At the end of Day One reading Prince Lestat, the newest installment of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, I am on page 207, chapter 12.
I wish I didn’t have to sleep. I want to keep reading…but I don’t want it to end too quickly. This is the best book in the series. Seeing old friends, and meeting new ones, is pure joy. I have the education (I majored in history, largely due to Anne Rice’s characters who are pulled out of time) and the maturity to understand the themes and grasp the symbolism that might have previously escaped me. Memnoch the Devil came out when I was 15. It was the first new book in The Vampire Chronicles to come out since I’d discovered the series. I was still caught up in the world of The Tale of the Body Thief and I didn’t understand a lot of the religious and existential happenings until I attended a private Catholic university years later. This book is very different from the others (so far). It’s a wonderful departure that is true to the mythologies Ms. Rice has created.
Anne Rice’s writing is incomparable. Prince Lestat serves as a reminder of quality and not quantity. Each book has been meticulously researched, every detail cross referenced. She isn’t turning out books yearly, and the quality of this book demonstrates that.
I am almost halfway through Prince Lestat. I really don’t want it to end. But I promise to keep posting during this journey, and please share your thoughts with me about the book. I’m eager to hear what others have to say. I will post my own review here when I’m done.
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