Violin : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Yuck
Review: Richly adorned language that is almost musical, yet the book put me to sleep after just a few minutes. Much too abstract.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Disappointing
Review: This was my first Anne Rice book, and after reading it, I'm certainly not rushing out to buy another. At least half of the book consists of Triana and the ghost sitting in a room, hurling insults at each other. The flashbacks to Triana's life and the ghost's visions of Renaissance Europe are interesting, but don't make up for the bickering and backstabbing that make up the majority of the story. A waste of time. Given the popularity of Anne Rice's other books, I'm guessing this one isn't representative of her talents.

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: i cannot believe this book comes from the same writer who's done interview with the vampire! when i saw this book in the bookshop and read the back,i though, oh! this sounds like a wonderful book! and the more i turn the pages the greater my disappointment.i liked the idea of the book but as a whole, it was just no good. i just got the feeling, if only she wrote it better...

Rating:
Summary: Jessica's Review on "Violin" (LFMS)
Review: Anne Rice's novel "Violin" is a book you must read. It is Rice's greatest piece since her other hit "The Witching Hour." In this amazing book, Katrina is haunted by a ghostly violinisist named Stefan who opens by showing her his past. It is full of drama, betrayal, and tragic losses of loved ones.
I liked this book because everything seemed so believable compared to her Vampire Chronical. I really did believe that Stefan's past as an aspiring violinist was real. This book will suck you in till the very last page.
If you were you forced to read one book this year, read "Violin" by Anne Rice. You will surely enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: Put Me To Sleep !
Review: Four Words Describes This Book The Best ,[Put Me To Sleep] !! The Story Starts Off With Triana Becker As A Looney Tune Mad Woman Whose Deep In Grief Over The Death Of Her Husband From Aids . And The Death Of Her Daughter Years Ago From Cancer . The Book Kinda Gets Going A Little When Stefan The Ghost Arrives. His Life Story Is Really Intresting And Is The Only Thing Worth Reading About In This Very Poorly Written Book . I Think Anne Most Have Been On Another Planet When She Wrote This ! I Loved All The Vampire Chronicles But This Here Is By Far The Worst Thing Ever Published . Anne Your Better Than This !!!

Rating:
Summary: Deep Dark and Fascinating
Review: "Violin", by Anne Rice is a book that draws on the emotions of the reader. Rice's style, while being somewhat dark in nature is very intriguing. The reader is pulled into a world in which ones' deepest fears and most twisted desires are brought to life.
The beginning of the story sets the intense mood of "Violin". In just the first few pages, the author lets readers in on enough of the mystery so it is impossible to put the book down. The development of the eerie setting, in present day New Orleans, adds to the overall interest as Rice weaves her story. The use of detail and her descriptive wording form a lasting impression for readers.
Rice enthusiasts are kept interested by all the circumstances surrounding the plot in "Violin". The main character, Trianna, after loosing her second husband to AIDS, is drawn into a pit of dark depression. Already emotionally numb and irrational, Trianna, encounters the most beautiful, soul wrenching music she has ever heard. Although she travels downward even further into depression, she realizes along the way her only means of survival is in the music played by the talented hands of a ghostly spirit.
Through the character's intensity, the horrible drama played out in "Violin" takes readers on an emotional ride which is terrifying, yet holds exactly what one is looking for in a Rice work. Other characters are introduced and are well developed throughout the book, but the focus remains on Trianna. "Violin" is truly about her and the depth of her emotional journey. Some past history allows the reader to know the various personalities of the characters presented. Many readers may also find the meandering of the time line to be tiring and difficult to follow, as Rice does tend to move back and forth in time rather rapidly. One moment the reader will be in the present of the story, only to be immediately thrown back into a memory, or thrust forward into the characters perception of the future.
As far as the general idea of meeting an agonized, but tormenting spirit who is pitiful leading someone into a world such as was created in "Violin", and it being a plausible reality is up to the reader. Perception has much to do with how the average reader would rate such a work and Rice is a master in creating worlds that seem real. Personally I enjoyed the mystery and fantasy of "Violin".
Rice exhibits her talent for creating characters with great depth and dimension in "Violin". She has the fantastic ability to make them seem real, as if the reader could just walk into the room and be part of that reality and know these people. If the reader has not experienced anything in life as emotional, they can be sympathetic. For other readers though, there is a deeper sense almost of empathy. The emotions and issues she deals with in "Violin" were, for me, very real and easy to relate too.
Anne Rice is one of my favorite authors. There are several different reasons, but I feel the most outstanding reason is she puts meaning and reality into her stories. Whether real, or imagined, the characters come to life. There are darker qualities to her works, but even in that, there is a sense of heart. "Violin" is an amazing journey for readers, if they have the courage to choose to begin. I feel it can also teach us something about ourselves as human beings. "Violin", I feel is for readers who are not afraid of life inside or out of themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Not interesting
Review: I have read almost all Anne Rice books, I did not like this one, the writer did not catch me this time, and I am looking forward to Anne's next book

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING
Review: Only Ann Rice could take us into the mind so thouroughly. This book is so amazing, I've read it three times, and I am always impressed at the richness of the descriptions. I always cry through the book because it touches me so deeply. The pain that Triana endures, while self inflicted, is certainly something we all can identify with at some time or another. I recommend the reviewers who disliked the book take some time and read it again. This time, instead of going into the book with the Vampire Lestat on the brain, clear everything away and get ready for a trip into history filled with pain, and love, and beauty.

Rating:
Summary: NO NO NO
Review: I am a huge vampire chronicles fan and love them all. therefore I thought this book would be good as well. While it does start off interesting, it goes downhill quickly. I kept thinking that it would get better, but it never did. Very disappointing. Boring boring boring.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting plot, bland book
Review: Anne Rice is a usually a great author. I very much enjoy her Vampire Chronicals books and overall I think they're well written. Violin however was one of the most bland, uninteresting, uncaptivating books I've read in years. It would have been very morbid and depressing had I any interest in the characters or the situation, but there was no chance of that with this novel and it's writing style (or lack thereof). This was a major dissapointment which I struggled to finish. I would not recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys classic Anne Rice. However, if you're looking for a Rice novel that gets away from her Vampire and Witch storylines, try Servant of the Bones.