I guess I'm still in teacher mode, or maybe it's because I've read this book so many times, because I'm noticing all of the foreshadowing that starts in the early chapters. As a writer of poetry and short stories, I have never had to plan the way that Anne Rice clearly does. It's only because I know this book so well that I notice the complexity of the details and the coherence of those details throughout the book. Right now, I see writing a work of fiction like this as complex as playing chess with experts. This makes me admire my favorite authors so much more.
This also makes me question, once again, education's thoughts about classics and popular fiction. Pride and Prejudice is a favorite of mine, but it does not have the complexity of The Witching Hour or The Stand, so why do so many English teachers talk about popular fiction with disdain? (Not that I would teach The Witching Hour in a high school class. But I see no problem with students reading popular fiction that doesn't describe more about sex than I would have wanted my daughters to read as teenagers.)
I also enjoy the natural incorporation of high-level vocabulary. I didn't realize how rich my vocabulary is until an AP student asked me if anyone actually uses the words that were on one week's vocabulary quiz. All 15 words that week appear frequently in novels that I read for fun. This student is an avid reader, but it appears that she either doesn't look up unfamiliar words or does not select books that stretch her reading level.
Even though my brain is still in teacher mode, I am thoroughly enjoying reading for pleasure. Even though I notice things like foreshadowing, I am not thinking about how to teach it!
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