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.