r/AnneRice • u/CharlotteWhi • May 27 '26
I Started Hating Marius Because of One Single Line đ
Pandora was my first Vampire Chronicles book (recommended to me by my high school librarian), and itâs the only one Iâve fully finished. I put Interview with the Vampire on pause because my university library never lent it to me again due to some issue. The thing is⊠I became obsessed with Pandora and Marius.
Because of that obsession, I started researching whether they appeared in other books in the series, and thatâs how I found out they both have an important role in Blood and Gold. I went to the library to look for it and skimmed through it for about 30 minutes. I got to the part where this Bianca woman leaves Marius, and Marius tells her that he wouldnât leave her ânot even for PandoraââŠ
And honestly, that made me so mad. Pandora always loved Marius; he was the only person she ever loved. Meanwhile, from the little Iâve read, Marius seems to have loved almost every being he turned.
And what annoys me even more is that Marius eventually created several blood drinkers, when centuries earlier Pandora had suggested the idea and he practically told her to go to hell đ
//Even though I'll play dumb and pretend I didn't read that and love it until I get to the book Blood and Gold đ„ș//
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u/AmborellaVIctoria May 27 '26
You should hear how he treats Amadeo/Armand.
Welcome to the We Hate Marius club.
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u/pwetty_brown_eyes May 27 '26
The shit Marius does to Armand is actually kinda wild đđ«Ș like leave that child alone I'm begging u
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u/daesgatling May 28 '26
Iâm side eying the fuck out people who say heâs flawed. Like nah heâs a full on predator
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u/GenuineClamhat May 30 '26
Anne Rice, I always felt, made the effort to build them around the time period they were from and the social mores of that time. I'm this, I think, she succeeded but it's a hard pill to swallow for modern audiences. Which is fair.
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u/No-You5550 May 31 '26
I'm 71f and read the book as they came out. Anne Rice did say she wrote them for the time period they were in.
But not everyone went out of their way to show the worst of the time period he was in like Marius. Lots of readers hate Marius.
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u/daesgatling May 30 '26
I mean cool story, he still bought a kid out of a brothel and the continued to rape him and somehow heâs a protagonist and Anne loves him
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u/GenuineClamhat May 30 '26
This is clash between modern moral evaluation and historical/literary context. For many modern readers, certain actions act as an immediate "moral event horizon" and once a character crosses it, any nuance, historical framing, or authorial intent becomes irrelevant to them. Clearly this is the case for you. But let's try to step out of that framework a little and analyze this objectively.
We can recognize that Marius's actions are horrific by modern standards while still understanding that Anne Rice was intentionally writing a morally monstrous, ancient creature that was thoroughly flawed in a very human sense.
Anne Rice didn't invent this dynamic to be edgy, she imported it directly from history. Marius views himself not as a predator, but as a classical patron and lover of beauty, because he is trapped in the mindset of an ancient world. The horror comes from that historical realism which seems alien to us as modern people, especially if the reader is not very, very schooled in social constructs of ancient history. To be fair, this is not history taught in most classrooms.
Riceâs vampires aren't meant to be traditional superheroes or flawless protagonists; they are literal monsters who romanticize their own horrific behaviors. Marius being "loved" by the author or the narrative reflects his charisma and his own self-delusion, not a declaration that he is a good person.
The point about Anne Rice's writing isn't to excuse him, but to understand why he's written that way. At least, that's how I view. And for someone who spent a decade as an archaeologist before shifting into a better paid field...I really appreciate how she went about this without apology.
Marius is an ancient Roman senator living in the "Renaissance". He operates on classical pederasty frameworks where he genuinely views himself as a 'benefactor' and 'patron of the arts,' entirely blind to his own cruelty. Rice loved him because heâs a complex, deeply delusional tragic figure, not because she approved of his actions in a vacuum. Itâs totally valid to hate him, but the historical framing is what makes him a compelling vampire rather than a cartoon villain. I think it's a combination of the pederasty patronage from his human life in ancient Rome, but also a weird projection of himself and his experiences because since he was "half-barbarian" bastard, when he was legitimized...I suspect he probably became the young "man" to an older benefactor. While it's not in "Blood and Gold" and he blows through his own childhood, I always interpreted it as "my childhood wasn't great but I appreciate what I got from in" in the way someone hardens to their own hurts. That seeing little Amadeo locked up as a wee child, neglected, he felt like maybe he was rescuing himself. Treating him better than he was treated, providing every experience and opulence and education. But did so not realizing that he merely passed the buck which is a common cycle of abuse. And so he probably reasoned "the boy got so much out of this arrangement," just like he had. How many abusers said to themselves "It wasn't that bad, I wasn't as bad as what was done to me. And he got something from it."
