Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice | Book Review

"This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life. His story ebbs and flows through the streets of New Orleans, defining crucial moments such as his discovery of the exquisite lost young child Claudia, wanting not to hurt but to comfort her with the last breaths of humanity he has inside. Yet, he makes Claudia a vampire, trapping her womanly passion, will, and intelligence inside the body of a small child. Louis and Claudia form a seemingly unbreakable alliance and even "settle down" for a while in the opulent French Quarter. Louis remembers Claudia's struggle to understand herself and the hatred they both have for Lestat that sends them halfway across the world to seek others of their kind. Louis and Claudia are desperate to find somewhere they belong, to find others who understand, and someone who knows what and why they are."

Please beware of spoilers before you continue reading!!

Of all the countless times I saw the movie, I only now settled down into reading the first book of the Vampire Chronicles, feeling more determined with the sad passing of the Author Anne Rice herself in late 2021. It felt only fitting to include it in my 2022 reading challenge list. Moreso too now they announced the new adaption soon coming in October 2022. If it wasn't for the fact I got Ill this month, I'd have finished this book quicker, but I finally finished it today!

Naturally, the book was different to the movie and whilst many scenes were the same, it was interesting to see beneath the iceberg and get more in-depth perceptions of what Louis was thinking and feeling. It's everything a gothic vampire novel needs to be. I absolutely loved how Anne Rice managed to convey the love that was felt without needing to write any pleasurable intimacy scenes. Yes, there were "neck kisses" but there was no mention (from what I recall) of any sexual acts being performed, she let the language of love speaks for itself. It's almost like a love that we humans could not even begin to understand. It's something deep. We know how much Louis loved Claudia or Armand, because, as the writing style implied, Louis told us, emphatically and strongly in first-person. From start to finish, we learnt of each encounter, each event and how they moulded Louis to be the way he was at the present time in the novel, from his own lips. We listened patiently to him as he explained his moral dilemma at understanding what was evil, whilst also trying to find solace, in like-minded vampires who could explain why he is the way he is, who knows the history of vampires and how they came into being. Were they created by God? Was it a curse? Was it a gift?

I loved how the "death" of Claudia was not written in the book, since the book is a first-person narrative, Louis naturally did not witness it. All we have are those horrific moments for him when he found those small charred remains. I really felt for him then. I read through those passages without being able to put the book down.

There were times I struggled, and I can't pinpoint why, but something about the way scenes twisted and turned confused me. One moment Louis is talking about doing something or being somewhere and then suddenly he describes dreaming and visions and I'm left thinking, 'Wait...Did that really happen?' But on the other side of the coin, Anne Rice wrote scenes and settings so beautifully and vividly, that I really could picture seeing them.

“A summer rain had left the night clean and sparkling with drops of water. I leaned against the end pillar of the gallery, my head touching the soft tendrils of a jasmine which grew there in a constant battle with a wisteria, and I thought of what lay before me throughout the world and throughout time, and resolved to go about it delicately and reverently, learning that from each thing which would take me best to another.”

Despite those very few moments I struggled with the whirling scenes, this book was wonderful. It was everything I wanted it to be, it was dark, brooding, gothic - romanticizing vampire lore how it is supposed to be, a tantalizing dance and morale lesson with immortality. I would highly recommend this book if you want classically romantic vampires, historically gothic settings, and vampires with real feelings and emotions.