Kelly's review of Memnoch the Devil

Memnoch the Devil (Vampire Chronicles, No 5)
by Anne Rice

Kelly's review

rating:

bookshelves: favorites, fiction

recommended for: AR fans, also people with an interest in religion/philsophy

status: Read in May, 2004

I just want to say that before I started writing this review, I read the reviews of others, and numerous people who wrote on this wrote that it was their least favorite, or gave it the least stars of any of the Vampire Chronicles novels. A precious few gave it the five stars that I did.

May I just say: You all are completely and utterly insane?

This is by far the /best/ of the Vampire Chronicles novels. It shows the most scholarship, learning, understanding, and beauty by /far/. It is erudite, well researched, and a tale such as one could almost believe was true. This is myth at it's finest. If you don't like this book, I just don't know how you have any appreciation for fine craftsmanship in a novel, or character development, or bloody Christ any taste at all. This novel is deeply, primally beautiful.

In Memnoch, a man who purports himself to be the devil comes to visit Lestat and tells him the story of creation. He asks Lestat to come with him and redeem souls in hell for th...more I just want to say that before I started writing this review, I read the reviews of others, and numerous people who wrote on this wrote that it was their least favorite, or gave it the least stars of any of the Vampire Chronicles novels. A precious few gave it the five stars that I did.

May I just say: You all are completely and utterly insane?

This is by far the /best/ of the Vampire Chronicles novels. It shows the most scholarship, learning, understanding, and beauty by /far/. It is erudite, well researched, and a tale such as one could almost believe was true. This is myth at it's finest. If you don't like this book, I just don't know how you have any appreciation for fine craftsmanship in a novel, or character development, or bloody Christ any taste at all. This novel is deeply, primally beautiful.

In Memnoch, a man who purports himself to be the devil comes to visit Lestat and tells him the story of creation. He asks Lestat to come with him and redeem souls in hell for the rest of eternity. He offers Lestat the salvation and the heaven he believes that he's been yearning for for centuries, and once again, Lestat can't accept it. At the end of the novel, we do not know if he was really the devil or not, but I'm inclined to believe he was. This novel is perfectly constructed. It draws you in, builds you up, almost makes you forget about the novel's context as it builds thorugh the myth. Then all of a sudden, like Lestat, you come crashing back down into reality with choices to be made.

I'm Catholic. I know these stories of creation and descent. And to be honest, there are conclusions that Anne Rice reaches that I am more in sympathy with that official dogma. This was the height of her religion of earthiness, being in love with the world and love and passion and life. Hers is a devil that is cast out for sensuality and feeling and love. I'd believe in that. He does seduce you, thoroughly. I closed the book and almost believed in it all for a minute.

This was supposed to be the close of the series, and I wish it was. Lestat waking up on earth, among those he loves, having realized that salvation is not what he wants... Anne Rice's last words written are "Goodbye, my love," to her fascinating Lestat. It was the perfect ending to Lestat's journey. I wish she hadn't gone on, and with much lowered standards, with nowhere really to go. This would have been such a high note to go out on. This book left me so in love with life I can't express it.

In other words: You two star people on this book? I am sorry to state this so unequivocally, but: Fools! :)...less

Like this review? yes (6 people liked it) flag

comments (showing 1-3 of 3)

newest »

date

message 1: by Luke

08/24/2008 12:21AM

It is always intriguing to find someone who agrees with my opinions, no matter how ridiculous they may be. I think that the concept of Satan as a sympathetic character is not only poetic but realistic. Hail S*tan!

flag *

message 2: by Sara

11/12/2008 07:25AM

Thank you! I was thinking the same thing. This is by far my favorite book of the Vampire Chronicles for these same reasons.

flag *

message 3: by Kelly

11/13/2008 07:17AM

I'm glad to find a sympathetic ear. After I see all the "I was bored by this," two star reviews, I wonder if most people were really just in it for the pretty boys biting each other's necks.

flag *

Kelly's review of Memnoch the Devil

comments (showing 1-3 of 3)

flag abuse