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witching hour new orleans vampire chronicles years ago mayfair family garden district michael curry san francisco lasher and taltos rowan mayfair anne rice interview with the vampire ever read rice at her best well written lives of the mayfair history of the mayfair character development beautifully written stephen king
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Jack
3.0 out of 5 stars Loved it then ...not so much now.
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2020
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I read THE WITCHING HOUR when it first time came out in 1990 and was enthralled by it. I remberer it as being, mystical, intriguing and almost magical by the time I finished it. I have remembered it fondly as one of the 10 best books I've ever read. I figured 30 years was a long enough period of time and it was time to retread it and once again savor the sumptuous epic storytelling. This time around by page 200 I was starting to wonder what exactly had I been so enchanted with all those years ago! By page 400 I was skimming through (feeling guilty as I never skim a book if I can help it) and realized by the end of the book it could have easily been written in less than half its 1000 page length. I'll never reread a favorite book again because I don't want to feel So disappointed. Guess it's true: you can never go home again! I give this review three stars because Anne Rice is a terrific writer and I can understand those readers who felt the same way I did when I first read it...so surprised and disappointed that it didn't have the same allure it had for me 30 years ago.
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Deanna M. Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars I want to be a Mayfair, and live in NOLA because of this book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2018
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The book is absolutely amazing. I thought the Vampire Chronicles were good, and don't get me wrong, I do love them. But the Mayfair Family and their long, chaotic history is simply amazing. I was so enthralled with the history of how the family came in to being; starting in Scotland and ending up on First Street in NOLA. This is also a story about strong women, matriarchy, magic, and sex! There is a historical feel to it, as well as horror and sci-fi. From the moment I began reading the vivid descriptions of the architecture of the Garden District homes, I had to get on Google Maps to see for myself. And the women of each generation are each amazing in their own right. This is one of my favorite books, and I strongly recommend it.
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P. Morgan
1.0 out of 5 stars I wish I paid attention to the negative reviews.
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2019
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This book has so many painfully slow chapters and so much meaningless filler. I feel like I’ve wasted so much time trying to get to the meat of the story and when I did it was truly disappointing. I don’t recall a book I’ve liked less than this one.
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Beth Ann Shreve
1.0 out of 5 stars Predictable & difficult to get through
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2020
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Unnecessarily verbose descriptions. Very disappointing that the "strong, brilliant" female protagonist succumbs to the sexual advances of the villian, asks to be raped, isn't smart enough to figure out the villian plans to take her fetus' body (I knew it as soon as she became pregnant by Michael), then leaves her husband to die and goes into hiding with the villian. After reading the reviews of the following book, I cannot bring myself to purchase it because it's more of the same and continues propagating the dangerous myths that women are weak beings who are unable to control sexual desire, are easily manipulated, and are not strong enough nor smart enough to make the right decisions in difficult situations. What a disappointment.
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Hapa Girl
4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging But Just Too Long
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2019
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*****SPOILER ALERT*****

This was a reread from my long ago adolescence when I loved everything Anne Rice wrote. It didn't quite live up to my previous 5 star rating, mainly because it was just too long. A lot of repetition in the narrative, and we went down a few worm holes. But it was well written and engaging and gave me enough of the chills I was looking for.

I love her descriptions of New Orleans, the epic history of the Mayfairs and the mysterious Talamasca. Rice also does a very admirable job fleshing out her characters for the most part. I admit to a growing confusion with the ever lengthening family tree and definitely stopped remembering all the Mayfair forbearers after a certain point.

