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30th out of 693 books
—
849 voters
A Density of Souls
Four high school students in present-day New Orleans are torn apart by envy, passion, and tragedy.
Meredith, Brandon, Greg, and Stephen quickly discover the fragile boundaries between friendship and betrayal as they enter high school and form new alliances. Brandon and Greg gain popularity as football jocks and Meredith joins the bulimic in-crowd, while Stephen becomes the...more
Meredith, Brandon, Greg, and Stephen quickly discover the fragile boundaries between friendship and betrayal as they enter high school and form new alliances. Brandon and Greg gain popularity as football jocks and Meredith joins the bulimic in-crowd, while Stephen becomes the...more
Paperback, 274 pages
Published
by Pan Books
(first published 2000)
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3.5
The novels of Chris Rice might just become one of my guilty pleasures. In spite of and because of its abundant flaws, this was a whopping good, Flannery-O'Connor-meets-Jacqueline-Susann read.
Daytime soaps can't hold a candle to this book. Oy, the excess! Multiple murders and mayhem; suicide and insanity; alcoholism and bulimia; rape, infidelity, incest; bullying, spousal abuse, and effed-up families; homosexuality and homophobia (and rivers of tears); New Orleans cemeteries; jocks and cheerle...more
The novels of Chris Rice might just become one of my guilty pleasures. In spite of and because of its abundant flaws, this was a whopping good, Flannery-O'Connor-meets-Jacqueline-Susann read.
Daytime soaps can't hold a candle to this book. Oy, the excess! Multiple murders and mayhem; suicide and insanity; alcoholism and bulimia; rape, infidelity, incest; bullying, spousal abuse, and effed-up families; homosexuality and homophobia (and rivers of tears); New Orleans cemeteries; jocks and cheerle...more
The gay and lesbian fiction genre is awash with tragically short sighted, stereotypical, and hard to get through novels about coming out, getting beat up, and either finding love or ending up dead. Christopher Rice is like a lighthouse on the banks of a bleak and dismal ocean of the GLBTQ genre. Rice's works are more about a good story, where the character(s) happen to be gay- not a novel solely revolving around the fact that one of the characters like sex with the same gender.
Destiny of Souls...more
Destiny of Souls...more
Despite not being the type of thriller I usually read (i.e. technothriller), I really enjoyed the book overall. It reminds me of Pat Conroy and the one book by Donna Tartt I’ve read so far, but that’s probably due to its southern U.S. location and the group-of-friends dynamic.
The only problems I had are with the dialogue (switches between realistic to very mannered) and some of the characters (Stephen is the central character but he suffers from having everything done TO him, and though he react...more
The only problems I had are with the dialogue (switches between realistic to very mannered) and some of the characters (Stephen is the central character but he suffers from having everything done TO him, and though he react...more
I've read this book twice now, which is something I rarely do. It is a must read and still my favorite work of his. Although I have yet to read his newest that I picked up earlier this year at a book signing in San Diego. I'm actually reading through his previous works to savor his new release. 1st read: Dec 2000
I feel that I should really add more to this. This book has a main character who is gay, but in no means does it come of preachy in concern with that. This book is about the struggles be...more
I feel that I should really add more to this. This book has a main character who is gay, but in no means does it come of preachy in concern with that. This book is about the struggles be...more
I had no idea before starting this that Christopher Rice is the son of Vampire author Anne Rice (whose works I've never properly ready anyway) but it was interesting to see that he had followed in his mother's footsteps, minus vampire's of course.
What I can say about this novel is that it's 'okay'. The writing is quite good, and a picture of the town and situation is handled nicely but I felt everything got very melodramatic very quickly. This is a novel that includes mass murder, suicides (by...more
What I can say about this novel is that it's 'okay'. The writing is quite good, and a picture of the town and situation is handled nicely but I felt everything got very melodramatic very quickly. This is a novel that includes mass murder, suicides (by...more
I wish books these days had a synopsis on the back jacket like in the old days. Because I literally bought this book for its cover. The dark foreboding cover, the graveyard statue, and the title all suggested a spooky book, perfect for Halloween month. Additionally the book is also missing an author page. I had no idea what was getting into. Had I known the author was the son of Anne Rice, it would have further tempted me to thinking spook fest.
