Instruct: Classify a given Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: A slow read at first but the pace soon picks up.

I bought this book quite by accident although I had vowed not to read anything of Anne Rice except for her vampire trilogy due to prior disappointments on her other novels. The first chapters were a bit of a struggle to get through but once Azriel settles down with his meeting with Jonathan and began pouring out his tale, it was deliciously mystic and dark. As always, Anne Rice's characters seem to have had noble beginnings, and this was no exception with Azriel. I was breath taken when Azriel was made into the Servant of the Bones. It all seemed to happen so quickly that I had to re-read the excerpt twice over to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I'm glad I didn't give up with the book when I read the first few chapters otherwise I would have missed out on this brilliant luscious dark tale. I think I'll give Anne's other novels a second chance now.