I enjoyed most all of the storyline until we came to the horrific birthing scene. I didn’t really care for that and felt Rowan’s disappearance a bit of a cheap trick. Not sure I’ll pick up the next 2 books in the trilogy,but it’s a possibility. If I do, I hope there’s a geneology chart included.
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SkylarRose
2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Read Unless You Adore Historical Ramblings
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2020
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I really didn't like this AT ALL.
The majority of this book is reading through "files" that span a few hundred years of history from the Talamasca. Very boring. I nearly didn't make it through this.
As Michael sits down to read the history of the amyfair family, you get bogged down by boredom. Complete and utter repetitious boredom.
Many items from history are repeated again, over and over. Why? We've already read these parst; we don't need to hear it yet again.
Lastly, I wanted to clobber Rowan's character over the head....or maybe Anne Rice herself for the horrible execution in creating Rowan's character to first be brillant, defiant and in control...Then in two chapters, turn Rowan into a ridiculous, blubbering mess.
You mean to tell me, this very, very strong, smart, educated woman couldn't fight off a stupid spirit just because he "touched" her or spoke?
I found this very difficult to believe. I kept rolling my eyes the more I read. I honestly kept waiting for Rowan to start laughing at Lasher out loud.
It's called Just. Say. No. Lol
The last few chapters were so hard to fathom that I finally gave up.
Why create an amazing, strong woman, only to have her crash and burn in a few days with Lasher. So stupid. None of it made any sense whatsoever.
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Vanderlily
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but with reservations...
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2017
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This book was recommended to me by a friend when I mentioned that I'm a fan of horror/thriller fiction but didn't really care for Anne Rice's writing. I loved the historical aspect of this book but still didn't truly enjoy the read as I have with other authors. I'm sure Anne Rice fans will enjoy this work of fiction but I'm still not a fan. I did, however, enjoy the historical aspects of this novel and enjoyed the setting and descriptive imagery. When I picked up the 2nd book of this trilogy, "Lasher" I found myself closing the book and putting it away probably for good. There's just some aspects I can't move past.
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Barry Mulvany
4.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric read though not really a horror book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2020
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Set primarily in New Orleans, this is a very atmospheric read. Of all the places in the US that I wouldn't mind visiting it is probably that city and this book plays no small part in it. Primarily about Rowan Mayfair, a neurosurgeon in San Francisco who was adopted at birth and starts to find out about her birth family after the death of her adoptive parents, and Michael Curry, a period house restorer who after a near death experience begins an interaction with Rowan and her Mayfair family.

I don't think I would call this a horror novel, nothing particularly scary happens but it does build a rich atmosphere of danger, little and large hints that things are not quite right with the Mayfair family. Our two main characters are both fairly well drawn though there is more than a hint of Mary/Gary Stu about them. Both beautiful and rich and well educated with impeccable taste etc. The real selling point of this book is the history of the Mayfair family. I'd say a good third of this very large book is basically a written record of it, with some flashbacks thrown in as well. Some might find it boring but I thought it was the best bit. Anne Rice really invokes a sense of different times and places as the earliest bits go back to the seventeenth century. The ending felt somewhat rushed though which is surprising considering the length of the story. It also leaves on a bit of cliffhanger which I dislike.

Be warned there is quite a lot of explicit sex scenes in the book, as well as references to rape and incest so if you dislike that probably stay away. However by and large I really enjoyed this, I was totally caught up in the story and seduced by the lifestyle portrayed. It is fairly melodramatic and overly long but in the right moment, as I was, this is a great read.

PS If there is an organisation called The Talamasca, I would like to join, thanks.
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Gordon Wright
1.0 out of 5 stars Directionless writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 6, 2019
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This is a big Tome of a book at over 1000 pages which the writer uses to ramble on and on pointlessly about the same things over and over. Its slow as hell and resembles being cornered by your 60 year old neighbour who has decided to tell you about her life so far and assumes you have the next two or three weeks free to listen.

I loved interview with a vampire and thought it had some very clever ideas. I gave up on this 300 pages in. What I read should have been condensed into 50 pages and still wouldn't have been very interesting. Only really two characters, both unlikable and poorly developed.

This is self indulgent nonsense by Anne Rice that you won't regret never having read.
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Jens ecklon Amussen
5.0 out of 5 stars Oldie but Goldie
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2013
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This book is so inspiring to me, that I feel I must read it every 3-5 years, of course this also includes Lasher and Taltos all from the same trilogy. The way Anne rice tells her stories are so enchanting and imaginative, that you feel like you are experiencing the stories together with the main characters. For new readers I can promise you, this is something you experience in almost all her novels.
The way she plays with words and make you fall in love with all her hero's and heroin's, I have never met in other novels.
So I must admit, that I come back to the Anne Rice universe quite often, and follow her immensely satisfying and creative storytelling
Whenever i have the time for it. I use her books as healing when I feel lonely, as inspiration when live feels dull and tasteless or when I just want enjoy a great story. The only bad thing I can say about her novels, is that they end. I get so immersed in them, that I certainly do not enjoy it when the final chapter comes nearer :-)

Best regards

A admirer from the North.
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Totes
2.0 out of 5 stars Love a good book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2017
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Love a good book. Always looking for something new, absorbing and the bigger the book the better. I like a book to grab me within the first few chapters. It's a slog and I've only reached chapter 3. Going to keep going to see if I can get fully engrossed within the next couple of chapters. It doesn't look promising so far.
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Ruby
5.0 out of 5 stars Great services
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2020
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Great service. Book is in good condition for a second hand product. Great price. Thank you so much. Highly recommend this company. Have used it before and will continue to do so.
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