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Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story
A richly-illustrated adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, told through the eyes of the vampire Claudia, who was just a little girl when she was turned by the vampire Lestat. Though she spends many years of happiness with her two vampire fathers, she gradually grows discontent with their insistence upon treating her like a little girl, even though she has lived as long as any mortal man...and her lust to kill is certainly no less than theirs...
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2012
About the author
Ashley Marie Witter
50 books41 followersAshley Marie Witter was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. She graduated from Madison Area Technical College with a degree in Animation and Conceptual Development. She now lives in Chicagoland working as a professional artist/illustrator.
She has worked on Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story, The Wolf Gift: The Graphic Novel, Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol.2 (inking assistant), New Moon: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 (inking assistant), Gothology: The Eternal Sad, Gothology: Misery Loves Company, Bloodthirsty: One Nation Under Water, Scorch (webcomic), and Squarriors.
She has worked on Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story, The Wolf Gift: The Graphic Novel, Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol.2 (inking assistant), New Moon: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 (inking assistant), Gothology: The Eternal Sad, Gothology: Misery Loves Company, Bloodthirsty: One Nation Under Water, Scorch (webcomic), and Squarriors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 687 reviews
September 24, 2020
Simply gorgeous manga-style cartoons, with an expanded story within the "Interview/Vampire Chronicles" saga.
Like, for instance, did you know that vampire Lestat has an accomplice with him once he gets out of the Louisiana swamps to get his revenge on the vampire tyke? Or that he was about to make a companion for the threesome? Or that he tells the coven of vampires in Paris that Claudia was responsible for his "death"? This is only for fans of the movie and the novel. And the illustrations by Witter? They can be of aesthetic value for both Rice fans and non alike! (The redness of the blood...! The faux-cuteness of really lethal Claudia...! The sexiness of Louis, Armand, Lestat...!)
Like, for instance, did you know that vampire Lestat has an accomplice with him once he gets out of the Louisiana swamps to get his revenge on the vampire tyke? Or that he was about to make a companion for the threesome? Or that he tells the coven of vampires in Paris that Claudia was responsible for his "death"? This is only for fans of the movie and the novel. And the illustrations by Witter? They can be of aesthetic value for both Rice fans and non alike! (The redness of the blood...! The faux-cuteness of really lethal Claudia...! The sexiness of Louis, Armand, Lestat...!)
December 29, 2017
Ilustraciones hermosas de una de mis sagas favoritas, hermoso y encantador.
October 27, 2017
4 Stars
Review:
This was a beautiful, little graphic novel adaptation of Claudia's life from Interview with the Vampire. The illustrations were beautiful (manga-like, but not too extreme). The splashes of red blood against the sepia artwork was striking. The stained look of the pages, and then the burned look during the fire, really added to the mood. There was so much detail in everything. Louis and Lestat were easy on the eyes ;-) The artwork overall was just lovely.
I can't say this book added anything to the story or gave me much insight into Claudia that I couldn't already figure out, but, oddly enough, it did give me a touch more insight into Louis. (Note: I read this after rereading just Interview, so as of the time I'm writing this, I don't know what gets revealed about characters later in the series.) It was as though seeing through Claudia's POV allowed me to see things I couldn't when I was in Louis's POV, things that Louis either didn't know or didn't want to admit about himself, or maybe just things he didn't quite explain. I also hadn't realized just how manipulative Armand was. I guess it was easy to overlook and forget the things Claudia said about him and even the things he told Louis himself when I was in Louis's POV. That just goes to show how well Interview was written, how everything Louis said was tainted by his bias and how I really was in his head while reading.
I also thought Ashley Marie Witter did a wonderful job of adapting the novel though and that the characters were portrayed well. I am especially fond of the face of exasperated resignation Louis makes in this panel here when Lestat won't stop talking:
And did anyone else happen to think Morgan, the guy at the inn, was particularly attractive? I want a graphic novel about him. Why couldn't he have been one of the vampires? I'm getting a little off-topic though...
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't read Interview since this is NOT the graphic novel version of that, this is just, well, Claudia's story. I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's looking for new stuff or a lot of new insight. But if you're a fan of the Vampire Chronicles, want to spend some more time with these characters, want to connect to the characters in a new way by seeing them in graphic novel form, and/or like pretty artwork, then I think you'll enjoy this.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles and graphic novels.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Huh. I feel like I didn't gain much insight into Claudia that I couldn't already figure out, but I did gain some insight into Louis, things he either didn't know or didn't want to admit about himself and that I didn't realize, and I'm kind of questioning a lot of the thoughts I had about Interview.
Review:
This was a beautiful, little graphic novel adaptation of Claudia's life from Interview with the Vampire. The illustrations were beautiful (manga-like, but not too extreme). The splashes of red blood against the sepia artwork was striking. The stained look of the pages, and then the burned look during the fire, really added to the mood. There was so much detail in everything. Louis and Lestat were easy on the eyes ;-) The artwork overall was just lovely.
I can't say this book added anything to the story or gave me much insight into Claudia that I couldn't already figure out, but, oddly enough, it did give me a touch more insight into Louis. (Note: I read this after rereading just Interview, so as of the time I'm writing this, I don't know what gets revealed about characters later in the series.) It was as though seeing through Claudia's POV allowed me to see things I couldn't when I was in Louis's POV, things that Louis either didn't know or didn't want to admit about himself, or maybe just things he didn't quite explain. I also hadn't realized just how manipulative Armand was. I guess it was easy to overlook and forget the things Claudia said about him and even the things he told Louis himself when I was in Louis's POV. That just goes to show how well Interview was written, how everything Louis said was tainted by his bias and how I really was in his head while reading.
I also thought Ashley Marie Witter did a wonderful job of adapting the novel though and that the characters were portrayed well. I am especially fond of the face of exasperated resignation Louis makes in this panel here when Lestat won't stop talking:
And did anyone else happen to think Morgan, the guy at the inn, was particularly attractive? I want a graphic novel about him. Why couldn't he have been one of the vampires? I'm getting a little off-topic though...
