Way back in
1990, Anne Rice was publishing 'The Witching Hour', the first book in her 'Lives
of the Mayfair Witches' series, of the stories that showed the kind of stories
this woman had in mind and wanted to write.
I had the chance
to buy this emblematic book not long ago, just because of the curiosity I felt
towards Rice’s work, praised as one of the best ones in the Gothic vein of
literature, knowing practically nothing about it, just that it was better to
start with this series and then go for her 'Vampire Chronicles'.
Some of my
obsessions in books are magic and witches, which are the topics I always try to
include in my To-read lists, and in the stories I write as well. Since this is
one of the most worshipped authors among readers, I thought there was nothing
to lose to give her a try.
Little did I
suspect that Rowan Mayfair and Michael Curry, main characters of 'The Witching
Hour', will become close friends of mine during my trips in my comings and goings
from college. What used to be an empty time that I spent doing nothing became a
very precious reading time I felt too short.
The beginning
was strange, as it starts directly with the accident’s consequences in Curry,
detailing everything that happened and the subsequent encounter with Rowan
Mayfair, a woman who knows nothing about her family history, her roots, her
past and surrounded by a halo of fame and mystery as a neurosurgeon.
From there, 'The
Witching Hour' will let us discover the many secrets that Rowan has dealt over
the years and the hard time Michael has been living since the accident. Their
romance, a secondary plot in the overall plot, will serve as a guide and their
motive to travel and discover the lives of the Mayfair family.
To describe it
as tempting the idea of telling you what this family is in reality, besides
witches, is not enough. I almost need it, but I’m sure it is going to spoil the
whole book for you, which I strongly recommend you to read.
You will find
many heavy topics and uncensored stories for each member of this peculiar
family, each of them weirder than the past one, and, strangely, they are all
presented in an elegant way, so you don’t realize what you’re reading until you
need to stop for any reason, that’s when you realize how twisted The Witching
Hour really is.
Many classical
elements of Gothic literature are presented in a mean way, creating a sinister
and dark atmosphere. It’s like getting immersed in a different world, a new
side of this very same Earth we think we know and discovering its macabre
secrets, although I can hardly think about anyone who will like to have this
kind of familiars.
I cannot deny
that 'The Witching Hour' has its own enchant. Every phrase is so graphic and
poetic at the same time it casts a spell, making us read as much as we can,
despite the heavy content and style.
Because of this,
I would tell you read many more books before getting into this one in
particular. It’s not the reading you could describe as fast, easy, light or
kind, but it won’t either make you suffer, scream or get traumatized, or not
before the end, at least.
Many bloggers
have criticized just that, the end. I’ve see a lot of reviews on 'The Witching
Hour' complaining about it and how they felt that Rice should have changed it in
order to make it better and more “readable,” and if any asks me, that’s a
complete nonsense.
People makes the
mistake of comparing this with other books, mostly those that fall in Young
Adult or Teenager category, which have a different style in every sense,
including the ending. If it wasn’t enough to get out of their comfort zone, to
expect the same for this than in other light novels is what they needed to hate
such an interesting story. I’m begging you not to do this if you want to fully
discover 'The Witching Hour’s' enchant.
I can only
recommend it for mature reader, but, considering these times, some will agree
with me saying that a seventeen years old will feel comfortable enough to enjoy
and learn a little bit with 'The Witching Hour'.