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thesawyerbean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The story unfurls before us, laced with treachery, eroticism, death, love and a lot of blood; paced with twists, turns and climaxes; and underpinned with a nuanced discussion on existence and the concept of good and evil.
What made me not enjoy it as much as I could’ve was the lack of connection with the protagonist. I know fundamentally he is supposed to be evil as a murderous vampire, but I think in reading vampire fiction we suspend the vilification of this inhumanity as one both expected and understood. However, the seeming obsession in contemporary vampire fiction of making important characters have involvement in the slave trade/confederacy is so off-putting and honestly needless. In addition, his relationship with Claudia (although a grey area considering her actual temporal age), was very strange and gave off similar vibes to that in Lolita. Overall my empathy with Louis was extremely stunted from the get-go which made the rest of the story quite the slog.
That was a shame indeed, as the writing is incredible - vivid, atmospheric and poetic. If my gripes with the characterisation were non existent I’d be tempted to give it 5 stars just for that. As an important part of the vampire canon I’d say this was worth the read, especially for spooky month.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
melihooker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship
biab00's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Mortal beauty often makes me ache, and mortal grandeur can fill me with that longing I felt so hopelessly in the Mediterranean Sea. But Paris drew me closer to her hear, so I forgot myself entirely. Forgot the damned and questing preternatural thing that doted on mortal skin and mortal clothing. Paris overwhelmed, and lightened and rewarded more richly than any promise.
Wasn't expecting liking it so much, it was beautifully written with complex characters that you can't really tell who's the villain and who's not.
Anne definitely made the vampires more human, they aren't only these mindless creatures that are out for blood, but also creatures with feelings like the common people and with their own internal crisis about their existence.
I'm really excited to read the second book, to see the perspective of Lestat because from what I've heard Louis is a unreliable narrator.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Grief
amberinpieces's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Violence, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Cursing, Self harm, Torture, and Death of parent
usually_sleep_deprived's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship
softwindflower's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
delaney_de_spain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
mothstrand's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Confinement, Excrement, Stalking, and Abandonment
aleighc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
carrionkid's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Slavery