Nothing in the beginning gave me clues to the contr...more
Nothing in the beginning gave me clues to the contr...more
I may be among a minority but I've never read an Anne Rice book - I'm not big on vampires, so Christopher Rice was unknown to me and an author in his own right. As a first novel this is an ambitious one and perhaps the faults it has are forgiveable on that basis - there is certainly an air of immaturity to the way Rice starts with a good story worth telling and then seems to decide it's not enough and starts throwing rape, murder, terrorism and inferred incest into the mix. It's a shame he went...more
Feb 12, 2011
Gina Denny
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Nobody.
Recommended to Gina by:
Jes @ A big deal to me!
I absolutely cannot believe this book came so highly recommended. Or that it was even published. It just goes to show you what having famous/wealthy parents can get you in this world.
OK, where do I start with this one...
Let's start with the errors: typos, incorrect word usage, etc. Here's a direct quote: "It was the first time she had even chosen to touched him." HUH?!? I started flagging pages with errors like this on page 115. By the end of the 274 pages, I had 13 such errors marked. Does th...more
OK, where do I start with this one...
Let's start with the errors: typos, incorrect word usage, etc. Here's a direct quote: "It was the first time she had even chosen to touched him." HUH?!? I started flagging pages with errors like this on page 115. By the end of the 274 pages, I had 13 such errors marked. Does th...more
Jan 04, 2009
Kathleen Hagen
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2008-mysteries-suspense,
2008-audio-books
A Density of Souls, by Christopher Rice, A-minus. Narrated by James Daniels, produced by Brilliance Audio, and downloaded from audible.com.
Four kids grow up together and are never separated before they get to highschool. Gregg and Brandon become popular in highschool as football jocks. Meridith, the only girl in the group, becomes part of the in-crowd and a cheerleader and Gregg’s girl friend. Stephen, who was the fourth in this group, is discarded by the other three as they become part of the...more
Four kids grow up together and are never separated before they get to highschool. Gregg and Brandon become popular in highschool as football jocks. Meridith, the only girl in the group, becomes part of the in-crowd and a cheerleader and Gregg’s girl friend. Stephen, who was the fourth in this group, is discarded by the other three as they become part of the...more
Having not yet finished reading the book when I started writing this, I can only comment on what I have realised so far.
The reviews for A Density Of Souls differ largely, fluctuating between 1-2 star ratings with bitter comments, and 5 star rave reviews. This book is a troublesome one that covers a lot of incredibly unpleasant realities, bundling up a dozen serious experiences that happen to people everyday, and then wraps them all up in a wonderfully written (if complicated) story. My guess is...more
The reviews for A Density Of Souls differ largely, fluctuating between 1-2 star ratings with bitter comments, and 5 star rave reviews. This book is a troublesome one that covers a lot of incredibly unpleasant realities, bundling up a dozen serious experiences that happen to people everyday, and then wraps them all up in a wonderfully written (if complicated) story. My guess is...more
Oy- not sure where to begin here. I picked this book up rather randomly from some used book shelves (the price was right) and did not make the author's association with Anne Rice right away (but the dark theme is ultimately resonant). Nor did I realize that this would be classified as "gay fiction." Before I realized all that I got about twenty pages into the book and was not sure it would be one that I could finish...too many characters that were initially confusing and not capturing my interes...more
When reading the back cover of the book I felt immediately that this book was something I would read in a fast fury. At first to be honest I was a little bit afraid that what seemed to be the general tone of the book would be too preachy and therefore too political and would draw too much away from the supposed plot but I was happy to find out I was wrong. An amazing first novel by Christopher Rice, son of Anne. A gripping story of 4 childhood friends torn apart by secrets, sex, alcohol, and HIG...more
Nov 23, 2008
Ozimandias
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
New Orleans enthusiasts, melodrama lovers
The book seemed to have small goals at the outset. It was going to be about how a close-knit group of friends change as they got older and all the drama inherent in their shared secrets and betrayals. But then, Rice, taking too much advice from others, made it a story about more and more, adding in rapes, murders, terrorism and incest. The story about four friends was now about them and everything else. It is handled well enough, but seems overdone. I didn't need another excessive look at New Or...more
I don't know how to give this review without spoilers. A friendship between four friends and their families are put through the ringer over and over.
