#anne rice you really DID THAT QUEEN

[newlacesleeves]

out of all the potential scenes the show could adapt from qotd, i really hope it's the copley dinner scene. i am just dying to see how they would play that out on screen in this adaptation. armand ordering one of everything for daniel, daniel's reaction to it -- how different from the book it would be considering in the show he's a lot older, surlier, most skeptical.

ya know, just a little psycho sexually charged scene of gluttony would really do a lot for me. narratively speaking, of course.

[olderthannetfic]

I'm IWTV-wank-avoidance-asking Anon and it kinda missed me that it would be a wanky topic lol I was trying to see if the show is worth watching. A lot of my mutuals are posting IWTV gifs so I assume it's good, but I was curious if anyone who read the novel would think "Better read the novel". I don't realize an asking-for-rec ask would be wanky, but now that I think about who the writer is, it kinda makes sense. My bad lol

--

Ahahahaha.

Around here, I don't think anyone is precious enough about Anne Rice to start the genuine version of this wank, but Rice fandom can be... uh... very intense even on top of Rice herself having been the queen of drama.

You know about Red Beans Anne Rice, right?

Many years ago, Anne got all butthurt about a tacky-ass restaurant taking over an abandoned building that she'd had Lestat being emo in in one of the books. Instead of gothic atmosphere, it was now very PINK and LOUD. So she wasted money taking out ads in the local paper as Lestat trying to shame the restaurant owner... at which point a bunch of other restaurant owners also wasted money to respond in newspaper ads saying that they welcomed fellow businesspeople. It all ended in the restaurant's grand opening and people with plates of "Red beans Anne Rice" (i.e. red beans and rice).

--

Anyway, I read the first book back in the 90s when I was like 15. It's decent from what I remember. The thing that made it iconic when it came out in 1976 was that it was pretty heavily pushing the vampire=drug addict metaphor. This is everywhere in sexy goth sadboi vampire media now, but it wasn't as much of a thing at the time.

It was also very, very gay but in that way where (at least in the first book), nobody really says the word. That meant something in the 70s. Even by the 90s, it wasn't such a big deal, and it's a big nothingburger in the 2020s.

Book 1 is Rice dealing with the death of her child. It's all about suicidal feelings and Catholic weirdness. The main character is Louis, a.k.a. Rice's self-insert (which she confirmed herself).

Books 2 onward are about Lestat's dick.

He becomes a rockstar, vampire-bones the ur vampire, which causes him to mega level up, thus enabling him to thwart her plot to kill all men on earth aside form a few for breeding purposes, bodyswaps so he has a working penis again, fucks a nun, swaps back, gets Louis back by trying to commit suicide and accidentally getting a tan, etc... Much, much later books are about the other bonkers vampires, most of them more in the horny rockstar mold than the sad mommy of dead baby one.

In book 1, Louis is a depressed plantation owner who eats a bunch of his slaves among other fucked up shit. Claudia, their vampire daughter, is a small child who is upset about being stuck as a kid forever. One of the more disturbing parts is when Louis finds out she's fucking adult men. Lestat turns out to be a French nobleman with mommy issues despite Louis thinking he was only pretending to be upper class.

-- The TV series moved the entire plot much later in history, made Louis black, and gave him a spine. Some racists cried about this and some of tumblr cried about how it was offensive to take the plantation owner and make him black instead of doing that with the other one.

The show also made it more overt that Lestat is an abusive jackass boyfriend. This apparently came as a surprise to people with poor reading comprehension. Others have wanked about fans still liking Louis/Lestat instead of Louis/less terrible boyfriends. But... like... It's IWTV. What did they expect?

(So yes, some book fans will be immensely wanky about the show. Ignore them.)

Also, I hear they fuck on the show? Rice's vampires don't have working junk, which we know because Lestat stands in front of an entire wall of mirrors in the most bougie bathroom ever in Akasha's evil lair and discusses how his penis—I mean "The Organ"—no longer does anything.

Also, Armand in the books is the 14-year-old kept boy of a Renaissance painter with a harem of boys or something like that. (It's been a very long time since I read these.) Shit like this never makes it into the adaptations.

--

If you're curious about the history of vampire media or about a certain kind of Southern gothic shit, sure, read the books, particularly the first one with its radically different tone and much greater historical importance.

The old movie is a decent adaptation of book 1, though it makes it less gay (or at least removes Louis' weird boner for his dead brother) and messes with the ending in a way that would have made sequels veer off from the books. I haven't seen that other old movie with Aaliyah, but it looks like a campy time capsule of baaaad movies of that era.

Anyway, no, you don't need to read the book before watching the show. They changed a massive amount of stuff.

I'm in more of a Chinese media phase right now, but a bunch of friends have watched and said the show is genuinely good.

[the-habitat-ring]

The (Real) Stardew Valley Farm Update 2024

I’m wrapping up my third year trying to grow everything from Stardew Valley in our yard, with substitutions as needed, preferably with Midwest USA native plants.

I’m continuing to battle the invasive plants (why won’t the honeysuckle and thistles stop?????), beg for truckloads of woodchips (Google decided our address isn’t real anymore), and deal with a body and brain that makes going outside impossible sometimes (the past two years have been rough medically). But despite all of that I still managed to make a ton of progress!

Here’s how things stand as of now. If you’re looking back at previous posts you might notice some differences, but that’s mainly because things I planted died (drought + medical crises don’t bode well for newly established plants). I’ve also added the additional crops from the new update.

2021

Amaranth - Native white amaranth

Grape - Native riverbank grapes (so many grapes). I’m hopefully going to successfully propagate some cuttings from the neighbor’s green cultivated variety

Dandelion - Obviously

Maple Tree - Native silver, red, and sugar maples

Pine Tree - Douglas fir

Apple Tree - Three old apple trees of different varieties in very rough shape. I’ve been working to prune them up and two are looking a lot better. I’d love an Enterprise apple tree at some point

Coffee Bean - Chicory (a naturalized plant commonly used as a coffee substitute)

Salmonberry - Native black raspberries since salmonberries aren’t from around here, although I really want to add raspberries of various colors in the future

Starfruit - Native wood sorrel

Cave Carrot - Queen Ann’s Lace, AKA wild carrot

2022

Kale

Rhubarb

Strawberry - Both cultivated and native

Tulip

Radish

Tomato

Eggplant

Fairy Rose - Native prairie rose

Cranberries - Native cranberry viburnum

Orange Tree -Native persimmons, which produce orange fruit

Daffodil

Spring Onion - Native nodding onions

Spice Berry - Native spicebushes

Wild Plum - Native plums

Crocus

Cherry Tree - Native black cherries and nonnative bush cherries

Banana Tree - Native pawpaws, which are also known as Indiana bananas

Sweet Gem Berry - Native Juneberry (Downy Serviceberry)

2023

Garlic - Native wild garlic

Blueberries - I planted three varieties and only one survived. Don’t shortcut your bed preparation, friends

Wild Horseradish - Not wild, but contained with my mint

Hops - Teamaker hops which is good for tea since we’re not alcohol fans

2024

Blue Jazz - Native Ozark Bluestar

Beets

Apricot Tree - Native passionflower vine, also known as wild apricot

Sunflower - Both native and non-native sunflowers

Pumpkin

Cactus Fruit - Native prickly pear cactus

Melon - Cantaloupe

Oak Tree - Native dwarf chinquapin oak, which took me forever to get

Hot Pepper

Palm Tree/coconut - Native palm sedge

Poppy - Native purple poppy mallow, after other native poppies failed. I still want to grow bread seed poppies, though

Corn - Tried some gorgeous colored corn and popcorn that didn’t grow great but they did grow!