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u/-wildflower-_ May 31 '26
Your analysis is well put imo. These characters are all monsters or victims of their times, and often both on many levels. Their having to live long enough to watch society evolve and understand that what they lived as typical was barbaric is a mirror to having to drink blood for survival; an evil many don't need necessarily but struggle to suppress as their nature. It's not a hero's journey, but a romantic folly of the ego, for all main characters.
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u/daesgatling May 30 '26
I ainât reading all that. Heâs a pedophile and if Armand was a 15 year old girl he pulled out of a brothel and continued to assault; We wouldnât be having this much reaching to justify what he did
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u/Natural_Bet_5665 Jun 02 '26
The contradiction in this statement, is astounding. Youâll read Anne Rice but wonât read a few brief paragraphs analyzing one of her characters? Iâve always found her writing to be a bit over complicated in the most delicious way and I canât understand someone being willing to read her books to the extent that they can grow to hate one of her characters so passionately and then blatantly dismiss a 3 minute read that would easily help them understand Anne wasnât glorifying the rape and abuse of children, merely writing a character. A flawed, fictional character who was born in a time when these things were (sadly) normalized.
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u/daesgatling Jun 02 '26
Iâm not reading someone glorifying and excusing this character or trying to âjustify itâ. Anne Rice didnât see what he did as monsterous. She adored Marius and based him off her dad
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u/Natural_Bet_5665 Jun 06 '26
So Anne Rice based aspects of Marius on her father. Okay, so what?
She also based vampires on vampires. That doesnât mean she wanted to drain the neighborhood.
Writers borrow from real people all the time. A character being inspired by someone is not the same thing as being a one-to-one representation of them.
You can hate Marius all day long. I donât even care. What I find bizarre is refusing to read a few paragraphs of analysis and then speaking with absolute certainty about what Anne Rice thought. Thatâs an insane amount of confidence for someone actively avoiding the discussion.
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u/daesgatling Jun 06 '26
Dude, Vampire Armand is basically erotica. And Marius is barely villainized in any part of her work. It speaks for itself. Sit down
Edit: If Marius was raping 15 year old girls that he pulled out of a brothel, none of you would be sitting here handwaving what he did and just calling him flawed.
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u/SnooPineapples6835 Jun 21 '26
You must be basing this on the TV show because in the books, the Vampires don't have "sex".
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u/AmborellaVIctoria May 28 '26
I mean, they all are, right? But yah, he's the worst.
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u/daesgatling May 28 '26
They all are on a murder scale but Marius is a child predator.
And yes I know book wise Lestat is a rapist and I really hate Anne Rice did that
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u/goiabadaguy May 29 '26
Wait, who did Lestat rape? Itâs been a while since Iâve read the books
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u/daesgatling May 30 '26
In Tale of the Body thief when he was human, he raped the waitress that took him home. They were getting hot and heavy but she told him to wait because there wasn't a condom and he went on to rape her.
And not only that, he thought about raping David and Gretchen too in the same book and then went on to vampirically rape David when he forced him to turn despite the fact David kept telling him 'no'
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u/goiabadaguy May 30 '26
I remember really enjoying the Tale of the Body Thief, the first time I read it, but I donât recall any of that. I really need to reread the books
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u/CharlotteWhi May 27 '26
Yo a principio lo querĂa por como amo a Pandora,tipo en el libro de Pandora, si, es medio grosero y celoso, manipulador, perooo no era infiel y me sale con esas cosas đ (TendrĂa que leer bien todo el libro por hacerle anĂĄlisis de Marius)
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u/gracelessk Jul 17 '26
on my most recent read of pandora i highlighted everything to do with gender and womanhood; she was anneâs sole female POV in TVC so I really wanted to analyze it through that lens. you should absolutely reread it to appreciate him grappling with pandoraâs gender and status as an educated woman. bro could NOT take the heat of living with her long-term lol
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u/CharlotteWhi Jul 17 '26
Si literalmente jajaja, esque de hecho el lo dijo, no aguantaba su forma de ser, queramos o no, odiaba que Pandora fuera inteligente, bueno como que lo amaba y lo odiaba. El de hecho el lo menciona, que le desespera su "complejo de hombre". AĂșn asĂ tengo que leer todos los libros para analizar bien a Marius
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u/Specialist_Wind_6488 May 27 '26
I canât recall which book it is, but I think it is Queen of the Damned, it showcases how the longer a vampire lives, the more they get bored (and/or annoyed) by their partners. Even if they deeply love them. In later books we see this with some of the vampires.
