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A review by reclusivebookslug
The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Compared to previous entries in the series, this was a more straightforward narrative. I thought this would be a negative for me, in light of the almost Lovecraftian series of events in TQOTD, but I read through this quicker and easier than the rest. This was also a very dour experience for me. Vampiric existence seems so tragic and horrifying, but then so does human, mortal existence, so existence generally seems like a sort of trick. But if the alternative is nonexistence or leaping into the great unknown, that brings its own horror. There is no winning. I want everyone to be good and happy, but it's hard to imagine a truly positive path forward for them. I think I will be taking a slightly larger break from this series than usual before I dip back in to continue with the fifth.
One stand-out positive part of this reading experience was the humor in seeing Lestat fumble through the basics of being human in the modern era. He is horrified by his bodily functions, intolerant of his weakness and dull senses, and clueless as to how to get his basic needs met.
One stand-out positive part of this reading experience was the humor in seeing Lestat fumble through the basics of being human in the modern era. He is horrified by his bodily functions, intolerant of his weakness and dull senses, and clueless as to how to get his basic needs met.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder
Everything not in the spoiler bit is typical vampire stuff related to the blood and murder tags. The narrating character forces a woman into sex without a condom. She had consented initially but resisted when he refused her pleas to wrap it up. Someone is forced to become a vampire in a scene that also feels a lot like sexual assault, given that blood drinking often serves as a stand-in for sex in this universe.