Green bean

Hazelnut - They’re supposed to be easy to grow but they do not like me. Third time’s the charm, right?

Carrot

Summer squash

Powder melon - I decided to do honeydew melon because it’s kinda powdery and I don’t really have any other ideas

Planned for 2025 and beyond

Potato

Pineapple - White strawberries (pineberries)

Winter Root - Hopniss, a native root vegetable

Red Cabbage

Artichoke - Native Jerusalem artichokes

Yam

Bok Choy

Leek

Fiddlehead Fern - Ferns do not like me

Blackberry

Crystal Fruit - Probably honey berries, which produce fruit earlier than anything else

Ancient Fruit - Native Aronia berries. They’re blue(ish) and have lots of antioxidants so you live to be ancient

Tea Leaves - Native New Jersey Tea bush. The previous ones were murdered by rabbits

Mango Tree - I thought one of our pawpaws was a variety called mango but I was wrong

Ginger - I want to try growing native wild ginger again

Rice - Native rough-leaved rice grass

Wheat - I have some gorgeous ornamental blue wheat seeds

Summer Spangle - Possibly native prairie lily? I was unsuccessful growing it from seed this year but maybe in the future

Parsnip - I can’t get them to germinate to save my life but one day I will be successful

Sweat pea

Holly - Native winterberry holly

Mushrooms - I'm just gonna ignore varieties and try some plugs or similar

Peach - Vine peach. It’s a melon, and more doable than a tree

Mahogany Tree - I think I’ll resort to mahogany nasturtiums

Broccoli

Pomegranate Tree - I could try Russian pomegranates?

Taro Root - I would have to plant it in pots

Snow Yam - Not actually a yam but maybe native sweet potato vine?

Qi Fruit - Very creepy, not sure what to do with this

Over halfway there! If anyone has suggestions for plants please let me know because I’m still stuck on a few and very open to alternatives.

In other news, I’m making Stardew Valley Fair displays with cross stitch patches for each of the items I’ve added that year. I’ll have to post pics of those at some point.

[cbrownjc]

hi! i had some questions for you as someone who only got into iwtv post season 1 of the show starting to air. i read from some of your other posts that you've been a fan since the 90s, and you mentioned how DM fans were disappointed post TVA. so i was wondering, what was the fandom like back then? did people mostly write about the chase/human!daniel era, or did people ever try to write fanfics that continued their story with them still together as vampires despite what anne rice decided on? i know what the trends were like on ao3 (i got obsessed with DM before season 1 even finished airing, i read the books that fast) but i was wondering if it looked different at all back then (pre-ao3). secondly, i was also wondering if most people ignored the "no sex" element of canon and included sex scenes in their fanworks, or if most of the work you saw was more at the canon level of erotica/blood drinking level? it's okay if you don't really remember, i'm just curious about fandom trends. the tidbit about the "boss" thing being fanon since the 90s despite it only being said once was very amusing to me (i noticed that myself haha)

Hello! Sorry for just getting to your question today, real-life things, and all that. 🙂

So, from what I remember from back then, (from the mid-90s to the early 2000s), at least from when fanfic was still not banned yet (😉) is that when it came to Devil's Minion, fanfic did have a mix of people writing things were Daniel was still human and people speculating on what Daniel and Armand's relationship was like after Queen of the Damned and Daniel had been turned. But I would say the Devil's Minion era -- when Daniel was still human -- was much more focused on a bit more since, at that point, there were only four books out, and not too much time had passed between book 3 and book 4. And because the Devil's Minion Era lasted 12 years in total there were at least more situations and ideas that were easier to get ideas to write about.

When it came to post-Daniel being turned, before The Vampire Armand came out, there just wasn't much of anything to go on. So it really was just speculation galore on that front, but there wasn't all that much to solidly speculate on.

At least until Armand seemingly killed himself at the end of Memnoch the Devil. Then I remember a lot of angsty Daniel-focus stories during that time after that happened. Or, angry fix-it fic because there was a very vocal group who kept arguing that Armand killing himself over what he did was just wildly OOC in the first place.

As to the "no sex" thing, there were some who very strictly followed it and those who, IIRC, would put a disclaimer at the start of stories stating that the characters would have physical sex in the story. Stories that had physical sex scenes between characters still tended to have the character still do blood drinking too, however.

In remembering things from back then, however, I'd say more people leaned into the "no sex" thing more than they did the characters having physical sex . . . even after The Vampire Armand book came out. Because even with the things that happened of a sexual nature in that book, there was a hot debate about if what went on between Armand and Marius, and Armand/Marius/Bianca really counted as sex or not. And most people fell on the "it wasn't sex" side of things about all of that.

In fact, I remember a long email chain post in my mailing list after that book came out arguing about this and someone even adding it to the FAQ for the mailing list that no, it did NOT count as sex because as a vampire, Marius wouldn't have/didn't get aroused or use his genitalia during the moment between himself and Armand in the bath; and then again with Bianca neither Armand nor Marius could have gotten aroused in that way because they were vampires, despite Bianca getting pleasure during that encounter because she was still human at the time; so it didn't matter that Marius used his finger on her and whatever, vampires still couldn't have sex.

No there were not a lot of human AU stories back then, not even to get around the "no sex" thing wrt canon back then either. People either stuck to the blood-drinking as erotic or, again, put disclaimers at the start to say the characters were having physical sex. That was it.

[savagewildnerness]

Well, my first re-read of Memnoch The Devil in a long time is complete (I must have read it several times as a teenager. Otherwise my old copy of the book would be with the Vampire Chronicles I only read once, and it isn't there - my old copy is hidden somewhere, meaning I must have reread it and mislaid it when I did so.)

It took me a long time to read it - partly because I knew that as a teenager, after The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned it was my favourite book... and I was very afraid that I might hate it now... and partly with S2 of the TV show and so Memnoch was put aside... And partly as some bits are very long bits of just talking!

But now I have finished.

And what I think is that... well... I can't speak for teenaged me and what I thought then.

But me now finds that Memnoch has something which isn't that common in The Vampire Chronicles - a beautifully resonant and perfectly tragically satisfying, almost Shakespearian ending.

Anne Rice is wonderful at creating these worlds and especially the characters and conveying their emotion and experience and internal philosophy and existential quests... but sometimes books trail off at the end a little into a "...get ready for something coming in the future..." or even into comparative mundanity... Which is fine as it's not about the ending for them... but not Memnoch. What a wonderful ending Memnoch has. Which I won't talk about as it isn't to be talked about, just to be read.

But I will say - Memnoch's letter. The way Memnoch is so Lestattian in his own character, and so you could imagine in part he was just conjured by Lestat's broken mind... The sadness of the ending and the horror of it and all that it is made clear is happening, which which Lestat doesn't fully describe.

I love how it harkens back to Nicolas and Claudia and The Witches Place and I am back in The Vampire Lestat in a way I haven't been since The Vampire Lestat in the last parts of this book. I love the tenderness of Louis. I love the confused horror. The realness of Hell so you feel like you are there.

I wouldn't say I adored the whole book.... Roger's story is LONG. Memnoch really does go ON (it's interesting... but it's long!)

But the last 1/3 of the book, oh yes - I loved it. I wish all of the Vampire Chronicles had endings as powerful and meaningful as Memnoch does.

Well, just my brief thoughts. Is Memnoch a polarising book?

[toscrollperchancetomeme]

Is there a life after IwtV Season 2?