The story itself was engaging with a speedy pace. I loved how he viewed main occurrences from the perspective of most all characters involved. Even though the book followed four main characters, it allowed you to see how all were effected by the events. There were so many twist in this plot, after I finished reading, I reviewed and couldn't believe...more
The story itself was engaging with a speedy pace. I loved how he viewed main occurrences from the perspective of most all characters involved. Even though the book followed four main characters, it allowed you to see how all were effected by the events. There were so many twist in this plot, after I finished reading, I reviewed and couldn't believe...more
I remember my brother Albert bought me this book for Christmas back in 2003 or something. I was living in Sacramento at the time. I had a free evening one weekend and I thought I'd give the book a go. I started to read it and read it non-stop, cover to cover! I was so enthralled! When I got to the last page and I had finished the book, I sat there gasping. Then I through the book across the room as hard as I could. I was angry! Not real sure why. Later that afternoon, I called Albert in Houston...more
I very much enjoyed this book. While it wasn't "perfect", I found it compelling. Christopher Rice wrote this as a very young man, and it was his first book. It reads like a first book -- some awkwardness, some further need of editing, some earnestness, some typos, but none of that got in the way of my enjoyment of the book.
I wanted to get to know the characters better, I wanted to find out what happened. I read this during a busy period, so I read it in stolen bits of time here and there, but in...more
I wanted to get to know the characters better, I wanted to find out what happened. I read this during a busy period, so I read it in stolen bits of time here and there, but in...more
There are very few books that explore the darkness that can inhabit the human soul thoroughly; A Density of Souls is one of them. The book itself is somewhat meandering and definitely mysterious; we don't know all of our character's secrets until the last few pages. But in it, we get looks at the many ways a person's soul can become tarnished and the many ways that they can brighten it again. I think that anyone who reads this book will find something in it that will ring a truth within them; so...more
There are a lot of things I liked about this book. First of all, the pace is amazing. It establishes its characters quickly and the plot twists and turns quickly with minimum rumination. I liked that the author's not afraid to go over the top and deftly avoids the conventional even in this potboilers resolutions. I liked there's a heated gay relationship at the center of the melodrama. My biggest problem with it (other than the somewhat patchy prose style) is the plausiblity of it. There are cer...more
I bought this book based on a few positive reviews that i had read. When i started reading it...i once again checked out a few reviews, which indicated the book had a gay theme to it.
Well...gay theme or not, this was a good read and became just another good book on my bedside table. Strong characters and a plot that kept me guessing. Raw human emotion can make people do many things...and the characters in this book are motivated by greed and fear and lust...and having power over another.
Not sure...more
Well...gay theme or not, this was a good read and became just another good book on my bedside table. Strong characters and a plot that kept me guessing. Raw human emotion can make people do many things...and the characters in this book are motivated by greed and fear and lust...and having power over another.
Not sure...more
I really enjoyed this book- it's not for everyone but I found the language (both gritty and poetic) lovely. I believe this to be a wonderful first novel. You can definitely tell where real life issues are woven into the novel but it adds to the sympathy you feel for the characters. As I read I will admit I kept asking myself why nothing good happened to any of the characters- it seems everything that can go wrong does- however the more I thought about it the more I realized that life isn't roses...more
I would have to say that I personally enjoyed this book very much. It made me cry a little on my first read. I think I actually fell in love with the main character, Stephen. It made me mad how everyone treated him throughout the story. I just wanted to go in there and slap a few people silly.
The writing was very good too. Christopher Rice is just as amazing and talented as his mother. He definitely has his own style that can draw you in from the first page...
I loved the ending. I think my eyeba...more
The writing was very good too. Christopher Rice is just as amazing and talented as his mother. He definitely has his own style that can draw you in from the first page...
I loved the ending. I think my eyeba...more
It was obviously a first novel. He has a little of his mother's talent.