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't read Interview since this is NOT the graphic novel version of that, this is just, well, Claudia's story. I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's looking for new stuff or a lot of new insight. But if you're a fan of the Vampire Chronicles, want to spend some more time with these characters, want to connect to the characters in a new way by seeing them in graphic novel form, and/or like pretty artwork, then I think you'll enjoy this.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles and graphic novels.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
Huh. I feel like I didn't gain much insight into Claudia that I couldn't already figure out, but I did gain some insight into Louis, things he either didn't know or didn't want to admit about himself and that I didn't realize, and I'm kind of questioning a lot of the thoughts I had about Interview.
June 11, 2015
Claudia's Story......"Orphan, Daughter, Victim, and Monster"
Poor, beautiful Claudia.....imprisoned in a child's body for eternity unable to satisfy the desire for her precious Louis.....but the little vampirene does get to quench her thirst with a bit of revenge in this fun to read graphic novel
If you enjoyed Interview with the Vampire you will probably enjoy Claudia's Story, told from her own viewpoint too....I did!
April 30, 2017
"Her lips were red....her looks were free...her locks as yellow as gold...her skin was as white as leprosy...the Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she...who thicks man's blood with cold."
For those of you that enjoyed Anne Rice's magnificent Interview with a Vampire (a MUST read before reading this GN), I must highly recommend Claudia's Story. Claudia, is the little girl that was turned into a vampire by Lestat. Ashley Marie Witter takes words right off the pages of Interview with a Vampire, adds some exposition on Claudia's part and ,finally, tops it all off with lavish illustrations.
The writing is excellent, in that the prose is a pleasure to read and I savored every bit. The look inside Claudia's mind ,as her mental faculties develop from a child to an adult, is a dark mirror of Lestat and Louis. Claudia's desire to be an adult and enjoy some measure of equality is palpable. Ashely Witter does a commendable job of finding that which motivates Claudia. Through her we ask ourselves- "What would we have done, in her position?". Though, I must admit, by the end of the story I did not like nor care for Claudia. However, she does engender a measure of sympathy on my part due to the rather unfair nature of her being trapped for eternity in the body of a child. THAT has to have an effect on her, especially as the decades go on and she remains the same.
I shall not go over the rest of the plot. It should be well known to anyone. This is for those who want deeper insight into Claudia and her mental conflicts. It also shows another side of Louis and Lestat-as seen from her viewpoint. The writing style is excellent and it flows exceedingly well. But the true genius of this GN is the absolutely beautiful almost pencil art quality of the work. Subtly shaded in monochrome colors the only time color is introduced is when there is blood. Absolutely gorgeous artwork. I took time to often just sit and appreciate some truly beautiful drawings.
Thus if you enjoyed Interview with a Vampire, or were curious as to the who/what/why of Claudia's internal dialogue throughout her existence-then buy this book, enjoy this book and treasure it. Even peiople with NO background in the Anne Rice novels will enjoy this dark, grim and gorgeously illustrated Graphic Novel . But, bear in mind, that without knowing the original story you'd miss much of the nuance behind Claudia's motivations and intentions.
Well written, lavishly illustrated and a joy for any Anne Rice fan or vampire fan. Highly recommended!
For those of you that enjoyed Anne Rice's magnificent Interview with a Vampire (a MUST read before reading this GN), I must highly recommend Claudia's Story. Claudia, is the little girl that was turned into a vampire by Lestat. Ashley Marie Witter takes words right off the pages of Interview with a Vampire, adds some exposition on Claudia's part and ,finally, tops it all off with lavish illustrations.
The writing is excellent, in that the prose is a pleasure to read and I savored every bit. The look inside Claudia's mind ,as her mental faculties develop from a child to an adult, is a dark mirror of Lestat and Louis. Claudia's desire to be an adult and enjoy some measure of equality is palpable. Ashely Witter does a commendable job of finding that which motivates Claudia. Through her we ask ourselves- "What would we have done, in her position?". Though, I must admit, by the end of the story I did not like nor care for Claudia. However, she does engender a measure of sympathy on my part due to the rather unfair nature of her being trapped for eternity in the body of a child. THAT has to have an effect on her, especially as the decades go on and she remains the same.
I shall not go over the rest of the plot. It should be well known to anyone. This is for those who want deeper insight into Claudia and her mental conflicts. It also shows another side of Louis and Lestat-as seen from her viewpoint. The writing style is excellent and it flows exceedingly well. But the true genius of this GN is the absolutely beautiful almost pencil art quality of the work. Subtly shaded in monochrome colors the only time color is introduced is when there is blood. Absolutely gorgeous artwork. I took time to often just sit and appreciate some truly beautiful drawings.
Thus if you enjoyed Interview with a Vampire, or were curious as to the who/what/why of Claudia's internal dialogue throughout her existence-then buy this book, enjoy this book and treasure it. Even peiople with NO background in the Anne Rice novels will enjoy this dark, grim and gorgeously illustrated Graphic Novel . But, bear in mind, that without knowing the original story you'd miss much of the nuance behind Claudia's motivations and intentions.
Well written, lavishly illustrated and a joy for any Anne Rice fan or vampire fan. Highly recommended!
December 7, 2012
This book is beautiful to look at, Ashley Marie Witter is very talented. I love the antique sepia look and the way the red blood popped. I have nothing against new and hopeful authors & illustrators trying to make it and putting out an homage of something they are a fan of . I just feel like the target audience for this book {Anne Rice fans} are promised something more than this book gives. There is nothing new here for rabid fans of the Vampire Chronicles {like me}. The story is basically a roughly hewn summation of what someone thought were the "key" points between the Claudia/Lestat/Louis dynamic. I however, feel that it is something that you would give teens today to let them read to decide if they would like to expend the effort to gather & read The Vampire Chronicles books. This is a beautifully rendered pocket guide to what awesome vampires are really like for the sucky Twilight-loving generation. I hope Anne Rice gets some of my money out of this, and I have to say, Ashley Marie Witter will probably make a killing from this book; but I doubt most of those fans will stay with her because they may feel a little used like I do right now.
Currently reading
February 6, 201427th August 2013:
My long awaited book finally arrived from Bookdepository today. Took over a month for it to reach me. Thank god it's in great condition.
