A review by quercine
Dracula by Bram Stoker

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I have a love/hate relationship with the epistolary format of the novel. On one hand if undercuts every single moment of tension by a lot, there are very few truly tense moments because you know someone makes it out of what they’re writing about because they’re writing about it in their diary or a letter. But at the same time one of the best moments of the novel is because of the epistolary nature of the narrative. I almost shrieked at

”Unopened by her”

simply because it was so shocking to see and I can imagine for a contemporary audience it was a real fear beyond the fantastical horror elements. I obviously have modern problems with some of the content and the ways in which the xenophobia, anti-eastern European elements, etc really shaped the modern vampire mythos. But if I look at it the way I look at all horror: as a Time Capsule of fears, realities, and anxieties of the time; then it does exactly what I want it to do. I’m taken on a journey that (while frustrating to me as a modern reader) I see exactly why those elements are there and I think it’s important to see those elements as a horror reader. 

This novel made me want to write essays again, which I think makes it really special. I’d largely fallen out of love with analysis after getting an English degree and reading this made me remember I do love reading things just to pick them apart. Going to go on and on and on in my reading journal later and that’s really special, because I had no idea I still loved to do that.