Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice
It was with the 1994 motion picture that my love of Anne Rice commenced. Years later, I was to read the book that completely guaranteed years of interest in the darker, sultrier side of literature. Depicting human emotion more luridly in the extraordinary beings called vampires than one would be able to in actual humans, Anne Rice has created a world that takes the reader and whatever paradigms for vampires they hold true, and converts them into perceptions and expectations of lushness and philosophy. Her beliefs and current disposition when writing seem to reflect in all her protagonists, in this book being Louis, a tortured vampire who mourns the loss of his humanity. Interestingly enough, as a mortal Louis seldom had appreciation for his life after the death of his religious brother, for whose accidental and curious death he was blamed. It is when Louis is on the cusp of death that the character that vicariously could depict Rice's life disposition is introduced. Lestat, the beautiful vampire who is famed in this book for a viciousness that in later work would show as confliction, and embellishment from Louis.
Given what seems to be a choice when bitten, Louis transforms into a vampire and ventures painstakingly with Lestat through decades of brutality. Lestat, finally showing vestiges of emotion fears being left, and converts a sickly but beautiful child into a vampire, Claudia. Claudia, ever existing in a child's form, who would later become a product of Lestats cunning and brutality, and Louis reflection and hope. Ultimately, her relationship with her 'fathers' this leads to her death, and the last bit of humanity that Louis clung to dies with her. His revenge was swift, but transformed him ever more into the loner that is introduced at the beginning of his tale. Living with and past the significant presence's in his life - first his brother, Lestat, Claudia, and then the vampire Armand - his most constant companion has always been his reflection about life and God.
Set in her home of New Orleans and spanning across the Atlantic to Eastern Europe and the splendour of 19th century France, Interview with the Vampire gives its reader a splendid experience.
Message from my books describes my take on some of my favourite books. Acting as a review and a wording of personal experience, this blog is a narration of the time either well spent reading, or just spent reading.
