Dear lord, did I hate this!

I truly despised every single aspect of it. It was like a thorn in my side, constantly irritating and bothering me.

From the very beginning, it gave me a sense of unease and discomfort.

The more I had to deal with it, the stronger my hatred grew.

I couldn't understand why it had to be this way.

It seemed as if it was deliberately trying to make my life difficult.

No matter how hard I tried to avoid it or find a way out, it always managed to come back and haunt me.

I felt trapped and helpless, with no way to escape this loathsome thing.

It was a source of great frustration and annoyance, and I wished with all my heart that it would just disappear.

But alas, it remained, and I had to continue to endure it, hating it with every fiber of my being.

Seventeenth-Century Stonehenge: a woman sways and chants beneath a stony sky, calling to the Devil.

“We know there are such entities… they may grant our wishes in ways that cause us to cry to heaven in desperation.”

~ The Witching Hour

Anne Rice made terror respectable.

Okay, so some of her recent efforts may have made me want my high school ring back, but her early work did for contemporary horror what P. D. James did for detective fiction: legitimized it, returned it to the level of ‘literature.’ In 1976, Interview with the Vampire dazzled critics and public alike, supplanting Dracula as the archetype of the modern vampire novel. The text derived much of its impact from the sensuality of its narrator. No slavering brute, Rice’s undead protagonist proved himself an articulate aesthete, tormented by the necessities of his existence. It spawned a series. Rare in any genre, Rice’s characters truly developed, thirsting for (among other things) knowledge about their nature. These night prowlers groped their bloody way toward insight. And, yes, there is sex after death, or Eros anyway, an eternal, yearning despair. Rice’s monsters seemed elegantly tragic … and all too human.

The Kiss of Death – that’s what film actors used to call getting an Oscar for their first movie. Inevitably, typecasting would follow. Rice’s next two books – The Feast of all Saints, with its poignant lyricism, and Cry to Heaven (for all its menacing decadence) provoked impatience from readers who demanded more about romantic fiends. (Such expectations eventually forced the author to adopt a series of pseudonyms and may have influenced her abandonment of In a Dark and Secret Place, a project about child prostitutes in Edwardian England.) These novels possessed richly textured characters, intensely evoked settings and baroque plots steeped in a sophisticated carnality that became the author’s trademark. Nowhere was this eroticism more sharply defined than in The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty’s Punishment and Beauty’s Release, three almost legendary works penned under the name A. N. Roquelaure. Few other attempts at literary erotica approach such obsessive intensity. Henry Miller’s sweaty ramblings don’t come close. Nor do Anais Nin’s neurasthenic murmurings. The unrelenting aspect of Rice’s erotica can exhaust, even disturb a reader. But it also liberates. And empowers.

Nine years after her first book, The Vampire Lestate resumed the adventures of Rice’s predatory immortals. Taking up the history of the creature whose bite had infected her original narrator, Rice – in typically tour-de-force fashion – demonstrated how a shift in perspective transmuted the familiar tale into something distinctive. In 1988, Queen of the Damned completed the triptych, with the vampires again struggling to accommodate highly developed intellects to an inescapable thirst, and if later entries in the series seemed to lose focus, several proved surprisingly intense.

The Witching Hour practically reprises Rice’s career. Even hints of the books she wrote as Ann Rampling can be detected. (For instance, the sexuality suggests some of the steamier aspects of Exit to Eden, while the incestuous back story echoes the subtext of Belinda.) But The Witching Hour remains very much a horror novel, a virtual cornucopia of the macabre. Fusing Rice’s vampire saga to a comprehensive history of witchcraft, this sprawling chronicle traces 13 generations of an accursed family, a dynasty of sorcerers rife with obsession and murder. From medieval Scotland to Renaissance Amsterdam, from fin de siècle Haiti to modern New Orleans, a family of gifted psychics has either reveled in or struggled against the power of the monster that has bound itself to them. Now, one lone young woman, unaware of her heritage, must fight the ultimate battle – for Lasher, that “genius among demons,” would finally be made flesh.

Yes, there would be sequels of (inevitably) diminishing impact, but don’t miss this one. The Witching Hour may be full of wraiths and warlocks, but Rice is the true spellbinder.

