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A review by gnuoymas
Dracula by Bram Stoker
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
this was a slay, literally!
dracula follows jonathan harker's diary entries to translyvania to meet the purchaser of a property in london, count dracula, at his secluded estate. cue a dissent into potential madness from Jonathan as he slowly realizes that something is afoot in this dark and mysterious (and lowkey empty like get some furniture miss dracula) castle.
okay so i LOVED this book for multiple reasons. i loved reading the book that has been considered the beginning of our modern vampire. i can see many of the now stereotypes of a vampire that were so fresh in this book. i loved the writing!! each of the chapters were exerpts from character's diaries, news clippings, and business agreements that painted a fascinating picture of dracula: the man, the myth, the legend. at times, it even felt like a fantastical but realistic murder mystery that used deduction, wit, and intellection to catch dracula red-handed. i liked the characters too!! my favorite was probably van helsing, the eccentric dutch doctor that helps our motley crew to define truth and find answers. i also really liked mina up until she became one-dimensional, god-fearing, and subordinate to the men ://// it's a classic for a reason i guess :////
i think this book is one that can be discussed from multiple angles and perspectives for meaningful insights. as I've been reading Irish authors for my, ahem, IRISH YEAR, i have found an overarching theme of otherness being discussed in different forms. i think an interesting read of this book would be one of dracula as a foreigner rather than a threat. someone who is coming to a new country in hope of a new life, only to be ostracized, exiled, and ultimately murdered for being different. it's giving xenophobia!
dracula follows jonathan harker's diary entries to translyvania to meet the purchaser of a property in london, count dracula, at his secluded estate. cue a dissent into potential madness from Jonathan as he slowly realizes that something is afoot in this dark and mysterious (and lowkey empty like get some furniture miss dracula) castle.
okay so i LOVED this book for multiple reasons. i loved reading the book that has been considered the beginning of our modern vampire. i can see many of the now stereotypes of a vampire that were so fresh in this book. i loved the writing!! each of the chapters were exerpts from character's diaries, news clippings, and business agreements that painted a fascinating picture of dracula: the man, the myth, the legend. at times, it even felt like a fantastical but realistic murder mystery that used deduction, wit, and intellection to catch dracula red-handed. i liked the characters too!! my favorite was probably van helsing, the eccentric dutch doctor that helps our motley crew to define truth and find answers. i also really liked mina up until she became one-dimensional, god-fearing, and subordinate to the men ://// it's a classic for a reason i guess :////
i think this book is one that can be discussed from multiple angles and perspectives for meaningful insights. as I've been reading Irish authors for my, ahem, IRISH YEAR, i have found an overarching theme of otherness being discussed in different forms. i think an interesting read of this book would be one of dracula as a foreigner rather than a threat. someone who is coming to a new country in hope of a new life, only to be ostracized, exiled, and ultimately murdered for being different. it's giving xenophobia!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Stalking, and Torture
Moderate: Blood and Confinement
Minor: Xenophobia