Cry to Heaven

novel by Rice

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July 16, 2026

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Cry to Heaven is an historical novel by Anne Rice, published in 1982. The novel is set in 18th-century Venice and centers on the life of a castrato named Tonio, who is raised in a convent and later becomes a celebrated opera singer. The story explores themes of love, betrayal, and the search for identity within the opulent yet often cruel world of Venetian society. Rice, known for her vampire novels, also delved into historical fiction, erotica, and religious works, showcasing her versatility as a writer.12

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Anne Rice
Erotic novels and the Mayfair witches
…19th-century Creoles of color, and Cry to Heaven (1982), about an 18th-century Venetian castrato. Eroticism distinguishes The Sleeping Beauty series—four stories (1983–85 and 2015) published under the pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure, which some critics classified as “pornography”—and two novels she published as Anne Rampling, Exit to Eden (1985; film 1994) and…
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…19th-century Creoles of color, and Cry to Heaven (1982), about an 18th-century Venetian castrato. Eroticism distinguishes The Sleeping Beauty series—four stories (1983–85 and 2015) published under the pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure, which some critics classified as “pornography”—and two novels she published as Anne Rampling, Exit to Eden (1985; film 1994) and…
Read More