Merrick

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From Barnes & Noble
Our Review
Rice Casts a New Spell
Merrick is bewitching -- Anne Rice is in top form with this novel of witches and vampires. In the sultry world of Rice's New Orleans, the almost-mortal vampire David Talbot, of the notorious Talamasca, meets Merrick, the sensual Mayfair witch. Lestat, Louis, and other Rice favorites make appearances in this tale. This novel is Rice's ultimate marriage of her bestselling witch and vampire story lines -- and it should not be missed.

Anne Rice has earned literary accolades and international fame for her darkly sensual novels featuring magical worlds and otherworldly creatures. Whether it's vampires, witches, or body thieves, Rice's characters are among the most unforgettable in literary history. And now, with the release of her latest novel, Merrick, Rice brings all of her worlds together and resurrects (in one case, in the most literal sense) some of her most memorable characters, including the vampires, Lestat and Louis. The star of this latest tale is a new member of the Mayfair witch clan: Merrick, a beautiful woman with incredible powers.

Merrick, a descendant of a little-known African-American branch of the Mayfair family, is raised in New Orleans by her godmother, Great Nananne, a powerful voodoo woman. Merrick is only eight when her Great Nananne dies. Eventually Merrick is found and cared for by the then-mortal David Talbot and his friend Aaron, both of whom have connections to the Talamasca. But David's connection to this beautiful creature, who he comes to love with an intensity that is both frightening and puzzling, is lost when he falls victim to the body thief and, later, to Lestat.

As Merrick grows, so do her powers, including her ability to raise the spirits of the dead. It is this particular power that leads vampire David Talbot to seek her out, hoping she can help Louis, who has become despondent with guilt over the role he played in young Claudia's conversion to vampirism and subsequent death. Louis is desperate to know that Claudia's soul is at peace and that she forgives him. But when Merrick tries to bring back Claudia's spirit, all hell breaks loose.

This is classic Rice at her best, exploring the moral and philosophical quandaries of the undead and showing how utterly human they are despite their inhuman makeup. The spirit-conjuring scenes are spooky and chilling, and the plot leaves the door wide open for a sequel that promises to be even more exciting than any of its predecessors.

--Beth Amos

From the Publisher
At the center is the beautiful, unconquerable witch, Merrick. She is a descendant of the gens de colors libres, a cast derived from the black mistresses of white men, a society of New Orleans octaroons and quadroons, steeped in the lore and ceremony of voodoo, who reign in the shadowy world where the African and the French--the white and the dark--intermingle. Her ancestors are the Great Mayfair Witches, of whom she knows nothing--and from whom she inherits the power and magical knowledge of a Circe.

Into this exotic New Orleans realm comes David Talbot, hero, storyteller, adventurer, almost mortal vampire, visitor from another dark realm. It is he who recounts Merrick's haunting tale--a tale that takes us from the New Orleans of the past and present to the jungles of Guatemala, from the Mayan ruins of a century ago to ancient civilizations not yet explored.

Anne Rice's richly told novel weaves an irresistible story of two worlds: the witches' world and the vampires' world, where magical powers and otherworldly fascinations are locked together in a dance of seduction, death, and rebirth.

Reviews
From Michael Harris - Los Angeles Times  
Merrick grounds its ghostly goings-on in Rice's sensuous descriptions, her knowledge of occult lore and her research into the gens de couleur libre, the New Orleans social class to which Merrick's family belongs--descendants of the black mistresses of white men, a mingling of French and African influences.

What's new here--or perhaps just emphasized more than Rice has done in the past--is a skepticism about what all this supernatural stuff really means.
 
From Beth Amos  
October 2000

Rice's Witches and Vampires Mingle

It's already the event of October, and it's called Merrick. Anne Rice has earned literary accolades and international fame for her darkly sensual novels featuring magical worlds and otherworldly creatures. And now, with Merrick, Rice brings all of her worlds together and resurrects some of her most memorable characters, including the vampires, Lestat and Louis. The star of this latest tale is a new member of the Mayfair witch clan: Merrick, a beautiful woman with incredible powers.

Read our review and be sure to join us for a live chat with Anne Rice!

Rice Casts a New Spell

Anne Rice has earned literary accolades and international fame for her darkly sensual novels featuring magical worlds and otherworldly creatures. Whether it's vampires, witches, or body thieves, Rice's characters are among the most unforgettable in literary history. And now, with the release of her latest novel, Merrick, Rice brings all of her worlds together and resurrects (in one case, in the most literal sense) some of her most memorable characters, including the vampires, Lestat and Louis. The star of this latest tale is a new member of the Mayfair witch clan: Merrick, a beautiful woman with incredible powers.

Merrick, a descendant of a little known African American branch of the Mayfair family, is raised in New Orleans by her godmother, Great Nananne, a powerful voodoo woman. Merrick is only eight when her Great Nananne dies. Eventually, Merrick is found and cared for by the then-mortal David Talbot and his friend Aaron, both of whom have connections to the Talamasca. But David's connection to this beguiling creature, whom he comes to love with an intensity that is both frightening and puzzling, is lost when he falls victim to the body thief and, later, to Lestat.

