"I read The Old Curiosity Shop before I began Blackwood Farm. I was amazed at the utter madness in that book"

This quote by Anne Rice speaks with the power of literature and the emotions it can stimulate. The Old Curiosity Shop is an unique by Charles Dickens, and it is understood for its dark and twisted plot. Anne Rice was astonished by the "utter madness" of the book, most likely referring to the unusual and frequently troubling occasions that occur throughout the story. This quote recommends that Anne Rice was deeply moved by the book, and it likely inspired her to create her own work of fiction, Blackwood Farm. The quote also talks to the power of literature to stimulate strong emotions in readers, and how it can be utilized to check out the depths of the human experience.