So, Interview with the Vampire Season 2 is over, you have already rewatched it a dozen times and don’t know what to do with yourself?

Here’s a list of suggestions!

Read the books

I might be biased because I have been a fan since the early 2000s, but they are genuinely worth a read. A lot of people struggle especially with the first book, which I understand – but you can absolutely skip it and start right away with The Vampire Lestat! Especially The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned are a great read and they are what is coming up next in the show. A lot of the plot of QotD happens at the same time as The Vampire Lestat, so I expect that material from both books will come up in the next season.

If you have a brain that enjoys audio books, they are actually available for free on youtube (though the narrator pronounces Louis’ name wrong). The version on the commercial audio book platforms read by Simon Vance is better though, if that’s an option for you. :)

The books after that are very much a mixed bag, but they all have some great and some downright crazy stuff in them, because Anne Rice’s writing was pretty unhinged at times. It’s a ride, but imho one worth taking.

Watch reaction videos on YouTube

I think I have by now watched all reactions that are available. For me it really brings a lot of joy to relive the experience of a first-time watch by proxy. Some are frustrating because people talk over important dialogue, some hold genuine galaxy brain moments by people who know nothing of the material. I will not recommend anyone, because vibes vary for everyone, but I’m sure there’s a reactor out there that YOU will vibe with.

Watch other shows/movies with the actors

Did you know that “Talk Radio”, written by and starring Eric Bogosian is available in full on youtube? I haven’t watched it yet, but I hear it’s really good.

For Sam Reid, I can’t recommend “Lambs of God” highly enough, and I hear great things about The Newsreader, which I sadly can’t get my hands on at the moment. “Belle” is also a beautiful movie, but his part is rather small as far as I remember.

Then of course there’s Hotel Portofino for Assad (but I’m not yet that desperate).

I actually haven’t watched anything with Jacob Anderson except Game of Thrones, which I will NOT rewatch, so I’m happy for suggestions there!

Watch the movies that have been namedropped by Rolin Jones

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – a phenomenal movie and stage show in its own right. It’s fun, it’s beautiful, it’s queer as fuck, the music is excellent and it’s an absolute must-watch.

Rocky Horror Picture Show – honestly, if you have never seen this movie, what are you waiting for?

The Dirt – Rolin Jones has mentioned the book, but there was actually a pretty decent movie made about Mötley Crüe a few years ago, that I really enjoyed.

Also, I have seen Amadeus mentioned several times, I’m not sure if that came up in an interview but it’s an excellent movie and the parallels to the relationship between Lestat and Armand are definitely there.

Honorary mention: Fight Club, not because anyone has mentioned it but… the parallels warrant an essay that I might one day have to write. (Themes: Queerness of male on male violence, imaginary boyfriends, idealization of toxic masculinity)

Read the books from Rolin Jones' reading list

I have now spent 10 minutes googling for that interview where he lists the books he’s reading for Season 3, but can’t find it. Someone please drop it in the comments?

Learn French

Want to feel closer to your favorite actors? Why not go through the same hell as them and get bullied by the Duolingo owl while at it? ❤

Discord servers

I’m not active there right now, but I have found several fandom servers that seem like great communities.

Read Fanfic

Honestly the reason this is down here is because it’s so obvious. :)

Get creative

Write fanfic, draw fan art, roleplay, edit videos, make unhinged memes!

And always: Support the content creators!

Everytime I scroll the tag I see new creators entering the fandom and let me tell you, after almost 20 years of drought, I am overjoyed. Same goes for fic writers, youtube reactors and reviewers! Leave them a like, a comment or whatever is available on the platform they are using.

Edit:

Watch the musical!

I completely forgot! There’s a Lestat musical by Elton John. Yes, you read that right. This lovely YouTube account has full bootlegs for you to enjoy some camp broadway fun!

[rosesocietyy]

Brilliant people have said everything that needs to be said about this much much better and I don't got anything substantial to add but I just have to get this off my chest cause y'all I'm still in disbelief

like this is a grown ass person btw oh I simply have to laugh😭

this perfectly exemplifies literally everything cringe af and wrong with these "assigned welcomers". this is just my scapegoat but there are way worse I've seen

First of all, get a job. how, at your fossil age, do you have time to spend all day scrolling through every single iwtv related post and arguing with people who say anything even slightly damning about lestat (which mind you, is literally just objective facts about things he did). I'll dm you a McDonald's application hell I'll even put in a referral for you out of the goodness of my heart.

Second, Lestat is not a real person. he's fake, a made up character, the figment of someone's imagine, non-existent, people hating him will not affect your life in anyway shape or form. He didn't assign you as his PR agent I promise you'll live. "They'll never accept him" ok and?!?

Question, and I'm genuinely asking, is this their first time in a fandom? why is someone having a different opinion about a character they love enough to send them into hysterics like?? 13 year olds on anime twitter have a better grasp on reality that y'all do get a grip!

And like the above posts have talked extensively about, I most definitely noticed whose posts a specific bunch of them love to go under to share their dog shit "explanation" that nobody asked for. When a black person sees Louis being brutalized by his white lover what do you expect their reaction to be? oaur wow this white french slut is so pussy cunt slay period queen? "but louis is flawed too" do you hear yourself? do you listen to yourself when you speak? can you activate the barest hint of brain activity to understand why we would react differently to what we're watching than you would and that knowledge of the source material has nothing to do with it? Just because you read those shitty books and posses no empathy for black people in media doesn't mean you gain some higher understanding of "gothic romance ".

"No but the thing is you don't understand this is a gothic romance and they're supposed to be monsters and lestat has suffered saur much and he's also the real main character so you must love him" so now how exactly does that negate their point about him being an abuser? quickly! sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up when black people are sharing their thoughts on the show cause who the fuck are you fr and what convinced you that you have the right to argue with them about THEIR experiences. that tweet that said white people act like God left them in charge, yeah.

Funny enough, half the people that are so gung ho about him now didn't even fw him at all when they only read the first book. wow it's almost like you were allowed to sort out your feelings about him on your own without insects disguised as people in your mentions calling you slow for not licking his feet.

I despise so much in this fandom. From the bottom of my heart I really truly do. I don't know what I was expecting, I guess more common sense and maturity because the average age in the fandom is quite high compared to other fandoms I've been in but nah, just mfs screaming and crying bc ppl don't jump up and down and scream yipee! everytime their white fav commits abhorrent, disgusting crimes.

I was so caught up in the euphoria of an anne rice property finally being given to skilled creators who'll pick it apart and say something poignant with it that for a moment, I forgot I lived in a world where majority of its audience would sadly be the anne rice crowd.

[rottenbrainstuff]

Haha ok I am convinced. It takes a LOT to motivate me to watch a new show, but I am so convinced by what I've seen of IWTV that I am going to give it a try tonight. I even have one single glass of red wine left for it!

The thing is: I am extremely ambivalent about this whole... what.. franchise? Series? Little coven of crying gay babies?

I was a big giant fan of the vampire chronicles in the 90s and 2000s. I really do legit love the characters that were created: I love their damage, I love how articulate Anne Rice was about describing their issues, how vampirism has fucked up each and every one of them. I loved how sensual the books were, the beautiful descriptions of everything. I found it so interesting how everything could be so sexy when it very specifically contained no sex. I loved her vampire lore, I loved her take on traditional vampires. I know sensual romantic vampires are a bit of an eye-roll these days but I feel like back in the 90s it actually was something a bit more fresh.

Interview especially had some really amazing ideas in it. I remember really loving that book.

