Rice goes for the jugular
[Books]
Blood is being drawn in cyberspace over the latest novel by Interview With the Vampire author Anne Rice, who has gone for her readers’ jugulars after they slammed the book in scathing Internet reviews.
The “readers’ reviews” section of online bookseller Amazon.com has been clogged with angry postings from readers following the publication late last year of Blood Canticle, the ninth and last novel in Rice’s hugely popular Vampire Chronicles series.
“I have read short stories by eighth graders that had more thought than this drivel did,” said Linda Liu, a reader from San Francisco, the United States. “I will never read or purchase another Anne Rice book. This is just too insulting.”
Most of the comments were posted by hardcore Rice fans, who have avidly followed the adventures of the vampire Lestat since Interview With the Vampire – later made into a movie with Tom Cruise – was published in 1973.
The reviewers, many of them anonymous, accused Rice of selling out her readers and “going through the motions” in order to fulfil her contractual obligations.
“It felt to me as though Blood Canticle was written over a long weekend,” said C. Allison.
So vitriolic was the criticism, that Rice decided last month to take her critics on in their own forum, posting her own furious response on the Amazon.com website.
“You don’t enjoy it? Read somebody else. But your stupid arrogant assumptions about me and what I am doing are slander,” Rice said in a lengthy rejoinder.
“And you have used this site as if it were a public urinal to publish falsehood and lies,” she said. “Be assured of the utter contempt I feel for you ... and how glad I am that this book is the last one in a series that has invited your hateful and ugly responses.”
Since Rice’s response, activity on the site has been evenly divided between her supporters and detractors, with the odd, unsuccessful plea for moderation.
"It's one thing to complain about critical press and unflattering reviews from leading journals,” said Peter Hodges from New York. "But to rant against the general public seems pretty thin-skinned to me." – AFP
Blood is being drawn in cyberspace over the latest novel by Interview With the Vampire author Anne Rice, who has gone for her readers’ jugulars after they slammed the book in scathing Internet reviews.
The “readers’ reviews” section of online bookseller Amazon.com has been clogged with angry postings from readers following the publication late last year of Blood Canticle, the ninth and last novel in Rice’s hugely popular Vampire Chronicles series.
“I have read short stories by eighth graders that had more thought than this drivel did,” said Linda Liu, a reader from San Francisco, the United States. “I will never read or purchase another Anne Rice book. This is just too insulting.”
Most of the comments were posted by hardcore Rice fans, who have avidly followed the adventures of the vampire Lestat since Interview With the Vampire – later made into a movie with Tom Cruise – was published in 1973.
The reviewers, many of them anonymous, accused Rice of selling out her readers and “going through the motions” in order to fulfil her contractual obligations.
“It felt to me as though Blood Canticle was written over a long weekend,” said C. Allison.
So vitriolic was the criticism, that Rice decided last month to take her critics on in their own forum, posting her own furious response on the Amazon.com website.
“You don’t enjoy it? Read somebody else. But your stupid arrogant assumptions about me and what I am doing are slander,” Rice said in a lengthy rejoinder.
“And you have used this site as if it were a public urinal to publish falsehood and lies,” she said. “Be assured of the utter contempt I feel for you ... and how glad I am that this book is the last one in a series that has invited your hateful and ugly responses.”
Since Rice’s response, activity on the site has been evenly divided between her supporters and detractors, with the odd, unsuccessful plea for moderation.
"It's one thing to complain about critical press and unflattering reviews from leading journals,” said Peter Hodges from New York. "But to rant against the general public seems pretty thin-skinned to me." – AFP
posted by 9T9 at
3:19 pm
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