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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
anne rice’s writing has massive exposition and pacing problems; a character was literally just telling a story for 200 pages straight BUT the lore is actually interesting and the devil’s minion chapter was everything i wanted so i guess it’s okay!
This is my absolute favorite book in the entire Vampire Chronicles. I love all of the interwoven stories. The Twins, the Talamasca, the origin story for the entire vampire species, Akasha's grand, but ultimately flawed plan...It is such a shame that they butchered this book when they made the movie.
a book club pick, I wouldn't have picked it up on my own. even though they are suppossed to be standalone books they are part of a series, and I always felt like I was missing something. Interesting to me was the mythology of the vampires and how and why they exist and the power of the human race. It was a little dark and violent for me. And the big ending was over very quickly after the huge lead up of the book.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This was an unexpected triumph.
2020 has been the year that I explored my reading tastes and tried to challenge my preconceptions of popular books, especially. Whilst I enjoyed the film adaptation of the first in this trilogy (and, arguably, Anne Rice's best known work) [b:Interview with the Vampire|43763|Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)|Anne Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380631642l/43763._SY75_.jpg|873132], I unfairly assumed that the books were popular only because they had pandered to the wants of a wide audience (sensationalism, sex etc.). I can't say for sure why I believed this, but it's a long-held prejudice I seem to have somehow developed and am glad to now be questioning.
What I've learned from reading this last instalment of the series is that books are sometimes popular simply because they're good.
On reading 'The Queen of The Damned''s predecessor, [b:The Vampire Lestat|43814|The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #2)|Anne Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347515742l/43814._SY75_.jpg|3241580], I found Rice's writing to be a bit self-indulgent. The book wound on and on (much in keeping with Lestat's ego and love of his own voice), and despite enjoying the storyline, I was willing it to end long before it actually did. I feared 'The Queen of The Damned' would suffer from the same affliction, but it didn't. It was purposeful, determined and deliberate in its development; it had a huge scope and the storytelling was superb.
This may get a little spoiler-y, so I'll add the tag below. I'll keep it as vague as possible, but in order to give this book a fair review, I want to go into the plot a little bit.
This novel follows the exploits of Akasha, the accursed Queen of the Damned herself. Seems that during her millennia-long sit down, Akasha has been quietly considering her role in the world and has chosen the path of being a feminist tyrant hellbent on mass murder. I mean, of course. What else?
Whilst her methods may be madness and her idea of a female-led Utopia might be slightly misguided (*ahem*), her long dead heart seems to be in the right place (or so she believes, anyway). She essentially determines that testosterone is to blame for all the things wrong with the world and that, without men, war, rape and violence would all end.
An ancient, murderous queen on the warpath requires a suitable consort, and of course, its Lestat. But Rice gathers together all of the characters we know from the series so far (and a few new ones - almost all of whom add a new dimension to the story and bring about some much needed context with their backstories) and they commit to finding a way to thwarting her plans without inadvertently committing suicide.
The plot was a wonderfully woven thing, with details that laced together beautifully. Sometimes when you read a series, you can tell its been elongated by the author, or they haven't thought much past the first book. Not so, in the case of 'The Vampire Chronicles'. It's clear that Rice always meant for this to be the endgame that it was and I applaud her for her forethought. It made trudging through Lestat's lengthy monologues in book two worth it, at any rate.
I enjoyed the story of the twins, and the new element that brought to the series. It enabled an encompassing of more than just vampires, expanding the series' potential and horizons. The first two books were, by their nature, much more introspective; being that they dealt with first Louis, and then Lestat's, individual stories. But in this novel Rice tackled the story of all vampires, gave us her version of their origin story and introduced new players into the game that enriched the tale as a whole.
What I was most impressed by was the consideration Rice put into the world view and philosophies of beings who have lived for untold centuries. I'm as surprised as anyone to find such depth in what is a hugely popular novel known primarily for its blood-lusty vamps, and its what has forced me to really examine my apparent prejudice against such books. In retrospect, it seems so obvious that immortal characters would, over the many years they spend living amongst and observing humanity and the world at large, develop certain insights and understanding in respect of these things. But you rarely see it addressed in vampire stories (or, at least, I haven't come across it before). It was interesting to see this concept play out in the novel and I thought Rice did a good job of exploring it from the two different angles featured in the book.
Overall, I thought this was a brilliant conclusion to a good story, and it has given me a greater respect for the series as a whole. Can't say fairer than that.
This was an unexpected triumph.
