If you are a huge fan of the vampire genre, you should at least read this first book in the Vampire Chronicles. It’s clear that Rice’s work is pivotal to the modern day vampire. Retroactively analyzing a lot of the vampire media released in the past 40 years or so, it’s clear that Rice’s successors have poured over her books and incorporated bits and pieces of Louis and Lestat (and other characters) in their own works. I would even say this book is as essential to the genre as Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

With that being said, I would issue a trigger warning to those picking up this book with no prior knowledge of it. The overt pedophilia disturbed me to the point of wanting to DNF it at times. This was a book club pick so I shouldered on because I wanted to be able to have a complete and analytical discussion of the work. I thought these scenes that were particularly hard to read could have been taken out and left nothing to be desired.

I do respect that a part of the horror of the book is Claudia being forever trapped in the body of five year old girl against her will, but implication and subtext is such a powerful tool. I also, as a woman, am not a fan of reading such abuse from the POV of a man. I know Rice wrote this character in homage to her own young daughter who passed away at age seven, but again the overt nature of pseudo-incest and pedophilia took this book from a 5 star read to a 3 star read.

I think it’s really hard to make an interesting adaptation of Hamlet because it’s been done time and time again. This rings true for Twelve Ophelias. It was a quick read and disjointed, which I suppose is the point. I fear, to quote family guy of all things, that it “insists upon itself.”

In an attempt to tell Ophelia’s story, I think this play lacks anything interesting despite the abstract intellectualism of it all. I gave it a 3 star rating because maybe my thoughts could change depending on how its stage and what themes a production would want to emphasize.

I encourage anyone who likes Shakespeare and Hamlet to give it a read (it’s super cute! i read it in an hour!!) and let me know what you think.

I really enjoyed this take on Shelley’s Frankenstein. I thought it was fresh and exciting, considering the numerous adaptations of the original source material. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to read a beautifully written female lead with real and relatable flaws, hopes, dreams, and desires.