A review by satanita
Dracula by Bram Stoker

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Ah yes, the book that may have started it all, the vampire craze. Honestly, I love the idea of vampires and what they could possibly mean for society. How they embody the greatest fears of each generation and the way they change throughout time. Their eternal loneliness and insatiable hunger for blood. And of course their queerness. Bram Stoker deserves to be a literary acclaimed writer. I read this for a class, but I always knew I was going to love it. The symbolism and the way the story is a recollection of diary entries and newspaper clips is so interesting. It is as if I was putting together what happened during that encounter. Even though I sometimes avoid reading classics, I agree that this is a masterpiece. It's important to note that as with many other books written during this era, it does contain some slurs and rhetoric that portray racism and xenophobia. I fully went on a research frenzy as I finished the book, I read essays and studies, watch video analyses, and kept on looking at the history of vampires. I even started to read some other books about the myth, Carmilla is obviously on the list of to-be-read. Characters in the book like Lucy and Mina deserve a better spotlight. Mina was literally the MVP of the group. I also think somebody should make a story about Quincy, Arthur, and Seward. Like in the last chapter it says that Arthur and Seward got married come ON (it's open to interpretation but in my mind, they are together). I would say that this book is incredibly interesting, but the story of its author is also very intriguing. A little investigation and one finds out Stoker was friends with the one and only, Oscar Wilde. Not only this, but he proposed to a lady Wilde was courting. Also, he wrote Dracula while Wilde was on trial, much to be thought about... much to be thought about. In terms of the book, well it's really fun, I felt like a detective and all. I love the supernatural aspects, but let's be honest, vampires are my favorite supernatural being. I just didn't like that Stoker killed a character for literally no reason. Like they survived everything and at the very end, they just drop dead?? like, COME ON. Overall, recommended for those who would like to read a spooky classic with a lot of subtexts to be analyzed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Death

Moderate: Rape

Death:

So when Lucy dies, her deterioration is very slow and painful. She slowly loses herself to the vampirism, finally succumbing to it. It could be sensitive for those who find such scenes hard to read. There are instances in which they transfuse blood, may I say without the proper knowledge of blood types, bet Lucy is AB.

Rape:

There is also a scene in which the Count forces Mina to drink from his blood in order to create a bond with her. This strongly alludes to rape, as she is unwilling to accept it and is forced to do so. For the rest of the story, she feels as if she is unworthy and unclean. So this could be sensitive for some. Watch out for these if you don't feel comfortable with such things.