Jessica Miriam Reeves
Encyclopedia
Jessica "Jesse" Miriam Reeves is a fictional character
in the Vampire Chronicles
universe created by Anne Rice
.
when she was 35 and has green eyes, pale skin and red hair.
Her mother Miriam died in a car accident
as a teenager when she was seven months pregnant with Jesse, who was by some kind of miracle born and found at the side of the road only minutes after the car crash. She remained in the hospital
for two weeks, nameless, until Maharet came and gave her a name. Jesse was the last survivor of the Reeve family of South Carolina
, and was brought up by her cousins
Maria and Matthew Godwin in New York
. It was Maharet who provided for Jesse, and made sure that she could go to any college
she wanted. She even arranged it so Jesse got to meet other members of the Great Family who were spread all over the world.
Maharet, whom Jesse first knew as her aunt
, kept in touch with Jesse through letters and Jesse considered her a good friend. As Jesse grew up, she discovered that she could read minds and see ghosts and spirits and she confided this to her aunt. Maharet explained to her that seers of spirits were common with women in the Great Family, and that it was a gift that seemed to come with the attributes of green eyes, pale skin and red hair. She urged Jesse to write her whenever she would be frightened by it.
The first time Jesse met Maharet was in her third year at Columbia
. Two years later she spent parts of her summer with Maharet and Mael, her good friend, in her house in the Sonoma Mountains, California
. During the summer she discovered the history of the Great Family, and spent some of her time looking at old portraits, photographs and reading the history that had been written down. She realized that the Great Family was very old, texts were written in ancient Latin
, Ancient Greek
and in Egyptian hieroglyphs
.
After some strange events that she could remember only fragments of, Maharet and Mael left the compound. Maharet left Jesse a letter telling her how sorry she was that they left so suddenly, that she was afraid they would keep her from doing things she set out to do, and that she had arranged for Jesse to be driven to the airport
later that day.
Later Jesse moved to London
and worked at the British Museum
. During that time she was approached by Aaron Lightner. He showed her a file the Talamasca
had on her. Apparently they knew of her ability to see spirits and wanted her to be part of the order. Jesse thought of the Talamasca as a new "Great Family" and found the Talamascan records to be a substitute for the treasures she had lost that summer at the Sonoma house. Maharet wasn't thrilled to hear that Jesse had joined the Talamasca order, but after Jesse said she would not tell them about the Great Family or the strange things that happened in the Sonoma compound, Maharet couldn't refuse Jesse to join the order if it made her happy.
At first Jesse worked in the archives translating Latin
texts. Later she worked in the field and was sent to haunted houses all over Europe
and the United States
. Then she met with David Talbot
, the head of the order, who told her that vampires were real, and he sent her to New Orleans. There she was to investigate and document events from the book Interview with the Vampire that took place. During the time in New Orleans she broke the strict rules of the Talamasca in cases concerning vampires, which led to her encounter with the spirit of Claudia, the vampire child of Lestat
and Louis
. This concluded in Jesse being sick for weeks, and her being taken off the case.
She later visited Matthew and Maria in New York
, where she discovered Lestat's book The Vampire Lestat, his album and decided to go to his concert in San Francisco. She traveled from New York to California
and stayed for a while in the Sonoma compound where she remembered more of what happened that summer long ago.
At the concert in San Francisco Jesse managed to get up on stage, where she threw herself at Lestat. By doing this she got her suspicions confirmed: Mael and Maharet were vampires, just like she knew Lestat was. After being dragged off stage she was found sitting in a doorway by a vampire who identified her as part of the Talamasca. It threw her across the room, breaking her neck. Mael, who was at the concert to protect Jesse, took her from the hospital and gave her as much of his blood as he could to keep her alive. Jesse didn't want to die and asked Mael to make her a vampire, and just before he did Maharet came into the room and did it instead.
In regards to Jesse as a vampire, she is far more powerful than others of her age. This is due to the potent blood of Maharet which she received, much like David Talbot receiving the blood of Lestat.
Also in the novel, Jesse is thirty-five, is a senior for the Talamasca, and has psychic powers. But in the film, she's in her early twenties, doesn't have psychic powers, and is still an apprentice for the Talamasca.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Vampire Chronicles
The Vampire Chronicles
The Vampire Chronicles is a series of novels by Anne Rice that revolves around the fictional character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampire in the 18th century....
universe created by Anne Rice
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
.
Character Background and Biography
Jesse is a descendant of Maharet, and a member of the Great Family. She was made a vampireVampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
when she was 35 and has green eyes, pale skin and red hair.
Her mother Miriam died in a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
as a teenager when she was seven months pregnant with Jesse, who was by some kind of miracle born and found at the side of the road only minutes after the car crash. She remained in the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
for two weeks, nameless, until Maharet came and gave her a name. Jesse was the last survivor of the Reeve family of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and was brought up by her cousins
Cousins
Cousins may refer to:* Cousins * Cousins * Cousins * Cousins * More than one cousin* Cousins , people with the surname Cousins...
Maria and Matthew Godwin in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was Maharet who provided for Jesse, and made sure that she could go to any college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
she wanted. She even arranged it so Jesse got to meet other members of the Great Family who were spread all over the world.
