Messenger Book

Disappointing, truly. First, almost nothing actually happens within the present timeline in which the book is written. It's a string of stories told over a glass of rum. As a result, it reads like a "best-of clips" episode of a sit com (and is about as interesting).

You get to hear all about Oncle Vervain, Cold Sandra, Great Nannane, and Oncle Julien. This could have been interesting, but because Rice never managed to make me care about any of these characters before plunging into these droning stories, it came across like an old drunk woman you've met at the bus stop telling you her life story for no reason known to you.

The premise of this book held so much potential, but Anne Rice has managed to realize absolutely none of it. The most powerful witch known to the Talamasca being made into a vampire by the most powerful vampire in the realm? Sounds brilliant, right? Well, none of the things that spring to mind with that description come to fruition in Merrick. It's emphasized repeatedly and in many ways how powerful a witch Merrick is; but she never really does anything much more than reading minds (a trick which even the weakest vampires could achieve with the Mind Gift).

That aside, it's heralded as the "blending of the stories of the mayfairs and the vampires," but neither story is really present in this book. Have you noticed that some lists show Merrick in the Vampire Chronicles, and some lists do not? That's because this novel is of absolutely no consequence to the saga. In fact, while Merrick is technically related to the Mayfairs you've come to know before this book, she makes it a point not to involve herself with them, so hers is an entirely different story, really.

And once again, Rice falls into purple prose (surprised?). You get countless descriptions of her imbibing of rum, of the texture of the fabric on her bodice, of her breasts and hair; and suddenly you realize you must backtrack to remember what's going on in the story.

That said, I'd advise you to skip this book and move on to Blood and Gold (which is well worth the read). As I've said, none of the proceedings of this book are of any consequence, so skipping this book will not diminish your understanding of future installments.