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skusaroo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual violence
jordibontje's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Misogyny, and Sexism
lmuthler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The story of Count Dracula truly is a classic - so many of our modern monster and vampire tales are based on his iconic character. That said, Stoker's writing definitely drags in some places. I listened to the audiobook, and found myself tuning out in some places, especially when lengthy descriptions or explanations featured over any real action. I also would have loved to have more scenes with Count Dracula in action - the book contained much more talking about Dracula than Dracula himself. Even so, he remained a mysterious character as the Harkers, Van Helsing, and the others worked to uncover the truth about Dracula and find a way to end him.
Dracula offers a haunting monster tale, especially for those willing to wade through hefty chunks of description between the action.
Dracula offers a haunting monster tale, especially for those willing to wade through hefty chunks of description between the action.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Child death, and Sexism
tifftastic87's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Obviously a classic, but very hard to get through. The writing in journal style is intriguing and adds to the mystery. Its very much a product of it's time and that made it hard to get immersed.
The characters however, have much more depth than I expected and it has made me question the later interpretation of some characters. If you are a horror fan and haven't read this one, I recommend putting it on your list just to understand some of the beginnings of our supernatural tales.
I do want to add that for the times Mina seems to be a particularly strong female character. The way she is described by the men is annoying "fair but having the brain of a man" but I understand that for the time that was likely a huge praise. It is her and Van Helsing that put it all together, find all the pieces and track down Dracula. Without her the men would have been lost and that is proved in a major plot point when they try to lock her away for her safety.
The characters however, have much more depth than I expected and it has made me question the later interpretation of some characters. If you are a horror fan and haven't read this one, I recommend putting it on your list just to understand some of the beginnings of our supernatural tales.
I do want to add that for the times Mina seems to be a particularly strong female character. The way she is described by the men is annoying "fair but having the brain of a man" but I understand that for the time that was likely a huge praise. It is her and Van Helsing that put it all together, find all the pieces and track down Dracula. Without her the men would have been lost and that is proved in a major plot point when they try to lock her away for her safety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Sexism
Moderate: Ableism, Cannibalism, Medical content, Child abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Gun violence
_p0ssum_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexism, Animal death, and Misogyny
sylda's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really like the Audrey version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, and Sexism
coolfijiwater's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Animal death, and Sexism
mikarala's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The opening chapters told from the POV of Jonathan Harker via his journal as he becomes a guest at Dracula's castle would make an excellent short story. After that section, I thought this was going to be a 4.5-5 star book.
Unfortunately, that was by far the most gripping point of the novel.
From that point on, the story went downhill. The middle was terribly long and dull, and the climax wasn't much better. Nominally, there were horrifying events happening that increased the tension in the story, however, I just didn't care or find it interesting. Count Dracula as a character was, frankly, disappointing. For all of the mysterious and disturbing sense of menace he brought in the early chapters, he didn't really have much presence in the rest of the novel--certainly he wasn't accompanied by that same feeling of doom. I really didn't care for any of the rest of our cast of vampire hunters. It seems like it should be exciting, but it just really wasn't.
What I did find a bit interesting was viewing this novel as a great time capsule, with Stoker's obsessive inclusion of various new technological inventions and newfangled societal trends. Unfortunately, this has downsides. Dracula is an epistolary novel, and while I liked the idea of Dr. Seward using his phonograph to record his diary, and enjoyed the inclusion of certain important events being alluded to in newpaper article format, for the most part I found this style kind of cumbersome. Frankly there were moments where it became awkward and broke my suspension of disbelief (ahem when Mina literally "stutters" in her writing lmao).
Also there was just a lot of benevolent sexism and casual racism. One of Mina's jobs is literally to be cheerful so the menfolk can rally around her as a source to motivation. Not even an exaggeration; that's actually from the text. And the casual racism is toward the "gipsies", who uncritically serve Dracula due to superstition or something? I don't know, because it's not interrogated at all, but presumably they just don't know any better because they aren't proper white Anglo-Saxons, right, Stoker? It's honestly not even a huge part of the text, but it did really bother me.
Ultimately, while it's fascinating to read a classic that codified so many vampire-related tropes that continue into the modern day, I don't think the novel itself is that impressive.
Unfortunately, that was by far the most gripping point of the novel.
From that point on, the story went downhill. The middle was terribly long and dull, and the climax wasn't much better. Nominally, there were horrifying events happening that increased the tension in the story, however, I just didn't care or find it interesting. Count Dracula as a character was, frankly, disappointing. For all of the mysterious and disturbing sense of menace he brought in the early chapters, he didn't really have much presence in the rest of the novel--certainly he wasn't accompanied by that same feeling of doom. I really didn't care for any of the rest of our cast of vampire hunters. It seems like it should be exciting, but it just really wasn't.
What I did find a bit interesting was viewing this novel as a great time capsule, with Stoker's obsessive inclusion of various new technological inventions and newfangled societal trends. Unfortunately, this has downsides. Dracula is an epistolary novel, and while I liked the idea of Dr. Seward using his phonograph to record his diary, and enjoyed the inclusion of certain important events being alluded to in newpaper article format, for the most part I found this style kind of cumbersome. Frankly there were moments where it became awkward and broke my suspension of disbelief (ahem when Mina literally "stutters" in her writing lmao).
Also there was just a lot of benevolent sexism and casual racism. One of Mina's jobs is literally to be cheerful so the menfolk can rally around her as a source to motivation. Not even an exaggeration; that's actually from the text. And the casual racism is toward the "gipsies", who uncritically serve Dracula due to superstition or something? I don't know, because it's not interrogated at all, but presumably they just don't know any better because they aren't proper white Anglo-Saxons, right, Stoker? It's honestly not even a huge part of the text, but it did really bother me.
Ultimately, while it's fascinating to read a classic that codified so many vampire-related tropes that continue into the modern day, I don't think the novel itself is that impressive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Sexism
Minor: Racism
alicelalicon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Grief
monstrous_cowboy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Sexism