"The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice (1993)

David Richmond: Rough sex witch falls for demon lover. What surprise is that?

United States on Nov 13, 2023

Erica Hester: I was recommended this book by a mentor of mine. I am not a patient person, and the long and intricate history bored me several times. I understand it was needed for the depth of the story but several times I considered skipping pages. Overall though, it was a fantastic story. The detail that she goes into when describing several different studies (neurosurgery, architecture, geography) is extremely impressive. She either has a passion for a broad range of studies or is an extremely good researcher. Either way, it added yet another layer to the story. She gets so in depth at some parts it will make you question if she made the story up or if there really is a lineage of people that have lived this tale. Either way, I highly recommend this book to advanced readers but would dismay newer book lovers. I can typically devour a lengthy book as this within a few days in my spare time and this one took me over two weeks. A newer book lover may give up before they understand and appreciate what a wonderful novel it is! Whether I continue the series has yet to be determined or unknown if it is “planned” :)

United States on Nov 10, 2023

Dena Downey: Great condition and beautiful cover

United States on Nov 06, 2023

Amazon Customer: I felt compelled to re-read this for probably about the 5th time, the first time being in the early 2000s after high school., after watching the first episode of the new series on prime called the mayfair witches, which is a radical departure from the books. The books are rich in details, and in depth of of the characters and of the world, or reality itself. So much deeper than the average person is willing to delve into perhaps, and without the arrogance of assuming that we can know it all on this side. Yet still revealing tantalizing hints, of how much deeper reality goes, of how much we dont know.

United States on Nov 05, 2023

average person: I loved this book so much, I purchased this one for my sister. She's reading it now, she really likes it too.

Canada on Aug 11, 2023

LilSquirt13: Book was received in perfect condition. I agree that pages are think, but not the sellers' fault, that's a publishing issue.
Wasn't overly impressed with the writing - struggled to get through it. Probably won't be reading the rest of the series.

Canada on Jun 23, 2023

Annette Ashthorpe: I read The Witching Hour when I was in my early 20's and absolutely loved it. Now I am a writer and picked her book up again and read it as a writer. If I could only be half as good of a writer as Anne Rice, then I will be happy. I was swept away for the second time by her intricately seductive world of witches and history. Although there is a lot of description in this book, it took me deeper and deeper into the lives of the Mayfair Witches and I couldn't put it down for a second time. I can't wait to read it again in another 10 years or so! Absolutely worth the read and time. You won't be able to put it down. If you find the description boring, then you truly can't call yourself a reader!

Canada on Jun 28, 2022

Chris 07-21: I read "The Witching Hour" in 1995 and for almost twenty-five years, considered it Anne Rice's masterpiece. Would it hold up if I reread it again in 2019?

Well, I started it in December 2019 and just finished it in November 2020. The main hindrance - and why I paused reading the book for a while - was the Talamasca's Mayfair File. The file worked without bother the first time, but when it's probably 600 pages and you already know the order of the witches, it was tedious.

Still, what Rice created in the book was awesome! I was able to resume reading the book after the break because "WH" is a world. First Street is comparable to Tara and Manderley and Michael Curry might be the hunkiest hero ever.

1995 - 5 stars
2020 - 4 stars

Canada on Nov 12, 2020

Barry Mulvany: Set primarily in New Orleans, this is a very atmospheric read. Of all the places in the US that I wouldn't mind visiting it is probably that city and this book plays no small part in it. Primarily about Rowan Mayfair, a neurosurgeon in San Francisco who was adopted at birth and starts to find out about her birth family after the death of her adoptive parents, and Michael Curry, a period house restorer who after a near death experience begins an interaction with Rowan and her Mayfair family.

I don't think I would call this a horror novel, nothing particularly scary happens but it does build a rich atmosphere of danger, little and large hints that things are not quite right with the Mayfair family. Our two main characters are both fairly well drawn though there is more than a hint of Mary/Gary Stu about them. Both beautiful and rich and well educated with impeccable taste etc. The real selling point of this book is the history of the Mayfair family. I'd say a good third of this very large book is basically a written record of it, with some flashbacks thrown in as well. Some might find it boring but I thought it was the best bit. Anne Rice really invokes a sense of different...

United Kingdom on Feb 21, 2020

Ldlgvh: ...of course, that's just my opinion.
:)
I've been a long-time reader of Rice's books...since I was 14 and 'interview with the vampire' came out, in fact. (the movie)
Anne Rice is a masterful storyteller. This is a lovely, twisted, haunting and at times romantic tale of a family who discovered power, wealth, pain and death through their association w/a 'nature spirit' called LASHER.
The story really kicked off for me when we traveled back to the beginning of the tale. The year 1689. We learn of the first of the so-called 'witches': the well-meaning and kind-hearted but simple and naive Suzanne who conjured Lasher in the fields of Donnelaith with her young daughter Deborah -- only to burn from her inability to understand that the being had the ability to develop a will and purpose almost independent of her.
Deborah never used Lasher with evil intent; she simply did NOT understand the being she dealt with (to wield and control him properly).
Although he loved her -- loved all the Mayfair women -- he was not mindless. His actions were sometimes the result of what *HE thought* the witch desired in her heart and this led to Suzanne's demise at the hands of the...

United States on Nov 09, 2009