Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.21 You Save: $4.78 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Cry to Heaven
Book Review: Absolutely Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
I do consider myself a Rice afficiando and of course, I had been wanting to read this for some time. This novel was utterly beautiful. Words can not even describe the beauty that I had found in this novel. Tonio is one of the most intriguing characters that I have ever read about. The confusion of being a eunuch is captured in every paragraph of this novel. A wonderful read full of breathtaking descriptions. One of Rice's best.Book Review: Absolutely beautiful, captivating, emotional
Summary: 5 Stars
I had never read any of Anne Rice's books before. When I picked this book up, I didn't know what to expect. I became so engrossed in this novel and it became and will always be one of my all-time favorite books. I didn't want it to end! Anne Rice did some wonderful research for the story. The character development is fabulous and her description of everything brings the reader into the book and feels what the characters feel, sees what the characters see. I love this book. I think people that call this a "homosexual" book are wrong. It is not about gay people, it is about humans and real emotions, real sexuality, and the need to be loved. The book is very realistic for the era and it is very historically accurate. The book made me want to learn more about the castrati.Book Review: Addendum to Other Reviews
Summary: 5 Stars
The reviews of others, e.g., Chicago Dreamer and Fisher, are accurate, useful, and elegantly written; so I'll add only a few more thoughts. I avoided Rice and her vampire books mistakenly thinking that she was only a pulp/pop-fiction writer. When I read "Cry to Heaven," I was pleasantly surprised, even astonished. She obviously is intelligent, talented, and professional. My being an avid reader and member of a great-books discussion group for many years, I was impressed with her style and skill. Her detailed research into the era, locales, and the world of castrati was admirable. My having worked as a therapist for many years, I was profoundly touched by the insight and sensitivity with which Ann explored the thoughts and feelings of Tonio. My having been a life-long lover of serious music and also a researcher and lecturer into the subject of Baroque music and the castrati, I was impressed with her accuracy and understanding of this amazing phenomenon.
"Cry to Heaven" would make a unique and wonderful movie, but only if it were to be made very well, perhaps as a "labor of love" as was Visconti's "Death in Venice" and with an appropriate budget, time, and effort similar to Peter Jackson's, albeit longer, "Lord of the Ring" triology. Of course, there would be several difficulties to overcome.
First, Tonio grows from childhood into young adulthood, requiring perhaps three look-alike actors of special beauty, as described by Ann, and with convincing acting ability.
Second, the superlative castrato voice would have to be created most likely by using 21st-century technology (which would take time but should not be overly difficult) to cover the wide alto-to-soprano range plus the vocal strength suitable for the opera stage. Very importantly, the uninformed mistakes of the "Farinelli" producers would have to be avoided, i.e., using an average, female soprano with distinctly female timbre, breathiness, and technical imprecision along with an average countertenor with similar problems. For the alto range, superlative countertenor Andreas Scholl has the talent, experience, power, and voi-blanc sound required to approximate the castrato voice. Unfortunately, the perfect female soprano Gundula Janowitz no longer sings, but there may be one or two now available who have voices far superior to the one used in the 1994 "Farinelli." Also, natural male sopranos such as Jorge Cano or Radu Marian might be used. Then these voices could be electronically blended to form a consistent, ideal voice.
Third, the sex scenes in Ann's novel are not gratuitous and do explore the natural drives and emotional confusion of the castrati. They should not be avoided in a movie version and can be filmed tastefully so that they would not be offensive to anyone other than those persons who are horrified by sex and prefer to deny human nature.
Perhaps a dedicated film maker such as Visconti or Jackson will have the courage, support, and budget to make a quality film version of Ann's book. In the meantime, this book should be a must-read for anyone who is interested in the subject and also is looking for a good, dramatic tale.
Book Review: Addicting
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is one of the reasons why I enjoy novels more than TV. Out of Tonio's lovers, I preferred the Count and wished their relationship received more pages. Powerful and well written, Anne Rice's research proves highly effective in the creation of the evironment and its characters. I'm amazed this book wasn't another one of her bestsellers. This novel is one of my favorites from the author - Cry To Heaven and The Vampire Armand.Book Review: An elegantly beautiful and emotional book.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have just finished reading Cry To Heaven and I love it! This is my favorite book! As soon as I read the first page I was immediately enthralled and couldn't put it down. The research that was done for this was absolutely amazing. Anne Rice was so detailed and descriptive I truly felt as if I was really there. I felt such a connection with the main character, I felt all the emotions he felt while reading the book. There were parts in the book that made me weep uncontrolably, and other times I was so tense with anticipation it felt as if I had stuck my finger in an electirc socket. I cannot even begin to describe the beauty of this book. I read this book as if in a trance and could not think of anything else. Even now as I write this I sigh and smile with fondness. There are images that have been imprinted in my mind that will last me a lifetime. I encourage anyone who wants to feel any sense of passion from a story, to get this book and treasure it always as I certainly will.