A review by hazamelis
Dracula by Bram Stoker

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

 For those that expect a lot of exploration of the subject matter under the subtext of this story, I recommend lowering your expectations, for the cases are few and the words for every act are scarce. This is a book that works at being reticent. The novel's strength comes from the insinuations and extrapolations we get to make of what we do not see. All this, added up with the diary form of the novel and the two experiences we live with, makes the truth behind the implications of the symbols in the story feel truly immersive, and therefore as terrifying as life matters can be, all in their banal but disgusting reality. As it has been said "The novel excels not at what it writes, but at what it does not have to write"; overall, censorship becomes this book's greatest strength. 

It is true that part of the subtext comes from the Victorian era mentality of morality that some might seem stiff nowadays, but the implications of non consensual interactions the characters have to go through and the implications these have on the mind will always be scary until the end of time.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death