Reviews

Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice

evan_j_dove_007's review

3.0

I want to say I loved this book. Anne Rice writes addicting novels in a manner few can match(I read over 80% of this book in a single day, despite the 4 day read length shown on here). Her ability to draw you in and keep you entranced is matched only perhaps by her ability to make you feel a deep-set discomfort which in turn battles in your mind, arguing for you to put it down. Tonio was in a way easy to hate, and perhaps that is why I’ve given it 3 stars? I cannot pretend to comprehend what he felt and went through, but at times his willingness to be happy combined with his intractable desire to not be was maddening. Rice’s writing is also predictably fecund and florid, and as someone who’s own writing suffers from the same predilection I feel confident in making that assessment. It was sexual, depressed, vibrant, holy and full of shame, but for some reason I can only say that it was a good book, despite the hold it had on me. It was not great.

sloatsj's review

1.0

Pushed upon me by my mother. I disliked it enormously.

alecscudder's review against another edition

4.0

This book is set in eighteen-century Italy and talks about castrati who are male sopranos; the story talks about Tonio who’s a castrato and his teacher, Guido, they fall i love and try to find a way to live a life like true men. The way the music is described is simply magical, the atmosphere is immaculate, it made me fall in love with my country over again.

shelfaddiction's review

4.0

Very good read. I remember read this many years ago.

batbones's review against another edition

4.0

Most pleased and indulged by the gorgeously descriptive, lucid, prose. Reading this book was having vision after vision passed before one's eyes with such excruciating detail that at times one cannot endure any more but turn away, but is drawn towards them again and again, hungrily to the pages. I'm glad to see that Rice appended a list of 'further reading' in the afterword. A luminous experience of a historical novel.

kadidiawc's review

slow-paced

2.0

500 pages and nothing happens.

joystickchevron's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully tragic, and easily Anne’s best work.

kandicez's review

5.0

One of my favorites of hers. Those poor boys!

lnb_sweety's review

adventurous dark emotional informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

the_sassy_bookworm's review

4.0

Good Read.