Lestat was an interesting book but tbh she lost me a bit with some of the lore. It really put a lot of Interview into perspective though. (is Lestat's mom in this show??? She seems like a bad bitch I'd like to see pop in)

I read about half of Armand and oddly couldn't make myself finish it, or read any more of the chronicles. I actually don't even remember what happened in that book anymore.

(I had a copy of Queen of the Damned but I can’t remember if I read it or not. If I did, I don’t remember anything from the plot)

As much as I remember enjoying reading Interview, I found it increasingly hard to reconcile my enjoyment of the books with my knowledge of what a nasty person Anne Rice was, and the extremely shitty things she did in (or I guess TO) the fandom. As the books went on I found the writing style less interesting and more irritating and pretentious. I gave an attempt to start that witch coven series and was surprised by how I couldn't get into it. I tried reading her Sleeping Beauty series and got viscerally disgusted. (disgust aside, it was a shock how poorly written I thought it was) Again, her reactions to the fandom for that were bemusing as well. Her weird and personal obsession with her own characters is extremely reminiscent to me of Stephanie Meyer if she was goth instead of mormon, and it makes it difficult for me to take it all seriously sometimes.

So........ I'm in this position where I think I do genuinely like the characters and the ideas, but I intensely dislike Anne Rice and view her as generally overrated as an author, and that soured the whole series for me. But I've been seeing all these clips online and I dunno. I like what I see. It feels the characters I like were pulled out of her weird mean hands and dusted off. I like that absolutely no clips I've seen really match anything that I remember reading in the books. I like that it looks actually, unambiguously gay. I like that in almost every single clip I've seen, all the characters ever seem to be doing is screaming at each other for stupid shit. I like that it looks ridiculous and deranged. I dunno. I kinda have high hopes that with this show, I'll be able to learn how to like these characters again.

(I'm being smacked in the face btw with my age once again - so many of you mention that you never watched the old (not very good) Tom Cruise movie. If you were a teenager in the 90s I think it was impossible to have avoided it. Or is it just that my friend group was particularly strange?)

I'll pop my thoughts in here but I'll tag appropriately, so if you don't want that nonsense, you don't have to see it.

[canirove]

Granada | Chapter 5

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Tomorrow is the big day, girls. How are you feeling?" the Queen asked.

"I am so nervous, your majesty" Anne replied. "But also really excited about my future with Prince Diogo."

"What about you, Lady Rice? Are you excited to marry Rúben?"

"I… I'm…" Rowena didn't know how she felt. Most conversations with the prince consisted of bickering, eye rolling, and her wanting to punch him in the face or just hit him with something. But there were also moments where he was actually nice with her and where they connected, like had happened with the cupcakes or at the stables. And it was too confusing.

"She's speechless" Anne chuckled.

"A valid feeling" the Queen smiled. "But tell me… Are you ready for everything? Not only for the ceremony and the party. For what comes after too."

"You mean… the wedding night?" Anne whispered.

"Exactly, my dear. You know how it goes, right?"

"Lady Rice explained it to us. Didn't she, Rowena?"

"She did, yes" she replied. How to forget the most awkward conversation she had ever had with her mother. 

"Good, good. I've also spoken with the boys, asked them to be patient and kind with you."

"That's very nice of you, your majesty. Thank you" Anne said.

"As their mother, it is the least I could do. Though I wish I could do more and not have you going through that moment while there are people watching" she said, taking Anne's hand on hers. Since she was marrying the heir to the throne, their consummation had to be witnessed.

"We'll be fine, your majesty. We'll focus on each other and nothing else" Anne smiled.

"You Rowena will be more lucky."

"What?" 

"You and Rúben won't have this pressure. You'll have the whole night for yourselves" the Queen said.

"Oh, yes. We… Umm… I'm going to pour myself some more wine. Would you like some too?"  

"We are fine, my dear. But thank you" the Queen said, going back to her conversation with Anne while Rowena focused on her drink, hoping that it would calm her down a bit and make her think of something that wasn't her wedding night with the prince.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━            

"This is it. There is no going back now" Prince Rúben whispered.

"I can still run away while everyone is looking at Anne and Prince Diogo say their vows" Rowena whispered back.

"You actually could, yes" he chuckled. "But I don't think you will."

"Why not?"

"You love Princess Anne, she is your best friend. You would never ruin such an important and happy moment for her." And he wasn't wrong. She could never do that to Anne. Unlike her, she had fallen head over heels for Prince Diogo, and it looked like the same had happened to him. They were in love, and she could never ruin their happiness like that.

"Guess I'll have to wait until the banquet" Rowena sighed.

"Would like to see you trying" he smirked.

"My Prince, my lady. Your turn" the priest said, not allowing Rowena to give him a reply.

It was time. This was it. The end of her freedom.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━            

"You still haven't run away."

"Just waiting for the right moment" Rowena said while Rúben made her spin. She had to get used to calling him that, he was her husband now.

"Maybe when everyone is drunk and it is easier to sneak around?"

"For example."

"Remember to get out of this dress, though. It is too distracting, especially if someone is going to run after you."

"Then maybe I should keep it. If they are distracted, it'll be easier to escape" she replied, trying to look away and not blush. 

The dress she had chosen was a lot simpler than the one they had already made for her. It fitted her body in all the right places, including her hips, and it had a low back, the fabric covering just enough. It was what she wanted, but what Rúben had asked her to choose too. 

She had never had him or his words in mind when designing it with the seamstress, but she couldn't deny that she had enjoyed the way he had reacted when he saw her walking towards the aisle. 

His eyes had slowly scanned her body, taking every inch in as he had done when they first met. Though it had been the "you look gorgeous" he had whispered in her ear when she stood by his side, what had made her feel those butterflies on the stomach Anne always talked about. 

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━            

"Where is he? What is taking him so long?" Rowena said as she paced around the room. 

"He's probably still getting ready" her maid replied.

"But what is he doing? Combing his hair?" she snorted.

At that, the door opened.

"You may leave" Rúben said to the maid.

"My prince."

"Finally! I thought you would never show up!" Rowena said once the maid was gone.

"Didn't know you were that eager about our wedding night" he smirked.

"I'm eager about going to bed. To sleep. It's been a very long day" she said, opening the bed and getting inside.

"Wait, what?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"I heard it. Clearly. But it is our wedding night."

"And?"

"And?" he laughed. "Rowena…."

"Don't you dare coming any closer" she warned him. "You aren't laying a single finger on me."

"It doesn't have to be on you. It can be in you."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Didn't you know it was possible?" 

"I… I…" Rowena mumbled, not knowing what to say or do. 

"You…" Rúben said as he moved towards her side of the bed.

"I told you to not come any closer!" 

"Alright, fine. No need to yell."

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"To my side of the bed, of course."

"We aren't sharing the bed."

"What?" the prince laughed. "Then where do you want me to sleep? On the floor?"

"Sounds perfect to me" Rowena smiled.

"This is my bed. I am sleeping on it."

"Then I will sleep on the floor" she replied, throwing a pillow and getting out of bed.

"What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

"Uh?"

"Rowena, you are not sleeping on the floor. You are my wife."

"Thank you for reminding me of it, I had forgotten" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Come here."

"No."

"Rowena…"

"Good night, husband" she said as she laid on the floor.

"Dear Lord" he sighed before moving to where she was and picking her up.

"Rúben! Put me down at once!"

"Fine" he smiled, letting her fall on the bed.

"Idiot!"

"You're welcome" he said as he walked to his side of the bed once again.

