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Summary: The First REALLY Good Anne Rice Book In Awhile
Review: Loved it, loved it, loved it!!! This book was fun, interesting, and true Anne Rice. Read (or reread) the Witch books and Merrick. I was so thrilled to read about everyones fave vamp, Lestat! Don't think this is a weak book -- it is a great read! I did not put it down until I was done! Anne, you have out done yourself again -- I can't wait until the next book!
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Summary: Bring on the Sequel!
Review: This is quite possibly Anne's best book since _The Witching Hour_. Moody, scary, and ultimately hopeful, this book tells the story of a young man, Quinn, who lives a most unusual life.First, he's part of a byzantine Southern family, the Blackwoods, who have as many family secrets and skeletons in the closet as the Mayfairs do. Rice creates a wonderful group of characters in this family, all of whom you will feel like you know personally. Quinn is also haunted by a spirit doppelganger, Goblin, who is sometimes his friend, sometimes his enemy, and never far from him for long. His relationship with the spirit is questioned by the adults around him--even the best-intentioned of his relatives think he is making up an imaginary playmate or hallucinating. It's sort of reminiscent of Charles de Lint's _Someplace to be Flying_ in that respect--which BTW is another really good book. Quinn tells his life story to the notorious Vampire Lestat, after a series of events cause Quinn to become a vampire himself. Since the transformation, Goblin has shown a dangerous new bloodlust... How Quinn got to this desperate pass, of course, is the subject of our book. The tale unfolds, and in spite of being longer than most of Anne's recent books, never seems *too* long. Along the way we see familiar characters. Lestat himself, of course, bratty again. Rowan, too, has regained her dangerous charisma. And of course, I am forever in love with Julien and Mona Mayfair! Julien makes a brief appearance, delightful as ever, revealing more secrets about "the beds he left unmade and warm". And Mona, Quinn's soul mate, who has suffered most horribly since the birth of her strange child. As the tale ends, Rice shocks us with the death of a familiar character, leaving us to wish that character had been developed more in previous writings. "We hardly knew ye..." And then there is the last line--a line as momentous as "You are coming with me. Now." from _Feast of All Saints_ so many years ago--a line with just enough ambiguity that you'll read the last page 10 times to make sure she's saying what you think she's saying. The last time Anne left me this desperate for a sequel was with _Witching Hour_--and the two sequels were already out by the time I read it. This time I guess I'll have to wait...Please, Anne, we want Blackwood Farm 2 NOOOOWWW!!
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Summary: Return of the great Lestat
Review: I am a little over halfway through the book. It is so great to have another Anne Rice book, I have been waiting for this since it was first mentioned on her website. I was pleased that Lestat was brought back with a decent size role in this book. Quinn is an interesting character, and I hope he will be in the other cronicles from her in the future. All I can say is welcome back to the vampire who rules the night, live on Lestat!
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Summary: A gorgeous blossoming of Anne Rice's genius!
Review: At the very worst in such works as VIOLIN, BLOOD AND GOLD, THE VAMPIRE ARMAND, and PANDORA, Anne Rice writes in a lush, lovely, lyrical prose, which while beautiful, fails in these books to sing. BLACKWOOD FARM is the virtuoso aria of America's diva of the vampiric and witchy. This is Anne Rice at her most masterful and is likely her best-written work to date. The incredible prose has never been more refined and sophisticated, laden with delightful allusion and sumptuous metaphor; the new characters are grand and loving and lovely; there's just a tantalizing toss of old characters; and the plot keeps you turning those pages, all 530 of them. And then there's the ending. Whew! Talk about your cliffhangers. The stage is set for more grand adventures with the witches and the vampires. What a pleasure to read this book!
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Summary: Lestat is back in a big way!!
Review: WOW,,,thats the first words that come to mind. I just finished this story and Im already tapping my nails waiting for the next book. I understand that Mr. Rice is ill, I do pray for him. This book is far superior to the last two, (in my opinion) this one brings us back full circle, the Mayfairs, Lestat and the Talamasca. All that was missing for me was that Louis could have shown up just for alittle spice!!! The final words in this book grab you right by the throat!! I CANNOT wait. Welcome Tarquin Blackwood, our newest addition to the "family". Thank You Anne, you have done it again.
