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coffeebeforepants's review against another edition
4.0
I re-read this every few years, every time I get something more out of it. It can be hard to read in some parts due to vernacular. I still recommend it
krbranham's review against another edition
3.0
Connor convinced me to read and was really fun for an October book. Started off so strong but had some very slow draggy parts in the middle. I wanted to know more about Dracula himself definitely could have used less on Lucy she was annoying.
the_raven_writes's review against another edition
5.0
Over the years, I've seen my share of vampire movies and read a number of books about vampires. Because my daughters were teenagers at the height of the Twilight craze, I know about about Edward Cullen and his family. Then there was Anne Rice's rock star vampire, Lestat. There have been countless others as well; however, it was only this month that I read the original Dracula.
I love Gothic mysteries, and Dracula had plenty of Gothic atmosphere. The book is full of creepy, old castles, dank crypts, and gloomy weather. Like many classic novels, this one used a lot of description, but I appreciated how Stoker painted a picture of the Carpathian Mountains and the old-world charm of those who lived there. As I read, I disappeared into the world he created. I knew the basics of the story, but even so I was swept away. I consider this high praise since I'm generally not attracted to novels written in diary form the way this one was.
I also liked the characters, even if they were a bit over the top. Stoker made Mina, the heroine, out to be a saint and hearing about her perfectly sweet nature got old after a while. I like my heroines a little more earthy. However, considering when this book was written, Mina is a pretty kick-ass woman. She doesn't see a lot of action (the men want to spare her delicate sensibilities), but she's fearless and smart. An equal part of the team. I also liked the relationship she had with her husband, Jonathan. The two of them were clearly in love and wanted only the best for the other. These were characters I could get behind.
Dracula himself, however, was a bit of a disappointment. He was evil enough for me, but his evilness wasn't clever or interesting. I like villains with fascinating backstories who use twisted logic to justify themselves. Dracula was more like an animal acting on instinct than someone with a purpose or will. Obviously, he was clever enough to move from Transylvania to England, but beyond that, he was more of a mystery than anything.
There were a lot of interesting details in the book that subsequent vampire stories have ignored. For example, I was shocked to find that Dracula had a mustache, and that he was an old man until he drank blood from young women. The book was also surprisingly gory, given the fact it was written in the 1800's.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I plan on reading more classic horror. I highly recommend Dracula for those who like mysterious, Gothic horror. This was definitely a five out of five star read.
I love Gothic mysteries, and Dracula had plenty of Gothic atmosphere. The book is full of creepy, old castles, dank crypts, and gloomy weather. Like many classic novels, this one used a lot of description, but I appreciated how Stoker painted a picture of the Carpathian Mountains and the old-world charm of those who lived there. As I read, I disappeared into the world he created. I knew the basics of the story, but even so I was swept away. I consider this high praise since I'm generally not attracted to novels written in diary form the way this one was.
I also liked the characters, even if they were a bit over the top. Stoker made Mina, the heroine, out to be a saint and hearing about her perfectly sweet nature got old after a while. I like my heroines a little more earthy. However, considering when this book was written, Mina is a pretty kick-ass woman. She doesn't see a lot of action (the men want to spare her delicate sensibilities), but she's fearless and smart. An equal part of the team. I also liked the relationship she had with her husband, Jonathan. The two of them were clearly in love and wanted only the best for the other. These were characters I could get behind.
Dracula himself, however, was a bit of a disappointment. He was evil enough for me, but his evilness wasn't clever or interesting. I like villains with fascinating backstories who use twisted logic to justify themselves. Dracula was more like an animal acting on instinct than someone with a purpose or will. Obviously, he was clever enough to move from Transylvania to England, but beyond that, he was more of a mystery than anything.
There were a lot of interesting details in the book that subsequent vampire stories have ignored. For example, I was shocked to find that Dracula had a mustache, and that he was an old man until he drank blood from young women. The book was also surprisingly gory, given the fact it was written in the 1800's.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I plan on reading more classic horror. I highly recommend Dracula for those who like mysterious, Gothic horror. This was definitely a five out of five star read.
groozer's review against another edition
5.0
There is a part later in the book where Dracula is escaping out of a window in retreat from a failed attack. He is slashed by a character with a knife. The Count basically drops his wallet and has to scramble around on the floor picking up coins and banknotes.
Not too far away from that, there is a point where he is literally controlling the weather.
You get it all with Dracula.
Not too far away from that, there is a point where he is literally controlling the weather.
You get it all with Dracula.
loganfracassi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
3.5
bunnyfortune's review against another edition
3.0
Beware! Here there be spoilers! It took me a ridiculously long time to finish Dracula, like an obscenely long time. I wanted so badly to love this book, but ended up just feeling kind of...meh, about it. For much of the book I believed it was because of how everyone kept treating my favorite character, Mina. The girl’s got skills and smarts for days, and all the men around her kept patting themselves on the back for excluding her from their vampire hunt. She practically solved the dang thing, but you think she can’t handle it, because she’s a woman? Let me tell you gents something, women are built of pain and strength, wit and love. To top it all off, we bear much of it in secret so as not to harm your egos, but trust me, there is a well of strength in us that you cannot even begin to fathom. (Thus screams the tiny feminist on my shoulder.) Honestly, I think I may just be a bit jaded. I was raised by a single mother who had been through hell and back, I know what strength is. I know! I know! This was a different time, and I can appreciate that, but thank goodness for feminism, amiright? I also grew up developing a healthy obsession with Buffy, you know, the vampire slayer, and I’m just not buying this whole, “but she’s a woman!” rhetoric. I’m sure if I had lived back when this story was written I would have been all about it, but growing up with 90’s-00’s girl power ruined it for me (in the best way) so thanks Joss Whedon. (No really, so many thanks.) All that being said, I do wholeheartedly respect this classic in that it started a whole sub genre of literature and pop culture that I adore. I could feel it’s influences on almost every page. I also have to admit things did improve for Madam Mina in the end, and I do believe those gentlemen held her in high regard after all, but I’ll probably still stick with the likes of Buffy and friends to get my vampire fixes.
wizardfuzz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
gcrunnels's review against another edition
4.0
Dracula Daily was such a fun way to read this classic.
As a book, I didn’t love the epistolary style at all times. The climax also felt a little rushed after so much build up. And of course, the moral of the story is pretty puritanical. Still, a classic!
As a book, I didn’t love the epistolary style at all times. The climax also felt a little rushed after so much build up. And of course, the moral of the story is pretty puritanical. Still, a classic!