The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice
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Book Reviews of The Feast of All Saints
Book Review: A Decadent, "Historical" Tale
Summary: 5 Stars
Although most of her legion of fans may not immediately recognize them, Anne Rice has written two excellent works of historical fiction, having nothing whatsoever to do with vampires, witches, mummies sex, or even Jesus Christ.
The other work, "Cry to Heaven", is the account of one of the famous castrati, young boys subjected to horrible personal degredation in the pursuit of art.
This is the other. Feast of All Saints covers the Gens de Couleur Libre-- the Free Persons of Colour, a special class within Southern society made up of tradespersons and freed slaves. Like all Antebellum Southern society, this special enclave was filled wtih the twists and turns and endless social and societal requirements placed on it from within and without, while also dealing with the constant, pressing spectre of their place in the greater society of the city of New Orleans and the South in general.
Rice creates a compelling tale of the rise and fall of a number of intertwined Gens families in the Quarter, showing how they come to terms with their roles in society, their own families, and their own lives. It is well-written and compelling, and Rice shows an excellent understanding of their Outsider mentality.
Book Review: The best work of fiction EVER-hands down!
Summary: 5 Stars
Being a female descendant of these gens de color libres, I felt a deep urge to read this book and learn about my cultural past. I first heard about "The Feast of All Saints" when I saw pieces of the made for tv movie on Showtime. I couldn't believe there was a movie, let alone a book written by Anne Rice detailing the ups and downs of Creole people in the pre-Civil War era. It was exciting! Rice does an exceptional job depicting a time that seems so long ago and forgotton. I absolutely could not put the book down. This is a real page turner and it reminded to never forget where I came from. I found a whole new understanding and meaning behind the world which I had a hard time understanding as a child while hearing stories about relatives from my grandparents and great-grandparents back in Texas and Louisiana. Much thanks to Anne Rice for bringing an awareness to readers about a culture that is slowly but surely dying.Book Review: Ann Rice loves history and telling a good story.
Summary: 5 Stars
Feast of all SAints: Race is the topic of this story. Antebellum New Orleans is the setting. A city that has profoundly influenced our national culture. Not just its world-altering music, blues and jazz, but a life view that we are still working out.
Ms Rice lays open the soul of New Orleans, shaped by free persons of color and creoles, that captures our imaginations. The colors of her story are a blend of elements - the sacred and the profane, piety and mysticism, all in large portions. You are invited into her city, even better, into a family living and creating the history of its time.
BTW for the biography of a creole contemporary of the "Saints" period, check out Louis Moreau Gottschalk on Amazon, a musician-composer "rock star" of the time.
Cry to Heaven: For a broader experience of Ann Rice's love of history and mystery read her "Cry to Heaven" it is spell-binding.
Book Review: Incredible
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is less of a departure from her best known works than one assumes at first glance. Anne Rice is a master at illuminating the nature of her characters relative to his or her physical and emotional setting. The Feast of All Saints is no different. Here, Rice brilliantly describes a time period of American history that is nearly excluded from standard issue texts. Describing the life of the Gens de Couleur libre during a most transitional period by parellelling the story of the entire culture with that of an individual who is undergoing a personal paradigm shift was a most brilliant way to make this story come alive. Only a New Orleans native could have treated the subject with such sensitivity and still manage to show us both the most humiliating and triumphant times in lives of these oft-forgotten people. Thank you, Anne RiceBook Review: A neglected piece of history that deserves to be known
Summary: 5 Stars
Like several of the previous reviewers, I too have read this book at least three times since it's publication and am fascinated by the free people of color. This was indeed an eye-opener and though I found it hard to swallow the fact that blacks were enslavers themselves, this novel helped me put it all in perspective. I know many people of creole descent, but very little was ever discussed regarding their heritage other than speaking of family members that they know that have passed for white and assimilated into the white race. It could be many of them especially the younger ones know very little of their history and the part they played in literature, the arts, and craftsmanship. When I was asked to name my favorite all-time book, Feast of All Saints was at the top of the list.