**"The Mayfair Chronicles: A Mixed Bag"**

Warning: SPOILERS. And gifs. Lots of both, actually.



I'm truly at a loss when it comes to summarizing what I've just completed. It's akin to attempting to explain the plot of a George RR Martin novel. You could try itemizing events one by one, but everything is so intricately intertwined that it's impossible to untangle in the overall scheme. "Oh, y'know. Stuff happens. People threaten each other. People fight. People die. People have sex. More stuff happens. More people fight. More people die. The end."





(Sorry, Robb.)



Anyway, before delving into what really irked me, I must say that the middle third of this book was excellent. I thoroughly adored the family history segment of the novel - the compilation of sources and snippets related to the Mayfair family over several hundred years. I would have been more than happy to read a full-length novel dedicated solely to those individuals and their dysfunctional family dynamics.



Unfortunately, the long-running cycle of the Mayfair Witches seemed almost secondary to the main plot - a rather strange observation considering the series is titled "The Mayfair Chronicles." But there it is. Instead of spending more time with Charlotte, Deborah, Carlotta, Stella, Julien, and everyone else, it becomes painfully obvious that their lives and misadventures are all leading up to Rowan Mayfair and her boyfriend, Michael Curry, as their lives become intertwined with the Evil Plans of a highly determined demon... spirit... thing named Lasher.







Before discussing Rowan and Michael, let's talk about Lasher. What exactly is Lasher? After 1000 pages, his nature remains unclear. He's an immortal being with intelligence, called into existence on Earth by a simple witch. Over the centuries, he's learned to manipulate mortals and breed them together in his ultimate quest - that is, to give himself a body. One might assume this would make him mortal, but apparently not. (Just one of several logical gaps that you have to overlook as necessary.) At any rate, Lasher has been interbreeding one family because he looks into the future and sees a specific witch (Rowan) as his gateway into the world of sensory experience. As powerful as other witches have been - especially Charlotte, Julien, and Mary Beth - they lack Rowan's understanding of modernity and medicine, which is what makes her so strong.



Or something like that. It's a really long-term Cunning Plan(tm).



Yeah, that's right. The demon... spirit... thing has a Cunning Plan(tm), and it's worthy of Gray Eagle himself.







As for how Lasher's final transformation is supposed to occur... well, it was rather nonsensical. It involves Lasher fusing himself with the fetus in Rowan's body, which then emerges in a bloody and horrific birthing scene (though still somewhat vague in detail). This mutant offspring is born with a giant head and limbs that grow to full adult size within minutes, and Rowan has to place her hands on his body and ensure his organs develop properly so he can actually live, breathe, have sex, and walk around. The whole thing is beyond serious recounting. Clearly, the author was aiming for some kind of Frankenstein tribute, but it just didn't work. By this point - somewhere around page 1015 - I simply didn't care anymore. And who's to blame for my lack of interest? Rowan and Michael.



Michael is a classic nice guy, but that's all he is. His niceness is incredibly boring. He's built like a firefighter and overly sensitive - as in, he cries at the beauty of Christmas, finds poetry in restoring old houses, and weeps internally at the ecstasy of making love to Rowan. (Yes, really.) But despite my personal feelings towards this type of hero, Michael's overly emotional behavior might have been more tolerable if the heroine had compensated for it.



Nope. That didn't happen.







Rowan has mysterious healing powers, but she can also kill people with her mind. That sounds great in theory - except she's a bit of a know-it-all. She's constantly judging others, looking down on people for having emotions, and drives like a maniac because she thinks she's that amazing. But she's also very, very lonely and deprived of emotional companionship, and of course her powers scare her, but she's determined to use them for good, healing, and compassion towards the little people of the universe who are human enough to need medical care, and...



Excuse me for ridiculing her self-righteous rants. *chortle* At the end of the book, after repeatedly vowing at great length to destroy Lasher at the first opportunity, what does she do? She falls right into the first mental trap Lasher sets, abandons the great love of her life that she's been going on about for the entire novel, allows a demonic spirit to seduce her, falls in love with said demonic spirit, heals his freaky fetus body because she can't bear to destroy life, and runs away with him to hide in Europe and conduct medical research on his cellular tissues. Seriously?







