Violin

Rating:
Summary: Yeesh.
Review: This book was appalling--ridiculously dramatic with a meandering writing style that is mind-numbing. I found myself flipping ahead in the hopes of some type of plot formation, but alas, no such satisfaction. It took me three tries to get past the first few pages--and after that every page was irritatingly convuluted and meaningless. Awful. Save yourself the trouble.

Rating:
Summary: Why does everyone hate this book?
Review: This book was very good in my opinion. I believe the reason that most Anne Rice fans are opposed to this book is because it has not enough action, blood, gore, etc. As did most of the stories in the Vampire Chronicles. Face it, this book is not the Vampire Chronicles! Stefan is NOT Lestat, Triana is NOT Akasha, or Gabrielle! Isn't it okay that she writes something that is NOT about vampires? I think that this book focused very well on human emotion and plot. I liked how Stefan and Triana argued and fought often, but truly felt affection for one another. Anne Rice made it very obvious that her main character (Triana) was based on herself, is that so terrible to do? She just did it this one time! I liked how it described classical music and how it made Triana feel. The ending was great! And another thing, who are these people to verbally abuse this book who can't even spell half of their review correctly! They should go back to grammar school! I also liked how everyone ended up happy in the end, unlike most Anne Rice books. I recommend this book to anyone who does not have a shallow mind! Just so you don't think I'm putting down the Vampire Chronicles, just know that I like them just as much as any other Rice fan.

Rating:
Summary: Save Your Money
Review: I have always enjoyed Rice's work in the past, but I couldn't relate at all to this novel. The majority of the book seems to be taken up with a ghost arguing with a grouchy lady. To summarise, the most inghostly ghost that I have ever read about decides to haunt a middle aged lady in order to drive her insane (yawn). This lady has always loved classical music and wanted to be able to play well, but was too lazy to keep practicing (she seems to have been in the habit of giving up on things halfway). She starts arguing woth the ghost and eventually steals his violin. This violin magically allows her to play anything that she so desires (keep in mind the ghost was a student of Mozart, Beethoven and almost a student of Paganini). She becomes a world famous violinist, the ghost gets back his violin and goes to heaven. End of story. The writing, as is usual of Rice, is haunting, but the story is absurd. What possessed Rice to publish such a fatuous piece of work, I'll never know. Let's hope her next effort is better than this.

Rating:
Summary: I loved it and I'm 13, really.
Review: Allright. I have to totally disagree with the rest of the reviews. I loved this book. It was filled with such emotion. Truthfully I wouldn't risk my life for a Stradivarius violin, maybe I would fracture my leg to play one. I like this book because it's by Anne Rice and it has alot of music history. This book wasn't as good as THE VAMPIRE LESTAT but it was pretty good. Yes at some points the book did get quite boring, but it got better. Yes I do think it's pretty sick and hazordous to your health to sleep in your dead husbands body fluids but thats besides the point. The ending was great too. I would recommend this book to people who really love Anne Rice's books, and really like classical music.

Rating:
Summary: Haunting Yes, Entertaining No...
Review: When I first picked up this book and looked at its cover (Don't jump ahead of me, I don't judge a book by its cover! Geez!) and saw that eerie picture of the angle-man, I guess you can call him, burning in flames with an arrow buried in his arm pit (Lovely ain't it?), it struck me as a little odd. Not that Anne Rice is exactly the most normal woman ever. I read the liner notes and baught the book. Man was I bored! Yes, I admit, I baught it because I am a huge fan of 'classical' music, and within' the first few pages there are references to Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Mozart and I figured the story would have me more enthralled. Was I wrong! I have never been so bored in reading in my life! The only reason I'm giving Mrs. Rice a Two-out-of Five is because I'd admire her creative skills in this novel. It is a very strange subject and story, almost sick in its simplicity. Set in where else but New Orleans as most of her novels are set, Triana is haunted by the ghost of a dead man named Stefan who owned a Stradavarious a long time ago (200 years was it?) and whose violin is somehow transported through his world to her world and she can now play beautiful music with it and on and on and on. Ouch!...it hurts thinking about it. Thank god 'Vitorio the Vampire' was better, or I would say to Anne "For heaven's sake, retire!" Two-out-of-Five.....if that.

Rating:
Summary: If I could i would rank this book with -5 stars!
Review: This book is just one way boring piece of rubbish. If I ever have troubles trying to sleep I would consider to read this book and I know it would be the right thing to put me to sleep instantly. It is soooo boring I couldn't read more than a dozen chapters. Anne Rice descriptions go over the point of just being a description...she takes pages and pages just to describe the least important objects which make no point to the story whatsoever. I have read some more works of her and I have no doubt she writes more "for the money" than she does for anything else.

So to sum it up, don't waste any money on this book unless you suffer insomnia and pills don't work for you.

Rating:
Summary: First and Last
Review: This is the first book I have read by Anne Rice. It will be the last. I found the first chapter morbid and the rest of the book offered very little. NOT!

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable but different story
Review: I am a late comer to the work of Anne Rice. I read "The Vampire Lestat" a few months ago and got hooked. Violin is one of my favorite works by Anne Rice. However, I can understand why many who like her other books find this one difficult. She is not so much telling a story as she is bringing the reader into the mind of the protagonist, Triana. The book has the feel of psychotherapy with the ghost, Stefan, as the therapist--though he has plenty of problems himself. From a Jungian perspective the book follows the process of Triana confronting her shadow--the ghost--and emerging a more complete and healthier person for it. The book is rich in imagery--often beautiful in itself--that is drawn from the religious tradition of the author and further enriches the story if one can tap into the religious imagination of the author and her religious tradition.

I read it and then listened to the unabridged tape version. Bernadette Dunn (I believe) was the reader. Her reading of the story was excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Blank
Review: Hmm...I can sum this up in a few words (unlike Anne did in this miserable little book)

It. Really. Bites!

Now I know I'm partial to the Vampire Chronicles, but stiil, even a newcomer can see that is just isn't good! Lev this, me that, Mom this, Lily that. My God, just tell me a story, don't give me a friggin' encyclopedia!

Rating:
Summary: A Reader's Review
Review: I find my self once again disappointed in one of my favorite authors. While Ms. Rice spins a lush backdrop of beautiful homes, grand cities and great concert halls spanning the globe, it is not enough, for the tapestry is not only unfinished, but raveling.

Here again, as in Servant of the Bones, I find my self turning pages doggedly in hopes of something happening. Not turning the pages for "what happens next?" The descriptions of alcohalism and the decay of the mother with some unnecessarily gross commentary on Triana's mother's sanitary habits were nearly enough to make me put the book down and not pick it up again.

The descriptions of family bickering over inheiritance money, the missing sister and family hangers-on are all too dismal and pedestrian. Triana's mental transportation into times past are muddy and difficult to follow. More than once I lost the thread to the story and interest in finishing it.

Ms. Rice's usual rich character descriptions are wanting in this story. It is as though richly portrayed and highly detailed geographic locations were substituted instead of a story and character interactions. One may as well resort to reading a travelouge brochure.

I am sorry to say this is another of Anne Rice's books that I would not pass along to a friend. One does not find one's self so eagerly awaiting any more the publishing of Ms. Rice's novels.