crissi

I've been reading these novels, repeatedly, for 20+ years, all 13. From Interview w/ the Vampire to Blood Communion published in 2018. This show, even with all the changes, is light years closer to the novels in spirit, tone, motivations, romance, and drama than the movie - and I say that as fan of the movie. It's an insanely well produced show, with high investment in the music, costumes, sets, talent and especially the writing. They were able to take Louis, who is a side character for 12 of the 13 books, and give him a vibrant inner life and more agency - ultimately making him as strong a character as Lestat became in The Vampire Lestat. I loathed Claudia in the books and the writers made me care about her deeply. The framework of this being a 2nd interview by a much older, much more experienced Daniel Malloy gives the show a Greek chorus to explore the toxicity of the central romance and Louis' unreliable narration. The groundwork laid for the giant sweeping story of the entire Vampire Chronicles is shown throughout each episode. And any one complaining about the queerness of this show, didn't read the books with their eyes open. The Anne Rice vamps have always been queer. The choice to make Louis and Claudia Black was a GENIUS idea, because it threw the power imbalance between them and Lestat into strong relief. Plus, who was gonna care about slave owner Louis? No one.