So what happened to the Mayfair Witches storyline - the one about a family of occultists who do witchy things to each other and have a ghost haunting their family? Looking back, I can only say that the book's true focus wasn't really on witchcraft. I wanted to read a 1000-page book about an inbred line of witches... but that's not what I got. Instead, I found a 400-page family history and a 600-page metaphysical sci-fi adaptation of The Omen. The result was a book that felt like two different concepts forced together into one cumbersome whole - not to mention the book was 300 pages too long. o_O



3.5 stars. The family compendium was quite interesting, but the rest was a borderline snooze.



To conclude, here's a picture of Robb holding an armload of puppies.







...I feel better already.

After delving into most of the Vampire Chronicles, I have made up my mind to embark on Rice's Witches' trilogy.

I am well aware that for numerous individuals, this particular book posed a challenge to get through.

There is an abundance of information within its pages that might seem like, "Well, who on earth cares????"

However, it is all relevant in one form or another, and it truly sets the stage for the subsequent novels, namely Lasher and Taltos. (There are also Merrick, Blackwood Farm, and Blood Canticle, which followed later.)

If one can endure a somewhat sluggish read for a short period, this book is truly, truly enjoyable.

And if you have a belief in magic, natural magic, ghosts, and suchlike, well, then that simply enhances the appeal of this book even further.

It offers a unique and captivating exploration of the world of witches and their supernatural abilities, drawing the reader into a realm of mystery and intrigue.

Despite the initial difficulties, the rewards of persevering and engaging with the story are well worth it.

So, if you're a fan of Rice's work or have an interest in the supernatural, give this book a try and see where it takes you.

Rowan Mayfair, a strikingly beautiful and talented young neurosurgeon, makes a startling discovery. She realizes that she is the latest in a long line of powerful witches. Accompanied by her psychic lover, she embarks on a journey to her family's hometown of New Orleans. Her mission is to claim her heritage and confront the spirit that has haunted the Mayfair women for generations.

Anne Rice's writing is truly captivating. She has the ability to transport the reader to another world. However, I felt that the story took an unnecessarily long time to unfold. The middle section, which details the family history of the Mayfair witches from the 16th century to the present, is extremely long. While it is an interesting and involving history, it could have been condensed without sacrificing the essence of the story.

When the narrative finally returns to the present, we are primed for the plot to develop. Unfortunately, what follows are a series of long conversations that slow down the pace. However, when things start happening again, the story becomes engaging once more. The characters are left in intriguing circumstances that make me eager to read the sequel. I am curious to see how their stories will unfold and what challenges they will face in the future.

I don't remember precisely how many years ago it was that I read this. I believe it was in the late 1990s. I do recall that I had a great affection for it, but unfortunately, I don't remember a great deal about it. Perhaps as I commence a re-read today with one of my reading groups, some of the details will come flooding back to me. I have always been irresistibly drawn to a good witch story.

July 16, 2022. I have just completed this extremely long book with my book club, and I must say that I don't think I will ever forget it! We engaged in a wonderful discussion with a plethora of different views. I do indeed plan to read the next two books. It was fascinating, horrifying, shocking, and beautiful all at once. The characters and locations were crazy beautiful. It has been many years since I read a book of this length, but it was most definitely worth it.

This book has truly left an indelible mark on me, and I can't wait to explore more of the story in the subsequent installments.

The moment I saw the word 'witches', I was intrigued. But then when 'incest' came into the picture, my interest started to wane. And with that page count, it just firmly stepped over to the 'never gonna happen' shelf.

You know, life is simply way too short. There are so many other books out there, so many other stories to explore. Why waste time on something that has such off-putting elements and a page count that seems a bit overwhelming?

We have to be selective with what we choose to invest our time in. There are countless wonderful reads waiting for us, and this one just doesn't seem to make the cut.

So, I'll move on and look for something else that will truly capture my imagination and make the most of my precious time.

There is an abundance of passion here that nearly makes this work truly shine.

However, unfortunately, the structure is flawed. The middle portion of the book gives the impression of being a prequel to a potentially successful series, much like if one were to place "Fire and Blood" in the middle of the first "Game of Thrones" book.

