Genre: horror, fiction

‘The Vampire Lestat’ is a very beautiful, intense and thrilling novel. Although the novel comprises of rather disjointed anecdotes of Lestat’s life, it is nevertheless very smooth-flowing, not ‘strung’ along. This book is much better than Merrick, also by Rice. It is likely that Lestat is the most colourful, exciting and reckless of all characters Anne Rice has created. Lestat’s adventures are very fast-paced and not at all like the melancholic ones of Louis de Pointe du Lac.
I would say that Lestat seems to love people, more like he’s obsessed with them. In every part of the story he lives in big cities and towns, amidst scores of humans. Despite his ‘love’ for people, he is just as callous, though less cold-hearted than his mother, Gabrielle. I feel that his search for the meaning of eternity is a rather desperate one. Apart from this, he is also the most unpredictable character in Anne Rice’s works, which makes this book a highly-entertaining read.
Similarly, the main theme of this novel is love. However, the discussion is slightly different from that in ‘Vittorio the Vampire’. This novel shows us how love can at times be a curse, best exemplified by how Lestat bestowed the ‘dark gift’ upon his confidante Louis, damning him to an eternity of suffering as a vampire. It also brings to mind that some people help other or treat others nicely because they want to be loved, respected, remembered, appreciated… I feel that this is a rather pathetic call for love. I think that the greatest man is one who helps others without expecting anything in return.
Two lessons from this novel:
1. Always think and question, as this is the way to knowledge and wisdom.
2. The first step to success is to embrace all challenges and meet them, face to face.