it, because it has many redeeming qualities.

The book purports to be Lestat's autobiography, and we are taken on a lush and erotic journey through Lestat's long and eventful life. From his youth as the son of a marquis in pre-Revolutionary France when Lestat befriends a troubled violinist named Nicolas, to the crowded streets of Paris where his life is changed forever by a solitary vampire named Magnus, who gives Lestat the dark gift before deserting him forever. Shocked and amazed by what has befallen him, Lestat, begins to learn what it is to be a vampire. Questions about the why and how of what he has become torment Lestat, but there is nobody for him to turn to. Lestat's story has many twists and turns; as he saves his mother from her deathbed with his immortal kiss, meets a hostile coven of Satan-worshipping vampires living under a cemetery, and ultimately goes off on a quest for a legendary ancient vampire named Marius in hopes of finding some answers to the questions that haunt him. And through it all we are treated to Rice's memorable and moving prose. However, the author's tendency to become overly descriptive is in evidence here, and there were some portions of the book that were a bit hard to get through.

As I've already stated, my feelings about "The Vampire Lestat" are a bit ambiguous. But despite my criticisms of this book, I actually did like it a lot. Lestat's story is affecting, intriguing, and entertaining, and in the end I could honestly say that I enjoyed it. Many people adore this book, and it's easy to see why, and on the other hand quite a few people hate it, and I can understand their point of view too. I can't guarantee anything to anyone picking up this book, because Anne Rice's writing is hypnotic and beautiful to some, and deadly boring to others. Personally, I would have been sorry if I'd missed "The Vampire Lestat", since I really did become quite engrossed in Lestat's tale. So give this book a try and see what you think, you may just be pleasantly surprised!

The above quote is from the short story LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AS A DICTATOR WOULD TELL IT, wherein the wolf explains how he was the real victim, and Little Red and Granny had it coming. THE VAMPIRE LESTAT is a bit like an irony-free book-long version of the same thing.

This is, of course, the sequel to INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, which did not need or want a sequel. For fans of the first book, the opening pages of TVL will tell you right away what you are in for. Louis was lying. Lestat is really a lovely guy, he never kills anybody who doesn't deserve it. Heck, even when he is starving, he goes without blood until he can find a killer who shows no remorse. He is not a peasant named Valois, he is a nobleman named "de Lioncourt". Yeah, that's the ticket.

You might reasonably assume that Lestat - the narrator -- is the one doing most of the lying, but the epilogue makes clear that this is not the case. Nor do we get a convincing Lestat's-eye portrait of Louis-As-Liar, or any decent (or even lame) reason why Louis would tell a pack of lies to a mortal anyway, so don't be like me and plow your way through the whole book if that is the part you are interested in. This is a lazy retcon, not RASHOMON.

Pity. Ms. Rice has the beginnings of a very good story here. Lestat is the unhappy younger son of a backwoods nobleman in pre-Revolutionary France, and he finds solace in his friendship with Nicolas, a cultured but rebellious merchant's son with a dark streak. Their passionate attachment despite vast chasms of psychological difference provides an excellent beginning to the novel, and gives us characters and themes we can actually care about. This historical setting is well realized, and the wolves are cool, as is the Little Red Riding Hood motif.

Unfortunately, even in this first and best part of the novel, the boy Lestat is overshadowed by his egomaniac alter ego. His mortal innocence has a hard time making an impression through the filter of modern-day narrator-Lestat's banality and self-absorption. Only occasionally, when young Lestat feels hurt by his brother's coldness, or moved by his friend's affection or pain, do we get a FEEL for his imperiled humanity. Most times, such as when he spends half a page describing how his own mouth looked, we only feel that he must have been a soulless prat from the cradle. Further, he becomes a vampire too soon, and adjusts too easily, leaving us no reason to like him at all.

The pre-whitewashed monster from INTERVIEW was, ironically, far more human, in that his very cruelty was evidence of his desperate dependency. Compare him to THIS idiot, who constantly spouts glib and flowery declarations of "love" for anyone and anything he gets briefly enthusiastic about, including the people he murders. I spent INTERVIEW nursing a slow burning hatred for Lestat, and rooting for him to die a hideous death, but he was a genuinely tragic character in his own way. This guy isn't worth the effort of either hate or pity. I just wanted him put out of my misery.

I agree with the reviewer who said that this would have been a much better book if it only had been about "The Vampire George" rather than Lestat. Not only does TVL trash classic characters from a better book, but since this is all just backstory to INTERVIEW, nothing interesting can actually GO anywhere. Lestat's friendship with Nicolas and feud with Armand, which signified so much about the spiritual trauma of that time, should have been the heart and soul of this novel. But both are neglected in favor of Lestat's dreary Oedipal relationship with his mother, and then dropped so we can have a search for the Origin of Vampires. The latter is a bit like reading a novel about an angst-ridden serial child-killer, only to have it end with him tracing his family tree back to Genghis Khan. Who cares? As Louis finally admitted at the end of INTERVIEW about his similar quest, it is just avoiding the point.