After the previous Christopher Rice book, I was looking for a similar type of book, however, this one was a little less drama and more mystery. The action kept you going, but tended to drag on in some places. I don't normally have large chunks of time in my day to devote to reading...I tend to do it bit by bit as time allows...so I found that I had to go back at times to remind myself how each minor character tied into this whole tangled web of mystery. The main character was a likeable person,...more
I picked this up in a second-hand store because the title caught me. It's a tragic and intriguing story. Some bits strain credibility and knocked me out of the suspension of disbelief momentarily, but overall I enjoyed the read. It's a lot darker than I normally go for, but I'm glad I stayed with it until the end because the author did an excellent job wrapping it up. So often I come to the end of novel and find myself disappointed, but this left me with that immediate sense of nostalgia, like I...more
Jan 12, 2012
BurningYourBooks
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
glbt,
audio-booked-it
Alright, so Christopher Rice isn't exactly the most polished of writers. There were parts in this that ranged from melodramatic to downright farcical - the big show down in the eye of the hurricane was so completely over the top that I read the whole thing in my mind using Ru Paul's voice. And you know what? I still think this is a pretty good book. In an ever growing sea of at best, second rate gay fiction that floods the market between covers featuring sweaty, muscle ripped hunkies, Souls is a...more
This book came to my attention because it was written by the son of one of my favourite authors, Anne Rice. Based in New Orleans, this books is about four young friends whose relationships change dramatically when they enter High School. I found the depth of the relationships absolutely fascinating and the insights by each of the characters to be beyond their years, but altogether convincing.
I enjoyed re-reading certain sections throughout the book in order to savour the language and the writing...more
I enjoyed re-reading certain sections throughout the book in order to savour the language and the writing...more
After reading this book for the 5th or 6th time, I'm finally ready to offer a review. What Rice has done is pen a debut novel that is both compelling and entertaining. He shows a voice that has his mother's flare for the poetic and evocative while also being wholly original. In A Density of Souls, he creates a cast of characters that are each wonderfully original and unique. It's a wonderful story about love, loss, the scars of the past, and the strength and weaknesses of childhood friendships....more
Oct 24, 2008
Daniel
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of suspense
Recommended to Daniel by:
Saw it at A Different Light
I will start off by saying that I read Mr. Rice's 3rd book first, so I think that might of affected my view on this book. I did enjoy it, but felt that Chris was still finding his voice. The story has a LOT of characters, and it took me awhile to get them all straight. I liked the underlying message (know who you are, be who you are, live who you are) but it was a little difficult to get to it. There were occasions where I wished he had focused more on the main story line and a little less on th...more
Four best friends - Stephen, Meredith, Greg and Brandon - are about to start high school at the beginning of Rice's debut novel. Before they begin a sexual encounter occurs which changes their friendship forever, resulting in the ostracization and constant ridicule of Stephen. Greg and Brandon immediately gravitate into the football/popular circle, bringing Meredith with them, while Stephen remains the odd man out, trying to come to terms with his own homosexuality in a rarely forgiving environm...more
I couldn't put this book down. I read it literally every moment I could spare. The writing style's fabulous and the story is structured in a positively addictive/gripping way. But I can't say I understood it on the first read. It seemed to me the first half started stronger. Then the story suddenly started taking twists and turns in ways I wasn't all that thrilled by, somehow much of it seemed unnatural. Somehow, I was expecting something altogether different to emerge plot-wise. Also, the relat...more
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Christopher Travis Rice is an American author. Rice has written three best-selling novels: A Density of Souls, The Snow Garden, and Light Before Day. His next book, Blind Fall, will be published in 2008 by Charles Scribner's Sons.
Christoper Rice comes from a family of author...more
More about Christopher Rice...
Christopher Travis Rice is an American author. Rice has written three best-selling novels: A Density of Souls, The Snow Garden, and Light Before Day. His next book, Blind Fall, will be published in 2008 by Charles Scribner's Sons.
Christoper Rice comes from a family of author...more
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Jul 29, 2011 05:53pm
Then you'd need some serious uppers to get through the book! :) As ridiculous as it was, I...more
Jul 29, 2011 06:05pm
Jul 29, 2011 06:06pm