Interview with the Vampire Claudia Version

If there is a character that I particularly liked, in the Tim Burton film, it is that of Angelica, that passionate and vengeful witch. The next day, I learned the existence of a novel published by Editions Michel Lafon, just telling the origins of Angelica ... It did not tell me more so I throw myself on the book ... and what a disappointment!

Well, if I told you that I had totally hated it, it would be a lie. I liked the ambiance mysterious landscapes of La Martinique, witches and voodoo, the mystical rituals that reveal the spirit with which it is dangerous to spawn ... I really had the impression of reading a Gothic novel in the sense of the nineteenth century because we find here the main characteristics of these: an exaggerated pathos, the opposition between good and evil, the Devil tries to mislead the innocent pious young woman, all without hesitate to get lost in lyrical descriptions certainly do not advance the plot, but are quite nice to read. Dark Shadows, steeped in mysticism, this fear of the evil, made me think of an Interview with the Vampire told from the point of view of Claudia. I loved this aspect of the novel.

No, what I would have to blame Dark Shadows, is above all its length, due to the artificial discontinuities between past and present. Basically planned to maintain a suspense effect (I guess), they absolutely useless (almost). Thus, reading the newspaper Angélique is regularly interrupted by Barnabas, because of Julia or another member of the Collins family who comes to bother him for some trivial reason, stack when one wonders about following adventures of Angelique ...

Also, I sometimes had the feeling of being caught in a time-loop, reading this book, some situations are repetitive and because of that, the plot behind. You get four times the promise of Angélique not to use his powers. Not to mention Julia interventions, hollow and insipid character who only appears to rumble Barnabas: "Let this newspaper immediately, Barnabas, this is not good for you." More than a future wife, it looks like a mother scolding her child ... and she almost only used to this! In short, as soon as I returned to the present, hopelessly I sank into a boredom mixed with annoyance due to the reactions of some characters. Angélique only managed to have a semblance of charisma in the midst of all these stereotypical characters as useless ... But Barnabas was a promising character! From his first appearance alongside Angelica, I perceived this potential in him, a natural presence mixed with a heady recklessness ... but alas, the fascination was short lived and everything finally falls like a bellows. I struggled to understand the reactions of some characters, whimsical, and the prize goes probably Barnabas, whom I finally doomed particular aversion ...

Finally, Dark Shadows was a disappointment for me. This is not a bad book, far from it: it is well written and has an interesting plot, but ultimately it did not meet my expectations. The characters and scenes, shots, got the better of my patience.