But that attitude would only kill the opportunity for more sequels, I suppose. So eventually we meet a NEW Louis, who has clearly received a partial lobotomy, a spine-ectomy, and an all-expense-paid trip to Stepford since the ending of INTERVIEW, instead of killing himself like he said he would, the Rotten Stinking Liar. But he still looks ravishing, and that's what counts. So forget "You cannot have love and goodness when you do what you know to be evil" or "I knew the real answer to my quest . . . when I first took a human life to feed my craving. It was my death." Instead we get a flock of swishy yet murderous fiends gazing lovingly upon one another and rhapsodizing at length about each other's mesmerizing beauty. "Locked together in hatred" looks darn good by comparison.

This book was beyond anything that I have ever read before. I've always loved vampire novels, and Ann Rice is one of the best authors I've read. Like many people, I started to gain interest in Ann Rice's books after watching Interview with the Vampire. But I finally chose to read the books when I saw the most recent movie Queen of the Damned. As I was reading the book, it was easy to imagine exactly what kind of person (so to speak) Lestat really is. Lestat suffers from the one thing that almost all humans fear; loneliness. I guess that's what makes him different from most vampires. He still has some of his human moralities left. Nevertheless, Rice's descriptions in everything that is going on is so vivid, you'd swear that Lestat is real. However, some parts of the story made me loss interest and I just skimmed the pages. I guess you can be a little over descriptive. Overall, it was a great book to read and I plan on reading the next one.

I would like to start out by saying that Anne Rice is the most sensual writer I have ever read. I urge you not to listen to those ignorant, unappreciative reviewers who say this book is "boring." It is captivating, beautiful, and most importantly, human. In this story, we find out how complicated the wonderful character Lestat really is. He is charismatic, seemingly evil, and outgoing. But beneath it all, he is sensitive and maybe even caring. I think he is a very beautiful, well-written character, and anyone who cannot see that should stick with R.L. Stine. As a writer myself, I recognize extraordinary talent such as displayed by Anne Rice. I adore her and her characters, specifically Lestat. I have never read more sensuous and elegant work in my life. The ability she has to take fantasy, horror, drama, and even a little sci-fi and weave all the elements together into one astounding tapestry is amazing. There has never been a more breath-taking storyteller than Anne Rice. And never before has anything more extraordinary been written than her Vampire Chronicles. Her work is going to be studied for ages.

I have not read Interview with a Vampire. I have seen the movie, I think I should read the book. This book is slow to start, but a marvelous history to vampires as it plays out. I have not researched vampires, but if Rice did not herself get the Vampire history info from another source, she is definitely a genius. Her imagination is mind boggling. Great book!!

This novel is probably the best of Anne Rice's work, and most certainly the jewel of the Vampire Chronicles.

With poetic grandeur, Rice takes on a journey through the unflinchingly realistic death and borgeois carelessness of 18th century Paris... We follow young Lestat on his journey from the son of a French noble to a popular stage actor. And it is done with an eloquent, patient style that has personified Anne Rice and her novels. Here, her wrtiting is in top form!

The book, although comnparitively long, is intenseley engrossing, and as we follow the life of the Vampire Lestat, we can't help but paint our own vampiric reality of this fictional biography in our own minds. Lestat is done in such a way that his author's voice (the book is an "auto-biography") is genuine and believable...not only that, it is hypnotic and beguiling.

We are shown the depravity of the wretched cult of vampires led by Armand underneath the "Les Innocents" cemetary...we follow Lestat and his companion (mother) Gabrielle on their journey through the VERY VIVID old world (Europe) of the 18th century.

Perhaps the most compelling character in the story is Marius, a 2,000 year old vampire who recounts the tale of his own "birth into darkness" to Lestat. We are shown awesome sights in Marius' biography within a biography.

It is a must-read for any vampire-fan, or fan of gothic literature. I will say this; the ending is a very artful cliff-hanger...you'll be compelled to read "The Queen of the Damned"...

Let me just say that I have only completed half of the book so far. Though I am enjoying the book I must admit that I still prefer Interview With the Vampire much more. For one thing, I cannot shake the feeling that Anne Rice has transformed Lestat's character in an attempt to make him seem less cruel than he was first portrayed by Louis. Yes, according to Lestat Louis exaggerated and lied.. But I find that questionable. How could he have exaggerated to such a great extent?? I just don't like this new Lestat as much as I did the one Louis described. And I can't stand his mother. I am offended by the way both she and her son slay their victims. They both seem a bit callous though Lestat for the most part tries to target criminals only.. Another thing that bothered me was Lestat's creation. It seemed as if that whole scene Rice described with Magnus went by extremely fast. I just could not conceive the whole thing.. Nor could I believe Lestat's new found love for his creator. Even after Magnus abandons Lestat, who he has made his heir, Lestat has no trouble managing his powers nor has any qualms about killing.. This was so much unlike Louis whose first moments/kill as a vampire I found more realistic. It all seemed too easy for Lestat.. I think I loved Louis because of the lingering love he showed for his mortal victims.. And the fact that even as a vampire he still meditated on his relationship with God. Louis never went out of his exhibit his power as a vampire either. Meanwhile Lestat and his mother are climbing towers and traveling on rooftops.. In IWTV, Louis does not attempt to do such a thing until Armond urges to. Besides this, I am having a hard time reading this novel because I find some scenes to a tad bit boring and drawn out. This book progresses very slowly and I find reading it to an almost arduous task.