Humour Anne Rice flips out on amazon.com

Nephilim_X · Sep 26, 2004

I was browsing the Something Awful forums and looky what I stumbled across... Anne Rice's rebuttal to the bad reviews of Blood Canticle on amazon.com!

Anne Rice said:

Seldom do I really answer those who criticize my work. In fact, the entire development of my career has been fueled by my ability to ignore denigrating and trivializing criticism as I realize my dreams and my goals. However there is something compelling about Amazon's willingness to publish just about anything, and the sheer outrageous stupidity of many things you've said here that actually touches my proletarian and Democratic soul. Also I use and enjoy Amazon and I do read the reviews of other people's books in many fields. In sum, I believe in what happens here. And so, I speak. First off, let me say that this is addressed only to some of you, who have posted outrageously negative comments here, and not to all. You are interrogating this text from the wrong perspective. Indeed, you aren't even reading it. You are projecting your own limitations on it. And you are giving a whole new meaning to the words "wide readership." And you have strained my Dickensean principles to the max. I'm justifiably proud of being read by intellectual giants and waitresses in trailer parks,in fact, I love it, but who in the world are you? Now to the book. Allow me to point out: nowhere in this text are you told that this is the last of the chronicles, nowhere are you promised curtain calls or a finale, nowhere are you told there will be a wrap-up of all the earlier material. The text tells you exactly what to expect. And it warns you specifically that if you did not enjoy Memnoch the Devil, you may not enjoy this book. This book is by and about a hero whom many of you have already rejected. And he tells you that you are likely to reject him again. And this book is most certainly written -- every word of it -- by me. If and when I can't write a book on my own, you'll know about it. And no, I have no intention of allowing any editor ever to distort, cut, or otherwise mutilate sentences that I have edited and re-edited, and organized and polished myself. I fought a great battle to achieve a status where I did not have to put up with editors making demands on me, and I will never relinquish that status. For me, novel writing is a virtuoso performance. It is not a collaborative art. Back to the novel itself: the character who tells the tale is my Lestat. I was with him more closely than I have ever been in this novel; his voice was as powerful for me as I've ever heard it. I experienced break through after break through as I walked with him, moved with him, saw through his eyes. What I ask of Lestat, Lestat unfailingly gives. For me, three hunting scenes, two which take place in hotels -- the lone woman waiting for the hit man, the slaughter at the pimp's party -- and the late night foray into the slums --stand with any similar scenes in all of the chronicles. They can be read aloud without a single hitch. Every word is in perfect place. The short chapter in which Lestat describes his love for Rowan Mayfair was for me a totally realized poem. There are other such scenes in this book. You don't get all this? Fine. But I experienced an intimacy with the character in those scenes that shattered all prior restraints, and when one is writing one does have to continuously and courageously fight a destructive tendency to inhibition and restraint. Getting really close to the subject matter is the achievement of only great art. Now, if it doesn't appeal to you, fine. You don't enjoy it? Read somebody else. But your stupid arrogant assumptions about me and what I am doing are slander. And you have used this site as if it were a public urinal to publish falsehood and lies. I'll never challenge your democratic freedom to do so, and yes, I'm answering you, but for what it's worth, be assured of the utter contempt I feel for you, especially those of you who post anonymously (and perhaps repeatedly?) and how glad I am that this book is the last one in a series that has invited your hateful and ugly responses. Now, to return to the narrative in question: Lestat's wanting to be a saint is a vision larded through and through with his characteristic vanity. It connects perfectly with his earlier ambitions to be an actor in Paris, a rock star in the modern age. If you can't see that, you aren't reading my work. In his conversation with the Pope he makes observations on the times which are in continuity with his observations on the late twentieth century in The Vampire Lestat, and in continuity with Marius' observations in that book and later in Queen of the Damned. The state of the world has always been an important theme in the chronicles. Lestat's comments matter. Every word he speaks is part of the achievement of this book. That Lestat renounced this saintly ambition within a matter of pages is plain enough for you to see. That he reverts to his old self is obvious, and that he intends to complete the tale of Blackwood Farm is also quite clear. There are many other themes and patterns in this work that I might mention -- the interplay between St.Juan Diago and Lestat, the invisible creature who doesn't "exist" in the eyes of the world is a case in point. There is also the theme of the snare of Blackwood Farm, the place where a human existence becomes so beguiling that Lestat relinquishes his power as if to a spell. The entire relationship between Lestat and Uncle Julien is carefully worked out. But I leave it to readers to discover how this complex and intricate novel establishes itself within a unique, if not unrivalled series of book. There are things to be said. And there is pleasure to be had. And readers will say wonderful things about Blood Canticle and they already are. There are readers out there and plenty of them who cherish the individuality of each of the chronicles which you so flippantly condemn. They can and do talk circles around you. And I am warmed by their response. Their letters, the papers they write in school, our face to face exchanges on the road -- these things sustain me when I read the utter trash that you post. But I feel I have said enough. If this reaches one reader who is curious about my work and shocked by the ugly reviews here, I've served my goals. And Yo, you dude, the slang police! Lestat talks like I do. He always has and he always will. You really wouldn't much like being around either one of us. And you don't have to be. If any of you want to say anything about all this by all means Email me at Anneobrienrice@mac.com. And if you want your money back for the book, send it to [address on Amazon]. I'm not a coward about my real name or where I live. And yes, the Chronicles are no more! Thank God!
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Yes, this is real. She confirmed it on her website.