Usually my orders would reach me in around 1 to 2 weeks max. This round it made me so anxious with worry that it might have been lost in transit. Maybe, it's because this order is shipped from UK instead of US? I ordered all my previous books from US website and this round I took a chance with UK website.
I am now in the process of lovingly wrapping it up with a nice clear book cover ( ＾◡＾)っ✂❤
********************************************************
19th July 2013:
BUYING THIS BOOK NOW from Bookdepository. I love discounts and I love amazing artwork and of course Vampirism is still my favorite genre.
At this very moment I am finalizing my purchase of the hardcover of this beautiful book over at Bookdepository website - http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Inter...
Before discount, it's USD20, after 11% discount, it's USD17.61 and then I top it up with another promo coupon of 5%, I am getting it at USD16.72. Horray!
November 7, 2012
I'm creating a new shelf for this book, the 'do-not-want-to-read' shelf. I did love the Vampire Chronicles, but really? She couldn't find a new story? Dull. In it for the money. Countless talented authors out there who want to break through with original and well-written stories, and this sort of cash-cow gets priority. It's disgusting. This is exactly the kind of stuff that packs the shelves, leaving little room for the new and good stuff, and it's difficult not to feel disillusioned. Hoping to cash in on some of Ms Meyers success, Ms Rice? I think so.
Want to read
October 30, 2012Hey everyone! You can get the 1st 32 pages free for the nook and nook app! go here! Anne Rice just sent it out! http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inter...
December 4, 2012
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story. Anne Rice.
I was supplied with this copy by publisher but as always on the basis that my opinion is honestly held and not influenced by whether the book was free or paid for. Integrity of reviewers is important to me, and false reviews do no favours to authors or readers.
This is my first ever graphic novel so I wasn't sure what to expect. I've reviewed how to do the artwork for graphic novels as part of my arts book reviews but never actually seen a complete book so its was something I was looking forward to. I've never read any of the Anne Rice novels either – I'd love to (like may others I’ve a thrall for vampire novels) but only some are on kindle and I now only buy kindle books as I love reading this way rather than traditional novels. Of course a graphic novel needs to be in traditional format I think – this one is in hardback and I feel that’s good as one would want to preserve the beautiful images it holds.
On to the book itself – well I don't know why people want graphic novels but if its for the beautiful illustrations then this one is just right. The storyline is covered in other reviews and the preview so I'll focus on this aspect mainly. The paper is a heavy glossy type and feels good to the hand. The images are in a beautiful monotone of sepia and cream mainly, with of course, highlights of rich, dark, Alizarin red for the blood. This means is really stands out and lends a touch of drama suitable to the storyline. I felt for poor Claudia in that she was condemned to remain a child when turned by Lestat even though mentally she became over time an adult. I'm sure that didn't help her mental state although we see that she took to the blood and violence right from the start, she was still childlike in many ways and it wasn't until after several decades that she became discontented. The way she is drawn is reminiscent to me of the Japanese Manga style with huge emotive eyes and dainty features. It works well I think, and adds to the doll-like feeling of her, where the contrast is between her beautiful appearance and horrific bloodthirsty nature. She runs rings around poor Louis convincing him that what he wants is what she wants and he's despair at times is very evident in the way he is drawn, clearly dejected and depressed compared to Claudia's domineering ways and Lestat's arrogance. The clothing they all wear is typically historical in appearance with flamboyant frills and flounces on Claudia's dresses with extravagant shirts and tight breeches and boots for the men. The rooms and buildings are also clearly depicted from the past with vast rooms, blazing open fires and chaise lounge type sofas. When outside the buildings seem overshadowed by gloom except when brightness is needed, such as the theatre in Paris where even through using monotone we can imagine the blazing lights shining out of the windows.
The story takes very little time to read and for a quick reader such as myself it doesn't offer much by way of storyline entertainment but the value in these books ( I assume ) is the exquisite illustrations which must have taken unimaginable time to do. Each page is constructed a bit like a comic with between mostly 3 and 6 separate illustrations on each page, with the characters speaking via traditional balloon text. Here I do have a criticism as I found the text a little too small and also very faint to be able to read it easily. I know the value is in the drawings but I would have liked clearer text too.
The book is priced at £9.65 for 256 pages on Amazon, although its recommended price is higher. I can't say how this is for value as its not a field I have experience in. I can also see the value in graphic novels of encouraging reluctant readers to enjoy books with its “comic” style format and easy to follow drawings and to me anything that gets people reading is to be encouraged – books are a magical world of imagination. If you've a reluctant reader in the family or you love graphic novels, vampires and gorgeously illustrated books then this is one worth buying.
I was supplied with this copy by publisher but as always on the basis that my opinion is honestly held and not influenced by whether the book was free or paid for. Integrity of reviewers is important to me, and false reviews do no favours to authors or readers.
This is my first ever graphic novel so I wasn't sure what to expect. I've reviewed how to do the artwork for graphic novels as part of my arts book reviews but never actually seen a complete book so its was something I was looking forward to. I've never read any of the Anne Rice novels either – I'd love to (like may others I’ve a thrall for vampire novels) but only some are on kindle and I now only buy kindle books as I love reading this way rather than traditional novels. Of course a graphic novel needs to be in traditional format I think – this one is in hardback and I feel that’s good as one would want to preserve the beautiful images it holds.
On to the book itself – well I don't know why people want graphic novels but if its for the beautiful illustrations then this one is just right. The storyline is covered in other reviews and the preview so I'll focus on this aspect mainly. The paper is a heavy glossy type and feels good to the hand. The images are in a beautiful monotone of sepia and cream mainly, with of course, highlights of rich, dark, Alizarin red for the blood. This means is really stands out and lends a touch of drama suitable to the storyline. I felt for poor Claudia in that she was condemned to remain a child when turned by Lestat even though mentally she became over time an adult. I'm sure that didn't help her mental state although we see that she took to the blood and violence right from the start, she was still childlike in many ways and it wasn't until after several decades that she became discontented. The way she is drawn is reminiscent to me of the Japanese Manga style with huge emotive eyes and dainty features. It works well I think, and adds to the doll-like feeling of her, where the contrast is between her beautiful appearance and horrific bloodthirsty nature. She runs rings around poor Louis convincing him that what he wants is what she wants and he's despair at times is very evident in the way he is drawn, clearly dejected and depressed compared to Claudia's domineering ways and Lestat's arrogance. The clothing they all wear is typically historical in appearance with flamboyant frills and flounces on Claudia's dresses with extravagant shirts and tight breeches and boots for the men. The rooms and buildings are also clearly depicted from the past with vast rooms, blazing open fires and chaise lounge type sofas. When outside the buildings seem overshadowed by gloom except when brightness is needed, such as the theatre in Paris where even through using monotone we can imagine the blazing lights shining out of the windows.
