Merrick
Published: October 17, 2000
Author: Anne Rice
The Vampire Chronicles, Book 7
Genres: Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Ghost, Gothic, History, Horror, Inspirational, LGBTQ+, Literary, Men's, Occult, Paranormal, Psychological, Renaissance, Saga, Spirituality, Thrillers, Vampire, Witches, Wizards
Check the summary of this book here:
Merrick Summary
The Review:
Merrick demonstrates Anne Rice's customary gift for atmosphere, particularly historical or strange atmosphere, fast-paced adventure that can be a true page-turner, intriguing knowledge of ancient civilizations and magical procedures, and a decent narrative line and variation. The combination of witches and vampires is a welcome variation in this series.
This book is fascinating because of the blending procedure: two novel lines merged, at least two faiths merged, two or three witchcrafts merged, plot lines merged, divergent developments merged. In the realm of fantasy fiction, this is a must-read.
Anne Rice is a fantastic author. Many writers have pet clichés that, by the second book, have become not only obvious but practically irritating; Anne Rice, on the other hand, is artistic and inventive. There are no catchphrases to jolt the reader out of the story's flow with an unintentional recollection. The momentum is not disrupted by the frequent phrase repetition, and the reader's concentration is maintained.
In many respects, this novel is a pleasant surprise. Anne Rice begins to blend her witch and vampire lines with the Mayfairs, as well as with Lestat and Louis and other characters.
However, in the instance of the Mayfair line, this merging is small since it includes a "colored" witch, or a witch from the Mayfair family's "colored" line, i.e., descendants of the white Mayfairs among the black slaves and servants. However, this series of "hued" witches introduces us to new witchcraft, including Vodun, sometimes known as voodoo.
The technique demonstrates how the Christianization of this African religion is systematic and comprehensive.
However, this Vodun religion is founded on some age-old, ancient practices, such as animal sacrifices, the use of blood, charms, and, of course, the belief that spirits exist and that, when we die, we either go into the light, which is paradise, or we err and roam in some dark in-between space, where we can haunt the world of the living. This religion has no idea of hell or Satan.
The novel, however, goes a step further by transporting us to Guatemala, where Merrick searches for and discovers more than ancient spirits and magical items, specifically a mask that would allow her to complete the goal set out by Anne Rice in this book.
This is another fantastic book that will not let you down! I enjoyed the narrative recounted by David, one of the newest vampires but one of the most experienced in his human years.
I can usually foresee, or at least assume, where she's heading with some of her plot lines, but this one caught me off guard. I enjoy how the narrative is conveyed from David's adult perspective and with his distinct tranquility.
I adore how you learn about and appreciate the world via Anne Rice's characters. You can see she puts a lot of love, thought, and imagination into her writings, particularly her characters.
Warning: Following this point, I will discuss several issues that might be considered spoilers. Merrick agrees to bring back the spirit of Claudia, a child vampire from the early volumes of the Vampire Chronicles because Louis is curious about how she is doing after death.
She was turned into a vampire as a kid, tried to kill Lestat, escaped to Europe and Paris with Louis, and was killed by other vampires in Paris by exposing herself to the sun since she had killed her creator, which is an unforgivable act for vampires.
Merrick does the spell, and then we get to see how the other vampires in this group react; there are four in all. Vampires and the Talamasca, a hidden society that studies paranormal events and entities, will wage war as a result of this.
Final Thoughts:
This book is a fantastic continuation of the Vampire Chronicles. The finale was fantastic, and it sets up a new adventure for the vampires. I would strongly advise everyone who has read Anne Rice's Chronicles to read this book also but don't forget to read it in sequence.
With "Merrick," we learn more about the previously mentioned characters and learn about witchcraft's role in the realm of the unusual. Here the reader embraces the idea that vampires had gifts but witches have gifts distinct from vampires' gifts, gifts for which vampires may be envious...this is intriguing.
Once again, thank you for your creativity and skill, Anne Rice. Thank you for building a universe that is not only similar to our own, but also accessible allegorically in a way that provides options for those of us who don't fit in.
Synopsis:
“In her mesmerizing new novel, the author of The Vampire Chronicles and the saga of the Mayfair Witches demonstrates once again her gift for spellbinding storytelling and the creation of myth and magic. Here, in a magnificent tale of sorcery and the occult, she makes real for us a hitherto unexplored world of witchcraft.
At the center is the beautiful, unconquerable witch Merrick. She is a descendant of the gens de couleur libres, a society of New Orleans octoroons and quadroons steeped in the lore and ceremony of voodoo, who reign in the shadowy world where African and French--the dark and the white--intermingle. Her ancestors are the great Mayfair witches, of whom she knows nothing--and from whom she inherits the power and the magical knowledge of a Circe.
Into this exotic realm comes David Talbot--hero, storyteller, adventurer, almost-mortal vampire, a visitor from another dark realm. It is he who recounts Merrick's haunting tale--a tale that takes us from the New Orleans of past and present to the jungles of Guatemala, from the Maya ruins of a century ago to ancient civilizations not yet explored.
Anne Rice's richly told novel weaves an irresistible story of two worlds: the witches' world and the vampires' world, where magical powers and otherworldly fascinations are locked together in a dance of seduction, death, and rebirth.”
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Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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