This rant is on the second page of reviews here.

I always thought Derek Smart was hilarious when he blew up in peoples faces, but there is now a new ruler in the Kingdom of the Krazies.

Ciel · Sep 26, 2004

Writing your own reviews on Amazon.. you would never think the actual author would read them. but if I was the author, I'd be upset with a review that started like this too:

"While I won't lambast this book as harshly as others, Blood Canticle certainly fails to live up to the Anne Rice of old. In fact, this is quite possibly my least favorite of all her books. But in all fairness, if you look at the dedication, you realize Mrs. Rice lost her husband at some point during the process of this novel. So I forgive her bitterness, although it is quite shocking to be ranted at for the opening chapter of the book."

or this one review which I think really riled Rice up:

"I thought Anne had lost it back when I read "Blood and Gold." How I hated that book! "Blackwood Farm" was better, but still too much mundane detail. I'd read a lot of bad reviews for "Blood Cantile," so I approached with caution.

This book isn't nearly as bad as most people would have you believe. It moved a whole lot faster than the two previous books; I finished it in a fraction of the time and never even considered putting it away ... or burning it, like I wanted to do with "Blood and Gold."

That said, it isn't vintage Rice. Lestat's new use of lingo is annoying and seems very out of character, no matter how he tries to justify it. A 300-hundred-year-old white guy with long blond hair and velvet clothes trying to talk like a black ghetto kid just seemed forced and silly. Fortunately, he slipped out of that lingo quite often.

As the conclusion to the Vampire Chronicles, it is very unsatisfying. I've always wanted to know more about Louis, for instance, but you get nothing about any of the older vampires. I expected some big-bang ending for all the vampires, or at least that Lestat would ascend to Heaven or something, but it just didn't happen. As an installment in the Chronicles, it was fine. As the ending, it was unsatisfying.

Rice said she was finished with the vampires after "Memnoch the Devil." Personally, I think she should have left it there. But, since she did return after that book, maybe we can hope she'll return again and give us a more satisfying conclusion."

Her novels are very interesting. I haven't read this new Vampire and Witches Chronicles yet though.

Nephilim_X · Sep 26, 2004

Ciel said:

*snip first review*
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Yeah, but some people are just jackasses. They aren't worth the time or effort. If I flipped out at every bad review, I wouldn't have time to do anything I loved.

*snip second review*
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I think that review is completely fair. Besides, the Vampire Chronicles are basically just Dragon Ball Z with Vampires.

Edit: Anyone else noticed one of the amazon.com editors went through her post to make it more legible?

Secondary edit: Hey, she gave herself full marks for her review.

Tertiary edit: Apparently she also banned fanfiction based on her works and will take you to court.

Quatrinary edit: Anyone else notice how both reviews essentially said her older work was better?

Quintrinary edit: Apparently amazon yanked the review. However, aside from it still existing in posts here at BJP and over at SA, the webcomic Something Positive also covered it, and it's also mentioned in Niel Gaiman's livejournal.

Raven · Sep 27, 2004

I don't think she flipped out at all. She said what she said in a very formal matter. She was simply addresing an audience who were being assholes. I have more respect for her now for saying what she wants to say without fear.

Nephilim_X · Sep 27, 2004

So her bit about novel writing being a virtuoso performance and how she doesn't need an editor doesn't come off as even slightly conceited at all?

(edit: or her "dickensean" principles, or her "democratic and proliterian" soul? Not even a tiny bit of pompousness there?)

(edit: How does a published writer not use paragraph breaks anyway? Oh well, the Toronto Star laughed at her for it, I'm happy)

BakaMattSu · Sep 29, 2004

Anne Rice said:

And Yo, you dude, the slang police! Lestat talks like I do
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LOL!

Speaking of which, how about some TO Star linkage? Interested to see what the media has to say about this.

Maybe it could start a trend. Not often do you see authors defending their works' horrible reviews.

Bloodberry · Sep 29, 2004

after reading that, i knew there was a reason i had never read anne rice...dickenson -shudders- i've always hated her...XD

but, it IS amusing to see how she'd respond to someone nit-picking at her. though, i also find it funny that she starts out saying that this wasn't the end, then says it twice that it IS. isn't it great when people type angry? lol

and i have serious doubts to her claims of not having editirial demands. even tolkein(sp) has been edited. i mean, corperations are like that.

Nephilim_X · Sep 29, 2004

BakaMattSu said:

LOL!

Speaking of which, how about some TO Star linkage? Interested to see what the media has to say about this.

Maybe it could start a trend. Not often do you see authors defending their works' horrible reviews.
Click to expand...

As you wish.

Meaikoh · Sep 29, 2004

Personally, I find Lestat to be an awesome character, and I found her response really, really...dumb, in a word. This is a published author? I can see why readers were upset if this was the quality of the book. I've been meaning to pick up the series...

--MT

BotticelliLover · Oct 5, 2004

Yeah, I can understand getting upset over criticism of your work(I do it quite often), but do so in a rational manner. She is well-known adult writer, she says herself that she has delt with lots of negative criticism, and not let it bother her. I'd say this rant would count as letting it get to you. She should have just blown it off because if she's that confindent in her work she wouldn't have the need to defend it so.

Humour Anne Rice flips out on amazon.com

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