The story takes very little time to read and for a quick reader such as myself it doesn't offer much by way of storyline entertainment but the value in these books ( I assume ) is the exquisite illustrations which must have taken unimaginable time to do. Each page is constructed a bit like a comic with between mostly 3 and 6 separate illustrations on each page, with the characters speaking via traditional balloon text. Here I do have a criticism as I found the text a little too small and also very faint to be able to read it easily. I know the value is in the drawings but I would have liked clearer text too.
The book is priced at £9.65 for 256 pages on Amazon, although its recommended price is higher. I can't say how this is for value as its not a field I have experience in. I can also see the value in graphic novels of encouraging reluctant readers to enjoy books with its “comic” style format and easy to follow drawings and to me anything that gets people reading is to be encouraged – books are a magical world of imagination. If you've a reluctant reader in the family or you love graphic novels, vampires and gorgeously illustrated books then this is one worth buying.
September 30, 2014
Fiiiiiiinallllyyyy!
How long have Anne Rice fans suffered on the comic front? I mean, has anybody actually SEEN the Vampire Lestat comic? I'm still scrubbing my brain clean of the Liberace front band and flying naked Lestat pics. But this is just pure cream. The art work is gorgeous. I couldn't believe my eyes when my copy arrived today - if you have the cash for the hardcover edition, please rest assured that it is anything but a waste of money.
Lastly, to all the naysayers screaming IN IT FOR THE MONEY, please take an actual look through the comic before saying anything else. It's a slap in the face of Witter's art to dismiss this on such childish notions. The comic is beautiful, enough said.
How long have Anne Rice fans suffered on the comic front? I mean, has anybody actually SEEN the Vampire Lestat comic? I'm still scrubbing my brain clean of the Liberace front band and flying naked Lestat pics. But this is just pure cream. The art work is gorgeous. I couldn't believe my eyes when my copy arrived today - if you have the cash for the hardcover edition, please rest assured that it is anything but a waste of money.
Lastly, to all the naysayers screaming IN IT FOR THE MONEY, please take an actual look through the comic before saying anything else. It's a slap in the face of Witter's art to dismiss this on such childish notions. The comic is beautiful, enough said.
September 23, 2015
Creo que no había nacido cuando salió publicado este libro... no lo recuerdo. La cuestión es que me enteré de su existencia casi por casualidad.
Una tarde, saliendo de la escuela, vi la tapa de Cánticos de Sangre que acababa de salir a la venta en español... y me gustó... y lo compré... y lo devoré...
Y ahí me di cuenta que era -casi- el final de algo.. de algo que el personaje daban por hecho que todos sabían..
Así que me puse a investigar y, en menos de un año, leí la saga entera. Algunos en inglés y otros en español.
Y de toda la saga, este es uno de los mejores.
Una tarde, saliendo de la escuela, vi la tapa de Cánticos de Sangre que acababa de salir a la venta en español... y me gustó... y lo compré... y lo devoré...
Y ahí me di cuenta que era -casi- el final de algo.. de algo que el personaje daban por hecho que todos sabían..
Así que me puse a investigar y, en menos de un año, leí la saga entera. Algunos en inglés y otros en español.
Y de toda la saga, este es uno de los mejores.
June 13, 2016
OH, IT'S SO SO GOOD, BASICALLY THE MANGA STYLE, THE CHIAROSCURO IS VOLUPTUOUS & GORGEOUS
SOME METICULOUS TINY PARTS ARE MORE DELICATE THAN THE ONES IN THE FILM, SUCH AS CLAUDIA'S EYES, EXPRESSIONS AND HER FRENCH HAIRSTYLES
THINK I COULD EVEN HEAR HER TALKING PEEVISH, SEE HER MAKING CAPRICIOUS BEHAVIORS IN ORDER TO BE SPOILED BY HER TWO FATHERS
SOME METICULOUS TINY PARTS ARE MORE DELICATE THAN THE ONES IN THE FILM, SUCH AS CLAUDIA'S EYES, EXPRESSIONS AND HER FRENCH HAIRSTYLES
THINK I COULD EVEN HEAR HER TALKING PEEVISH, SEE HER MAKING CAPRICIOUS BEHAVIORS IN ORDER TO BE SPOILED BY HER TWO FATHERS
November 8, 2022
for me, the most poignant scene in interview with the vampire is when claudia confronts lestat about his history with vampirism, and goes on to say, "and suppose the vampire who made you knew nothing, and suppose the vampire that made that vampire knew nothing..." etc., and lestat is overcome with a furious rage and blames louis for claudia's curiosity and dig.
anyways, all this is to say that this graphic novel hit the nail right on the head as a brilliant adaptation of the book. also, claudia is definitely my favorite character.
---------
i have fully fallen into interview with the vampire content and i can't get up! (and i'm not sorry!)
anyways, all this is to say that this graphic novel hit the nail right on the head as a brilliant adaptation of the book. also, claudia is definitely my favorite character.
---------
i have fully fallen into interview with the vampire content and i can't get up! (and i'm not sorry!)
Want to read
November 4, 2012Hmmmm. I would've thought that Anne Rice had mined as much gold as possible from this genre, but apparently I was wrong. I'm curious if this is going to be an impetus to release the first few Vampire stories as graphic novels, which could be really neat (seeing how the movies weren't exactly good).
Recently, I purchased an illustrated adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" - which could have been called a graphic novel back in the early 1970s when I bought it as an elementary-aged reader. I've been looking for my copy in the boxes that came out of my parents' house because I remember loving the story and the illustrations. Unbelieveably, I found the book online and picked up a copy for $3 and will use it to introduce the story to my kids! ghastly.
