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I have seriously mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, I like the world, the setup, the vampires and witches, the history stuff…

On the other hand, I felt like Matthew spent an inordinate amount of time “coldly furious.” Like, for the first two thirds he was coldly furious about 70% of the time, or so it seemed to me. I don’t personally find that hot or romantic. It’s kind of a red flag. Add to that the whole I am an alpha vampire and must be obeyed thing, and nope.

And yet at other times he’s cute. Like handing out trick or treat candy, etc.

I also found Diana’s passivity super annoying. I usually like learning magic stories, but this one bugged me for some reason.

My favorite parts were when they gathered together at the house, although I, like Diana, was annoyed by the testosterone poisoning going on. It ends on a super cliff hanger as well, but I’d watched the TV series and I think I liked it better!

So, I read this book originally in the 80s. It's aged like fine wine, which I'm sure Lestat would appreciate.

Anne Rice was a trailblazer. I won't say she's the first person who did a sympathetic vampire protagonist, because there was a 19th century serial called Varney the Vampire that did that. But Anne Rice vampires shaped all the vampires that came after, with their ethical struggles and their existential crises and their QUILTBAG rep--aside from the oft-mentioned bit where all Anne Rice vampires are bi poly, there's also Lestat's mother Gabrielle who, upon being turned, immediately says "F*** this" to living as a woman, dons men's clothing, and vanishes into the wilderness to be her own person at last.

This book is mostly setting up how vampires work and their history, and ends on a megacliffhanger. But..... yeah. Good stuff. If you like vampires and haven't read the first three of this series, what are you waiting for?