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gayliott's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Anne Rice definitly has some of her more problematic moments in that one. But if you like her writing style and dramatics it's good for that. The horror also peeks in this one for the series so far. Very dark, very dramatic, gore and existencial. I love it but i would strongly advise checking the Trigger Warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Incest, and Abandonment
eleasofia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
this book is my favorite of the entire series so far. i was immediately intrigued by armand when he was first introduced, so i had high expectations for this book and i wasn't disappointed. now, i'd even go so far as to say he's my favorite.
the book didn't feel long to me at all, and while the pacing fluctuated a little now and then, overall it didn't feel slow. i loved that the book didn't start out slow like some of the previous ones but plunged right into the story. i was immediately hooked from the very first page and finished it in what feels like no time at all.
armand's story is utterly heartbreaking but nevertheless fascinating in all its horrors. the bits and pieces that we already knew about him from the previous books make sense now, e.g., why he he lived miserably for 300 years in the paris' catacombs under the cemetery. it was hard to imagine what could've happened that lead him to decades of this pitiful existence, but i get it now.
we knew that armand had been trafficked and abused as a child, but that didn't prepare me for the extent of it. and from the previous books, it seemed like marius had saved him from that fate, but something about it seemed dubious, and well... dubious doesn't even begin to cover it. i'd recommend reading the content warnings of the book.
i loved learning more about armand's origin and development and how he became how he is at this point in the story. the complexity of his character is really fascinating.it was heartbreaking to see how the spirited, insolent, curious, and loving boy he still was, even after the trauma of being kidnapped and raped, was broken and brainwashed and ended up so utterly lost at the time when lestat met him in paris. he was well educated and sharp and still ended up in what i would call a cult, and turned from the abused one to the abuser. he is capable of unspeakable violence, as all the vampires are, yet i felt like he did it sparingly, though when he did something, it felt especially vicious. i still have so many questions about what he did to claudia. at one moment, he is so full of love, then the next he is cold and cruel. while marius was his saviour, he was also his abuser. and as twisted as it is, armand loved him. the horror of all that is ever present throughout the entire story, right up until the last chapter where he still calls marius "master". armand has suffered so much, and it was just interesting to read about how all of it has broken and shaped him.
i still don't care much for religion, and while it is a big part of this book - of armand's life and identity -as well, i found it a lot more interesting to read about from his perspective, to learn what it means to him and how it has shaped his life, compared to, for example, memnoch's endless monologue or lestat's conversations with gretchen. i still hope i don't ever have to read about the veil again. my god, i was so tired of it by the end.
i also really enjoyed the change of narrator. armand has a more matter-of-factly way of telling his story. he's gone though unspeakable horrors and he tells them exactly as he remembers they occurred, and tells the reader exactly how he felt in those moments and how he feels about all of it now, but he doesn't make it overly dramatic. it's even humorous at times. lestat has severely annoyed me again and again over the course of the previous books. i know it's part of his character design and it's part of what makes him so great, but sometimes he's just insufferable, so i really liked the switch.
the book didn't feel long to me at all, and while the pacing fluctuated a little now and then, overall it didn't feel slow. i loved that the book didn't start out slow like some of the previous ones but plunged right into the story. i was immediately hooked from the very first page and finished it in what feels like no time at all.
armand's story is utterly heartbreaking but nevertheless fascinating in all its horrors. the bits and pieces that we already knew about him from the previous books make sense now, e.g., why he he lived miserably for 300 years in the paris' catacombs under the cemetery. it was hard to imagine what could've happened that lead him to decades of this pitiful existence, but i get it now.
we knew that armand had been trafficked and abused as a child, but that didn't prepare me for the extent of it. and from the previous books, it seemed like marius had saved him from that fate, but something about it seemed dubious, and well... dubious doesn't even begin to cover it. i'd recommend reading the content warnings of the book.
i loved learning more about armand's origin and development and how he became how he is at this point in the story. the complexity of his character is really fascinating.
i still don't care much for religion, and while it is a big part of this book - of armand's life and identity -as well, i found it a lot more interesting to read about from his perspective, to learn what it means to him and how it has shaped his life, compared to, for example, memnoch's endless monologue or lestat's conversations with gretchen. i still hope i don't ever have to read about the veil again. my god, i was so tired of it by the end.
i also really enjoyed the change of narrator. armand has a more matter-of-factly way of telling his story. he's gone though unspeakable horrors and he tells them exactly as he remembers they occurred, and tells the reader exactly how he felt in those moments and how he feels about all of it now, but he doesn't make it overly dramatic. it's even humorous at times. lestat has severely annoyed me again and again over the course of the previous books. i know it's part of his character design and it's part of what makes him so great, but sometimes he's just insufferable, so i really liked the switch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, and Trafficking
boywonder's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A lot of this book doesn't really hold up. It's still my favourite in the series because I love Armand, but some of this has weird racism in it that was extremely unnecessary? Also the second half is so sped up because it assumes you remember everything that happened in two or three other books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping and Abandonment
bunnypearl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Even with all the content warnings, I found this book much more enjoyable than the last couple volumes in the Vampire Chronicles. I always loved the character of Armand and delving further into his backstory was incredibly interesting, his demeanor and actions further explained by the past.
