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A review by nigrumcattus
Dracula by Bram Stoker
5.0
On second read, it still surprises me how genuinly scary (to modern standards) this novel is, there are some actually creepy imagery and depictions.
Especially, I find the sequence with Dracula terrorising Lucy quite terrifying - to me it felt like I was reading metaphor about a woman being sexually assaulted and initially being blamed (and punished) for it. Only my interpretation, but still something to keep in mind if that triggers you.
For criticism, I have to talk about Mina, she is my favorite. Very capable, kind and smart and never given any credit for it. The male characters constantly tries to out her in a box and devalue if her intelligence, while at the same time, always relying on her planning and fixing everything. Also the structure, I do not mind epistolary novels but this was just a bloody mess, pun intended.
Just in general I think this novel probably works much better as a media in reference to talk about the colonialism/post-colonialism in than as a horror story. Or at least to talk about the Victorian fears that built it.
Honestly, at the moment I cannot tell if I still love this book or has started to hate it. I think the first time I read it gave such a big impact on me with its sensationalism that I became a bit blind to everything else that was awful in it (and also because I have a bit of a soft spot cause this is the book that made me interested in gothic fiction and to eventually study literature).
Anyways, it is a good autumn and or Halloween read and I will still enjoy all the actual good bits while ignoring all the bad and problematic bits and no one can stop me (which is why I’m giving it 5 stars)!
Especially, I find the sequence with Dracula terrorising Lucy quite terrifying - to me it felt like I was reading metaphor about a woman being sexually assaulted and initially being blamed (and punished) for it. Only my interpretation, but still something to keep in mind if that triggers you.
For criticism, I have to talk about Mina, she is my favorite. Very capable, kind and smart and never given any credit for it. The male characters constantly tries to out her in a box and devalue if her intelligence, while at the same time, always relying on her planning and fixing everything. Also the structure, I do not mind epistolary novels but this was just a bloody mess, pun intended.
Just in general I think this novel probably works much better as a media in reference to talk about the colonialism/post-colonialism in than as a horror story. Or at least to talk about the Victorian fears that built it.
Honestly, at the moment I cannot tell if I still love this book or has started to hate it. I think the first time I read it gave such a big impact on me with its sensationalism that I became a bit blind to everything else that was awful in it (and also because I have a bit of a soft spot cause this is the book that made me interested in gothic fiction and to eventually study literature).
Anyways, it is a good autumn and or Halloween read and I will still enjoy all the actual good bits while ignoring all the bad and problematic bits and no one can stop me (which is why I’m giving it 5 stars)!