As Merrick grows, so do her powers, including an ability to raise the spirits of the dead. It is this particular power that leads vampire David Talbot to seek her out, hoping she can help Louis, who has become despondent with guilt over the role he played in young Claudia's conversion to vampirism and subsequent death.

Louis is desperate to know whether Claudia's soul is at peace and if she forgives him. But when Merrick tries to summon Claudia's spirit, all hell breaks loose.

This is classic Rice at her best, exploring the moral and philosophical quandaries of the undead and showing how utterly human they are despite their inhuman make-up. The spirit-conjuring scenes are spooky and chilling, and the plot leaves the door wide open for a sequel that promises to be even more exciting than any of its predecessors.

--Beth Amos

Beth Amos is the author of several novels, including Second Sight, Eyes of Night and Cold White Fury.

 
From Library Journal  
Replete with witchcraft and Gothic intrigue, as well as theological sentiments and a tale of the Guatemalan jungles, this seventh substantial installment in Rice's popular "Vampire Chronicles" series continues the fascination with vampires and their darkly romantic lives. Narrated once again by the fledgling David Talbot, the book introduces Merrick, a potent witch with the usual irresistible charms, who aids David in a request involving a desperate Louis--a request that climaxes in disaster and alters Louis profoundly. Although an intimate account, with its focus on Lestat, Louis, and David and their interaction with Merrick, this volume (like much of Rice's recent work) lacks the resonance and vivid passion of her earlier writings (Cry to Heaven, The Feast of All Saints). These beloved vampires have grown so much more distant and unapproachable. However, Lestat's revival is a welcome ember, and a plot twist involving the Talamasca ensures the continuation of the "Chronicles" and sparks hope for a return of the old flair. Owing to inevitable demand, Merrick is a required purchase. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/00.]--Ann Kim, "Library Journal" Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|
 
From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly  
Talbot, a vampire familiar to Rice readers, though now inhabiting a different body, relates this eerie tale about an "octoroon of exceptional beauty" named Merrick, a Mayfair witch with whom he has been obsessed for an eternity. The narrative weaves through time--from present-day New Orleans, to Talbot's first meeting with Merrick, to an adventure they shared years ago in the jungles of Guatemala. Flashbacks aside, this story focuses on Talbot's attempt to convince Merrick to use her voodoo magic to conjure up the vampire daughter of his friend and fellow vampire Louis. Fans will recognize characters from past books, including Louis and Lestat. Rice offers a haunting look at the separate but equally intriguing worlds of witches and vampires united here through Merrick's witchcraft on Talbot's behalf. Jacobi's reading of the tale is spellbinding. His refined British tone--with the slightest trace of a classic Transylvanian accent--fits Talbot's character perfectly, and he flavors the narrative with verve and mystery accordingly. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Forecasts, Aug. 14). (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
 
From Kirkus  
The Queen of the Vampires offers one of the more wobbly works in the Vampire Chronicles. After a 40-page opening of heavy exposition (a glance backward that adds little but reminds us of the major players), the big attraction here is the return of gorgeous baby vamp Claudia, the 70-year-old in a 7-year-old's body, cremated a quarter-century ago in Interview with the Vampire (1976). Lestat also returns, though, sadly, Rice keeps these two lively creations offstage until the end. Again set in New Orleans, Merrick tells of octoroon Merrick Mayfair, an orphan raised among voodoo folks but now taken under the wing of David Talbot of the Talamasca, an ancient order of psychic scholars, so her powers of witchcraft might be studied. We follow her through her first 34 years as the Talamasca's top scholar and earner while Lestat goes comatose but for the joys of his Mozart CDs. Ravishingly handsome Louis de Pointe du Lac, his closest companion, worries that Lestat blames himself for Claudia's death and that her spirit is in torment. Louis wants Talbot to have Merrick use her magic to bring back Claudia and free Lestat from his torpor—but first Talbot must take Merrick to a lost Guatemalan temple to recover a jade mask for this purpose. Talbot, at 75, had an affair with young Merrick, but because Lestat won't make Merrick a vampire, Talbot sees their love as doomed. Then Merrick seemingly falls for Louis—but Louis won't give her the Dark Gift either and lead her into Lestat's coven. Rice whets our appetite for the wondrously seductive child, Claudia, then, to delay satisfaction, offers us Merrick's childhood and young womanhood instead. But when Claudia doesshow up and Lestat awakes, both are minor figures in a thickly descriptive tapestry that engages only in bursts. Rice has recovered from some gaily slipshod work, but this feels first-draftish, as if e-mailed straight to the printer without a second thought, while the arch dialogue already feels a hundred years old.
 

CUSTOMER REVIEWS - An Open Forum
Number of Reviews: 17    Average Rating:

Tamara, 24 year old fan from London England, October 24, 2000,
Somewhat Dissapointing..
I hate writing anything negative about the books I love but,after eagerly awaiting the next installment of the Vampire Chronicles, I have to say Im fairly disssapointed. Its still a good read but what happened to the characters we know and love??They may be there in name but not much else...I have read all of Anne Rice's books and recently none of them seem to have that 'I cant put this book down' effect!Merrick does alot to appeal to fans of the original books inticing us with tales of Louis,Lestat & Claudia (although they do not put in much of an appearance!)but does not live up to the promise of the merging of the two worlds ...However im still looking forward to the next one!