Recently, I purchased an illustrated adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" - which could have been called a graphic novel back in the early 1970s when I bought it as an elementary-aged reader. I've been looking for my copy in the boxes that came out of my parents' house because I remember loving the story and the illustrations. Unbelieveably, I found the book online and picked up a copy for $3 and will use it to introduce the story to my kids! ghastly.
March 9, 2017
Wer Anne Rice mag, für den ist dieses Buch ein Muss. Die Zeichnungen sind wunderschön. Endlich eine Graphic Novel, die ich auch schön finde. Obwohl, die Geschichte ist schon sehr traurig.
Auf jeden Fall ist das Buch ein Augenschmaus.
Auf jeden Fall ist das Buch ein Augenschmaus.
August 14, 2021
The story in this book is told by Claudia and offer's her take on the 65 years she spent with Louis and Lestat. There wasn't much difference from the novel Interview with the Vampire but it gave a perspective on how Claudia felt and how she saw the world that Lestat had brought her into.
Claudia was a character that was sort of overlooked in Interview with a Vampire and it was nice to have a more in-depth look at her character and a chance to see how she grew.
The art work was stunning and I loved the detail and the fact that it was all done in black and white with only a bit of colour for the blood splashed in.
I felt that Ashley had got the characters down with perfection and looked like I imagined them to be when reading all the other novels.
The detail in all the drawings was amazing and just drew me in to the story all the more.
I loved everything about this book, great animation and great story!
Claudia was a character that was sort of overlooked in Interview with a Vampire and it was nice to have a more in-depth look at her character and a chance to see how she grew.
The art work was stunning and I loved the detail and the fact that it was all done in black and white with only a bit of colour for the blood splashed in.
I felt that Ashley had got the characters down with perfection and looked like I imagined them to be when reading all the other novels.
The detail in all the drawings was amazing and just drew me in to the story all the more.
I loved everything about this book, great animation and great story!
March 23, 2024
I went through a serious Anne Rice phase in high school. Her books were everywhere and the Interview with a Vampire film adaptation starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Kirsten Dunst had just come out in theatres.
As the only female character of depth in that first story, Claudia inherently fascinated me. She was clearly a child-woman, on the cusp of so much knowledge and power. Yet her small size means she's forever castigated to an eternal childhood while Louis and Lestat, the heroes of the saga, continue on.
I liked this adaptation. The drawing is excellent and it really gives you a strong sense of how little Claudia knows--about her origins, her parasitic species, and the social rules of vampires--leaves her deeply vulnerable beyond the physical limits of her immortal existence.
I expect you need to have read the original novel for this graphic novel adaptation to make the most sense. It doesn't really explain who Louis and Lestat are otherwise.
As the only female character of depth in that first story, Claudia inherently fascinated me. She was clearly a child-woman, on the cusp of so much knowledge and power. Yet her small size means she's forever castigated to an eternal childhood while Louis and Lestat, the heroes of the saga, continue on.
I liked this adaptation. The drawing is excellent and it really gives you a strong sense of how little Claudia knows--about her origins, her parasitic species, and the social rules of vampires--leaves her deeply vulnerable beyond the physical limits of her immortal existence.
I expect you need to have read the original novel for this graphic novel adaptation to make the most sense. It doesn't really explain who Louis and Lestat are otherwise.
April 3, 2021
Graphic novel version of the parts of Interview with the Vampire featuring Claudia, told from her point of view. Beautiful artwork and the story retains the same emotional impact as the novel. Very well done.
August 17, 2024
Oh that was so sad and not at all Gay like I thought. But is this how it will be depicted through the show?! That was so painful! It makes me so sad for her! But wow, Lestat and Louis are not good Dads at all. THE END IS REALLY LIKE THAT TOO?! THAT’S CRAZY!!!!!
November 23, 2012
Claudia is just a child when the vampire Lestat turns her, condemning her to an eternity trapped in a child’s body. As her love for Louis strengthens, so does her hatred of Lestat. This is her story.
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia’s Story is a graphic novel adapted from Anne Rice’s novel by Ashley Marie Witter. I would imagine that the target audience for this book are going to be existing fans so I won’t go into the story too much. Claudia’s very nature is contradictory; her childhood is stolen from her yet she will never grow into a woman. Inside she is a predator, but the world still treats her as a child. It really is a heartbreaking tale.
The beautiful sepia artwork has a sketchy feeling but Ashley captures expressions perfectly. The splashes of blood red are vivid and really do make the pages look bloody. I absolutely love this use of colour, it’s so effective. One thing that is a little weak is her representation of hands. Sometimes they look like deformed claws and whilst not the focus of the images, once I noticed them my eyes kept going there.
If you were inclined to pick up this book with no knowledge of Interview with the Vampire, you might find Louis a bit of a wishy washy character. I imprinted what I already knew onto him as I read but I don’t think he is developed at all except for Claudia’s feelings. The emotion in the drawings of Lestat convey a lot more; enough to fill in the gaps.
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia’s Story is a graphic novel adapted from Anne Rice’s novel by Ashley Marie Witter. I would imagine that the target audience for this book are going to be existing fans so I won’t go into the story too much. Claudia’s very nature is contradictory; her childhood is stolen from her yet she will never grow into a woman. Inside she is a predator, but the world still treats her as a child. It really is a heartbreaking tale.
The beautiful sepia artwork has a sketchy feeling but Ashley captures expressions perfectly. The splashes of blood red are vivid and really do make the pages look bloody. I absolutely love this use of colour, it’s so effective. One thing that is a little weak is her representation of hands. Sometimes they look like deformed claws and whilst not the focus of the images, once I noticed them my eyes kept going there.
If you were inclined to pick up this book with no knowledge of Interview with the Vampire, you might find Louis a bit of a wishy washy character. I imprinted what I already knew onto him as I read but I don’t think he is developed at all except for Claudia’s feelings. The emotion in the drawings of Lestat convey a lot more; enough to fill in the gaps.
November 22, 2012
Absolutely beautiful illustrated version of the Interview with the vampire story. I've disliked Claudia's character for so long that I considered buying this new story, but I am so very glad I did. It's a new point of view, telling things with her eyes.