"What are you doing now?" 

"Getting ready for bed." 

"Shirtless?"

"That's how I always sleep" he shrugged before taking off his shirt and making Rowena gasp. She had never seen so many muscles on anyone before. She actually didn't know a person could have so many muscles. On his arms, his chest, his stomach… They were everywhere. And then there also were those things on his hips that went all the way down, definitely leading… there. 

"Liking what you see, wife?" Rúben smirked.

"There is nothing to like."

"Sure" he chuckled. "Good night, cupcake."

"Good night" she replied before laying down and as away from him as she could.

"A bit more, and I'll have to pick you up from the floor. Again."

"Shut up" Rowena replied. But he was right. She moved a lot while sleeping, and if she wasn't careful…

"Where are you going now?" Rúben asked.

"To fetch this" she said, picking some pillows.

"Don't you have enough with just one?"

"I do not, no."

"What… what are you doing?"

"A pillow wall. This is my side of the bed and that's yours, and you aren't allowed to cross to mine."

"What if you cross to mine?" he smirked.

"That won't happen. Good night, Rúben" she said, getting in bed again.

"Good night, Romina" he replied, laughing after she tried to hit him through the pillows.

[squirrellypoo]

How to read the Vampire Chronicles

Since someone on social media asked me the other day for the best order to read the books in, I’ll share with you here too (others may argue but they’re wrong, LOL). This is assuming you’ve watched the Interview with the Vampire show and want to learn more in advance of seasons 2 and 3 - if you haven’t watched IWTV I’d start there but otherwise I’d advise to skip it since it’s quite a distorted view of the characters and you already know the main plot points.

Most of my hardback Anne Rice collection, shown here in roughly chronological order

Start with:

The Vampire Lestat (The start of Lestat’s POV and the basis for season 3)

Queen of the Damned (Big plot points, Lestat character development, The Devil’s Minion, and vampire lore/history)

Tale of the Body Thief (though I really hope they replace David with Louis for the show)

The Vampire Armand (because it sounds like you’ll want his perspective for season 2)

Merrick (simply because it’s a Louis-heavy plot and has Mayfair Witches crossover potential)

…then skip ahead to…

Prince Lestat (the continuation of the over-arcing plot, plus the introduction of a thousand new characters)

Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (still batshit insane but not as awful as I’d feared)

Blood Communion (the end of the series with a surprisingly satisfying conclusion)

…then go back and read IWTV, Memnoch, and all the self contained histories. And I’d read Blood Canticle dead last (or not at all) because it’s terribly written and tries to force the vampire & witches novels together and fails badly and is retconned later anyway. Personally I have a soft spot for Blackwood Farm but everyone seems to hate that one so what do I know (having spent the past 29 years of my life with these brain-rotting books). 🫠

In any case, they’re an absolutely wild ride and I guarantee there will be several spots in each book which you’ll stop and think “wait - did I just read what I think I just read?” And you’ll have to go back and confirm that wow, Anne went there. Enjoy!

[anoramactir]

book recs! tagged by @rosenfey & @jennystahl. blows kisses to both of you <3 i'll tag @a-treides, @katsigian, @dekarios, @shellibisshe, @devilbrakers, and @frankensteined.

last book you read. the salt grows heavy by cassandra khaw.

horror/fantasy, kind of a little mermaid retelling? i had mixed feelings about it. there was definitely an interesting plot in there, but i thought it was bogged down by purple prose. felt more like a challenge to write the prettiest sentences possible - and there were v lovely lines! - than a story at times.

book you recommend. fight club by chuck palahniuk.

hard q, but i went with this one because i feel like the reputation the movie + it's fans have makes people avoid it. i could repeat all the soundbites about it being a brilliant satire & criticque of toxic masculinity (especially if you read the narrator as closeted) but tbh... i'm reccing it because i think it's fun. that's really it.

book you couldn't put down. bunny by mona awad.

disclaimer: i've seen this one hyped as the weirdest shit you'll ever read in your life but i didn't think it was that weird. lower your expectations. i did like it enough to finish in three days, though. idk what to say about it that won't spoil the plot— kinda heathers meets frankenstein? more eerie than scary.

book you've read twice or more. the queen's thief series by megan whalen turner.

society if this was the old school ya fantasy that blew up on booktok instead of shatter me: ☀️🌊🌳 i read this one back in high school and it rewired my brain permanently. attolia irene is the only girlboss that matters. i come back to it every few years (rereading book 4 now) & i think it still holds up.

book on your tbr. last call at the hotel imperial by deborah cohen.

it's a non-fiction about a group of reporters that covered ww2. i picked it up randomly at a bookstore because the cover was pretty, lol.

book you've put down. the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon.

i know i'd love it if i finished but it's just so long. 😭 i've tried like three times and i always lose steam about halfway through. at this point i'll finish it by 2050.

book on your wishlist. hollow places by christopher hadley.

ambie actually recced this to me ages ago and i've been dying to read it. it sounds so interesting! but it's not available as an ebook or at my library, and i'm banned from buying physical books until i get through my stupidly tall tbr stack. one day.

favorite book from your childhood. howl's moving castle by diana wynne jones.

nobody is surprised. it's probably my favorite book of all time. a+ vibes, characters, romance, everything. i own three copies and refuse to get rid of any. if i could find an autographed version, i'd own four.

book you would give a friend. interview with the vampire by anne rice.

i need you all to become obsessed with lestat & louis and then watch the amc series so it gets renewed for season 3. please & thank you.

book of poetry or lyrics you own. time is a mother by ocean vuong.

haven't read it yet, but i've heard great things!

nonfiction book you own. girl sleuth: nancy drew and the women who created her by melanie rehak.

goes into the creation of nancy drew & how it evolved through the years, especially how it was shaped by the original ghostwriter and the daughter of the creator, and their decades-long beef with each other. i came out of it with a parasocial grudge against a woman who died in 1982.

what you're currently reading. a conspiracy of kings by megan whalen turner.

book 4 of the queen's thief series. crown prince sophos has been kidnapped and sold into slavery and it's all very dramatic.

what you're planning on reading next. moby dick by herman melville.

i've never gotten around to this one and i feel like i have to eventually. there's a 75% chance i'll get sidetracked and pick up something totally different, though.

[nalyra-dreaming]

thank you for the rundown on the VC books from Memnoch onwards! Really needed that. I haven't been able to beat my way through Prince Lestat because somehow the pseudo-scientific approach didn't find accomodation in my brain. Lestat-clone, whut? My impression was the plot got lost along the way, but I still love the characters, so. After reading your rundown, I feel like the tone is somewhat closer to A Discovery of Witches, where they where they have a whole lab dedicated to understanding vampire genetics and explore their origins in detail. Of course, Anne Rice also did that way earlier, in Queen of the Damned, but hers felt more spiritual than scientific. I wonder if she got inspired to go down the scientific route after Discowitch was written? (btw I'm using my sideblog @coralbonesandpearlsforeyes for vampire & dark things)

Glad you liked!!!

Yeah it’s… a wild ride;)) Personally I loved that Anne just … went full crazy ^^ but I can understand you^^

I believe she said she wanted to write about Atlantis and then decided to throw Lestat into the mix and the result is… well. Wild^^

Still. There’s a few cool things in it and I for one am glad Rolin took it up already for the show. :) And he already foreshadowed the ending of Blood Communion, too and I bet if we get our seasons we will see that dance again :)))

Fingers crossed!!!