A reviewer (nicholasjackeugster@hotmail.com), a law student from Minneapolis, October 24, 2000,
Recommended...for a fan.
I must start by saying that I, personally, enjoyed this book. It must be said, however, that I am a fan. It is hard for this book to stand alone, and one who has not read the previous installments of this saga will have a hard time understanding the motivations of many characters. If you are a fan, then this book sets an exciting stage; if you are not a fan, then you may feel cheated by the descriptions of many characters. I am a fan, so, therefore, I was not disappointed.

Gab Riele, a 33 yr old website designer - NOLA, October 24, 2000,
Louis Who?
I looked forward to this newest installment of the Vampire Chronicles because I heard from the advance press that it involved my favorite character, Louis de Pointe du Lac.

I was very disappointed. Not only does Louis not even make an appearance for several chapters, when he does appear, he is not the same character from the earlier Vampire Chronicles. Louis is pathetic, pining away for Claudia, who has been dead for over 200 years. Why? By the end of the book, Louis has done two things which he has stated in the previous novels that he would not do and there is no reasoning given for this.

David Talbot was an extremely interesting character in Tale of the Body Thief. Here, he is not. We are suddenly told that he is obssessed with Merrick, emotionally and sexually, who was a member of the Talmasca at age 14, yet we heard nothing about her when he was telling Lestat about his life and time in the Talamasca. He did explain in Tale of the Body Thief, and re-emphasized in The Vampire Armand, that He is completely disconnected to the Talamasca. Now he is searching out members of the order, and by the end of the book, actually contacts the order himself.

Merrick is unformed as a character. She has a great desire to become a vampire, but we are never told why this is.

Lestat does make an appearance in the very end of the book, but after his small moment of action, he decides to take another nap, so this is NOT the great return of the Vampire Lestat.

Finally, there are several misspellings, timeline inconsistancies, and character feature inconsistancies in the book. This is insulting to any reader and shows a blatant disregard for faithful Vampire Chronicle fans.

For the record, his name is MATTHEW, not MICHAEL, David has BROWN eyes which glow with a golden vampiric light, he has been a vampire for 8 years now and he is 6'2, LOUIS is spelled L-O-U-I-S, and it should be explained why the most powerful vampires, Maharet and Mekare STOPPED seeing spirits when they were made vampires, yet both Armand and David CAN.

The book portrays 'voodoo' (Vodun) in a completely unrealistic way. This is a religion and should be treated with respect. Vodun simply does NOT work the way it is shown in this book.

Finally, the book is entirely too short, only 300 pages, to charge more than 15 dollars for, and it does not end, but rather just stops.

I cannot reccomend that anyone spend money on this book. I returned mine the next day.

Kathy, October 24, 2000,
Disappointment after a long wait.
We could have done with a LOT LESS of David's panting and raving over his love for Merrick. Powerful witch??? Yet she only managed to 'call up' her dead sister (who was always there anyway); cast two inoccuous spells (David & Louis) and finally Claudia emerges from the netherworld. Where was the voodoo? To me David's storytelling was choppy and didn't flow. The last 1/4 of the book was the best. Will this lead to a sequel? Assuredly. Just hope it's better than 'Merrick'.

Jessie S., an ex-avid fan from NYC, October 23, 2000, < br>I've NEVER been more disappointed and misled...
I'm a big (well, not anymore after reading Merrick) Anne Rice fan when it comes to the Vampire Chronicles and if I didn't love books as much as I do I would return my copy of the book. The summary (merging of the two vampire and Mayfair witch worlds, etc.) of the book heard sounded interesting and I knew I had to get it. Now AFTER I read it I've realized what a lie it really was. It was not a complete lie but was sadly---maybe even intentionally---vague and not as accurate as it should've been. The only Mayfair witch featured is Merrick and she has no relations to the Mayfairs themselves. (What I mean by that is they've never been in contact with each other face-to-face or in any other form before.) I know there are readers that are glad there's finally a 'real' female character out there but Anne Rice did not focus enough on the character herself. Merrick was a drunk with great powers because she was a Mayfair. Ok, anything else? Nope. Mrs. Rice did not include any of the said character's motivations and any of the really major scenes that did include her were not even narrated first-hand by the actual narrator David Talbot himself. If you are a TRUE Vamp Chron's fan then you'll know what I'm talking about when I say the characters of the vampires were utterly destroyed in Merrick. Or at least their personalities were. Some of my favorite characters like Louis and Lestat (I've grown to dislike David a little since I read Merrick) were totally out of character from past books they've been in. They're not even themselves in Merrick. I grew to love the Vampire Chronicles through the characters but now I don't even recognize them. The major characters have taken such a drastic turn-around in their personalities that I suggest if Anne wants to write about these sort of characters then start a new series altogether. Try to stick with the ones you have and keep them as they're supposed to be or just abandon them instead of trying to make them 'new and improved.'