And the illustrations, ah, so incredibly beautiful, this is a book I am going to re-read over and over again.
And the illustrations, ah, so incredibly beautiful, this is a book I am going to re-read over and over again.
December 29, 2012
Beautifully written and illustrated. It's the story of Lestat and Louis' coming of age in a way. Claudia was their binding to one another and the ultimate catalyst to find their own path in life/death. I love the new take on this family and how it came to its heartbreaking ending.
October 13, 2020
Remember Claudia, enternal life is useless to us if we do not see the beauty around us.
Want to read
May 17, 2012oh this baby will soooo be mine!
December 28, 2012
While the sepia tone illustrations are breathtaking, I do not feel like this novel did anything other than lift a few chapters of a book I already read and pasted pretty pictures on the page. I could buy a used paperback of 'Interview' for two dollars less than what I paid for this digital download and do roughly the same thing with my box of oil pastels, only the whole story would have pictures and you would have to identify the crudely drawn characters by hair color or if one is wearing a dress or not.
In this case, I choose to identify Claudia by her bow. See how easy this could be for me? Also, I am contemplating taking another star down for the fact that it did not answer the ultimate question. The ultimate question being how vampires in romantic tales manage an erection. Any theories can be sent to me via: mandilynm@gmail.com The winning theory will be put into a self-published book I am writing called "Undead Tumescence and How it Occurs". Don't let the scientific title frighten you. I assure you there will be fucking.
In this case, I choose to identify Claudia by her bow. See how easy this could be for me? Also, I am contemplating taking another star down for the fact that it did not answer the ultimate question. The ultimate question being how vampires in romantic tales manage an erection. Any theories can be sent to me via: mandilynm@gmail.com The winning theory will be put into a self-published book I am writing called "Undead Tumescence and How it Occurs". Don't let the scientific title frighten you. I assure you there will be fucking.
December 24, 2012
Very enjoyable reading for Anne Rice fans. Claudia is perhaps one of the most intriguing tragic characters ever penned and this effort to tell her side of things in a beautifully illustrated graphic novella is a great attempt and remains surprisingly evocative and relevant decades after "Interview with the Vampire" first captured legions of fans.
It lost a star because I didn't feel the writing went deep enough. This is basically the retelling of "Interview" in Claudia's viewpoint and voice. I wanted to know more about Claudia's feelings and motivations. This information was touched on here and there, but not enough for me to feel I understood Claudia better. She came across as quite two-dimensional and doesn't evolve beyond her original portrayal, a beautiful, helpless-looking predator, cunning, manipulative, violent, and desperate to survive. It's a graphic novella portraying all the major events in "Interview" during Claudia's lifetime.
The story's beautiful, evil, and tragic. It is also quite romantic though this is no conventional romance. Stories like this remind me why vampire fiction had a golden age before the more recent trends of YA fluff. This is definitely worth a look.
It lost a star because I didn't feel the writing went deep enough. This is basically the retelling of "Interview" in Claudia's viewpoint and voice. I wanted to know more about Claudia's feelings and motivations. This information was touched on here and there, but not enough for me to feel I understood Claudia better. She came across as quite two-dimensional and doesn't evolve beyond her original portrayal, a beautiful, helpless-looking predator, cunning, manipulative, violent, and desperate to survive. It's a graphic novella portraying all the major events in "Interview" during Claudia's lifetime.
The story's beautiful, evil, and tragic. It is also quite romantic though this is no conventional romance. Stories like this remind me why vampire fiction had a golden age before the more recent trends of YA fluff. This is definitely worth a look.
Read
May 4, 2021The art in This is absolutely mesmerizing! It fits the aesthetic of the book so well. The way the characters spring to life in images is so beautiful and satisfying after reading Interview with the Vampire. It feels as if the drawings were neatly picked out from the words and materialized exactly how described in the book. Also it puts a new perspective to the story. the imagery is well used in Claudia’s tragedy and her relationship with Louis is more in-depth explored.
March 19, 2024
I am extremely jealous of Ashley Marie Witter's art style and would love to know what she used to create the illustrations for this because they're absolutely incredible. Her attention to detail is so admirable, especially when it comes to all of those elaborate backgrounds. I can only imagine how much patience was required to render everything so finely, and I seriously applaud her work.
I've been wanting to read this for a while and am glad that I finally got to Anne Rice's book so I could move on to this graphic novel adaption. The art captivated me from the beginning, as I expected it would based on images of the gorgeous illustrations I'd seen online, which were what piqued my interest in the first place. I found myself completely awestruck each time I flipped the page; everything from the way Witter draws hands, eyelashes, hair, and clothing is breathtaking.
I do have some nitpicks that would probably only bother people with knowledge of fashion history, and that's the fact that the clothes the characters wear seem to rarely reflect the time period they're in. You see, according the Rice's novel, Claudia gets turned into a vampire sometime in or shortly after 1795 (if I'm remembering correctly). At first, she's drawn in garments that seem reminiscent of regency era styles, which would indeed be accurate for the first couple decades of her life; but once it's established that multiple decades have passed, the clothing doesn't evolve with the times. In fact, throughout the story, the clothing often oscillates from 18th century garb, regency period fashion, and vaguely mid-victorian silhouettes without much rhyme or reason. The 18th century styles become even more out of place once Claudia and Louis are in Europe, by which point it's supposed to be the 1860s, possibly into the 70s (it's not clear how long they're there in the novel).
I know this is a silly thing to nitpick, but when telling a story that takes place across more than half a century such as this one, clueing readers into the decade we're in by using the appropriate silhouettes of each passing decade would have been extremely helpful in orienting us in the general time frame. Even people who aren't familiar with fashion history can recognize that changing fashions are indicative of the passage of time. To be completely fair, the passage of time in the source material is pretty vague, but Rice does give us a few definite dates (Louis's transformation is explicitly stated as happening in 1791, Claudia's at least 4 years after that, and their leaving New Orleans right before the Civil War; more general indicators of time--months, years, decades passing, etc--are sprinkled in throughout). Obviously a novel doesn't have the luxury of indicating time through visuals, but since this is a graphic novel, it would have been really neat to see the medium used to this advantage with just a bit more research.
