Rating: 
Summary: Very intriguing read, a page turner....
Review: Like another reviewer, this was my second Anne Rice book, with the first being "Interview With The Vampire". So, not having read her extensively, I must say I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.I was very drawn into the story and never wanted to stop reading, with the exception of the middle part of the history portion on the Mayfair Witches. I found this section became quite tedious after a while, as well as repetitive. That's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. But, after the history portion the story picks up again. Another reason for not giving it 5 stars was the absence of a family tree in the book, which I believe another reviewer had mentioned. There are so many Mayfairs and so much in-breeding that it became confusing, especially later on in the novel, when the names are mentioned again and I had at that point forgotten who was related to who. Maybe it wouldn't have been so confusing if I had read it relatively fast, for I had read it over the span of a few months, possibly adding to the confusion. I don't necessarily agree with other reviewers who say this book had a non-ending. True, the end is an obvious lead to the next book, "Lasher". But, once the climax of the story hit, it was quite clear the goal of the book had been achieved. I really enjoyed experiencing this book. I love the lush writing of Anne Rice and would recommend this to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: The WORST book I ever read
Review: I am a prolific reader, and this was (in my opinion) the worst book I have ever read. The narrative drags on for hundreds of pages before anything remotely interesting happens. As soon as the action (finally) begins to pick up, the story jumps to another century, and another long narrative period ensues before anything actually happens. When the novel finally reaches the "conclusion" you get a little taste of a finale before you are greeted with the message that the story will continue in the next novel. I found that I didn't care what to happened to any of the characters enough to put myself through the torture of reading any more. If I am going to invest the time to read a novel, the least the author could do would be to put the conclusion in the actual novel instead of expecting me to plunk down more money for the next book. Before I read this novel I had read 6 other Anne Rice books. After this book, I could no longer stand to read her writing - this book actually ruined her writing for me. She spends so much time focusing on what things look like that there is no time left for such elements as character development or plot. Even if you are an Anne Rice fan, I advise you to skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling imagery and compelling story.
Review: The story of an unknown being haunting a family in this way seems original and captivated me from the start. I loved the way Lasher was unveiled with little clues and historical hints, yet retaining his mystery throughout most of this book. The imagery and detail of the house and New Orleans was amazing. I'll surely go see that place if I'm ever in New Orleans. After completing the series I think the long history was necessary, though a bit hard to get through at the time. In all, the author gives incredible detail and history that will leave you with vivid images in your head. I also loved the sexiness of the story. The only thing I found troubling at worst and very hard to believe at best, was what happened within character development in the ending of The Witching Hour and continuing throughout the final two books. The way these seemingly intelligent charters continued to betray themselves and make remarkably bad decisions led me to the point that I finally lost my emotional connection to any of the characters.
Rating: 
Summary: The Witching Hour By Anne Rice
Review: A man as a young boy is baffled by all the mysteries in his home town. Becoming a doctor when he's older, he decided to return to his home town to try and solve all the mysteries that he never knew as a kid. It's a chilling and thrilling novel about a young girl and her encounters with "the man" who is only seen by the young girl. Finding out what happened to the young girl he decides that he needs to try and figure out who "the man" is. A satisfying ending is in store.
Rating:
Summary: Read This, Real Review
Review: This book was toooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooong, and it told you nothing, way toooooo much detail, and history, and not enough story, no real ending and all she did was set up for a sequel(which is already out). i could have wrote both books in about 500 pages and made it good.
Rating:
Summary: Long, But An Intriguing Tale
Review: I loved The Witching Hour. It was the second Anne Rice book I read, the first being Interview with a Vampire, and the characters were so fantastic that I immediately got off the vampire books and started with the witches series. The first was definitely the best. I will admit that when Michael begins to read the family tree of the Mayfair Witches it gets very long and a little tedious. But I guess it wasn't that bad for me because I have always been a history buff and I loved reading the history of this amazing, yet disturbing, family, even if the details were a little much. But I feel that it does give you better insight into why all the things that happened to this family happened and you get to know the characters like they were your best friends. They are far from perfect, but their hearts are usually in the right place. This book was extremely intriguing, if a little too dark at times, and I couldn't stop reading it. Even though I probably renewed it (I got it from a library) maybe 10 times. Enjoy, but make sure you leave yourself plenty of time.