2020 has been the year that I explored my reading tastes and tried to challenge my preconceptions of popular books, especially. Whilst I enjoyed the film adaptation of the first in this trilogy (and, arguably, Anne Rice's best known work) [b:Interview with the Vampire|43763|Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)|Anne Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380631642l/43763._SY75_.jpg|873132], I unfairly assumed that the books were popular only because they had pandered to the wants of a wide audience (sensationalism, sex etc.). I can't say for sure why I believed this, but it's a long-held prejudice I seem to have somehow developed and am glad to now be questioning.
What I've learned from reading this last instalment of the series is that books are sometimes popular simply because they're good.
On reading 'The Queen of The Damned''s predecessor, [b:The Vampire Lestat|43814|The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #2)|Anne Rice|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347515742l/43814._SY75_.jpg|3241580], I found Rice's writing to be a bit self-indulgent. The book wound on and on (much in keeping with Lestat's ego and love of his own voice), and despite enjoying the storyline, I was willing it to end long before it actually did. I feared 'The Queen of The Damned' would suffer from the same affliction, but it didn't. It was purposeful, determined and deliberate in its development; it had a huge scope and the storytelling was superb.
This may get a little spoiler-y, so I'll add the tag below. I'll keep it as vague as possible, but in order to give this book a fair review, I want to go into the plot a little bit.
Spoiler
This novel follows the exploits of Akasha, the accursed Queen of the Damned herself. Seems that during her millennia-long sit down, Akasha has been quietly considering her role in the world and has chosen the path of being a feminist tyrant hellbent on mass murder. I mean, of course. What else?
Whilst her methods may be madness and her idea of a female-led Utopia might be slightly misguided (*ahem*), her long dead heart seems to be in the right place (or so she believes, anyway). She essentially determines that testosterone is to blame for all the things wrong with the world and that, without men, war, rape and violence would all end.
An ancient, murderous queen on the warpath requires a suitable consort, and of course, its Lestat. But Rice gathers together all of the characters we know from the series so far (and a few new ones - almost all of whom add a new dimension to the story and bring about some much needed context with their backstories) and they commit to finding a way to thwarting her plans without inadvertently committing suicide.
The plot was a wonderfully woven thing, with details that laced together beautifully. Sometimes when you read a series, you can tell its been elongated by the author, or they haven't thought much past the first book. Not so, in the case of 'The Vampire Chronicles'. It's clear that Rice always meant for this to be the endgame that it was and I applaud her for her forethought. It made trudging through Lestat's lengthy monologues in book two worth it, at any rate.
I enjoyed the story of the twins, and the new element that brought to the series. It enabled an encompassing of more than just vampires, expanding the series' potential and horizons. The first two books were, by their nature, much more introspective; being that they dealt with first Louis, and then Lestat's, individual stories. But in this novel Rice tackled the story of all vampires, gave us her version of their origin story and introduced new players into the game that enriched the tale as a whole.
What I was most impressed by was the consideration Rice put into the world view and philosophies of beings who have lived for untold centuries. I'm as surprised as anyone to find such depth in what is a hugely popular novel known primarily for its blood-lusty vamps, and its what has forced me to really examine my apparent prejudice against such books. In retrospect, it seems so obvious that immortal characters would, over the many years they spend living amongst and observing humanity and the world at large, develop certain insights and understanding in respect of these things. But you rarely see it addressed in vampire stories (or, at least, I haven't come across it before). It was interesting to see this concept play out in the novel and I thought Rice did a good job of exploring it from the two different angles featured in the book.
Overall, I thought this was a brilliant conclusion to a good story, and it has given me a greater respect for the series as a whole. Can't say fairer than that.
Lestat opening this book by telling the reader that none of the ppl that comment on his hotness in the book were inserted by him, he’s just that hot, is such a serve.
I kept having such a “is she wrong tho?” Reaction to Akasha’s plan. Like yeah, she’s so petty but like… maybe they should have let her cook some more, yk?
Also! The descriptions of Makare and Maharet’s culture of funerary cannibalism is literally how kuru nearly wiped out a bunch of tribes in Papua New Guinea. Glad I so recently read that book on prion diseases so this was just flashing in BRIGHT LIGHTS in my head while I read this.
All in all, a solid addition to the series even as the clear racism of how the author viewed a lot of civilizations inundated the story.
I kept having such a “is she wrong tho?” Reaction to Akasha’s plan. Like yeah, she’s so petty but like… maybe they should have let her cook some more, yk?
Also! The descriptions of Makare and Maharet’s culture of funerary cannibalism is literally how kuru nearly wiped out a bunch of tribes in Papua New Guinea. Glad I so recently read that book on prion diseases so this was just flashing in BRIGHT LIGHTS in my head while I read this.
All in all, a solid addition to the series even as the clear racism of how the author viewed a lot of civilizations inundated the story.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, War