Rating: Summary: Life is too short to spend precious time reading this book. Review: Let me start with a positive: Interview with the Vampire is one of my favorite books. I am a librarian, and read LOTS of books -- so this is a serious compliment coming from me! Having "said" that: Pandora struck me as just so silly and well, dopey that I couldn't justify taking time to finish the book. I actually found myself cringing when I read it. For starters, I don't understand the point of giving the character, David the very long winded blow-by-blow of a conversation in which he took part. Yes, it was a literary device, but didn't "ring true" and seemed just plain bizarre. Kinda disappointing.
Rating: Summary: disappointing Review: I used to be a fan of Rice (Anne, that is), but no longer. After the famous Trilogy of vampires (the third of which was the weakest), we have been snared by lesser and lesser efforts. I won't attempt another. This one was pretty on the outside and filled with air.
Rating: Summary: It wasn't one of her best efforts. Review: I am a huge Anne Rice fan. I found her last few books weren't that great, I am so disappointed. I love Anne Rice really! Her earlier works left you dying for more. The 1st three books in The Vampire Chronicles were excellent. They were filled with lively loveable characters. Characters that seemed so lifelike, you could believe that they could exist. I miss the old characters. Wake up Lestat! We miss you!
Rating: Summary: We want Lestat Back!! Review: 'Pandora' is the highly historical and mesmorizing autobiography of its reluctant subject; the inkling of a character named Pandora. Although many readers have anticipated both the arrival of this book, as well as relief from the tired Vampire Lestat chronicles, I feel that many more would rather see the blond-haired charmer as a supporting character, rather than a name. The novel itself is well-written, but only compared to Ms. Rice's recent, dissapointing 'Memnoch the Devil'. Our knowledge of Pandora from the previous novels is limited; we suspect that she and Marius go further back than is offered, and that she is considerably older than Lestat. Here, she is persuaded into remembering - and regretting - much of her past life. Her beginnings as a brilliant and wealthy Roman child, and her journey to Greece, where she falls in love with the handsome and stubbon Marius all over again. This romance charms me. For the first time, the sensualness of the vampire novels is seen through the eyes of a woman, one of which who is both strong at heart and fair of face. It is worth reading, but any I found myself searching for mentions of Lestat.
Rating: Summary: Pandora: Anne Rice Continues The Vampire Chronicles Review: If you read through some of the reviews listed on this site, you will find that there is quite a difference of opinion about Pandora and concerning Rice's recent works. I personally feel that Anne reached her greatest heights in her Mayfair saga, but I have found something interesting in all of her works.Pandora resembles "Servant of the Bones" in its study of ancient history. The first two-thirds of Pandora reads as swiftly as the superb finish of "Violin". Unfortunately, the last third is pretty slow, though not as bewildering as the beginning of "Violin" or the horrible theology of "Memnoch". I find myself wishing that Rice's characters were not so self-absorbed. That said, she creates such wonderful worlds and such fantastic stories that we expect a lot from her. When she delivers she touches all the bases. I hope she steps up to the plate again!
Rating: Summary: A really terrific book Review: I loved this book. I adore vampire tales and such, plus I enjoy Greek Mythology. Pandora is probably one of the best books I've read in a long time, but I'm not just saying that; I swear. It really was! The thing about Anne Rice is that she makes everything so interesting. Even parts of the book you would normally think to be boring are detailed and exciting to read. I really don't think I can express how much I liked this book in words.
Rating: Summary: Just enough to make me truly miss a beloved mentor! Review: Anne's last four novels have made me feel as if she has forsaken her fans for the almighty dollar. Pandora, one of the characters that has long intriqued me, has left me $20.00 short. I have been in love with Louis, Lestat, David, Rowan, Mona, Lasher, and Rameses. I miss the luster and the passion that Anne wrote. I miss the way she would weave a story around me, and the frenzy I would reach at the mention of her name. Now I long for my money back, and when my family, never understanding the passion I had for her literature, now asks me about her latest. I cringe. I am embaressed. Anne, where did you go? Will you come back?
Rating: Summary: Finally, she rises... Review: After Memnoch the Devil, Servant of the Bones, and Violin I actually swore I wouldn't read another Anne Rice book. To me she had lost her old flare. But I read Pandora anyway, and am I ever glad! It was great! She finally captured some of her old magic. Pandora's character is easy to become attached to, and left me wanted to know more about her. Also, it was intriguing to watch the development of Magnus' postion of the keeper of "those who must be kept". I again look forward to the next Anne rice book.
Rating: Summary: Historically more interesting than the main character Review: I believe this to be one of Rice's best, though Pandora as a vampire character is not as interesting as Lestat was. This novel is more interesting in a historical way... It is quick moving and does answer some questions from past novels. Worth the quick read.
Rating: Summary: Quite disappointed Review: While it is not as abysmal as Memnoch or Servant of the Bones, "Pandora" was still a far cry from a good book. Or even a 'book', period. It was a short story trying to appear as a book - an outline for a full fledged novel, that was published long before it had reached its third draft or before an editor looked at it. A trifling, tossed out as a crumb to appease fans and publisher alike. Is Ms. Rice now so desperate that she must resort to such things? Pandora, like so many of her recent works, displays so many blatant inaccuracies and contradictions with her earlier work that it can only be called laughable. Indeed, Ms. Rice herself acknowledges some of the contradictions, trying to brush them aside in stilted dialogue between her characters so that she need no longer write within the framework of what she had written before. All well and good, if she had done it well, but it is so blatantly attempting to brush the subject aside - and doing nothing but calling attention to it - that it is nothing but a sad attempt that fails bitterly. Her history of the world, much as her history of the vampires, is corrupt - Ms. Rice chooses to use some and rearranges others to suit her needs. The end effect is of a history lesson, but without a great deal of solid history to make it worth your while. All in all, considering how short the book and how little is contained in it - as others here have said, what of Pandora's some 2000 years as an immortal? It is not even touched on - I would not consider it worth the while. Personally, I am quite pleased that I borrowed the book as opposed to buying it. I would not wish to support such half formed and sloppy writing as Ms. Rice is currently turning out.
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