2nd read review: somehow this was even worse on a second read. i think i was too nice back then

original review:
while the tale of the body thief shares some of the queen of the damned's elements i did not very enjoy much, this time the book could not overcome them in the end. it simply does not live up to the previous 3 instalments; compared to them, this one feels like a joke, a little silly story written with no purpose which fails as well in being entertaining.

the essence of vampire chronicles was missing, the dark atmosphere that characterises the prose and the setting. the writing again falls into the habit of being repetitive to the point it the mind starts to wander while you are reading. from the reader's perspective, it is certainly not the best prose anne rice has displayed.

this time the chosen main characters do not compensate for it with their magnetic personality -because they do not have it. lestat was the best one, once again, even if he was unbearable in this one, i hated and loved him equally-. main ideas and conversations are hammered into the reader's head over and over again when there is no need, you can skip entire chapters and still follow the thread of the plot. you can entirely skip this entire book. it does not bring anything new.