Pandora

This is my first Anne Rice read and I loved it! (I know, you gasped right?)

The mysterious beginning dovetailed into a very grandiose Classical tragedy. Spending time with Pandora and her family had me rooting for her after just a few pages. The language felt archaic in a good way and helped ground me in the story. Rice throws in just enough description to get a scene going, so scenes are sparse, but the sumptuous drama buffet kept me turning pages.

Pandora was such a strong character and wouldn't compromise her convictions for anyone. Her father's support of her rebellious, well-read nature as she waxed poetic over Ovid and debated Diogenes made me smile. The family moments raised the stakes when the signal fires of a falling Rome were finally lit. <spoiler>When she later stood toe-to-toe with Praetorian guards on the steps of a temple, and saved her life and Flavius' life with words alone—I believed every moment.</spoiler>

Yet, the last 50 pages threw me for a loop. <spoiler> What in the world with the bee-scarecrow creature? This escapee from The Wicker Man </spoiler> felt like magical realism, an incarnation of Pandora's fear of the unknown or change, but remained unexplained.

Also, Marius and Pandora's union was earned but anticlimactic. <spoiler> The truth? That whole scene was so very badly written—no sweetness, no care between two characters that have known each other for decades. I wasn't asking for erotica, just more than a few sentences to show Marius cared enough to show up for Pandora for goodness sake. </spoiler> A huge let-down in otherwise a thrilling read.

The exploration of Marius' stance on organized religion and cults through <spoiler> his rejection of Pandora's spirituality was fascinating. The brutalization of ancient icons and ideals, the maligning of old fables and morals all in favor of new religions and cults leading to more of the same—control, killing, and persecution. These pages felt like the author screaming into the void, "Why? Why all the emotional and physical violence? For what?"</spoiler> Loved it and I want more.

Pandora's impassioned final monologue actually made me tear up a bit. I had to read it aloud. She didn't want <spoiler>to lose herself in her relationship with Marius—she can stand strong and alone a part from anyone and he just couldn't understand, couldn't see this as anything other than a form of rejection.</spoiler>

Overall, what a great read.