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robynbookworm's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
skarijay's review against another edition
5.0
A reread of a classic, it was better than I remembered, the lushness of Rice's writing is always satisfying.
whendevreads's review against another edition
3.0
I’m counting this as read because I really, really tried. I did not want to DNF this book but my loan was ending at the library and there were other people waiting. I watched part of the tv show first and that’s why I was excited to read the book.
I was a little disappointed, though. I know that this really kickstarted the modern vampire craze but I was expecting… more. The tv show is so clear about the LGBT themes and I know it was the 70s but I think the homoerotic subtext was pretty vague. Maybe I just didn’t get far enough.
I do love the idea and I love the characterizations. I just think when telling the entire story of how someone became a vampire includes a lot of boring details and this book was not short in that department. I think it could have done well with some editing to pare down just how much of the life story we are getting. I think getting the Cliff’s Notes for most of it & only diving in on the exciting parts would have made this a much more enthusiastic read for me.
I was a little disappointed, though. I know that this really kickstarted the modern vampire craze but I was expecting… more. The tv show is so clear about the LGBT themes and I know it was the 70s but I think the homoerotic subtext was pretty vague. Maybe I just didn’t get far enough.
I do love the idea and I love the characterizations. I just think when telling the entire story of how someone became a vampire includes a lot of boring details and this book was not short in that department. I think it could have done well with some editing to pare down just how much of the life story we are getting. I think getting the Cliff’s Notes for most of it & only diving in on the exciting parts would have made this a much more enthusiastic read for me.
limegreenkitten's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
nacly01's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
mary_stormageddon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Everything with Claudia and Louis, as well as Armand and his "boy," left me very unsettled. I think I'll give book 2 a try, but any hint of sexualizing small children, or any children really, and I'm never touching anything written by her again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
icarrion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mitskacir's review against another edition
3.0
I quickly read the first half of the book, and then slowed down immensely. My biggest criticism of the book is that it was too long - I think if it was shorter I wouldn't have gotten as bored with Louis' gloominess. At first, I was interested in Louis' moral dilemmas of vampiric life and was interested in his lack of motivation, but after a few hundred pages of this, it dragged. This is a very introspective book, despite a few action packed sequences, but I didn't find as much depth to it as I think the author intended. I am not compelled to read the sequel, but might pick it up some day if I need something to read.