Maharet, whom Jesse first knew as her aunt
Aunt
An aunt is a person who is the sister or sister-in-law of a parent. A man with an equivalent relationship is an uncle, and the reciprocal relationship is that of a nephew or niece....
, kept in touch with Jesse through letters and Jesse considered her a good friend. As Jesse grew up, she discovered that she could read minds and see ghosts and spirits and she confided this to her aunt. Maharet explained to her that seers of spirits were common with women in the Great Family, and that it was a gift that seemed to come with the attributes of green eyes, pale skin and red hair. She urged Jesse to write her whenever she would be frightened by it.
The first time Jesse met Maharet was in her third year at Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Two years later she spent parts of her summer with Maharet and Mael, her good friend, in her house in the Sonoma Mountains, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. During the summer she discovered the history of the Great Family, and spent some of her time looking at old portraits, photographs and reading the history that had been written down. She realized that the Great Family was very old, texts were written in ancient Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
and in Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs were a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians that combined logographic and alphabetic elements. Egyptians used cursive hieroglyphs for religious literature on papyrus and wood...
.
After some strange events that she could remember only fragments of, Maharet and Mael left the compound. Maharet left Jesse a letter telling her how sorry she was that they left so suddenly, that she was afraid they would keep her from doing things she set out to do, and that she had arranged for Jesse to be driven to the airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
later that day.
Later Jesse moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and worked at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. During that time she was approached by Aaron Lightner. He showed her a file the Talamasca
Talamasca Caste
The Talamasca Caste is a fictional secret society described in the works of Anne Rice.- Background :The Talamasca Caste is described as a secret society set up to watch over and keep track of the paranormal, in particular, witches, spirits, werewolves and vampires...
had on her. Apparently they knew of her ability to see spirits and wanted her to be part of the order. Jesse thought of the Talamasca as a new "Great Family" and found the Talamascan records to be a substitute for the treasures she had lost that summer at the Sonoma house. Maharet wasn't thrilled to hear that Jesse had joined the Talamasca order, but after Jesse said she would not tell them about the Great Family or the strange things that happened in the Sonoma compound, Maharet couldn't refuse Jesse to join the order if it made her happy.
At first Jesse worked in the archives translating Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
texts. Later she worked in the field and was sent to haunted houses all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Then she met with David Talbot
David Talbot
David Talbot is a progressive journalist, bestselling author and media entrepreneur. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of one of the first web magazines, Salon.com...
, the head of the order, who told her that vampires were real, and he sent her to New Orleans. There she was to investigate and document events from the book Interview with the Vampire that took place. During the time in New Orleans she broke the strict rules of the Talamasca in cases concerning vampires, which led to her encounter with the spirit of Claudia, the vampire child of Lestat
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including The Vampire Lestat. He is a vampire and the main character in the majority of The Vampire Chronicles, narrated in first person.-Publication history:...
and Louis
Louis de Pointe du Lac
Louis de Pointe du Lac is a fictional character in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series. He began his life as a mortal man, and later became a vampire. He is the protagonist and antihero of Interview with the Vampire, the first book of The Vampire Chronicles...
. This concluded in Jesse being sick for weeks, and her being taken off the case.
She later visited Matthew and Maria in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where she discovered Lestat's book The Vampire Lestat, his album and decided to go to his concert in San Francisco. She traveled from New York to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and stayed for a while in the Sonoma compound where she remembered more of what happened that summer long ago.
At the concert in San Francisco Jesse managed to get up on stage, where she threw herself at Lestat. By doing this she got her suspicions confirmed: Mael and Maharet were vampires, just like she knew Lestat was. After being dragged off stage she was found sitting in a doorway by a vampire who identified her as part of the Talamasca. It threw her across the room, breaking her neck. Mael, who was at the concert to protect Jesse, took her from the hospital and gave her as much of his blood as he could to keep her alive. Jesse didn't want to die and asked Mael to make her a vampire, and just before he did Maharet came into the room and did it instead.
In regards to Jesse as a vampire, she is far more powerful than others of her age. This is due to the potent blood of Maharet which she received, much like David Talbot receiving the blood of Lestat.
In the novel and the 2002 film
In the novel, Jesse meets Lestat at his San Francisco concert for the first time, leaps into his arms, and is then pulled back from him by the concert-goers. Then she is killed by a vampire after leaving the concert hall. But in the film, she becomes enamored with Lestat (and vice versa) in an alleyway outside a nightclub called the "Admiral's Arms" after he saves her from a trio of vampires. She then gives him back his journal before the concert. While at the concert, instead of jumping on the stage and throwing herself at Lestat like she did in the novel (as she already knew he was a vampire), she tries to warn him of the attacks by the vampires in the crowd by calling out his name. (Of course, he defends himself very well. This part was filmed in Werribee, Australia as the producers believed it would be too dangerous to use pyrotechnics in an enclosed space.)Also in the novel, Jesse is thirty-five, is a senior for the Talamasca, and has psychic powers. But in the film, she's in her early twenties, doesn't have psychic powers, and is still an apprentice for the Talamasca.