The Witching Hour (Lives of the Mayfair Witches)

The Mayfair Witches Series is among Anne Rice's best work. This series became my favorite series of all time. The sequels Lasher and Taltos are equally enchanting...this series is a must for all Anne Rice fans.

This is the first book in Anne Rice's Mayfair series. It is one of my favorite series of all time. You must read this one to get to Lasher wich I think is better.

When it comes to Anne Rice, I started not with Interview with the Vampire but with Servant of the Bones. That one was okay, so I decided to read The Witching Hour. What a freakin' mistake.

It's clear to me that Anne Rice, through her writing, is saying to her readers "Look at me! I'm so impressed with myself!" (It's also clear given her recent 'review' on Amazon of one of her own novels.) The story of the Witching Hour actually started off somewhat decently. I was able to turn my head the other way during the poorly written sex scenes--scenes that were very similar to a scene in Servant of the Bones--and the rushed, badly handled romance; but once the story turned into the Mayfield history, it began to fall apart. This is unfortunate, given that this is the last third of the book or so. The end of the book felt cobbled together, rushed and unfinished, even for a book that is part of a series. I literally threw the book across the room when I finished, mad that I'd invested enough time to read a thousand-page book and be disappointed by the end. Worst of all, though, is that the story seems to be more adolescent self-serving fantasy than anything I'd really want to read.

I've grown up since reading this book and I've moved on to better authors. If you don't read Anne Rice, I'd advise skipping her altogether. Once you get past the first few books of the Vampire Chronicles, you will outgrow her writing.

I can't believe all the great reviews on this book! That is the main reason I bought the book! The story just drags on and on!! The same old information is repeated and repeated. With all the incest and other gross things happening in the story it makes me thing that the author is a little strange and I don't mean it in a good way. I don't know if I will finish the story because I see very little of any kind of witch craft stuff at all. And I've really grown to hate the characters, and to be honest with you, don't care what happens to them!!. It has taken me 6 weeks to get through 3/4 of the book because I literally have to talk myself into reading a little more hoping something will finally happen it this long, long, boring story. Wish me luck! If I get to the end and by some miracle actually start liking this book, I'll leave another review, but right now I don't want anyone else to waste their money. Believe me, she is no Steven King like one reviewer wrote!!!!

I loved this book. Being from New Orleans it was like a trip down memory lane for me. Rice described the sights and sounds in true form. The book is well written and a page turner. Highly recommended.