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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Interview with a Vampire is a piece of crap and the reviews lied to me.

53 replies

knittynoodle · 16/10/2011 20:07

Ok, perhaps I jumped on this band wagon 20 years too late but I've just finished reading this slow, drawn out novel after everyone I know (except one friend) said it was the definitive vampire novel. Even the reviews from Amazon were great.

I just found it all so childish and although everyone says its not like the porn filled stereotypical vampire yarn, I found that it was exactly that! The repressed homosexuality was glaring, and the 'sensual' child vampire just freaked me out.
I couldn't follow Anne Rice's writing because she spends too long describing what everyone is thinking, you don't get any real description of the beauty of Paris, and it felt very much like she wanted to write erotica but bottled it, so made it about vampires instead.

Dracula is the definitive vampire novel. Also, I hate the bitch for spawning Stephanie Meyer (who is also sexually repressed if you ask me!)

AIBU? My DP loved it [hmmm]

OP posts:
GreatBallsOfFluff · 16/10/2011 20:32

Keanu Reeves wasn't in Interview With A Vampire Hmm

Never read the book but must say I love the film Blush

LetThereBeRock · 16/10/2011 20:34

I preferred IWTV to TVL though I enjoyed both of them.

EllaDee · 16/10/2011 20:34

LTBR - oh, I believe you! I meant it was funny as in amusing.

I haven't tried to find any for years and years, so I can believe it's hard to get to.

She does come across as a picky twit, tbh. I remember with the film, she went on and on in some interview about Brat Pitt having long hair for no reason and she knew better ... I remember thinking 'ffs, it's a film for teenage girls, they don't give a fuck about historical accuracy and you're writing about. fucking. vampires.

Ahem. Why do I remember this stuff perfectly when I can't remember where I put my keys?!

CaptainNancy · 16/10/2011 20:34

Keanu was in Dracula, wasn't he? it was mentioned ^ up there.

GreatBallsOfFluff · 16/10/2011 20:35

Whoops Blush Blush Blush

susiedaisy · 16/10/2011 20:36

Keanu wasn't in IWAV, but I loved the film, never read the book.

Original poster
knittynoodle · 16/10/2011 20:36

DP is trying to push The Vampire Lestat on me now too. I can't believe it can get better, the woman writes badly. I'd rather read the life story of the Count from Sesame Street.

OP posts:
Original poster
knittynoodle · 16/10/2011 20:41

I don't think Anne Rice cares too much for historical accuracy either really. She describes little of the surroundings/dress or customs of the time. Her main concern is the angst of Louis and making the boys share a coffin for no reason. Oooh eeer!

OP posts:
LostInTheWoods · 16/10/2011 20:42

Trust me - it's far better.

I read The Vampire Lestat first and was then bitterly disapointed with Interview.

The character of Louis is so hampered by doubt and self-loathing that the possibilities for him are severely limited. Lestat is entirely different. He's more like a rock star than the brooding poet that is Louis.

EricNorthmansMistress · 16/10/2011 20:49

YANBU
I loved them as a teen, but couldn't read them now I don't think. If you want some grown up vampire books try the black dagger brotherhood

CoteDAzur · 16/10/2011 21:00

YABU!

"so childish... she spends too long describing what everyone is thinking, you don't get any real description of the beauty of Paris"

That is the opposite of "childish"

If you want to read about Paris, get a travel book.

rhondajean · 16/10/2011 21:44

Cracking series, thoughInterview is actually one of the weaker books. The film is mince - Tom Cruise as Lestat????????FFS he must be about the least sexual person in the world (after Cliff Richard) and Lestat oozes sex appeal. Dreadful film. Words cannot express the awfulness of it.

Queen of the Damned is an even worse film (based on a later book in the series) but the Lestat in it is muuuuuch better.

Its been a while since I read them but for really good vampire books I would recommend Poppy Z Brite.

NadiaWadia · 16/10/2011 21:48

YABU Interview WTV is a classic of vampire fiction. They just said so on the Book Show! (SkyArts). I first read it about 10 years ago and thought it was brilliant.