[aaliyahunleashed]

Queen of the Damned

QUOTE of the Day >>

"Working with her was amazing. She was a really special person and, I mean amazing on set. We'd walk around and she created this fantastic character, but it was always a sense of fun, like the shoot was fun, and most shoots aren't, and with her, she's very serious about work but off set or in between takes, she was always a lot of fun. I didn't know if I'd be able to meet the press and sitting here, doing this, but thankfully, her family want the public to see her performance because it's wild." – Stuart Townsend when asked about working with Aaliyah on the set of QOTD and his shock after her death.

DID YOU KNOW:

Author, Anne Rice herself was so disgusted by the film's massacre of her work that she denounced Queen of the Damned upon its release (although she did praise the casting). Rice passed away December 11, 2021.

DID YOU KNOW:

Queen of the Damned Novel fans were NOT happy when it was announced that Aaliyah was casted the role of THE QUEEN *Akasha*. They did NOT believe in Aaliyah's capability to perform the role. After the film was released, Aaliyah gain the respect from the QOTD/Anne Rice fanbase with praise all over the internet and vampire message board forums that Aaliyah did an exceptional job and went above and beyond. To this day, that fanbase feels Aaliyah marked a new threshold and changed the game for female vampire roles. Sadly, Aaliyah would pass away before hearing and reading the skepticism change to mad respect and praise. Many Aaliyah fans only watch QOTD for Aaliyah's scenes.

[thenightling]

Horror movie tropes that aren't as old as you may think

Vampires burning in the sun. The very first time vampires burned in the sun in fiction was in the 1922 German expressionist film, Nosferatu. Even the 1931 Dracula never said he would die via sunlight however the sequels to the 1931 Dracula movie did start using the idea that vampires would die in sunlight even though the Dracula novel and Carmilla novels had the vampires walk about by day but they were just weaker and could not shapeshift by day.

2. The first time werewolves changed during the full moon in media was in The Wolfman franchise started in 1941. In most folklore werewolves could transform at will. They were just more likely to be more wolf-like and wild on the full moon.

3. Werewolves in traditional folklore took on actual wolf form. The bipedal man-wolf was popularized from the 1941 Wolfman movie.

4. The first time zombies were NOT under a Haitian Voodoo Curse was in the 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. This was also the first Zombie Apocalypse movie.

5. The first time Zombies ate brains and the zombism was portrayed as a spreadable condition was in the 1985 film Return of The Living Dead.

6. "Vampires die from drinking dead Blood." this one started as a misunderstanding of a line from the novel Interview with the vampire. "You must stop before the heart stops lest the death takes you down with it." In the sequel novel The Vampire Lestat you learn that drinking dead blood won't actually kill a vampire, just make him really dizzy. Lestat describes it as a rolling delirium. No vampire in the world of Anne Rice actually dies from drinking dead blood and yet after the film adaptation of Interview with The Vampire (1994) suddenly you started to see the "Drinking dead blood will kill a vampire." everywhere. From The Queen of The Damned (2002) to the TV show Supernatural.

7. Vampires not showing up on camera. Vampires not showing up in mirrors dates back to the 1897 Dracula novel by Bram Stoker and may have its origin with some old Irish Ghost stories but the idea that vampires don't show up on camera is more recent and started in Hollywood.

8. Frankenstein's Monster on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel was intelligent, literate, and articulate within two years of his creation. Yet thanks to the 1931 film starring Boris Karloff most people think of the Frankenstein monster as having a flat head (he did not have a flat head in the novel, in fact he had long black hair), is child-like (He was actually very well-spoken once he learned how to talk in the novel), and he did not have bolts (or electrodes) in his neck int the novel. All of those things come from the 1931 movie Frankenstein.

Even the notion that the moral was not to play God mostly comes from the 1931 film and it kind of diminishes the accountability of those who mistreated The Creature. Also Victor Frankenstein (in the novel) wasn't even a doctor. He was a student of Metaphysics and he never graduated.

9. The Frankenstein monster being afraid of fire started with the 1931 Frankenstein movie. Bride of Frankenstein is where you first hear him exclaim "FIRE BAD!"

10. The 1943 film Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman is where we first get the idea of the Frankenstein monster walking around with his arms out stretched and stiff. This is actually because the film was heavily edited after test audiences who hadn't seen the previous film (Ghost of Frankenstein) were confused as to why the Frankenstein monster now spoke like Bela Lugosi's Ygor and was blind. Most didn't realize it was now Ygor in the body of The Creature. All scenes of The Creature talking were removed as well as reference to him being blinded. But him walking around with his arms out stretched because of the blindness were left in and so started the notion of The Frankenstein monster walking around stiff with his arms out stretched.

11. Igor the hunchbacked assistant didn't exist until the comedy Young Frankenstein. The Ygor of the Universal Monster movies had a twisted neck (not a hunchback) from a botched hanging attempt. He was played by Bela Lugosi in Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. Dracula's assistant (who wasn't hunchbacked) was the bug eating mad man, Renfield. And Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant was Fritz (ironically played by Dwight Frye, who was also Renfield). Dr. Niemann (Boris Karloff) in House of Frankenstein had a hunchbacked assistant named Daniel. And of course there was Quasimodo in The Hunchback of NotrDame. It was the Zeitgeist combining of all these characters that created the Igor trope now popular in comedies and films like Van Helsing (2004).

12. The Warrens were infamous con artists known in paranromal research communities as charlatans who knew how to tell a good story but after several books, TV movies, and then the Conjuring franchise, the zeitgeist notion of them is paranormal heroes instead of carnival-style con artists who charged admission to look at a Raggedy Ann Doll they kept in a glass case.

13. Annabelle was actually a Raggedy Ann doll, not a wooden doll. The version we're used to now started with the Conjuring film franchise.

14. Until the 1973 film The Exorcist you didn't hear that many "Ouija boards invite demons into your house!" stories. Or "I heard from a friend who heard from a friend..." Most legitimate paranormal researchers will tell you that the majority of ghostly encounters with the Ouija board are the result of something called the Ideomotor effect but because of what our pop culture has taught us, almost everyone now thinks of them as demon invocation devices and the subconscious convinces them that they are interacting with demons. Try to find a "the board summoned a demon" story from before 1973's The Exorcist movie or the Exorcist book. You won't find it.

15. An odd one is the Pentacle. The pentacle (five pointed star in a circle) is an old protection ward AGAINST evil that dates back to Ancient Greece and later used by Neo Pagans and Wiccans. in The Wolfman franchise the pentacle could warn you who the werewolf is, show who the next victim is likely to be, and even prevent the werewolf transformation if worn as a talisman.

The idea that it is something sinister and Evil has no roots in reality or even its first cinematic depictions. It was used as protection against werewolves as recently as An American Werewolf in London in 1981 (That was a free floating pentacle outside of the circle). It was even a protection symbol in Sleepy Hollow (1999 movie).

16. This one is debatable. There are people who claim that the idea of ghosts being translucent was the result of the Pepper's Ghost stage effect created in 1862, which used a pain of glass and a reflection to create the illusion of a ghost on stage for plays. The same effect is used today for Disney's Haunted Manion ride. However I am pretty sure that ghosts being described as whispy or cloud-like could indicate that translucent ghost descriptions do pre-date the Pepper's Ghost effect.

17. The first killer doll was in a 1960s episode of The Twilight Zone. Her name was Talky Tina.

18. The first blatantly possessed killer doll was Chucky in Child's Play (1988).

19. The idea of Dracula walking around in a tuxedo and cape started with Bela Lugosi's Dracula in 1931. If we went by the novels the Frankenstein Monster was the one more likely to wear a cape.