To Witter's credit, I will say that although the clothing is often anachronistic in the context of the story, the way she draws the fashions themselves is exquisite. I can almost immediately tell which eras she's referencing, even if they're not the correct ones according to the novel, so she definitely has a good eye for silhouette and clothing structure.
Another even more petty nitpick also has to do with clothing (I'm sorry, I'm shallow!). I can't remember if this is accurate to the novel, but in Witter's adaptation, Louis shows Claudia the place he first found her, and it's explicitly described and illustrated as a place of poverty and squalor. Yet in the opening pages that depict her transformation, she wears a very frilly, very expensive looking dress! I know this probably sounds really silly to critique, but if a character is supposed to come from poverty, they should probably look like it; it would have also provided some really striking contrast in comparison to the gorgeous dresses she's spoiled with afterwards in her life as a vampire, symbols of what a superficially enviable existence she leads.
Moving on from the art, my final nitpicks have more to do with the storytelling. "Claudia's Story" is quite literally in the title, and while this adaptation of Rice's novel is from Claudia's point of view, there isn't much here that is new or exclusive to her perspective that isn't already in the original. I don't want to be harsh, as I'm aware that this was Witter's first graphic novel, and I really do think she did a beautiful job; however, since so much of the dialogue is taken verbatim from the book--a detail that I actually kind of appreciate--a lot of this adaptation can feel like a bit of a rehash. This is especially true since, by nature of the graphic novel format, the only text other than some narration from Claudia is all dialogue. That means there isn't a lot of content here that isn't borrowed directly from the source material. I think that would be completely understandable if this was just a straightforward adaptation, but it's advertised explicitly as providing new insight into Claudia's character, and I'm not sure it does much of that.
There are some really interesting off-page moments we don't get to see in the book since Louis wasn't present for them that I would have loved to see: Claudia going to the cemetery during the Feast of All Saints; luring the two poor orphan boys before poisoning them and somehow dragging them, presumably by herself, into their upstairs suite without anyone seeing; and convincing Madeleine not only of the existence of vampires, but also to become her lifelong companion as a vampire, would have all been very interesting to see depicted, but they're unfortunately skipped over. Obviously this would have required some invention on Witter's part as these scenes aren't in the original novel, but her interpretation of these events would have made her adaptation all the more unique; I think then it would have truly felt like Claudia's story.
Other nonspecific events I would have loved to see are just Claudia being by herself and grappling with her existence. In the source material, all of Claudia's development and inner turmoil as she mentally matures is left to our imagination since it happens internally, so Louis isn't privy to it. Including a scene or two of Claudia staring at herself in the mirror, wondering why her body can't grow up, before slowly coming to the realization that she, indeed, won't ever grow up, and facing the reality of all the life she'll miss out on because of that--never getting to experience romance (unless you count Louis, which I don't because ew!), physical intimacy, independence, adulthood. That's a lot of loss to come to terms with on your own, and Claudia indeed has to do it all on her own, because Louis and Lestat never teach her or help her through it. They never help her to mourn that loss. Other than her narration, almost all we see of Claudia's pain in this retelling is what she shows to Louis, which is much the same as what's already present in the original. I just would have really loved if we got to see more of Claudia as an individual. It's supposed to be her side of the story, but a lot of the time I still felt like I was viewing her through Louis's eyes.
That said, I do want to commend Witter for how strong Claudia's voice is in her narration. It truly feels unique to her and true to her character, so I think this was really well done. Again, the artwork is stunning, and part of the reason for that is how delicately and sensitively Claudia's facial expressions are rendered, from subtle twinges of longing and resignation to violent contortions into pure rage.
I also think that the ending, though I found it to be a bit rushed, was particularly touching. I really love the idea of Claudia being the one to act as mother to Madeleine in their final moments--she is the older of the two, after all. There's something really poignant about it, perhaps because it's the first time Claudia gets to be not the child, not the dependent, not the helpless one, but the protector, the caregiver, the mother. It's probably the first time in her life she's ever gotten to truly fulfill an adult role, and, tragically, it's also her last. Those final scenes were really heartwrenching.
This would probably be better to read a while after you've already read Interview instead of immediately afterwards, which is what I did; as a result it kind of felt like reading an abridged version of the story I'd just read in full. I definitely think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd just waited a bit and maybe picked it up if I had an itching to revisit the story down the line but didn't want to reread the entirety of the original novel. Overall, I think Witter did an excellent job, and I would jump at the chance to see more of her work.
I've been wanting to read this for a while and am glad that I finally got to Anne Rice's book so I could move on to this graphic novel adaption. The art captivated me from the beginning, as I expected it would based on images of the gorgeous illustrations I'd seen online, which were what piqued my interest in the first place. I found myself completely awestruck each time I flipped the page; everything from the way Witter draws hands, eyelashes, hair, and clothing is breathtaking.
I do have some nitpicks that would probably only bother people with knowledge of fashion history, and that's the fact that the clothes the characters wear seem to rarely reflect the time period they're in. You see, according the Rice's novel, Claudia gets turned into a vampire sometime in or shortly after 1795 (if I'm remembering correctly). At first, she's drawn in garments that seem reminiscent of regency era styles, which would indeed be accurate for the first couple decades of her life; but once it's established that multiple decades have passed, the clothing doesn't evolve with the times. In fact, throughout the story, the clothing often oscillates from 18th century garb, regency period fashion, and vaguely mid-victorian silhouettes without much rhyme or reason. The 18th century styles become even more out of place once Claudia and Louis are in Europe, by which point it's supposed to be the 1860s, possibly into the 70s (it's not clear how long they're there in the novel).
I know this is a silly thing to nitpick, but when telling a story that takes place across more than half a century such as this one, clueing readers into the decade we're in by using the appropriate silhouettes of each passing decade would have been extremely helpful in orienting us in the general time frame. Even people who aren't familiar with fashion history can recognize that changing fashions are indicative of the passage of time. To be completely fair, the passage of time in the source material is pretty vague, but Rice does give us a few definite dates (Louis's transformation is explicitly stated as happening in 1791, Claudia's at least 4 years after that, and their leaving New Orleans right before the Civil War; more general indicators of time--months, years, decades passing, etc--are sprinkled in throughout). Obviously a novel doesn't have the luxury of indicating time through visuals, but since this is a graphic novel, it would have been really neat to see the medium used to this advantage with just a bit more research.
