I just finished The Vampire Lestat and it was such a wild ride! I fell in love with Nicki and Nickistat but I feel like his story was so tragic and it stayed with me after concluding the story. It left me feeling disappointed in Lestat's and Gabrielle's treatment of him. Gabrielle was ready to leave him hanging until Lestat reminded her that Nicki was good to her. I also didn't like how she referred to the situation with Nicki as a "disaster". This was a man that traveled with her and looked out for her.
As for Lestat, I was equally disappointed with how he treated Nicki. Nicki was obviously struggling with a mental disability early on in the book so it was disappointing to hear Lestat say he could no longer stand to be around him or could no longer stand the sight of him after Nicki's despondency and detachment grew after vampirism. It reminds me of the spouse who leaves their partner after they've suffered some trauma or ailment and their appearance has been compromised. Then to leave him with Armand who had already tried to convince Lestat to destroy him once before was definitely careless. I understand that Nicki requested Lestat leave, but I felt like Nicki was lashing out, and Lestat gave up too easily. Maybe if Nicki had more time and Lestat was more patient, Nicki would have worked through that darkness because it's my understanding that Louis does by the end of the books?
I just wish Nicki's situation wasn't so tragic. And what makes it worse is none of it was his fault because he couldn't help his mental state.
Nicki‘s situation IS tragic.
It is also not as clear cut as you relay it here.
Gabrielle did use the word "disaster", but she referred to Lestat turning Nicolas - not Nicolas himself. And, her harsh wording notwithstanding, but that is what it ultimately accumulated to, namely torture, starvation, madness and then death.
Nicolas may have been well struggling with a mental illness, yes, but he was also struggling waaaaayyyyy before he and Lestat hooked up, and already spiraling, something which Lestat recognized but could or would not really "see" - here is a post with a lot of quotes wrt that:
Hi Nalyra. I would love to hear your thoughts about Nickistat because Virginia is very biased against the relationship and often romanticize
When you say "worked through the darkness" you do realize that it took Louis hundreds of years, a suicide (and not just "any" attempt either) and lots of reflection to do that, right. Nicolas was a lot more volatile than Louis, which is something that Eleni writes in the letters. He did not direct the darkness within as Louis does for the most part, no he tries to take the "world" down with him.
And ultimately, this is what leads to his death, namely Armand having to use... means to subdue him.
Anne… had the tendency to victim blame, to put the blame of "not trying hard enough" on them, all the while struggling herself as well. That does reflect here, unfortunately.
Nicki seeks out the darkness after life failed him, after he went against his father, after the bitterness led him into darkness, and he tries to drag Lestat down with him deliberately.
Nicolas did not want to go to Paris with Lestat because he loved him - he wanted them to go down, to die.
No-one - I repeat - no-one owes someone a (shared) suicide.
When Lestat recognized he could not save Nicki, that is when he realized he had to leave him behind. This isn't simply a "spouse leaving a sick partner", this is recognizing you can not help someone and leaving them in the hopefully best care you can provide.
Lestat was hoping that time would provide what he could not, not then.
But Nicolas destroyed that chance with his behavior, and that is not trying to blame him here, it is simply a fact, given Armand's absolute rules there. Which were then enforced.
