braszinski2 's review for:

Why Do People Get Ill?: Exploring the Mind-body Connection by Darian Leader

5.0

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Dracula presents an intriguing tension between Romanticism, Victorian, and Modern England. While several critics tend to limit Dracula to a sexual character (which is true), he encompasses a much more sinister outlook on the savagery and cunning mentality of the Romantics, while Lucy takes on the Victorian ways, and Van-Helsing spearheads the Modern period. Stoker's message is not clear because he has included so much in this realistic novel; his criticisms of three different periods; the repression of sexuality in Victorian society; the inevitable rise of Modernity... the list keeps going. I think the best aspect of this novel is how intentional Stoker makes the plot; every diary entry, journal entry, memorandum, letter, and phonograph recording have just the right amount of detail, and are organized in such a way that gives the book its "endless" value to the world. Stoker's vampire is not just a manipulative teen who takes advantage of humans for sex and fun; Dracula is systematically breaking down an intentional way of life one little step at a time. What Stoker presents is a meticulous, ancient, deliberate ploy to bring a culture to ruin. I highly recommend Dracula to anyone who is ready to walk through a plan that took centuries to play out.