Interview With the Vampire by Ann Rice (1976)
Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
This was Anne Rice’s first novel, ultimately leading to a slew of popular books known as The Vampire Chronicles and a film adaptation starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise that was released in 1994.
The Analysis:
As the title suggests, the book features a vampire, Louis, giving an interview to a young boy about his life over two centuries. He recounts how he became a vampire, his early days as a creature of the night, and his encounters with other vampires. The story takes place across many miles of Louisiana, Europe, and every corner of New Orleans.
This book is a love letter to the city of New Orleans. The streets and the soul of the city are described in rich detail and the setting feels alive as part of the plot. The characters are well developed, with individual motivations and mindsets. While this book paved the way for many popular vampire novels, it is more nuanced and serious than most. It really feels like a modern interpretation of Dracula, keeping the serious and gothic tone of the classic, while exploring new and unique ideas.
Rather than a simple profile of a creature of the night, the book chronicles in detail a long and eventful life, full of danger, friendship, anguish, and regret. I wanted to like this book more but it really dragged on for me in some places and I found it tough to get through. This doesn’t feel like a light read, but rather something to concentrate on in order to become invested in the story. For those looking for vampire lore beyond the typical teen dramas or basic horror films, Interview With the Vampire offers a poetic exploration of the genre like none other.
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