20. The idea that vampires and werewolves hate each other is a Hollywood invention mostly popularized by The Underworld franchise though it was depicted earlier in Tales from the Crypt. Dracula, in his novel, actually loved wolves and could turn into a wolf himself. This is described in the 1931 Dracula movie but his transformation into a wolf happens off camera and so is often forgotten.

21. Van Helsing as an action hero may have its roots with Peter Cushing in Hammer's Dracula franchise where Dracula kept coming back like a modern serial killer but this notion was mostly the result of Hugh Jackman's Van Helsing in 2004. Until then Dr. Van Helsing was usually an old man who beat Dracula using his intellect and knowledge of Dracula's weaknesses. "You are a wise man, Van Helsing, for one who has not yet lived even a single lifetime."

22. The sexy fem vampire hunter is mostly the result of Buffy The Vampire Slayer but you also see it in Van Helsing and Syfy's Vanessa Helsing. For once I'd like to see a woman vampire hunter dressed like Peter Vincent, and not a sexy variation on Peter Vincent's costume either.

[vampire-sugar]

THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (1988)

Finally finished Part I! Here are some of my pretty unorganized thoughts.

(Spoilers ahead) (tw mention of incest)

PART I: THE ROAD TO THE VAMPIRE LESTAT

A lot going on. It was actually hard to keep going at some point, a lot of exposition and it was frankly very boring at times. The entire Baby Jenks chapter could have been skipped. The biggest thing I’ve taken away from Part I is Anne’s obsession with red hair. Anyway, here are some of the things I liked!

Truly unhinged intro from Lestat where he literally says, “hey remember me?? left you on a cliffhanger there!! also let’s switch to third person bc the story just flows better that way.”

Marius trapped under the ice where he belongs.

Pandora chapter was like a fever dream. And also damn you eat like that?? Literally ripping hearts out, but lowkey that’s such a goddess move.

Got to the famous Devil’s Minion chapter!! I was really excited for this one.

It was very sweet actually. Armand is a terror, but his intensity is what I love about him. Loved him since the iwtv book, what a character. Him finally turning Daniel, that whole scene was heartbreaking. Also what does Armand need 8 phones for? Love how they kept his love for tech in the show lol he’s always on that iPad.

Finally introduced to the Talamasca. I assumed from what I occasionally saw online that they were this like all powerful group that had like a one-up on the paranormal creatures that they investigate (or like some sort of council for anything supernatural), but I was kinda let down when finding out they are humans with just a little bit of psychic powers. But I’m pretty sure I don’t know the full story yet.

Also it’s cute that Anne starts every chapter with her husband’s poetry. Though they’re not all my cup of tea, I liked the one at the beginning of the Jesse chapter.

I like Jesse! This chapter reminded me a lot of the Mortal Instruments actually lol, both Clary and Jesse join a supernatural related order and are unknowingly related to supernatural beings (and both have red hair lol). I like that Mael makes a reappearance, he was the only part I liked about Marius’s backstory from TVL. Also, Anne Rice try writing a close familial relationship without making it weirdly incestuous challenge impossible. Maharet’s attitude towards Jesse made me wildly uncomfortable.

The part where Jesse goes to New Orleans was true horror. I was shaking in my bed sheets reading it, seriously. Claudia haunting the New Orleans townhouse, my poor baby. Hope that more of the diary gets revealed in this book.

And that’s about it!

For such a long part that’s honestly all I’ve got to say. I’m glad to finally be done with it tbh and we can finally get to the present day. I learned from Jacob’s podcast appearance that Anne did not have an editor which explains a lot lol. I fear for what is awaiting me.

Predictions: I had thought that Maharet was actually Pandora, but then read back and saw that Pandora has brown hair so I guess not. If a character has red hair Anne will let you know multiple times. Which is why I feel like Armand might be part of the Great Family. Or maybe his red hair is garden variety type, idk.

I will probably post chapter by chapter going forward! Or however I please I guess lol. Excited to start Part II: All Hallow’s Eve!!

Bonus: Lestat calling himself the James Bond of vampires, he’s got jokes.

[redjadethewriter]

There's No "Perfect Victim" In Abuse: Interview with the Vampire

What do victims of abuse look like? 

The simple answer to this question is that they don't have a specific appearance. The truth is that abuse can take many forms, including mental and emotional abuse, which may not leave visible physical marks. While it may be easier to identify victims with visible cuts and bruises, the more sinister forms of abuse are often mental and emotional, making it difficult to recognize. However, there are certain behaviors that may be indicative of abuse, but they do not necessarily reveal a person's history of abuse.

Various people go through life with no one knowing they have been victims of abuse unless they choose to share their experiences. This applies to both childhood and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that if you are a woman or belong to marginalized communities, or even worse, a white female celebrity with fame and fortune, it is less likely that you will be perceived as a victim. Despite our imperfections and the normalized behaviors we may exhibit, it is important not to invalidate anyone's experience of abuse based on personal biases such as dislike for the person, their skin color, gender, sexuality, or differing viewpoints. Doing so would mean turning a blind eye to the evidence right in front of us. In fact, even when evidence of abuse is presented, there is no guarantee that a person will be acknowledged as a victim or receive support, especially if they do not fit society's perception of a "perfect victim" or if the abuser is more popular or liked. This can occur in any socio-economic class or societal status. 

Back in the day, films and TV shows focused mainly on the physical aspects rather than the mental and emotional aspects. However, my perspective changed when I discovered the re-adaptation of Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire." I admit, I initially avoided it because of the reviews that emphasized how AMC exaggerated Lestat's abusive behavior. 

The first adaptation featuring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt did include instances of domestic abuse between the two characters, but it was subtly portrayed. However, that version was made during a time when the acknowledgment of Lestat and Louis being a gay couple was not openly discussed, although they were indeed a couple. Anne Rice even mentioned that they were a couple. They were indeed a couple who eventually adopted a daughter named Claudia, creating a complex family dynamic that was both toxic and dysfunctional. It's worth noting that both adaptations of "Interview with the Vampire" fail to highlight Claudia's manipulative and abusive behavior as well, however she’s not the focal point.  I will not even delve into the inaccurate adaptation of the source material and the world of cursed vampires in "Queen of the Damned." That version is a stand-alone, and was too straight-washed. The music was good though, but not even closely accurate to the source material.

Now, let us discuss the new adaptation of the iconic "Interview with the Vampire." Personally, I really enjoyed the changes they made when I managed to watch it. However, I had to take my time with each episode because it was quite triggering. I don't mean that in a negative way, but rather as a positive aspect, because the show effectively portrays the stages of domestic abuse, particularly when it is driven by narcissism. This is why it was so triggering for me. And you might wonder, why is this a good thing? Well, it's because it's important for people to see the mental and emotional abuse that often precedes physical abuse. As someone who has experienced mental and emotional abuse myself, watching the show was particularly triggering. But as I mentioned earlier, I took my time with each episode and gave myself breaks to ground myself. The show was incredibly well done. It was fascinating to watch the progression from the grand gestures that Lestat used to lure in Louis to the subtle displays of power.

