A review by vagrantheather
Dracula by Bram Stoker

adventurous slow-paced

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

4.0

My favorite part is Jonathan Harker's journal at Castle Dracula. I do really like the epistolary storytelling which then circles back around to his girl back home and her friend. The first half of the book was most intriguing, but after that it started to feel a little bit more repetitive. There was never really a good explanation of what made Renfield the way he was (was it really just a psychotic break over the philosophy of life?). Dracula doesn't play a strong part in the second half of the book, he's more of a threat than a developed character. Which is understandable, he is a monster, not a character we're supposed to extend agency to. Naturally I'm more used to contemporary vampire literature, where the vampires are the center of the character, not the aloof villains. Van Helsing was kind of boring, and while I liked the Texan, he was also a little boring and unnecessary. I listened to the John Lee narration and thought he performed impeccably. 

All in all it was a very readable classic and I am glad to have read it. I found it more enjoyable than Frankenstein and I do think it still has literary value despite its age.