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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
I liked the Mayfair history, but I despised Rowan, Michael and their stupid, dumb relationship. I wish Lasher would have bound them to an anvil and had thrown them into the sea. And as many other reviewers also said: way too long. I was glad I was finished, couldn't wait until I finished the last page.
What a queer little book (although at 1207 pages, little isn't the right word)! This was my first attempt at Anne Rice and I fear it might well be my last.
Halfway through "The Witching Hour", I was absolutely enthralled. I loved the idea of The Talamasca. At that stage of the story, I would have loved knowing it was a real organisation and applied for a job. I revelled in learning the entire Mayfair history. Anne Rice has a gift for choosing the words that bring it all to life. I could imagine the house on First Street and see everything as the characters walk through the Garden District.
So why only one star? Firstly, I thought it was too long. I love books & reading and don't shy away from a challenge but I felt it just took too long to get to a disappointing ending. And that really is the crux of my complaint. How it all ends. In a word, pitifully.
Rowan, the all-powerful 13th witch in the Mayfair Dynasty & destiny, so completely consumed in her eternal love for Michael - gives up, betrays Michael and helps Lasher? Please. For me, it not only belittled her character (and relationship with Michael) but made a mockery of it. None of it rang true. After wading through this, all I am left with is a feeling of being cheated.
Halfway through "The Witching Hour", I was absolutely enthralled. I loved the idea of The Talamasca. At that stage of the story, I would have loved knowing it was a real organisation and applied for a job. I revelled in learning the entire Mayfair history. Anne Rice has a gift for choosing the words that bring it all to life. I could imagine the house on First Street and see everything as the characters walk through the Garden District.
So why only one star? Firstly, I thought it was too long. I love books & reading and don't shy away from a challenge but I felt it just took too long to get to a disappointing ending. And that really is the crux of my complaint. How it all ends. In a word, pitifully.
Rowan, the all-powerful 13th witch in the Mayfair Dynasty & destiny, so completely consumed in her eternal love for Michael - gives up, betrays Michael and helps Lasher? Please. For me, it not only belittled her character (and relationship with Michael) but made a mockery of it. None of it rang true. After wading through this, all I am left with is a feeling of being cheated.
So boring chapters of just descriptions plot is so slow.
Listened to the audio book so 5⭐️ for the narration
Also just realised it took me exactly a month to listen to. Cool.
Only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is for the ending. I get that it’s a series but I didn’t like that it wasn’t really tied up a bit more.
I enjoyed hearing about the Mayfair witches lives in detail (sometimes got a bit confused with who was directly related to who) but would maybe have liked more background/detail on the Talamasca.
There were a few detailed spicy scenes that I found to be pretty erotic and well written.
I was yelling at the book and making vocal remarks throughout which is a good indication it touched me ( not like a Lasher touching
Also just realised it took me exactly a month to listen to. Cool.
Only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is for the ending. I get that it’s a series but I didn’t like that it wasn’t really tied up a bit more.
I enjoyed hearing about the Mayfair witches lives in detail (sometimes got a bit confused with who was directly related to who) but would maybe have liked more background/detail on the Talamasca.
There were a few detailed spicy scenes that I found to be pretty erotic and well written.
I was yelling at the book and making vocal remarks throughout which is a good indication it touched me ( not like a Lasher touching
Audio book 2009 review:
I listened to an abridged version of this on audio book. It's a story in modern day, about a woman who is a very strong witch through years of grooming and incest to get that way from a line of witches and a demon called Lasher. There was so much back history that I couldn't follow it-I'm not sure if it being unabridged would've helped, or if I would have just needed to read all the other books to keep track-but the box said nothing about it being in a series.
I think the storyline was fine, but not the way it was written. I didn't get attached to any of the characters and didn't believe their feeling and motivations. In all honesty, I felt like all Anne Rice actually cared about writing in this novel was random hallucinated sex between the Lasher demon and the witch (who was supposedly trying to be good and resist Lasher, but always readily accepted him to have sex with and then hated him otherwise? I could understand why Lasher was getting mixed messages about her helping him) Lasher was the only cool person with understandable/interesting motivations-he wanted to be born from the witch as a real person instead of being a spirit demon that only the witches could see, etc. He was cool, everyone else was empty and boring.
Although I have seen a big book titled "Lasher" by Anne Rice, and I might be interested in that, considering he was the only cool thing about this novel.
I listened to an abridged version of this on audio book. It's a story in modern day, about a woman who is a very strong witch through years of grooming and incest to get that way from a line of witches and a demon called Lasher. There was so much back history that I couldn't follow it-I'm not sure if it being unabridged would've helped, or if I would have just needed to read all the other books to keep track-but the box said nothing about it being in a series.
I think the storyline was fine, but not the way it was written. I didn't get attached to any of the characters and didn't believe their feeling and motivations. In all honesty, I felt like all Anne Rice actually cared about writing in this novel was random hallucinated sex between the Lasher demon and the witch (who was supposedly trying to be good and resist Lasher, but always readily accepted him to have sex with and then hated him otherwise? I could understand why Lasher was getting mixed messages about her helping him) Lasher was the only cool person with understandable/interesting motivations-he wanted to be born from the witch as a real person instead of being a spirit demon that only the witches could see, etc. He was cool, everyone else was empty and boring.
Although I have seen a big book titled "Lasher" by Anne Rice, and I might be interested in that, considering he was the only cool thing about this novel.
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reading the vampire chronicles: ohhh my GWAD!!! anne rice is FUUUUCKED UP!!!!!!!
There is a good story in here somewhere, but it gets lost within a meandering, unfocused narrative, and an author who can't fully grapple with the gravity of the themes (generational abuse, incest, racism) that are central to the story. Really disappointing, even for Anne Rice -- this is the novel that may end my dive into her oeuvre.
Interesting story, and I plan to finish the series. However, there was so much unnecessary prose that it was tiresome to read at certain points.