I thought his relationship with Marius, both mentally and physically, was well-written. Though the reality of it is far from beautiful, the way Rice writes it draws the reader into Armand's mind, making them believe (to an extent) that this love is something that can be perfectly attained--even if it takes a long while. Seeing him go from student to lover to hunter to something impossible to label...it's a long, strange process and Armand's development throughout the story makes this book one of my favorites in the Chronicles.
This story is definitely not for everyone and the content warnings should be checked before reading it, but I enjoyed The Vampire Armand much more than I anticipated.
I thought his relationship with Marius, both mentally and physically, was well-written. Though the reality of it is far from beautiful, the way Rice writes it draws the reader into Armand's mind, making them believe (to an extent) that this love is something that can be perfectly attained--even if it takes a long while. Seeing him go from student to lover to hunter to something impossible to label...it's a long, strange process and Armand's development throughout the story makes this book one of my favorites in the Chronicles.
This story is definitely not for everyone and the content warnings should be checked before reading it, but I enjoyed The Vampire Armand much more than I anticipated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Torture
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
bordino's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
vfevermillion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
moreau's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
probably my favorite book in the series. very disappointed in the lack of daniel and how shit the one mention of him was, him and armand are the best together. other than that, loved this book.
literally tw everything though its atrocious but i love that its funny
literally tw everything though its atrocious but i love that its funny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
armand's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
wow. this was easily one of the most devastating books i’ve ever read.
armand is my favorite vampire of the series, and it was very painful to get through this book. although i wanted to read more about his backstory, story ripped my heart to shreds. i disliked marius before, but he is now one of my most HATED literary characters of all time. i’ve seen many people demonize and bash on armand’s character for being Strange and Offputting… and while i understand why some people can find him to be uncomfortable, why is he the way he is? he was a child when he was made and he suffered, while being a human child, repeated CSA, physical and mental abuse and grooming, by the hands of his immortal maker marius and mortals alike. he never got to have a childhood, and was thrust upon a world full of sick individuals that twisted his perception of the world and those around him.
and throughout the series, we see how the abuse that he suffered affects his relationships with other people throughout the series.
he didn’t achieve a deep, long-lasting romantic relationship, but he found love in his two “adopted children”, his brother and sister, sybelle and benji. and it makes me very glad! this little family is just what he needs. i feel for him, and this book only deepened my appreciation of the character.
on another note, anne rice’s purple prose in this is lovely! loved the philosophical monologues, and how descriptive it was. her writing is beautiful to me, but i did have MAJOR issues with how graphic the sexual content was in this depicting the life of a teenage boy, and how romanticized the dynamic between marius and armand was (although i understand that this was in the victim’s pov… but it could’ve been handled better) for a book about how predatory adults traumatized a person forever in a teenage body, the topics surrounding this could’ve been handled WAYYY better (didn’t have much hope bc this is an anne rice book but geez)
armand is my favorite vampire of the series, and it was very painful to get through this book. although i wanted to read more about his backstory, story ripped my heart to shreds. i disliked marius before, but he is now one of my most HATED literary characters of all time. i’ve seen many people demonize and bash on armand’s character for being Strange and Offputting… and while i understand why some people can find him to be uncomfortable, why is he the way he is? he was a child when he was made and he suffered, while being a human child, repeated CSA, physical and mental abuse and grooming, by the hands of his immortal maker marius and mortals alike. he never got to have a childhood, and was thrust upon a world full of sick individuals that twisted his perception of the world and those around him.
and throughout the series, we see how the abuse that he suffered affects his relationships with other people throughout the series.
he didn’t achieve a deep, long-lasting romantic relationship, but he found love in his two “adopted children”, his brother and sister, sybelle and benji. and it makes me very glad! this little family is just what he needs. i feel for him, and this book only deepened my appreciation of the character.
on another note, anne rice’s purple prose in this is lovely! loved the philosophical monologues, and how descriptive it was. her writing is beautiful to me, but i did have MAJOR issues with how graphic the sexual content was in this depicting the life of a teenage boy, and how romanticized the dynamic between marius and armand was (although i understand that this was in the victim’s pov… but it could’ve been handled better) for a book about how predatory adults traumatized a person forever in a teenage body, the topics surrounding this could’ve been handled WAYYY better (didn’t have much hope bc this is an anne rice book but geez)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
usually_sleep_deprived's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
carrionkid's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I think the last 2/3rds of this book really make it worth the read. The first third is ROUGH, filled to the brim with gratuitous CSA that the author doesn't seem to have an issue with. But from there on, I think it's a strong addition to the series even if some of the events actively contradict past books in the series. It's visceral and raw and a very good change of pace from the other books in the series. However, the CSA definitely knocks it down a star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol