Paperback, 125 pages
English language
Published Nov. 27, 2021 by Independently Published.
It tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he may find new blood and spread undead curse, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
It tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he may find new blood and spread undead curse, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
Good lord! Abraham Van Helsing is a bore! If I hear anymore of his chatter of child brain vs man brain, I'm gonna invite Dracula to my house for dinner, preferably with Van Helsing as the meal.
Good lord! Abraham Van Helsing is a bore! If I hear anymore of his chatter of child brain vs man brain, I'm gonna invite Dracula to my house for dinner, preferably with Van Helsing as the meal.
The original novel is a great read. Not just for the way it codified modern vampire lore. But for the way it's built entirely out of diary entries, letters, news fragments, telegrams and so on. For the way it shows modern science coming to grips with ancient superstition and figuring out how to deal with it. For showing an early example of a woman participating in her own rescue. And for some of the parts that didn't make it into general pop culture. (Count Dracula spends an awful lot of time in a shipping box.)
In some senses it's the written-word equivalent of the "found footage" horror genre. Except the "sources" are wildly varying. John and Mina write their journals and letters to each other in shorthand. Business letters are of course written formally. Dr. Seward keeps an audio diary on a phonograph. Van Helsing's speech is rendered with …
The original novel is a great read. Not just for the way it codified modern vampire lore. But for the way it's built entirely out of diary entries, letters, news fragments, telegrams and so on. For the way it shows modern science coming to grips with ancient superstition and figuring out how to deal with it. For showing an early example of a woman participating in her own rescue. And for some of the parts that didn't make it into general pop culture. (Count Dracula spends an awful lot of time in a shipping box.)
In some senses it's the written-word equivalent of the "found footage" horror genre. Except the "sources" are wildly varying. John and Mina write their journals and letters to each other in shorthand. Business letters are of course written formally. Dr. Seward keeps an audio diary on a phonograph. Van Helsing's speech is rendered with every quirk of his Dutch accent and speech patterns. And then halfway through the book, when all the major characters finally come together...they collate all the documents and Mina transcribes them on a typewriter, and they pass around the first half of the book so they can all read up on what the rest of them have been doing! (Literally getting them all on the same page.)
That's not to say it's flawless. It's unclear why some victims rise again as vampires while others don't. While the science/superstition contrast works well for the most part, eastern Europeans don't exactly come off very well. Especially when they'd talk about the "gypsies" carrying Dracula around Transylvania. I mean, it could have been a lot worse, but it's still jarring.
Overall, though, it's an engaging read, whether approached as a book or, as Dracula Daily did, one day's letters at a time from May 3 through November 7.
Dracula Daily: draculadaily.substack.com/archive
This review on my website: hyperborea.org/reviews/books/dracula/
I never would've thought that Dracula would feature so many modern themes and inventions. In that aspect it was very different from what I expected.
Unfortunately the story wasn't as exciting as I had anticipated. Especially the middle part seemed to drag on forever.
But I'm very happy to have finally read this classic.
I never would've thought that Dracula would feature so many modern themes and inventions. In that aspect it was very different from what I expected.
Unfortunately the story wasn't as exciting as I had anticipated. Especially the middle part seemed to drag on forever.
But I'm very happy to have finally read this classic.
I had never given classic horror a go before, but this one was a pleasant surprise. The original Dracula story was something I thought I knew, elements like Dracula’s castle and the power possessed by that monster make an appearance here, but despite what you might expect of the original vampire, the book is still filled with great characters and moments that were truly nerve-wracking.
I couldn’t help but read faster and faster at times where the tension raised up, hoping for it to end when it was only getting worse. But its not all bad, there is always hope, and the determination of the characters to defend their loved ones and the future of humanity from the reign of the un-dead, is just great, but a few moments of old English were a little hard to read.
I listened to different audiobooks while reading, which was quite …
I had never given classic horror a go before, but this one was a pleasant surprise. The original Dracula story was something I thought I knew, elements like Dracula’s castle and the power possessed by that monster make an appearance here, but despite what you might expect of the original vampire, the book is still filled with great characters and moments that were truly nerve-wracking.
I couldn’t help but read faster and faster at times where the tension raised up, hoping for it to end when it was only getting worse. But its not all bad, there is always hope, and the determination of the characters to defend their loved ones and the future of humanity from the reign of the un-dead, is just great, but a few moments of old English were a little hard to read.
I listened to different audiobooks while reading, which was quite atmospheric too.
(Review originally written April 1st, 2022)
Adored it. I did, however, notice quite a few people mention it was at times repetitive but found that not to be the case per se. The "repetition" within the book made it feel more real as not every day is extremely different from the one before it; hence, it felt to me more authentic.
Adored it. I did, however, notice quite a few people mention it was at times repetitive but found that not to be the case per se. The "repetition" within the book made it feel more real as not every day is extremely different from the one before it; hence, it felt to me more authentic.
The beginning was interesting enough. Jonathan Harker was a character I felt like I could follow. Once Dracula launched into his playful torture, I was excited and had high hopes for the story. But alas, Dracula is more of a presence than he is present in this story. I understand the whole thing is supposed to be about paranoia. I understand it, yet I detest it. Dracula is such a witty character and for him to be actually present for so little of the story bothers me to no end. Instead, we get to follow way too many characters which more or less serve the same purpose. We also get to read everything three times over since this book is not at all concerned with dulling out the reader with perpetual, senseless, and borderline indecent repetition. At least reading all of it was somewhat bearable considering the style is digestible …
The beginning was interesting enough. Jonathan Harker was a character I felt like I could follow. Once Dracula launched into his playful torture, I was excited and had high hopes for the story. But alas, Dracula is more of a presence than he is present in this story. I understand the whole thing is supposed to be about paranoia. I understand it, yet I detest it. Dracula is such a witty character and for him to be actually present for so little of the story bothers me to no end. Instead, we get to follow way too many characters which more or less serve the same purpose. We also get to read everything three times over since this book is not at all concerned with dulling out the reader with perpetual, senseless, and borderline indecent repetition. At least reading all of it was somewhat bearable considering the style is digestible and smooth.
One of my favorite books of the year. Simply outstanding.
I'd forgotten just how much fun Dracula is, and how wonderfully creepy it is in places, despite the rather forced epistolary style and the somewhat anti-climactic ending.
I'd forgotten just how much fun Dracula is, and how wonderfully creepy it is in places, despite the rather forced epistolary style and the somewhat anti-climactic ending.
listened to it for Halloween :)
The most entertaining book written in the 19th Century. I haven't read all of them but they would struggle to top this.
It's elegant, moody and beautifully written, the epistolary style suits it perfectly, and somehow whenever things get bloody they also get a little titillating. I can only imagine how salacious this book must've been in 1897.
A Masterpiece.
The most entertaining book written in the 19th Century. I haven't read all of them but they would struggle to top this.
It's elegant, moody and beautifully written, the epistolary style suits it perfectly, and somehow whenever things get bloody they also get a little titillating. I can only imagine how salacious this book must've been in 1897.
A Masterpiece.
I had to read it for a university class, and didn't. now I finally picked it back up (because reading is only fun if you don't have to) and it wasn't as bad as I feared.
There were some lengths, as when Van Helsing and the others basically watched Lucy die and did nothing and when they kept going back and forth without getting anywhere, eventually. Overall it was quite interesting to see all the common vampire myths cumulate in this story.
I really liked the switch in point of view and the slightly different styles of narration that resulted. And I liked Mina being a bit more than random-interchangeable-female-character, actually having some actions to drive the story except for being the damsel in distress.
I had to read it for a university class, and didn't. now I finally picked it back up (because reading is only fun if you don't have to) and it wasn't as bad as I feared.
There were some lengths, as when Van Helsing and the others basically watched Lucy die and did nothing and when they kept going back and forth without getting anywhere, eventually. Overall it was quite interesting to see all the common vampire myths cumulate in this story.
I really liked the switch in point of view and the slightly different styles of narration that resulted. And I liked Mina being a bit more than random-interchangeable-female-character, actually having some actions to drive the story except for being the damsel in distress.
I'd wondered if this book would only be interesting as some kind of artifact of history. It's better than that but not by much. I suppose a fundamental problem is that what is frightening to be one generation may not be frightening to the next. Also the book drags as it goes on.
I'd wondered if this book would only be interesting as some kind of artifact of history. It's better than that but not by much. I suppose a fundamental problem is that what is frightening to be one generation may not be frightening to the next. Also the book drags as it goes on.
This was... this was okay.
It's difficult to judge classics fairly, as one's likely to be so steeped in their derivative works that to criticize a 'progenitor' feels tantamount to slandering a lineage. That said, I found myself largely unmoved by the tale, and a bit dismayed by the glut of all-too-familiar powers ascribed to Dracula -- "moonbeams" indeed.
My single favorite part was hearing Christopher Lee (who narrated this copy of the book) say of Lucy Westenra: "...If looks could kill...!"
This was... this was okay.
It's difficult to judge classics fairly, as one's likely to be so steeped in their derivative works that to criticize a 'progenitor' feels tantamount to slandering a lineage. That said, I found myself largely unmoved by the tale, and a bit dismayed by the glut of all-too-familiar powers ascribed to Dracula -- "moonbeams" indeed.
My single favorite part was hearing Christopher Lee (who narrated this copy of the book) say of Lucy Westenra: "...If looks could kill...!"
Classic Victorian gothic, especially the first half is a masterclass in atmospheric buildup.
Amusing and very Victorian story on how a committee of gentlemen (and one lady) fought off an attempt by a very bored Transylvanian vampire to take over London.
