Lasher has a lot going for it. Some spoilers in this review so beware! The sequel to "The Witching Hour" hits the ground running right after the cliffhanger ending of that previous novel. Lasher is in the flesh and is about as evil and horrible a being as there ever was, yet with a certain chilling innocence and candor. He is just as manipulative and ruthless as he was as a spirit, and it turns out he is actually a different species than human and he is hoping to repopulate the earth with his own kind.
We learn interesting things about the genetics of the Mayfair witches and Michael. We see Rowan, still conflicted as her heart is with Michael but she is fascinated by Lasher and what he is as well. There is a prophecy and a long flashback from Julien"s ghost so you know where the story is headed. Lasher gets a big flashback scene as well and we get to know his whole backstory. Lots of it is good old vintage gothic horror as only Anne Rice can write.
So why 3 stars? Well.... Anne Rice got a bit too into certain aspects of the story that made the overall experience of the novel fairly unpleasant. Rowan goes through a lot of abuse at the hands of Lasher that is painful to read. Rapes, miscarriages, being duct taped and left for days on an old mattress. Just awful. And senseless - Lasher needs Rowan to accomplish his goals and it is amazing she doesn't die before halfway through the novel. Rowan was a very interesting character in the first novel but is relegated to a helpless prisoner role that is overall a minor point in the story. Instead, the main female romantic lead is...... A little girl!
Remember Mona Mayfair from the first book? She always had a bow in her hair and was a flower girl at the wedding? The impression given was a 8-10 year old at most. It is revealed in this novel suddenly that she is 13 and is a precocious genius and a powerful witch as well as being beautiful and very voluptuous for her age. She actively seduces Michael while Rowan is away. She self proclaims that she had "eradicated" her own virginity and started experimenting with partners at the age of 8. She usually experiments with her relatives (since incest is de rigeur in these novels). Her inner and outer dialogue is super-annoying and filled with big words in a way that even a "genius" would almost never use and it doesn't seem authentic. just like showing off. The pedophile theme repeats itself multiple times in Julien's flashback.
Also Michael is supposed to be a "good" character!!! And though Mona really practically forces him into it is not pleasant to read about a 48 year old man having sex with a 13 year old girl in excruciating detail. Over and over again. At least it is pretty easy to skim over these parts of the story.
Also, though the end is heavily foreshadowed and makes sense within the book's universe, I kind of wish they didn't do what they did to Lasher. I mean he was one of a kind and it would have been believable if they opted to give him more of a chance. Oh well - In the end not a bad book altogether but the overall effect is a distasteful and unpleasant read due to the violence and pedophilic aspects of the book.
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Top reviews from the United States
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MJ
Good story marred by certain ..... excesses in the writing
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2016Verified Purchase
IvanaYvonne
Hmmmm
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2020Verified Purchase
blissrage
History, supernatural, and boredom
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019Verified Purchase
Kindle Customer
Staggeringly good!
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021Verified Purchase
Vanderlily
Not my favorite
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2017Verified Purchase
Romeyn
Not her Best, but still Good
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2020Verified Purchase
Isa
Great. Except......
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2018Verified Purchase
trex
Overly repetitive and verbose
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2018Verified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2020Verified Purchase
jhyenan o'shea
good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2018Verified Purchase
Shivana S Dass
Terrible!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2019Verified Purchase
DW
Another great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2014Verified Purchase
Jo
Disappointing read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2015Verified Purchase