You can't compare it to stuff like Stephenie Meyer (now that IS crap -enjoyable but crap - I'd only read it once)

OK, some of Anne Rice's later stuff starts getting a bit dodgy, but IWTV is literature I tell you.

lovecat · 16/10/2011 22:03

I read the first three of her books many years (Jesus! over 20!!) ago and loved them. Tom Cruise actually surprised me as Lestat, I think he was rather good in the film. Louis is a whingy bastard imho, Lestat is much more fun. The later ones however were dreadful, flogging a dead horse.

I actually had a physical reaction of revulsion to the one (can't recall the name) where Lestat goes back in time and bites Jesus (yes, it is that bloody stupid) - although I'm a catholic I don't consider myself a fervent one and am able to laugh at the more mental aspects of my church, but when I realised what was coming my eyes kind of skittered across the words and I shoved the book away from me, flinging it across the room in a totally involuntary reaction. Couldn't finish it. And I've persevered with some godawful crap in my time!

I read a while back that Anne Rice has servants in her house that she makes wear uniforms, which kind of put me off her, then I discovered some of the hideously awful porn she writes under another name and went off her even more. There was a film of one of her books, Exit to Eden, that was just... please don't google unless the idea of Dan Ackroyd & Rosie O'Donnell in latex floats your boat...[vom]

rhondajean · 16/10/2011 22:29

Didnt she become a born again Christian or similar and stop writing the vampire books a few years back? Or have I been having odd dreams again?

Skillbo · 16/10/2011 22:32

Agree with all the posters on here who say The Vampire Lestat (next one) is by far the better book... I also liked Queen of the Damned and didn't read these until I was in my late 20's.

Skillbo · 16/10/2011 22:36

And yes RhondaJean, Stuart Townsends Lestat has definitely got it going on although the woman in QOTD is just dreadful!!

Haggyoldclothbatspus · 16/10/2011 22:38

Anne Rice's books are generally very good. Ive read all of the Vampire Chronicles, and The Mayfair Witches series is great! Lestat is the best book and vampire, he's deliciously wicked. There are a few however which are quite long winded and uninspiring.
She is definitely more than a little twisted!
Louis is one of her more straight laced vampires. If I was going to turn one of her books into a film, it would absolutely be Lestat. Armand is pretty interesting too, although he is actually an eternal 16yo boy, with auburn hair, and NOTHING like Antonio Banderas!
Taken from Anne Rice's website: "11. Anne returned to the Catholic Church in 1998, and in 2002 consecrated her writing entirely to Christ, vowing to write for Him or about Him."
She doesnt write Vampire or porn anymore. Sad

NadiaWadia · 16/10/2011 22:46

RhondaJean - yes she returned to the church and wrote a book about the young Jesus (which wasn't that great by all accounts).

But apparently she has now lost faith in organised religion. (just saw her being interviewed). She's writing about angels now, it seems.

CoteDAzur · 17/10/2011 07:30

That first witch book she wrote was also brilliant ("Witching Hour"?). It's two sequels were not that great though, and were even rather ridiculous in parts.

Haggyoldclothbatspus · 17/10/2011 08:24

Which one had a head in a jar? That made me boak! Smile

Original poster
knittynoodle · 17/10/2011 08:38

coteDazur By childish and with little description of anything except Louis' internal struggle, I mean that its the same as reading a teenagers diary. Its so insular!

And the very end, just as we met loads of other vampires, its all over. We watched the film last night, and I felt more and more like I was watching the fantasy of some horny old lady.

Anne Rices thought process : Ooooh two young hot men, BITING each other and sharing a coffin! Undressing a young lady on stage in front of everyone! [pictures younger self as the woman] [rubs thighs vigorously]

OP posts:
HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 17/10/2011 08:42

Yes. It's crap.

And the little girl - so wrong.

EvilVampireFrog · 17/10/2011 08:46

Lestat is better.

It's a guilty pleasure for me. Read it at about the same age as I read all the "Flowers in the Attic" gubbins - it's that sort of level IMO. But I re-read it now for nostalgia, I think if I was reading it for the first time now I would just laugh in derision.

I read Twilight (because I needed to argue with people about it) and found it appalling. These books are for undiscriminating, angst filled teenagers.

Abcinthia · 17/10/2011 09:04

Different strokes for different folks.

Personally I like it. Though, I agree with other posters who say The Vampire Lestat is better.