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riverofhorton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Body shaming, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, War, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
hexxchen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Die Sprache ist gewöhnungsbedürftig, weil "haben" nicht als Hilfswerb in der Vergangenheitsform genutzt wird und einige Begriffe in ihrer Bedeutung veraltet sind. Aber für Muttersprachler stellt es kein Problem dar. Auch die Sitten und wie Charaktere übereinander sprechen, gerde im Sinn von Geschlechterrollen und Vorurteilen. Das Buch ist nun einmal über 100 Jahre alt.
Ich finde die Stimme von Mina klingt recht gelangweilt, oder soll naiv und tüchtig klingen? Sonst mag ich aber, dass die Erzählstruktur von Briefen und Tagebüchern durch mehrere Leser herausgesrbeitet wird.
Die Geschichte entwickelt sich anfangs mit Schrecken, dann aber sehr langsam und eher rätzelhaft. (Heutige Leser sind zusätzlich gespoilert und hier könnte es langweilig werden.) Zum Ende habe ich persönlich jedoch etwas Interesse verloren, vielleicht wegen einem 2023 Blick auf Van Helsings Psychologiewissen, aber eig. zieht das Tempo hier wieder ein bisschen an, da die Protagonisten nun aktiv werden. Das Ende kommt dann aber sehr abrupt und war für mich etwas unbefriedigend.
Alles in Allem ist Drakula aber eine sehr interessante Geschichte, eine der frühen Vampirerzählungen, welche unsere Popkultur für immer geprägt haben. Für Freunde von Horror und Fantasy daher eine Empfehlung.
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Violence
sleep walking, old gender stereotypesnatfoster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, and Sexual content
kibbles15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Violence, Medical trauma, and Torture
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Murder, Violence, Animal death, and Classism
Moderate: War, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
kstericker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Self harm, and Sexual content
naomi_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, Animal death, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Xenophobia, Misogyny, Medical content, Death of parent, Classism, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual content and Terminal illness
pollydye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, and Miscarriage
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
margztgz's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Read this for my classic monsters class, this novel feels like an epic tale that is long and laborious yet with some beautiful writing. Mina pissed me off. Literally everything seems to go back to gender roles and sex, but it's brilliantly done.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, Stalking, Violence, and Sexism
Minor: Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
lectrixnoctis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The story begins with Jonathan Harker, a young British lawyer, as he travels to Transylvania. Since he plans to meet with Count Dracula, a client of his firm, to finalize a property transaction, when he arrives in Transylvania, the local citizen reacts with extreme terror after telling them his destination: Castle Dracula. Though it makes him slightly uncomfortable, he continues onward. The weird howling of wolves rings through the air as he arrives at the old castle. When Harker meets the Count, he acknowledges that the man is pale, gaunt, and strange behaving. Harker becomes even more concerned after Harker cuts himself while shaving, Dracula lunges at his throat. Soon after that, Harker is seduced by three beautiful female vampires, from whom he barely escapes. He then discovers Dracula's dark secret—a bloodthirsty vampire who only survives because of human blood. Jonathan correctly assumes that he is to be the count's next victim. He attacks the count. However, his efforts are unsuccessful. The Count leaves Harker trapped in the castle and then, along with 50 boxes of dirt, departs for England. As Dracula enters England, the entire nation and even Harkers fiancée has her best friend Lucy Westenra at risk. Only one can help them end the bloodshed: Van Helsing, a Dutch specialist from Amsterdam.
The story is primarily told throughout a collection of journal entries, letters and even written and recorded telegrams by the main characters: Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, Dr John Seward, Lucy Westenra and Dr Van Helsing. Therefore, the point of view shifts among these characters in the first person. The book is set in England and Eastern Europe and plays at the end of the nineteenth century.
"Dracula" has many fundamental themes which make this book into a literal masterpiece. One of the first ones that will come to your mind is the consequences of modernity. Early in the novel, as Harker begins to feel uncomfortable in the castle, he notes that modernity can question someone's beliefs and even their systems. It is a powerful division between Victorian London, full of advancements of modernity, and the rundown Castile in Transylvania. When Lucy is under Dracula's spell, modern devotees cannot help her. Only Van Helsing can since he keeps an open mind about ancient legends and proves that all knowledge is worth knowing even if it is not the typical western one.
Another theme is the threat of female sexual expression. It might surprise someone who has not read this novel yet, but it is packed with sexual undertones, especially those from the Victorian male gaze. There were only two options for a woman in Victorian society: either the beautiful virgin and a model of purity or a mother and wife. If you happened to be either of these, you were considered a whore: The character Lucy Westenra is a depiction of that since she was pure and angelic before she eventually fell under the spell of Dracula and died a horrible death because of her "wild" behaviour. Mina Murray is the complete opposite of Lucy and, therefore, the ideal Victorian woman.
Even the promise of Christian salvation is portrait in "Dracula". The Count is depicted as the most veiled and satanic figure walking on earth with sharp teeth, pointy ears, and flaming eyes. He is bloodthirsty, and those who fall under his spell are turned into monsters who remain eternal while slowly losing their souls. Only the second death of those under the period gets their chance of Christian salivation and regain their purity.
Due to the strange events which have taken place in this novel, characters often question if they are, in fact, sane or not what brings us to the next theme. Jonathan is not sure if his memories after returning to his fiancée are von real or if they were only a fever dream. Renfield, a patient under Dr Seward's care, is depicted as a madman who does foreshadow Draculas's evil plans.
While Dracula is undoubtedly evil and dangerous figure, his national origin makes him threatening the main characters. As a citizen of Eastern Europe, Dracula is portrayed as significantly different from his English, American, and Dutch enemies; as he explains to Harker, their ways are different from his. On Jonathan's last night at the castle, he looks at the sleeping count and thinks with horror that he is helping this "creature" getting into London.
This book is hands down my favourite novel of all time. I cannot imagine my life without it. Although "Dracula" can be strange to read at first and you have to get accustomed to it, it is highly worth it. I cannot help but love this book. It is a gothic masterpiece everyone should have read at least once in their life. If you have not read this novel, be sure to pick it up now.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Torture
Moderate: Racism