lapsedmarxist 's review for:

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

4.0

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a great modern gothic vampire novel. love the winks and nods throughout the novel to stoker’s Dracula. i found the similar narrative framing style/device to be effective and enjoyable. rice further builds upon the vampire mythology. she brings out the sexuality, sensuality and glamour of vampires. her vampires are attractive, alluring and seductive but at the same time terrifying evil creatures. this is a big selling point of the book. rice also took away the religious mythology of the vampire completely. they are not affected by holy water or crosses. they are not condemned by god. this adds an element of nihilism to the novel overall. in this novel the vampires lack purpose. they are not aware of being eternally damned. thus looking for a purpose beyond themselves. this creates an existential tragedy in the novel. the gothic atmosphere in the novel is top notch. the main protagonist louis has an incredibly poetic narrative voice. he is the embodiment of a tortured soul. when you read the novel you actually feel like you are listening to the interview of someone who has lived 200 years. the narrative style is such that it reminds me of older 19th century gothic novels. at points it can be ornate but never overbearing. rice does a really good job of making you empathize and see the tragedy in being a vampire. the vampires are deeply flawed and deeply miserable throughout most of their lives. all in all, this book was a wonderful piece of gothic horror with complex and interesting characters and dynamic relationships.