A Density of Souls - Softcover

Rice, Christopher

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786886463 ISBN 13: 9780786886463

Publisher: Miramax, 2001

Synopsis

Take the sensuous, fecund New Orleans setting, add a generous helping of tangled Southern family history, and season liberally with a sensitive teenage boy rejected by his friends and frightened of his own homoerotic impulses and you wouldn't be surprised to discover that the novel containing all of the above was written by someone named Rice. But a few paragraphs into the first page, it's clear that Anne Rice's son's first novel isn't about vampires or witches and does not otherwise read like one of her exceedingly popular books. The only family resemblance is in the setting, the sexual orientation of the lovingly described male characters, and the scent of overripe magnolias.There's murder, suicide, and madness at the heart of this rather clumsycoming-of-age story, which focuses on the youthful friendship of Stephen Conlin, Meredith Ducote, Greg Darby, and Brandon Charbonnet. This friendship is destroyed by a sexual incident that takes place just before the foursome enters Cannon, an exclusive prep school. There, Stephen is ostracized by his former friends, now the most popular kids on campus, who'd just as soon forget their own complicity in the event. Envy, passion, and rage drive the narrative, but the emotions are as juvenile as the characters, and the long passages depicting the rituals and cruelties of high school, from pep rallies to football games, slow down the pace without really illuminating character or motivation. The novel reads like a roman ß clef. Rice might have been wiser to tell someone else's story rather than his own. --Jane Adams

About this title

About the Author

Christopher Rice is the son of the novelist, Anne Rice, and the poet, Stan Rice. He is presently living in New Orleans, where he grew up. A Density of Souls is his debut novel.

From AudioFile

James Daniels is the voice of grief and fear in this thriller about four teenagers caught in a web of lies. In high school the four friends are forever changed by violent deaths that are discovered to be murders. Five years later, they rejoin to solve the mystery but discover that only deeper secrets have emerged. Such a rich cast of characters presents a real challenge to any reader, but Daniels pulls this audiobook off with professionality and ingenuity. His careful vocal delineation of characters results in a colorful production that is engaging. . .while scaring the pants off you at the same time. R.A.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Miramax
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0786886463
• ISBN 13: 9780786886463
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320