I love vampire fiction but despise the flowery and stereotypical stories of Anne Rice. This is an utterly fantastic novel which I read every month or so, usually in one sitting.
Its an original spin on the vampire myth with characters so completley depicted that you react strongly to them, loving some, hating others, idolising many.
It covers the interaction between two small town best friends and musicians; the debauchery of three punk vampires; an ancient and lonely vampire from the French Quater and a lonesome, jaded young boy who always knew he was more than he seemed to be. In all this you get love, violence, mystery, incest, voodoo, witch craft and more.
It is harshly beautiful and written asthough Brite speaks straight into your mind, and I defy anyone, gay straight or androgenous not to laugh out loud, cry and fall totally in love with at least one character.