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A review by nettleflare
Dracula's Guest: A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Vampire Stories by Michael Sims
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is an excellent vampire anthology. The introduction provides valuable historical context for the emergence of vampire stories during the Victorian era. Each story is accompanied by a short biography that situates the author and their work within broader trends.
The collection includes both stories that are well-known and unheard of. I was especially surprised by the fact that pre-Victorian vampire stories did not tend to focus on class struggles and elitism and were instead related to misunderstandings about decomposing bodies. My favorite story highlights include: a vampire town, male vampire victims, melodramatic Varney the Vampire, and Bram Stoker's atmospheric writing. I loved the volume, bought a copy, and will likely read it again.
The collection includes both stories that are well-known and unheard of. I was especially surprised by the fact that pre-Victorian vampire stories did not tend to focus on class struggles and elitism and were instead related to misunderstandings about decomposing bodies. My favorite story highlights include: a vampire town, male vampire victims, melodramatic Varney the Vampire, and Bram Stoker's atmospheric writing. I loved the volume, bought a copy, and will likely read it again.