For the sake of trying something different here at Bibliophila, Please, Thursday is now Thenadays.
Title: The Vampire Lestat
Author: Anne Rice
Publisher: Ballantine Books (I believe)
Release Date: 1985
Since I feel so utterly guilty about being unable to finish The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice, I find it necessary to share something that I do love about this author.
I will admit that I did not read anything by Anne Rice before Interview with the Vampire came out at the movies. I was obsessed with Brad Pitt, and I somehow finagled my way into seeing this movie. Let me assure you, I was NOT anywhere near old enough to see this at the theater. Still, I managed it. Though it satisfied my adoration of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, I found myself wanting more. I pulled some strings and managed to get my hands on the novel upon which the movie was based.
I hated it. Louis was a sniveling, whining brat. I could hardly abide him. I suppose the beauty of Brad distracted me (and still does) in the movie. I thought I was done with vampires and Anne Rice. I would have never looked back and spent the rest of my formative years reading high fantasy if my mother had not thrust The Vampire Lestat into my hands.
I fell in love with Lestat. I loved reading his history, seeing him fight for survival and against loneliness. If I could pick one phrase to describe him it would be "I do what I want" because he embodies it perfectly. Although he is a delicious bad boy, he does do some good things. But you know what they say, "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions". (Am I speaking in riddles? My apologies.) He is exactly what a vampire should be in my opinion. He's brutal, a killer, self-absorbed, out of touch with humanity, attached to his loved ones, a great lover of beautiful things, a great lover of beautiful mortals, a rule breaker, and so much more.
I'll stop here before I give too much away, but just writing this reminds me that it is time that I go back and reread The Vampire Chronicles. I miss "the Brat Prince" who began my addiction to the vampire genre.
You know..I have read all the Vampire Chronicle books because I love Lestat. I however wasn't a big fan of the movie because like the book, Interview with a Vampire, shows Lestat in a somewhat bad light. I think you need to get past Interview and pick up the Vampire Lestat to really understand him. He is so much more complex when you read Lestat than ever shown in Interview.
ReplyDeleteI know, right?! I have even suggested that people skip the Interview with a Vampire novel altogether if they've seen the movie. :-)
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