Kit: When you say "the Anne Rice books", I'm going to go against my personal morals (HAH) and assume you're referring to her vampire line of novels.
Oooh, bad idea.
See, Ms. Rice did a wonderful job, IMO, of exploring the many levels of love and dominance, submission, the need for control or to be controlled, and an all around nice romp into the world of sadomasochism.
Just not in her vampire books.
The Beauty Trilogy. "The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty" "Beauty's Punishment" and "Beauty's Release"
Unfortunately, you'll have to get an adult ::cough:: to get these for you, more than likely.
The only similarity it has with the original tale of Sleeping Beauty is it has a happy ending. Just don't ask me what that ending is.
But, as with anything else, that's just my perception.
Now, about that whole goth wannabe angst thing. I'd like to think 70-80% of the average teenage population in this country goes through that. Yes, it can be silly, but, believe it or not, it also serves a purpose. Mainly it's one of those "searching" periods, where said teen is trying to find an identity to call one's own. More often than not, said teen does not want anything remotely resembling that of their parent(s). Since most parents tend to be productive members of society, well, where does that leave said teen?
Get where I'm going with this?
When I was a teen, I wanted to be in the goth scene, but I figured I was too shallow and lacking some great, dark depth of character for that. As time progressed and I went through my own personal hells and nightmares and came back (against my will), I became a bit jaded, cynical, and pretty much apathetic to most things. (A bit? ...stop laughing) Funny thing, a couple of years back I ran into an old friend who was one of those wannabes back in the day. After talking for all of five minutes, he said something to the effect of my personality seeming rather macabre and gothic.
Heh, so I wind up getting what I thought I wanted, and realizing I don't care either way.
Just grit your teeth. I wouldn't put much stock into them. Though some of the extremely bratty ones who really have no good reason to despair (or think despair is their parents cutting their credit line) should be smacked. Consider it your civic duty.
Comments: 1 sigh
**LOL** Well, you were accurate in assuming that I meant her Vampire Chronicles (I could, perhaps, also be referring to the Mayfair Witch series, but I haven't read any of them).
I'll cede the "searching" point to you. Being a teenager can be tough, and it's that time between adulthood and childhood when you need to figure out you are and where you're going (but then, some 45-year olds don't know who they are or where they're going).
But not being able to buy that pair of platforms at the mall is not the end of the world.
BTW, Rachel tells me that when Ms. Rice finishes a book, she tears all her clothes off, eats chocolate, and runs around screaming. I don't know if that's true or not, but it's certainly amusing.
( 10:27 a.m. )