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Summary: Disappointing!
Review: Quinn Blackwood has lived in a world that is filled with luxury and secrets...he is also being haunted by an evil doppelganger. When Quinn is made a vampire his life will change drastically, for all he has will no longer belong to him, and the doppleganger he has had to deal with since birth will become fiercer, and more vampiric than himself. Quinn begins telling his story to the most famous vampire, Lestat, and as his story unfolds, Lestat will be held captive by a tale that spans centuries climaxing present day with explosive results. 'Blackwood Farm' is much of what readers have come to expect from the premier chronicler of vampires, Anne Rice, only this time the story is slow moving, and boring. What started off interesting quickly becomes dull as the lead character tells his over long tale. Anne Rice continues her vampire/witch tales with much of the same from her previous novels, only this time it lacks the bite readers have come to expect. Where the other novels were packed with secrets, sex, gothic descriptions, and carefully executed vampire scenes, this one replaces all that with too much historical detail, and an overwhelming amount of character development on un-important characters. Fans of the Vampire Chronicles will be somewhat disappointed with this slow paced novel. Nick Gonnella
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Summary: Worth reading
Review: I was one of the people who was struggling to read Rice's last few books with not much success. I picked up this one and to my surprise I actually wanted to continue reading it. I enjoyed the story of Quinn and his family. To me that was the best part of the novel the family aspect. It made you feel for Quinn more when he was later changed into a vampire. Which is a really strange part of the story but since it is not drawn out I could tolerate it. Blackwood Farm was a return to the Anne Rice that made you want to read he books in the first place.
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Summary: lush, rich, moving, disturbing, vivid, sensual, (Icouldgoon)
Review: Blackwood Farm, a beautiful plot of land encassed by the dark and tempting waters of the sugar devil swamp. Hot sticky summers and full blooded passion live on and all around the farm, Ghosts that wont rest, creatures that fear exposure and love that cannot be expressed with words.
Anne Rices new novel embodies all of the above and it fuses them with such a mouth watering mortar that you can almost taste as you leaf through the pages.
Characters come alive and stay with you, calling you back to the pages to find out their story, they want you to know. They have a story to tell, and you should listen.
The hero of the piece is Lestat, he has returned and is still blessed with unearthly strength and exquisit beauty. Lestat listens to the story of the young, vibrant and gifted Tarquin Blackwood. It moves from past to present from reality to insanity and from pleasure to pain with seamless narrative and powerfull images rushing us through the fascinating tale that young Tarquin tells.
Passions flare, anger rises and fear creeps along through the story ever ominous and threating to grab hold of us at any moment.
This novel is supreme, it presides over all other chronicles and it should be remembered as one of the most interesting and grounbreaking pieces of the new millenia. Taste the water and become.
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Summary: Anne Rice Is Back!
Review: Anne Rice has, in her last few books, borrowed and/or retold stories from different books in greater detail or from another perspective. I loved all these books but I could recognize that they did not live up to the original stories of Interview With The Vampire or The Vampire Lestat. Blackwood Farm is Anne Rice's redemption. It is a completely new and interesting tale that successfully merges The Vampire Chronicles with the Mayfair witches. (Which was hyped as happening in Merrik but did not.) Rice makes you fall in love with Quinn almost as deeply as you do with Lestat. It is also amusing to see Lestat truely through anothers eyes. this little twist will proove delightful to Rice fans. On the whole it is a well ploted and crafted book. If you have drifted away from her work in the past years Blackwood Farm is the reason to come back.
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Summary: I Couldn't Put It Down
Review: I literally sucked this book dry! From the very first page Anne Rice has you. This book has all the charm and mystery of her earliest works. Lestat is at his devilish best, as we have not seen him in years. I won't give away the plot, but I'll tell you that Quinn Blackwood is a character worthy of your notice. He is indeed Lestat's "little brother". If you've been disenchanted with Ms. Rice's latest novels, give her one more try. I think you'll enjoy Blackwood Farm.
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