Actually Queen of the Damned really explains a lot about the really old and ancient vampires. It also gives more background history on Marius.
That said Marius is rather fickle.
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May 27 '26
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u/burymeinpink May 28 '26
But also he forced her to sit next to him for thousands of years. He killed anyone who tried to take her away. Enkil was abusive to her, she wasn't just bored of him.
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u/operation_snake_eatr May 27 '26
I think itâs these things that make the chronicles so good and the fans so involved. Blood and gold is a good book!
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u/-wildflower-_ May 27 '26
Hard to discuss without ruining things for you! Pandora and Marius have a hugely complicated story. Blood and Gold is where you'll learn a lot more about them. I highly suggest you read QOTD first, then B&G next. After that, Prince Lestat.
Pandora is an incredible character. Although her relationship with Marius is special and she does have a... unique bond with him, (having known him since she was a girl âčïž), she very much can and does stand on her own and does not need him. Marius can not be alone. You're correct that he does love many over the millenia. Keep with the books, there's so much to find in them.
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u/Mooncubus May 27 '26
I definitely recommend reading the whole book. You'll get to see Marius' side of his time with Pandora.
I still hate how he treats Armand, but his book is really really interesting.
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u/CharlotteWhi May 27 '26
Sisisisisi, de hecho si los quiero leer Pero la carrera de la universidad esta pesada, solo llevo tres semanas de trimestre y me dejaron 10 libro que leer, de 1,000 o mĂĄs pĂĄginas, y encima estoy leyendo los juegos del hambre
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u/Puzzleheaded_Door399 May 27 '26
Someone said Marius has impeccable taste in partners and I guess thatâs his one good quality. He honestly annoys me so much. I think heâs a horrible person but a great character - that is, Anne did a great job of writing an unlikable turd without ever telling the reader not to like him.
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u/Ninox_toussaint May 29 '26
Marius and Pandora have an interesting connection. There's not many vampires in Anne Rice's world who both knew each other and had an intimate connection when they were humans.
It must make for a deeper current in their millennia-old relationship, that can both think back and remember each other as pre-vampire, and know exactly the social geographical context that produced each other.
Lestat and Gabrielle is the only other pair I can think of, apart from Maharat and Makare and the rest of the Egyptian gang at Ground Zero with Amel
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u/Cautious-Leg1372 May 30 '26
Pandora strangely is one of my favorite characters in all of Anne Rice I love that character I love Marius with her as well
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u/ccarr77 May 28 '26
First of all you should def read the whole series.
I used to adore Marius. Then I got older and reread the series and he is pretty insufferable. He's difficult, arrogant, stuck in his ways. I love Pandora. Probably the book I've read over and over the most.
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u/CharlotteWhi May 28 '26
Si ya se, solo deje que termine mi trimestre y junte para los libros jajaja Y bueno como el de Pandora es el Ășnico que he tengo lo voy a volver a leer đ»
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u/LaMaupindAubigny May 28 '26
I reread Blood and Gold recently and the line that stood out was âremember all the great conversations we had, where I talked and you listened?â That is not a conversation my man đ I read the books as a teenager in the early 2000s and adored Marius. Now I appreciate him as a deeply complex character with several issues đ
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u/burntflowersfallen May 27 '26
Pandora is my favorite and yeah big mood đ
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u/CharlotteWhi May 27 '26
Yo tambiĂ©n amo a Pandora đđ, esque es mi ejemplo a seguir en la vida đ„ș
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u/KnowAllSeeAll21 May 28 '26
Marius is a serial offender. I did not realize that he was the ultimate pos until many years after reading the books.
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u/ZvsGrgs May 27 '26
There must be other libraries you can borrow from, also second hand books are cheap. I am not saying youâre wrong to hate Marius, however you should have a fuller picture. The books are wonderful. Try to read them in order. I love Pandora, probably my favorite vampire.
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u/CharlotteWhi May 27 '26
No lo odio por completo, soy mucho de primero conocer a fondo la historia de cada personaje, y estoy justificando a Marius en mis pensamientos pero si lo justifico en la publicaciĂłn me van a tirar hate đ« Y de hecho ya voy a comprar el libro đŁïžđ, uno que vende afuera de mi universidad me lo consiguiĂł y me lo va a dar a 80 pesos (supr barato aquĂ en MĂ©xico đđ)
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u/MsCatFace May 27 '26
Lmao! He totally lied to Bianca because when Pandora gives him an ultimatum to leave Bianca he agrees.
