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nightfell's review against another edition
- 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
I loved all the different gothic/horror elements Dracula included, as I was only expecting the vampire element. There was asylums with mentally ill people, hypnosis, sleepwalking, missing children, cemeteries, breaking into graves, castles and of course Vampires.
I liked all the characters, and the relationships that grew between them, especially Mina and Lucy, Van Helsing and John Seward, and Van Helsing and Mina. Mina is so smart and cute and Van Helsing and Seward were all my favourite characters. Jonathan Harker's journals at the beginning were so funny and fun to read, and I like how they were the foundation for the rest of the story. It's so cute how they all read each other's diaries, and I liked how they all became a sort of found family in the second half of the book.
Overall, it was a good book, and I would recommend to anyone who is up for a 400 page classic, and who likes Vampires and books with a gothic setting.
Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Stalking
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, and Kidnapping
yavin_iv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Medical content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexism
Minor: Antisemitism
lizzie24601's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
emmsiej95's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Death
Minor: Xenophobia, Sexism, and Grief
The depiction of the Count as a strange foreigner who seeks to come to England and disrupt their way of life is xenophobic, but it's also very period accurate.grayisasleep's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Animal death, and Child death
Minor: War and Racism
trulydevious's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Death
Moderate: Stalking, Racism, Murder, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Body horror
Minor: Alcohol
seanml's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Grief and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Medical content, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicidal thoughts
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
graybat's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, and Grief
brnineworms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Overall I did enjoy Dracula and I’m glad I finally sat down and read it. It’s certainly not without its flaws but I think it’s worth reading if you haven’t already.
“The last I saw of Count Dracula was his kissing his hand to me, with a red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of.”
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia
Minor: Body horror, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, and Vomit