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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 23, 2017
There's nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said already and said far more eloquently. But I'm going to talk about it anyway because it's special to me. This book was *the* book---the one that started my love for vampire books.
I read this for the first time when I was 14, and then proceeded to read the rest of the 11 or so Vampire Chronicles books (plus the New Tales ones) available at the time. When I think of high school, these are the books that come to mind. I have a lot of memories of reading these books. They mean something to me. They shaped me as a reader and, maybe in some ways, as a person.
So, 8 or so years later, I decided I wanted to revisit this book that meant so much to me as a teen and to refresh my memory before finally reading Claudia's Story. My first attempt didn't go well---I DNFed around 20%---but a few years after that, I found myself thinking about this book more and more until one day I came upon some fan art and was suddenly filled with this excitement and desire to reread the book immediately, and I think being in the right mood made all the difference. I really enjoyed it, to the point that I actually want to continue rereading the series---I hadn't been expecting that.
But anyway... I've decided my reviews for this series aren't going to be reviews so much as just a way for me to track and discuss my thoughts. So the likes/dislikes might be helpful for people considering the book, but the rest will be better for anyone who's already read it or is just curious. Also, I just want to note that I'm basing these thoughts on THIS BOOK ONLY, not any of the later books.
Things I Disliked/Things I Didn't Mind but Others Might Dislike:
- The interview style of the book was weird since technically it was 3rd person omniscient set in the present, but, since most of the book was Louis talking, it felt more like 1st person set in the past. It sounds like something that be distracting, but I still kept getting lost in the story regardless.
- There was a lot of flowery language and description. Sometimes it drew me into the story, other times it was too much.
- Descriptions of characters and random humans was... strangely sensual in a way that I sometimes found kind of unsettling. Maybe it was because, instead of noticing typical things, Louis noticed things like the plumpness of someone's cheeks. Seriously, the word 'plump' was used five times which doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure seems that way while you're reading. It was like everyone described came from a cherubic Renaissance painting (though I feel like this might just be Anne Rice's writing style). Although, I suppose it makes sense that a vampire would describe people with a word more often used to describe food.
- There was no goal to work toward. It was literally just a vampire explaining everything that happened in his life.
- There weren't regular chapters, just four parts.
- Louis and Armand kept tossing around the word 'love' like candy almost as soon as they met. But Armand himself said he only wanted Louis because Louis would be the one to revitalize him and keep him from falling into despair from the immortality. And Louis, well, he was clearly just enamored by the way someone was finally willing to give him answers and talk with him and listen while he brooded aloud.
Things I Liked:
- I will always love this portrayal of vampires. I mean, I do like reading about sex + biting, but, for these vampires, feeding and killing IS sex, and I can appreciate that. (I still remember the first time I read a book in which the vampires had sex though, I hated it and was like, "No! That's not how it's supposed to be!" Lol.) The biting still has this sensual/erotic aspect to it at times. And I just like these beautiful yet deadly vampires. They're human, yet they're not human.
- The characterization was fantastic. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but they were so well-written, and that made me kind of like them anyway. Sometimes I feel like a lot of the characters I read about are bland or super similar to other characters, but both Louis and Lestat were so different from each other and also unique in their own rights.
- There were some unconventional relationships. I found them thought-provoking (more on this below).
- The whole book had a dark, atmospheric feel.
[My thoughts on the characters and the relationships among them were super long and kind of spoilery, so I'm not including them here, but you can find them in my review on my blog or Goodreads.]
Overall Thoughts:
Even though this book had a lot of description and a few other things that would normally put me off a book, it's a vampire classic, it means something to me because of how much it's influenced my reading habits, and I found myself being drawn in by the great characterization!
*I’ve read this book multiple times. This review was written after my 2nd read.*
Rating: 4 Stars
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight (link in profile)
I read this for the first time when I was 14, and then proceeded to read the rest of the 11 or so Vampire Chronicles books (plus the New Tales ones) available at the time. When I think of high school, these are the books that come to mind. I have a lot of memories of reading these books. They mean something to me. They shaped me as a reader and, maybe in some ways, as a person.
So, 8 or so years later, I decided I wanted to revisit this book that meant so much to me as a teen and to refresh my memory before finally reading Claudia's Story. My first attempt didn't go well---I DNFed around 20%---but a few years after that, I found myself thinking about this book more and more until one day I came upon some fan art and was suddenly filled with this excitement and desire to reread the book immediately, and I think being in the right mood made all the difference. I really enjoyed it, to the point that I actually want to continue rereading the series---I hadn't been expecting that.
But anyway... I've decided my reviews for this series aren't going to be reviews so much as just a way for me to track and discuss my thoughts. So the likes/dislikes might be helpful for people considering the book, but the rest will be better for anyone who's already read it or is just curious. Also, I just want to note that I'm basing these thoughts on THIS BOOK ONLY, not any of the later books.
Things I Disliked/Things I Didn't Mind but Others Might Dislike:
- The interview style of the book was weird since technically it was 3rd person omniscient set in the present, but, since most of the book was Louis talking, it felt more like 1st person set in the past. It sounds like something that be distracting, but I still kept getting lost in the story regardless.
- There was a lot of flowery language and description. Sometimes it drew me into the story, other times it was too much.
- Descriptions of characters and random humans was... strangely sensual in a way that I sometimes found kind of unsettling. Maybe it was because, instead of noticing typical things, Louis noticed things like the plumpness of someone's cheeks. Seriously, the word 'plump' was used five times which doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure seems that way while you're reading. It was like everyone described came from a cherubic Renaissance painting (though I feel like this might just be Anne Rice's writing style). Although, I suppose it makes sense that a vampire would describe people with a word more often used to describe food.
- There was no goal to work toward. It was literally just a vampire explaining everything that happened in his life.
- There weren't regular chapters, just four parts.
- Louis and Armand kept tossing around the word 'love' like candy almost as soon as they met. But Armand himself said he only wanted Louis because Louis would be the one to revitalize him and keep him from falling into despair from the immortality. And Louis, well, he was clearly just enamored by the way someone was finally willing to give him answers and talk with him and listen while he brooded aloud.
Things I Liked:
- I will always love this portrayal of vampires. I mean, I do like reading about sex + biting, but, for these vampires, feeding and killing IS sex, and I can appreciate that. (I still remember the first time I read a book in which the vampires had sex though, I hated it and was like, "No! That's not how it's supposed to be!" Lol.) The biting still has this sensual/erotic aspect to it at times. And I just like these beautiful yet deadly vampires. They're human, yet they're not human.
- The characterization was fantastic. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but they were so well-written, and that made me kind of like them anyway. Sometimes I feel like a lot of the characters I read about are bland or super similar to other characters, but both Louis and Lestat were so different from each other and also unique in their own rights.
- There were some unconventional relationships. I found them thought-provoking (more on this below).
- The whole book had a dark, atmospheric feel.
[My thoughts on the characters and the relationships among them were super long and kind of spoilery, so I'm not including them here, but you can find them in my review on my blog or Goodreads.]
Overall Thoughts:
Even though this book had a lot of description and a few other things that would normally put me off a book, it's a vampire classic, it means something to me because of how much it's influenced my reading habits, and I found myself being drawn in by the great characterization!
*I’ve read this book multiple times. This review was written after my 2nd read.*
Rating: 4 Stars
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight (link in profile)