In this adaptation, they depicted Louis as a closeted gay black man, who also was an entrepreneur in New Orleans. He was essentially a pimp, owning multiple buildings in the rough part of town where sex workers operated. Lestat showcased his power and influence by utilizing the color of his skin, in a society that was still predominantly catering to white people, to entice Louis to join him. He supported Louis financially in his endeavors and leveraged his own white privilege and wealth to sway the racist political figures who made it difficult for Louis to succeed as a businessman. This showed that Lestat held all the power in their relationship, as he understood that Louis, as a black man, had limited power and influence. Louis constantly faced discrimination from the white men in society, with whom he had to work with and smile at, despite being belittled. Lestat used this advantage to show Louis that he needed him, without explicitly saying so. Taking advantage of the death of Louis's brother, Lestat transformed him into a vampire while he was grieving and vulnerable. How could Louis make a rational decision about becoming a cursed creature that would separate him from his family and everything else in such a state?

Lestat never explicitly acknowledges the loneliness and isolation that comes with being a vampire before turning Louis. Yet, we hear him confess this in the opera house, which affects Louis deeply, because he was already questioning his relationship with him. They, from day one, had rocky moments. However, Louis holds onto that vulnerable moment when Lestat admits to feeling lonely. However, it's quite obvious that living in a world with only 200 vampires would be an isolating experience. That's why the vampires in this story seek out companionship to alleviate their loneliness. Additionally, when they grow tired of their partners, they simply find new ones, as Lestat did. But the point of me mentioning this is that Lestat uses that vulnerability to his advantage. Lestat is a keen manipulator and meets the definition of narcissism.  But how this version of Lestat became this way, who knows?

However, Lestat is a character with many complexities, much like Jekyll and Hyde. He presents himself as charming and eloquent, lavishing his lovers with grand gestures and expensive gifts. Yet, these gifts serve as a mere distraction from his inherently bad behavior. Lestat exhibits numerous instances of such behavior, particularly in the way he mistreats his victims. He mercilessly mocks an opera singer, shattering his spirit before ultimately taking his life. Furthermore, Lestat influences Louis to adopt a certain lifestyle, engaging in an open partnership due to Lestat's bisexuality. However, Lestat displays jealousy when Louis has sexual relations with other men. So, how does this even make sense with having an open relationship, if only one can engage in it? Because that’s what it looks like. That Lestat is the only one allowed to be with other people and not Louis. That’s being too possessive for my taste. Additionally, Lestat demonstrates a tendency to lash out, as seen when Louis kills a property inspector who had demeaned him through his thoughts. Instead of addressing the situation calmly, Lestat reacts impulsively. Only later does he attempt to redeem himself by asserting that he would have taken the inspector's life if he had truly insulted Louis.

Lestat continues to act poorly as a partner but tries to make amends by buying Louis expensive gifts, essentially asking him to forget what happened so he can repeat the cycle. He alternates between showering Louis with charm and emotionally distancing himself from him.  When Louis chooses not to feed on humans, Lestat mocks him, failing to fully support his choices.

Furthermore, when Louis introduces Claudia into their family, Lestat only turns her into a vampire to please Louis, even though he himself doesn't want a child. It's like giving a partner a child they desire without wanting the responsibility of parenthood. Lestat does this to keep Louis by his side, using Claudia as the means. However, Louis is still navigating his own vampire existence and isn’t the most knowledgeable parental figure for Claudia, who remains a teenage vampire with a stronger metabolism than an adult-made vampire. Claudia truly needed Lestat to step up as a parent figure, but he shied away from the responsibility. This is evident when Claudia accidentally kills her first boyfriend, and Lestat forces her to watch as he burns in a furnace. It's a heartbreaking scene, highlighting Lestat's lack of parental instincts.  When Claudia eventually leaves, escaping their dysfunctional family dynamic, it's even more painful that Lestat knows where she went and what happened to her but chooses not to intervene. He was aware of her situation through his ability to hear the thoughts of other vampires. As an audience, we are fully aware of what happened to Claudia without seeing it explicitly and the other vampire involved, which makes Lestat's inaction even more disappointing. 

Now, because of Claudia's experiences and trauma, she has undergone a significant change. She has developed the ability to manipulate and strategically outwit Lestat, almost like a game of chess. Despite being a victim at various times, Claudia has become familiar with Lestat's tactics and can detect his lies. However, Claudia's attachment to Louis is extremely possessive. In previous adaptations and the original material, it was evident that Claudia always craved affection from Louis. Unfortunately, being trapped in the body of a child made this longing all the more tormenting, as she would never grow into a woman. This is precisely why vampires in the novels refrain from turning children or adolescents. Even in Armand's story, his maker hesitated to turn him due to his young age. In the new adaptation, at least they made Claudia older, but with a deeply traumatic experience attached to her transformation. 

Remember when I mentioned the progression from mental and emotional trauma to physical? Well, the physical aspect occurred when Claudia returned home, when Lestat and Louis already had a strained relationship. This scene unsettled various viewers, but we must remember that we are dealing with vampires here. Their conflicts are not bound by human limitations. 

It was difficult to watch, especially when Louis used telepathy to reassure Claudia during a heated altercation with Lestat behind closed doors, even though things were far from fine. This reminded me of a parent trying to comfort their child during a traumatic situation, such as a physical assault. However, this dispute did not remain hidden behind closed doors. It escalated to the point where doors were crashing and walls were being destroyed. It reached its peak when Lestat lifted Louis into the sky and ultimately dropped him from a deadly height.

Despite the altercation that resulted in Louis sustaining serious injuries, Claudia took care of him during his recovery. It is likely that she blamed herself for the incident, as the fight had centered around her. In his role as a compassionate father figure, Louis endured the full force of Lestat's anger in order to protect Claudia. I understand that this situation could be triggering for many people, as it portrays the distressing dynamics of a vulnerable parent being overpowered and abused by the other. Personally, it was painful for me to witness. What made it even worse was seeing Lestat's attempts to make amends by buying expensive gifts, such as a Rolls Royce for Louis. Despite Claudia's efforts to remind Louis of what had happened, he, like many abuse victims, was enticed back into the cycle, believing that things had changed when, in reality, it was just repeating itself. 

In my analysis of Agatha in "Agatha All Along," I explored her character beyond the role of a villainess witch. I see her as a complex individual who falls into the gray area between being a villain and a hero. One aspect I discussed was how she frequently puts on a facade, using her distorted reputation to amplify her perceived level of menace and cruelty. Furthermore, I delved into the show's revelation about her troubled upbringing, where her mother served as an inadequate and abusive parent. This revelation sheds light on Agatha herself being a victim of abuse, with her mother as the one responsible for it. 

Agatha is a character who defies the perfect victim narrative. Firstly, she is a witch and secondly; she was forced to kill her coven members who had attempted to harm her. She only absorbs the magic and life force of other witches if they attack her first. It is also important to address the misconceptions surrounding the rumors that she traded her own son for the Dark Hold. It is surprising to think that she, as a villainess, was actually a victim of abuse, facing threats from her own mother and the entire coven. 

In concluding this blog, let us explore the portrayal of abuse victims in "Interview with the Vampire." Despite his identity as a black gay man and vampire, Louis may not initially appear as a typical victim of domestic and societal abuse. However, he indeed falls into that category. Another example is Claudia, who, because of her traumas and experiences, becomes just as manipulative and conniving as her maker, Lestat. It may be unexpected for vampires to suffer abuse, but they do. 

Let us also consider Agatha All Along, a white witch who has taken lives, both intentionally and unintentionally. As a villainess, she may not immediately strike us as an abuse victim. However, appearances can be deceiving. In reality, Agatha has endured the pain of victimization, betrayed by her own family and coven. Although she has also become a perpetrator, it’s crucial to shed light on her own victimhood. Understanding the complexity of these characters requires uncovering the facts and recognizing that they may not fit the perfect victim narrative, but they are still victims.