Spoiler! IWTV: Part 2 (pages 145-182)

[nightshade]

A shorter part this time.

What did you think about Claudia's theory about how Lestat survived?

Why do you think the European vampires were so different?

Did you miss Lestat is this part?

Was this part mostly filler?

 

[NotASlayer]

What did you think about Claudia's theory about how Lestat survived?

Given that she, and Louis, knew practically nothing about vampires, it was plausible at the time.

Why do you think the European vampires were so different?

It may have been because they were a different kind of vampire, but the theory that it was because they were still buried when they turned and went mad before they could escape makes as much sense as any.

Did you miss Lestat is this part?

Not really; it gave an opportunity to see Louis and Claudia's relationship without him.

Was this part mostly filler?

It did seem like that. Mostly because it was short. Regarding the European vampires again, it also gave the feeling that the part was intended to deconstruct traditional vampire lore. Staking Dracula, as it were.

 

[Taake]

What did you think about Claudia's theory about how Lestat survived?

She is more practical and logical than Louis, and her theory made sense. Though Louis thoughts on conciousness are interesting and he feels extraordinarily haunted by existential dread in a way that is more meaningful when you know what the author was wrestling with

Why do you think the European vampires were so different?
Second that the ”went mad in a coffin” theory makes sense, but I’ll admit that I find it kind of frustrating to have all these ”rural” vampires described as mindless corpses with ”bovine heads”. Maybe it is indeed staking Dracula as it were, but it also feels kind of insulting, as if they’re a lower life form than the fancy pants vampires we’re getting to know

Did you miss Lestat is this part?
No, it feels necessary for the others to be without him and to, in a sense, miss him themselves. Makes the reality of his abscence feel more poignant

Was this part mostly filler?
I mean… I think she was actually trying to explore something here, with the differences in vampires and village culture and superstition vs city life… but it is like she got bored and decided to just drop it. Maybe she realized there wasn’t more to say, and felt a need to speed-run to Paris.

And/or this part was necessary so that it would be believable that Lestat is recovering behind the scenes so to speak. Can’t remember when he shows up again. Either way, it makes sense why the movie skips this, cause it feels half-baked and strangely plotted - why is it even its own part? Just because of the location shift?

 

[NotASlayer]

Was this part mostly filler?
I mean… I think she was actually trying to explore something here, with the differences in vampires and village culture and superstition vs city life… but it is like she got bored and decided to just drop it. Maybe she realized there wasn’t more to say, and felt a need to speed-run to Paris.

And/or this part was necessary so that it would be believable that Lestat is recovering behind the scenes so to speak. Can’t remember when he shows up again. Either way, it makes sense why the movie skips this, cause it feels half-baked and strangely plotted - why is it even its own part? Just because of the location shift?

I think it is its own part because it does not fit with either the part before or the part after it. But, given the length of Part 2 compared to Parts 1 and 3, it also feels unfinished. Like you say, maybe she planned for more and couldn't come up with anything, but left the piece in. Perhaps it could have been removed and more of Claudia and Louis's relationship could have been covered in the next part, before the other vampires appeared.

 

[Taake]

I think it is its own part because it does not fit with either the part before or the part after it. But, given the length of Part 2 compared to Parts 1 and 3, it also feels unfinished. Like you say, maybe she planned for more and couldn't come up with anything, but left the piece in. Perhaps it could have been removed and more of Claudia and Louis's relationship could have been covered in the next part, before the other vampires appeared.

Yeah, the more I think of it, as I started on part 3, this just felt like a strange ”anti Eastern-European” interlude. Like, wow, thank heavens they got to civilized Paris where the vampires aren’t bovine monsters anymore.

As mentioned, if it had been developed more it might have felt less jarring. In general I liked the spooky feel of coming to a creepy shelter where everyone is in a vampire panic, but it felt rushed and just a bit odd

 

[Stake fodder]

What did you think about Claudia's theory about how Lestat survived?
It seemed logical, but I also thought that if Claudia was able to reason out this much, it seems like it might have occurred to her in the first place that her methods wouldn't kill Lestat. After all, she read all those books about vampires, but she ignored what they surely said about how to kill one.

Why do you think the European vampires were so different?
Because they were prehistoric übervamps! 😆 But really, the insanity idea seems logical. But I was left with some questions; for instance, how do they propagate themselves, is it just an instinct? I mean, Lestat created others out of a desire for companionship and wealth, but these vampires seem to have no desires beyond existing.

Did you miss Lestat is this part?
No, I don't think it would have made sense to have him here, with his lack of curiosity about vampire nature.

Was this part mostly filler?
I don't think so. There are two themes building in the book. One is, what is the nature and meaning of vampires - are they damned, should or must they embrace evil, is there even a God to condemn them? The second is, is there a community-ness to vampires, rules they must follow, a history that informs them of their place in society and the meaning of their existence? I think this section begins to say that the answers will not be easy to find for Louis and Claudia, and maybe there are no answers, and where does that leave them? Was Lestat right that there is no deeper truth to seek?

I found this part a little hard to get into, with all of Louis's shipboard ruminations. Something that has struck me, though, is that these vampires are much less supernatural than those on BtVS. Their hearts beat, and they sweat, and they don't have the issues with crucifixes and mirrors. They do not seem innately demonic, only that their behavior makes them so.