Moreover, although there are numerous interesting characters, not a single one possesses the same level of charisma as Lestat.

Nevertheless, having said that, I am still determined to continue with the series. I am intrigued by the world that has been created and eager to see how the story unfolds further.

Despite the flaws in structure and the lack of a truly captivating character to rival Lestat, there is something about this series that keeps drawing me in.

I look forward to delving deeper into the next installment and seeing if the author can address the issues and take the story to new heights.

This was truly quite ridiculous.

The ending was simply absurd, completely unrealistic and daft.

I did love the middle section which delved into the complex and sprawling family history.

However, the lacklustre characters of Michael and Rowan failed to really captivate.

Rice is indeed great at writing beautiful descriptions of buildings or landscapes and details.

Her historical sections are excellent.

But the contemporary characters are, frankly, irritating.

Moreover, her use of the word rape was also highly tasteless.

I firmly believe this would have greatly benefited from some serious editing.

Oh, and let's not forget, she can't write sex scenes at all.

Nevertheless, I still enjoy reading her books when I'm in the mood for something trashy.

It's like indulging in a cheap box of chocolates.

Sometimes, despite their flaws, her books can provide a bit of mindless entertainment.

But it's important to recognize and criticize the aspects that are lacking or inappropriate.

Perhaps with better editing and more developed contemporary characters, her books could reach a higher level of quality.

Continuing my re-read of all the Anne Rice books that I last read approximately thirty years ago, I have now arrived at the first Mayfair Witches novel. I must say that I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and I was quite surprised by how much of it I could remember. In fact, I recalled pretty much everything except for how it ended.

It is Rice's typical blend of historical fiction and gothic horror, with a touch of erotica thrown in. This combination is either something that appeals to you or it isn't. Personally, I could do without the erotica, especially the female protagonist's recurring rape fantasies. I understand that these fantasies are meant to foreshadow future events, but I firmly believe that fetishising rape is extremely disrespectful to those who have actually endured sexual assault. Call me old-fashioned if you like.

Despite my aversion to that particular element of the novel, I still found myself really enjoying the book as a whole. The story was engaging, the characters were well-developed, and the atmosphere was truly spooky. I'm looking forward to continuing my journey through the Mayfair Witches series and seeing what else lies in store.

I did not like this book.

Her description skills are truly beautiful, which initially drew me in. (Plus, I was in search of a book that would take me longer than a day to read, and this one had over a thousand pages.) You can vividly SEE and FEEL what she describes, as if you are right there in the room with her, observing and touching her characters and environments. So, I gave it a star for that remarkable aspect.

However, how can one write over six hundred pages without delving into a story plot? I was somewhat entranced by the extensive history she provided about the family. But then, around page six hundred, I realized she hadn't really established any kind of plot. By page nine hundred, this became even more concerning, and I wondered how she would manage to develop it in time. And then came the ending... okay, I truly hated the ending.

I suppose if one reads this book as a metaphorical piece, with hidden meanings and questions about society and its formation, it might hold some value. However, I was hoping for an enthralling history/thriller about witches. Instead, this author managed to write out seven hundred pages of backstory, with a semi-fantastical feel to her world, and then suddenly shove the entire story into the realm of science fiction at the end. I re-read the crucial scene about ten times before finally skimming through to the end.

I also didn't like how her character is supposedly stronger and smarter than everyone else, only to have the author seemingly throw in a "just kidding, just kidding, she's not really that smart or strong" towards the end.

If you have a penchant for science fiction and a lot of backstory, this could be an interesting read. But for me, I will simply never read it again.

I was completely and utterly addicted to this monstrous novel. It had over 1000 pages, and yet, I couldn't put it down for a second.

Every page was filled with spine-chilling moments and hair-raising suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is in search of a truly good ghost story.

It is utterly fantastic! The author's vivid descriptions and masterful storytelling skills bring the ghosts and the supernatural elements to life in the most terrifying and believable way.

Whether you're a die-hard fan of the horror genre or just looking for a thrilling read, this novel is sure to satisfy your cravings.

So, don't hesitate, pick up this book and prepare to be scared out of your wits!