Rating: 
Summary: Anne Rice's best work yet!
Review: This is my favorite series by Anne Rice, who happens to be my favorite author. The story of the Mayfair witches is hypnotic and engrossing and a fantastic read! Lasher and Taltos are equally as captivating. I am a huge fan of the vampire chronicles, however, this series was just as wonderful to read. The characters just draw you into their lives until you feel as though you can't put the book down. I hope that Anne Rice will continue the saga of the Mayfair family.
Rating:
Summary: An exciting tale of witchcraft
Review: THE WITCHING HOUR begins another series by bestselling author Anne Rice. While best known for her tales of the vampire, here you will find a new and exciting tale of witchcraft and the occult. The story begins in New Orleans, Louisiana, and travels across the United States to San Francisco, California. Rowan Mayfair is a beautiful and successful doctor with great powers she cannot explain. One evening while sailing her boat she comes across a man floating in the sea. She pulls the drowned man from the sea and brings him back to life. In his brief death experience, Michael Curry develops a power of his own. He can see into people with the simplest touch. Frightened and mystified by this new power, Michael turns to alcohol, covers his hands with thick gloves and closes himself off from the world. Only one woman can pull him from the prison he's made for himself...Rowan Mayfair. Drawn together by some unexplainable force, Rowan and Michael fall deeply in love and set out to discover the truth of Rowan's past and Michael's unwanted powers. Their quest leads them back to New Orleans where they discover Rowan is the last part of a four-century-long story of the Mayfair witches. Something dark awaits Rowan in New Orleans. Something that has destroyed the women of the Mayfair family for four centuries and now it wants Rowan. From the opening sentence, Anne Rice draws you in with the first tale of the Mayfair witches. Set in modern times, the quest for history in which Rowan and Michael embark takes the reader back to 17th century France and many years in between. Rowan Mayfair is a remarkable character of strength, beauty and courage. Michael Curry is equally remarkable in his own manly ways. You will root for the characters in their quest for the truth and their battle against evil will keep you on the edge of your seat. While I felt there were a few minor parts missing to the storyline of THE WITCHING HOUR, I found it to be a thrilling and suspenseful tale.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent work
Review: In her book "The withching hour", which is the first of the trilogy on the Mayfair withches, Ann Rice does an excellent job. I first read this book about 6 years ago, and I just read it again. And again, it kept me "glued" to the pages, unable to put it down. The story takes place in modern times, describing a large family in New Orleans, with a strange legacy and a strange "ritual" in designing the heiress: it has to be a girl, and she has to see "the man", a family spirit (who, as you'll find out, is way more than that). The book is basically the story of Michael Curry, who happens to meet and fall in love with the current designee of the legacy. And he'll find out just how old and how odd this family is, and what a trickster, how evil "the man" really is... This is a unique book. Nowhere else you will find such a mixture of history and mystery. The tail of the Mayfair witches through the centuries is interlaced with history events and ages, but it has a life of its own. This book will enthrill you amd mesmerize you.
Rating:
Summary: Anne Rice at her best!
Review: I loved the Vampires (at least up to Body Thief) and adored the Mummy, but I think Witching Hour is her best. The HUGE book is absolutely compelling from beginning to end. The Book moves from Modern day story of a young woman, the end product of centuries of witches that are under control of "the Man" called Lasher( because he could make the trees lash when he was angry) into the past of her ancestors. Each generation of the "Mayfair Witches" there was a chosen female that 'inherited' the man, and he brought power, he brought madness. The book leisurely details the woman's modern day life, returning to New Orleans for the funeral of her mother, the base of the family of witches male and female, and comes to terms with her heritage, Lasher and a destiny plotted for her leading to a horrific coming: bring Lasher into this world. We see a lot of the tale through the eyes of the people around this family, as the agent for the Talamasca (seen in the Vampire Cycle), the watchers and recorders of witches and vampires, collect the tales on the family. It is a leisurely paced book, that brings one into mind of New Orleans' slower pace, but it's spellbinding, haunting, deceptively mesmerising. When she moves the tale of the Mayfair witches into the past and traces each generation of witch from early Scotland on, she is breathtaking. Rice uses ancient Scots lore and gives it a new life in her evocative, provoking tale that will keep you hypnotised as few works do. Don't think she was better before or since. It's simply a master piece. Followed up with Lasher, Taltos and Merrick.
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