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Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Dracula by Bram Stoker

224 reviews

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Ah, man.  A re-read for me. It’s so good, possibly even better from a re-read. Like with most of these culturally significant books, you have a sense of the novel before you read it. Before this re-read, I was remembering the story - what was as I had expected, what wasn’t. The characters I had visions of, and how they sit in wider literary contexts. But this re-read reminded me just how good of a novel it is. The pacing is spectacular. The way Stoker lays out information, by who, when, and how, is spot on without fail. The characterisation is insanely good- each with a unique voice and personality. I had forgotten how funny they could be, at times, Dracula included. The writing itself is solid, with some memorable quotes - but it is the telling of story that really makes this epistolary form special. Stoker wasn’t the first, nor the last to do this. But did he smash it so far out the park that everyone else is still trying to catch up? Yes. Yes, he did.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Beware of those foreign immigrants who seduce your virgins, corrupt your wives, and turn you gay, as they plan to spread their race over precious England!! 

Gosh that was long-winded and repeptitive. How many conversations of "hey last time we didn't take Mina seriously was a bad idea, maybe we should include her in the plans" do we need before we can treat Mina like an equal member of the group? I much preferred the beginning section of Jonathan Harker's diary, before the mixed media element really kicked in. When Bram stoker is just listing every scary thing he can think of is where the fun's at.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I’ve read this book three times and can’t believe I haven’t reviewed it yet.

Some great things:
-Stoker wrote this book in part to roast his boss.
-It’s hilarious.
-A lot of it is various characters writing about reading.
-Imagine reading this in the 1800’s and being like “why can’t they see him in the mirror??” Every clue becomes foreshadowing to a modern reader.
-There are some really well-written moments of tension.
-Stoker is gay everyone is gay.
-Mina Murray’s gay revenge arc.
-Abraham Van Helsing is basically good at everything and is named after Stoker’s father.
-(Stoker is also named after his father.)

Not as great:
-Ending is a little abrupt. 
-
RIP Quincy P. Morris you were the gayest one of all.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Not something I would normally read but really enjoyed it, definitely a classic.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a great way to present the Dracula novel in audio form. I started with a good chunk to catch up on and finished in just about real time. Really well done audio, and some awesome, often corny original songs added into the mix - I say corny with the utmost love.
I do have critiques of the novel itself, like how the doctors consider Lucy's receiving a blood transfusion from more than one man as polyandry/as a slight to her reputation, marking her as a whore. The male main characters also fall into the exact same pitfalls as Victor Frankenstein when he destroys his creation's half made wife and fully disregards the possibility of revenge harming anyone beside himself, leading to the death of his betrothed. In them killing and redeeming Lucy after Dracula had made her a part of his harem in his slow killing of her, how could they not suspect Mina would be in danger of the same fate as her best friend while living next door to the vampire? I did enjoy the "dracula polycule" moments in the book, as is related to the sexualization of Lucy Westenra, especially since John, Quincey, and Arthur remained close and devoted to each other even after Lucy's death. 
Overall, wild book from start to finish, while also somehow managing to be boring often.
I need to read this again, in its book form.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Dracula is a really interesting read. The story is told through a series of letters and journal entries written by all the different characters. It’s kind of fun to unravel the mystery with the characters, even though you know more than the characters and you know how the mystery is “solved.” 

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