To Witter's credit, I will say that although the clothing is often anachronistic in the context of the story, the way she draws the fashions themselves is exquisite. I can almost immediately tell which eras she's referencing, even if they're not the correct ones according to the novel, so she definitely has a good eye for silhouette and clothing structure.
Another even more petty nitpick also has to do with clothing (I'm sorry, I'm shallow!). I can't remember if this is accurate to the novel, but in Witter's adaptation, Louis shows Claudia the place he first found her, and it's explicitly described and illustrated as a place of poverty and squalor. Yet in the opening pages that depict her transformation, she wears a very frilly, very expensive looking dress! I know this probably sounds really silly to critique, but if a character is supposed to come from poverty, they should probably look like it; it would have also provided some really striking contrast in comparison to the gorgeous dresses she's spoiled with afterwards in her life as a vampire, symbols of what a superficially enviable existence she leads.
Moving on from the art, my final nitpicks have more to do with the storytelling. "Claudia's Story" is quite literally in the title, and while this adaptation of Rice's novel is from Claudia's point of view, there isn't much here that is new or exclusive to her perspective that isn't already in the original. I don't want to be harsh, as I'm aware that this was Witter's first graphic novel, and I really do think she did a beautiful job; however, since so much of the dialogue is taken verbatim from the book--a detail that I actually kind of appreciate--a lot of this adaptation can feel like a bit of a rehash. This is especially true since, by nature of the graphic novel format, the only text other than some narration from Claudia is all dialogue. That means there isn't a lot of content here that isn't borrowed directly from the source material. I think that would be completely understandable if this was just a straightforward adaptation, but it's advertised explicitly as providing new insight into Claudia's character, and I'm not sure it does much of that.
There are some really interesting off-page moments we don't get to see in the book since Louis wasn't present for them that I would have loved to see: Claudia going to the cemetery during the Feast of All Saints; luring the two poor orphan boys before poisoning them and somehow dragging them, presumably by herself, into their upstairs suite without anyone seeing; and convincing Madeleine not only of the existence of vampires, but also to become her lifelong companion as a vampire, would have all been very interesting to see depicted, but they're unfortunately skipped over. Obviously this would have required some invention on Witter's part as these scenes aren't in the original novel, but her interpretation of these events would have made her adaptation all the more unique; I think then it would have truly felt like Claudia's story.
Other nonspecific events I would have loved to see are just Claudia being by herself and grappling with her existence. In the source material, all of Claudia's development and inner turmoil as she mentally matures is left to our imagination since it happens internally, so Louis isn't privy to it. Including a scene or two of Claudia staring at herself in the mirror, wondering why her body can't grow up, before slowly coming to the realization that she, indeed, won't ever grow up, and facing the reality of all the life she'll miss out on because of that--never getting to experience romance (unless you count Louis, which I don't because ew!), physical intimacy, independence, adulthood. That's a lot of loss to come to terms with on your own, and Claudia indeed has to do it all on her own, because Louis and Lestat never teach her or help her through it. They never help her to mourn that loss. Other than her narration, almost all we see of Claudia's pain in this retelling is what she shows to Louis, which is much the same as what's already present in the original. I just would have really loved if we got to see more of Claudia as an individual. It's supposed to be her side of the story, but a lot of the time I still felt like I was viewing her through Louis's eyes.
That said, I do want to commend Witter for how strong Claudia's voice is in her narration. It truly feels unique to her and true to her character, so I think this was really well done. Again, the artwork is stunning, and part of the reason for that is how delicately and sensitively Claudia's facial expressions are rendered, from subtle twinges of longing and resignation to violent contortions into pure rage.
I also think that the ending, though I found it to be a bit rushed, was particularly touching. I really love the idea of Claudia being the one to act as mother to Madeleine in their final moments--she is the older of the two, after all. There's something really poignant about it, perhaps because it's the first time Claudia gets to be not the child, not the dependent, not the helpless one, but the protector, the caregiver, the mother. It's probably the first time in her life she's ever gotten to truly fulfill an adult role, and, tragically, it's also her last. Those final scenes were really heartwrenching.
This would probably be better to read a while after you've already read Interview instead of immediately afterwards, which is what I did; as a result it kind of felt like reading an abridged version of the story I'd just read in full. I definitely think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd just waited a bit and maybe picked it up if I had an itching to revisit the story down the line but didn't want to reread the entirety of the original novel. Overall, I think Witter did an excellent job, and I would jump at the chance to see more of her work.
August 2, 2022
Louis really is a wet cardboard box of a person but he allows Claudia and Lestat to exist so i suppose all is forgiven
After the disaster that was The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, this was a good reminder that no, I was not entirely nuts to be interested in that book because of Rice's other work. This is the tone and subtlety and skin-crawling wrongness I remembered and wanted. Claudia's whole deal is just so eerie and tragic and terribly beautiful. Great art too, fine-detailed sepia with splashes of bright red blood.
The whole time I was trying to figure out where on earth the text came from, since the original novel was from Louis's POV, and yet essentially all the events, emotions, etc were things I recognized from the film or novel. I guess it was specially written for the graphic novel. It doesn't provide much in the way of revelations, really, considering I was dead convinced the text was lifted from some speech Claudia gave that I didn't remember. Still a nice way to revisit the original story.
After the disaster that was The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, this was a good reminder that no, I was not entirely nuts to be interested in that book because of Rice's other work. This is the tone and subtlety and skin-crawling wrongness I remembered and wanted. Claudia's whole deal is just so eerie and tragic and terribly beautiful. Great art too, fine-detailed sepia with splashes of bright red blood.
The whole time I was trying to figure out where on earth the text came from, since the original novel was from Louis's POV, and yet essentially all the events, emotions, etc were things I recognized from the film or novel. I guess it was specially written for the graphic novel. It doesn't provide much in the way of revelations, really, considering I was dead convinced the text was lifted from some speech Claudia gave that I didn't remember. Still a nice way to revisit the original story.
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