Review: The Vampire Lestat

Hello, Darlings! Boy, I have a review for you. It's The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. Also before I begin this review, I want to thank Derek Magill for his suggestion for the 25 pages a day suggestion which not only sped me up to finish it but I could find reading enjoyable again and less of a chore and with the same wonder I remember having when I was a kid reading Dr. Seuss and a teenager reading Agatha Christie.

Ok. Let's get on with the show!

Plot: (Light Spoilers) In this story, Anne Rice decides to let us see the Character we want to know more about, Lestat. The hedonistic yet surprisingly moral vampire is quite a departure from what we were told by Louis in Interview with the Vampire. Instead of going at random poor victim Louis hunts only the menaces of society though he does love the passions and ecstasies of life and thus he is shown to respect human life and use his gift in a more positive and enthralling way. And along with his journeys, he meets Armand, from the previous story, and we see more of his backstory but also learn of a secret Armand knows with the mysterious Marius. Primarily the story builds on Lestat's fall, rise, fall again and rising from the ashes and the ground.

Pacing and Setting: The pacing in the beginning but builds up momentum the moment after Lestat gets turned into a Vampire though it slows down enough for Lestat to mourn his mother Gabrielle, another vital character to the story. But Rice still doesn't shy away from showing and breathing so much life into the world with getting us into Paris and the French Countryside, Cairo, and the Mediterranean.

Characters: Lestat and Armand are the two main focuses from Interview to return but also we have newcomers to be introduced to. (Spoilers for two characters.)

Gabrielle de Lioncourt: Lestat's Mother and the main person he cares for most in the family who has primarily ostracized him. He loves her dearly and she inspired him to live his life to it's fullest.

Nicholas de Lenfent: Lestat's friend and first love interest. An expert violinist.

Magnus: The vampire who turned Lestat into a Vampire.

Marius: A vampire who created Armand and is a keeper of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Pluses: The Backstory is so much more fascinating to hear. Lestat is truly made and fleshed into a character. He strives for greatness and potential yet we see even with great supernatural and fantasy stories how species different from us make us all more too human. Also, the attention to details with expensive luxury and excess is still there. I'd say the characterization is a major improvement, especially in Lestat's life in focus.

Minuses: I have very little to say excluding I guess I wish to know more about The Theatre d' Vampires but I know the story focuses on Lestat and why he decided to never return again. And also how the parts where Lestat describes his love life with Louis and daughter Claudia is rushed but then again it's important as Lestat stresses to the reader how we heard most of the story from one side and how it'd be difficult and a bit tedious to mention the whole plot again. Similar to how certain authors (I'm looking at you E.L. James and Stephanie Meyer) write the story from the other main love interests' perspective. Also, Lestat's infatuation seemed pretty creepily Oedipal to me so it made me uncomfortable at times.

Overview: The Vampire Lestat is a great novel in keeping the tradition of the stories but also the adding of new ideas to the overall Vampire Mythos. (If you're a mythologist, there are some inconsistencies with some myth stories but minor nevertheless) Lestat's backstory focuses on his lust for life. LONG LIVE LESTAT!

4.75/5