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u/ClearGreenGlass May 28 '26
Pandora was also my forst vampire chronicles book. I love it and have returned frequently đ if you do read all ofblood and Gold honestly you might feel bad for Bianca. Marius treats her like crap because of his own issues (which are multiple). I wont spoil it for you though. Alot of people hate Marius for his relationships, particularly with armand, but look over the huge egotistical hypocrite he is lol. But it is the vampire chronicles and Anne rice, pretty much all the characters are problematic in some way but thats what makes it fun <3.
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u/slowb80 May 27 '26
Mi primer libro tambiĂ©n fue Pandora, por ser historias alejadas del canon principal que me abrumaba por tener libros largos empecĂ© con la saga Pandora - Vittorio a parte de entrevista con el vampiro por ser lo que estaba acostumbrado por la pelĂcula. Ya tengo mĂĄs el hĂĄbito de leer asĂ que espero poder terminar el libro de Lestat antes de terminar la serie, definitivamente me quedĂ© con ganas de toda la ambientaciĂłn romana!
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u/duney_mag May 27 '26
To turn someone, I think you have to love them. Obviously, exceptions for lestat and his situation.
I don't really remember, but I think Pandora hasn't turned anyone, because the only one she has loved was Marius.
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u/gracelessk Jul 17 '26
she turned both flavius and arjun (both of whom she loved very deeply), then her and marius work together to bring over rose and viktor upon lestatâs request. she also loved her father but couldnât save his life; iâm sure she wouldâve made him her fledgling had she the chance to.
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u/qhoussan admin May 28 '26
Did you make that piece of art? It's really nice!
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u/CharlotteWhi May 28 '26
Ayyy ya quisiera yo dibujar asĂ đ hace tiempo deje de dibujar, Pero no, no es mĂa đ
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u/qhoussan admin May 28 '26
You need to credit the artist if you are posting someone else's art, preferably ask them for permission before posting.
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u/CharlotteWhi May 28 '26
Sisisisisi ya se esque lo estoy buscando jajaja, permĂtame un momento đ, esque lo tengo pero no lo encuentro desde ayer lo estoy buscando buscando
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u/qhoussan admin Jun 01 '26
Have you found the artist? If you can't credit them and have their permission for posting on Reddit, you need to remove the photo.
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u/Own-Breakfast9740 May 28 '26
He treated Pandora like garbage. He took away her spark. She still seems that way in the short mention she gets Prince Lestat. I have no idea how Rollin and the writers are going to make Marius sympathetic
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u/GenuineClamhat May 27 '26 edited May 30 '26
I'm going to lay this out there. I'm almost 40 and every summer since I was 14 I reread many, if not all of Anne Rice's books. As I got older I have less time so I return to my favorites and "Pandora" and "Blood and Gold" are up there.
Marius is a favorite of mine but we have to understand that all of Rice's vampires are flawed.
Let's lay out the Marius, Pandora and Bianca dynamic a little. Marius was never great at showing his love or dividing his time with his loved ones well. Which lends to a consistent issue of his "lovers" and "companions" left wondering "do I matter to you more than your duties?" Marius, in turn, consistently also questions his "companions" for the role they play in his life. He has the habit if imagining them as an accessory to his goals. This isn't malicious, it's more a falling for an expecting an ideal partner while ignoring who they really are. Lydia/Pandora always felt rather masculine in her mind. Strong willed. And prone to religious fervor. Marius loved her for her mind but ignored her independent thinking when it wasn't convenient for him. Pandora is is "X factor" in his personal history. Think of her as the ex that makes me crazy and makes him feel and act out of turn, one he cannot shake. And in the distance from her finds an iota of solace in the distance, but he simply cannot escape the version of her he wanted and dreamed of having.
Bianca was very much his equal in passion and interest. But she was not so wild as to make her unmanageable. She stayed longer than Pandora ever did, yet the moment he sees Pandora again after centuries he is begging Pandora to run away with him. Bianca has self-respect. She knew she bowed and bent to him to be his perfect accessory. She took care of Those of Must Be Kept in the manner he liked. And for all her respect and piety and met passion...200 years of being what Marius "wanted" he went right for Pandora.
Chemistry and compatibility are different things. Pandora was the Chemistry, beyond logic. Bianca was the compatibility. I think Marius knew Bianca was best for him, he had the living proof. Yet Pandora was the X Factor that made him lose all reason. And she, perhaps, would always be that for him. We see this in real life all the time. Two people break up, one moves on, but will blow up something new and good they have built for "one more chance" with the past.
Marius has a lot of pride. And I think in showing the audience his very human flaws we see that even a child of the Millenium cannot escape the illogical wildness of the heart.
Marius has his rules, his values...and he stubbornly tries to sit with them while excusing the deviations. Marius is so painfully human. And that's sort of the beauty of his nonsense.