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on 26 October 2006
I'm puzzled. The press review blurbs on the back cover proclaim Interview With The Vampire to be "thrilling", "sensual" and "spine-chilling". Frankly I felt none of these. Perhaps it's a victim of time, ironic for a book about immortality, but there is nothing in here intrinsically 'scary', the days of vampires being enough alone to merit horror are long gone, and the prose fails to compensate. Prior to this I'd been reading the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, himself writing in the 19th century, yet conjuring up far more chilling imagery and sensations not due to shock tactics but simple, straight-forward, outstanding writing. As for sensuality, I sense that that may have been the comments of a female reader, sadly, for a straight male, there's little to get hot under the collar about which leaves "thrilling" and the main problem of Interview With A Vampire.
The book is not thrilling simply because there's little actual plot of substance to the narrative. The only time you feel the story is going somewhere is the search for vampires in Eastern Europe and the discovery of 'revenants'. Prior to and following this the story is very much a character piece. Nothing wrong with that, although hardly something to thrill the soul. Sadly, well-drawn as the characters are, what they have to say is of little interest. Some have claimed there is philosophy in the text. In reality there's a few glib comments on the nature of good and evil, the morality of killing people (hey it's a tough issue for vampires...if only they were real and then it might feel like something important and in need of consideration) and the pains of immortality; these missives rarely add up to contemplation let alone philosophy.
I really wanted to like this book, vampires have always been a fasciation, but there's simply nothing of interest here beyond adolescent musings on nothing in particular and lumpen prose attempting to pass itself off as some sort of tragic beauty. Maybe it's a good prequel to the other chronicles although I sense a descent into fanboy satisfaction is the more likely content and quite honestly I can't be bothered to waste the time to find out.
The book is not thrilling simply because there's little actual plot of substance to the narrative. The only time you feel the story is going somewhere is the search for vampires in Eastern Europe and the discovery of 'revenants'. Prior to and following this the story is very much a character piece. Nothing wrong with that, although hardly something to thrill the soul. Sadly, well-drawn as the characters are, what they have to say is of little interest. Some have claimed there is philosophy in the text. In reality there's a few glib comments on the nature of good and evil, the morality of killing people (hey it's a tough issue for vampires...if only they were real and then it might feel like something important and in need of consideration) and the pains of immortality; these missives rarely add up to contemplation let alone philosophy.
I really wanted to like this book, vampires have always been a fasciation, but there's simply nothing of interest here beyond adolescent musings on nothing in particular and lumpen prose attempting to pass itself off as some sort of tragic beauty. Maybe it's a good prequel to the other chronicles although I sense a descent into fanboy satisfaction is the more likely content and quite honestly I can't be bothered to waste the time to find out.
on 13 January 2000
I read this book after watching the film, thinking , as i normally do, that the book would be a lot better , however i found the book to be most tedious and drawn out , after trying to read the next two follow up books, in case they got better (Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned) I've concluded that the main problem i have with it is that I don't like lestat , he was much kinda tougher in the film and hes a bit of a big ponce in the books , but theres also the problem of the very long winded way it's written ,now i realise it isn't stylish not to like this and the other books and im dissapointed i didn't but i can't reccomend this book to anyone.
on 14 January 2008
After reading the rave reviews on this site, I feel compelled to disagree with its superfluous praise.
I concede that this is an important vampire book and that the movie was absolutely brilliant, but in no way is the book superior to the movie. Anne Rice's tone is dull and monotonous to the point of banality. Overall, I found it painfully boring after watching the movie. Even the movie had a better ending than the book.
Serious readers of fiction won't be impressed with this book, and should rather read the classic, Dracula, for those interested in vampires.
I concede that this is an important vampire book and that the movie was absolutely brilliant, but in no way is the book superior to the movie. Anne Rice's tone is dull and monotonous to the point of banality. Overall, I found it painfully boring after watching the movie. Even the movie had a better ending than the book.
Serious readers of fiction won't be impressed with this book, and should rather read the classic, Dracula, for those interested in vampires.
on 22 September 2016
Morose, self hating vamp spends several hundred years depressed and in a miserable co-parenting situation until he escapes. Unfortunately, he's just as miserable being free and falls in with a bad crowd who kill his daughter / 'paramour '. He's upset even though said vamp child was holding him back and goes back to moping for a few more years. Eventually seeks talk therapy from reluctant human he terrifies so much the poor guy chain smokes as he listens to vanp's tale of woe. The End.
My advice, watch the film. A rare occasion of when Hollywood did it better.
My advice, watch the film. A rare occasion of when Hollywood did it better.
on 10 July 2016
I know I'm in the minority here, but we all agree to disagree.
I PERSONALLY did not like this book, I found it rather dull and boring, and rather long winded, I generally found this book very difficult to get along with, i also thought thought that the characters were highly unrelatable and had very bad chemistry.
I will not be rereading this book in the future
I PERSONALLY did not like this book, I found it rather dull and boring, and rather long winded, I generally found this book very difficult to get along with, i also thought thought that the characters were highly unrelatable and had very bad chemistry.
I will not be rereading this book in the future
