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Dracula

Dracula

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: "Unclean!"
Review: *Dracula* is now considered a masterpiece (with even such an august authority like Harold Bloom including it in his *Western Canon*). This is a recent development. The drive for canonization began about 20 years ago, after a generation of poorly educated academics, hypnotized by the need to politicize all literature, began talking about the book's "subversive themes" within its Victorian context. Before this, the novel was (rightly) dismissed as nothing more than a popular horror novel with some fun ... undertones. Influential, yes; but a classic of literature . . .? Alas, time marches on, and it now seems that Bram Stoker has become the Douglas Sirk of the Victorian literati. We are now told that Dracula is gay because his creator was gay. (After all, Dracula is a "Count", you know. Campy!) We are informed that the novel has a lot to say about how proper little Anglicans viewed swarthy Easterners. The Science vs. Religion debate gets a lot of ink. Freudian critics ecstatically write essays about the work, for obvious reasons.

The critics may be substantially correct. However, none of their intellectualizing will help the modern reader as he plows his way through this Ladies' Gothic Romance. Stoker deliberately employs an antiquated style that would have suited the 1830's rather than 1897, when the book was published. Oh, the characters are all very "modern"; the women know how to use typewriters; the headshrinkers record their skepticisms on phonographic diaries; but they also say things like this: "Unclean! Unclean! Even the Almighty shuns my polluted flesh! I must bear this mark of shame upon my forehead until the Judgement Day" (Chapter 22). The dialogue is peppered with stuff like: "Oh, dear, dear Jonathan", "My dear, sweet little girl", "What fools we women are!", etc. It's all rather embarrassing to read . . . darling. Didn't Stoker learn anything about prose style from his buddy Oscar Wilde? How could any self-respecting author write like this after the advent of Hardy and Henry James?

To be fair, let it be said that the first four chapters of the novel are among the best ever written in this genre. These early chapters are so strong, in fact, that the rest of the book is one long anti-climax. Jonathan Harker's journal is a compactly-written piece of terror that describes his spooky journey to Castle Dracula and his eventual imprisonment there by his lugubrious host. Even here, there's much to laugh at, such as Harker's snobbish anecdotes about the quaint "locals" of the Romanian countryside, his full cataloging of his meals (". . . I fell to at once on an excellent roast chicken", and so on), and the comical spectacle of Dracula cooking and later removing the table-service for his guest on a daily basis -- even after they have "caught on" to each other. Something about the early chapters has always fascinated me: Harker figures out within a fortnight that the Count is a vampire. The Count KNOWS that Harker is aware of his (the Count's) true nature. And yet they go on being civil to one another for at least two months afterwards! I wonder how they spent their evenings. The Count must have continued to cook for and feed his guest, who otherwise would've starved to death. What did they talk about? Stoker refuses to go into it -- the diary simply jumps weeks ahead.

There are excellent moments later in the book. Two remarkable monologues: the blasphemous diatribe on the hypocrisy of gravestones by Old Man Swales, and Van Helsing's great paean to hysteria, otherwise known as the "King Laugh" speech. The saga of the doomed ship "Demeter" is almost as worthy as the first four chapters. Dracula, as wolf, bursting through Lucy's bedroom window -- with the servants drugged downstairs -- is a genuinely terrifying scene.

Characters? Harker, Seward, Van Helsing, and Mina make the strongest impressions, except for Renfield, of course, the most interesting personage by far in the tale. And what of Dracula? He turns out to be a rather dim bulb. He apparently leaves the safe demesnes of his beloved Carpathians because he feels he's missing out on some sort of "action" or other. He's so eager to take a powder, in fact, that he forgets to make sure that Harker is safely dead (or Undead, as the case might be) before he books passage aboard the "Demeter". It never occurs to the vampire that the Englishman might make his way back home with a whopper of a tale to tell about funny-accented Romanians who climb up and down castle walls like Spider-Man. Further, the dopey Count recklessly goes after the same victims over and over once landed in England, thereby ensuring that a group of outraged Anglicans will pursue him to the ends of the earth. Oh well, Van Helsing DOES say that Dracula isn't very smart; but what does that say about Stoker's plotting? As far as the Count's appearance goes, the author apparently based the description on his own boss, the actor Sir Henry Irving.

Ultimately, the novel's hero is Mina, by default. She represents the emerging power of the "New Woman" (her phrase). Every character, including the vampire, gets seduced by her eventually. Stoker makes a point of having Mina "win over" her poor dead friend Lucy's three suitors (AFTER she's married to Harker, no less) in a scene that subversively mocks Lucy's ... triumphs (which were pretty subversive already). Later, she adds the Dutch quack and the vampire to her collection of conquered males. Meanwhile, her husband Harker lies in the hymeneal marriage bed literally paralyzed, with gray hair, while she gets it on with Dracula. This priceless moment produces Stoker's best line, e.g., that bit about the Count forcing her face to his chest as if he were pushing a kitten's head into a saucer of milk. Unclean!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dracula
Review: This book is one of my all-time favorites. Its characters are believable, the story well crafted, and the entire reading experience a joy. Stoker's grasp of medical technology would make most modern physicians cringe (blood transfusions without verifying blood type, etc.) but who cares? This book is worthy of reading more than once.

Dracula is the epitome of gothic horror yet it is not "spooky" and really doesn't cause nightmares in the reader. The book may not have the reputation of the film versions, but it is far superior to any Hollywood version. There simply is too much happening for any film to completely portray in two hours. The book is a classic good-versus-evil and reflects a Victorian view of faith and sexuality. Some on-line reader's guides are available to help give perspective on the book, but are not necessarily required.

All told, I rank this book high, I have only a few other works of fiction I rate higher.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The book that got me hooked........ on reading
Review: ... This is, without a doubt, one of the most facinating and absorbing adventure tales and vampire tales ever written. This is the book that created horror....

One of the many reasons I enjoyed this novel is the way it is written through journals and letters. This book trails the heroic conquests of Jonathan Harker and his brave wofe Minna as they try to save themselves and countless other innocent souls from a man too evil to be human. I know why this is among the most popular books of all time by its fullness of action, suspense, gore and romance. But in order to see all of that, you'll have to read it for yourself.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Original and Best Vampire Story
Review: Everyone knows the name "Dracula," but the majority have only seen the legendary Transylvanian Count on the silver screen or through pop culture; few indeed have actually read the work that started it all.

One cannot claim to be a fan of vampire literature or of Dracula himself without having read Bram Stoker's tremendous work of gothic horror. Think that Dracula and other vampires can't be out in daylight? Wrong--they simply have no powers during the day, which you'd know if you read this extraordinary book.

Written in epistolary form (that is, as a series of letters and diary entries), the story is presented from the viewpoints of the main characters, from Jonathan Harker to his wife Mina to Dr. van Helsing. Rather than detracting from the story, this format breaks up what would otherwise be a rather long manuscript into manageable chunks and adds to the historical character of the novel.

Modern film interpretations have presented Stoker's story through the eyes of each producer, director, and screenwriter, with nearly all making wholesale changes--Mina Harker, for instance, is NOT the reborn lost love of Count Dracula as Francis Ford Coppola would have us believe. Many others who have "read" Dracula have done so through abridged texts that distort the story through omission. Pick up and read the story that started it all in its intended format... Bram Stoker's Dracula. You won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Original and Classic Vampire Story
Review: Everyone knows the name "Dracula," but the majority have only seen the legendary Transylvanian Count on the silver screen or through pop culture; few indeed have actually read the work that started it all.

One cannot claim to be a fan of vampire literature or of Dracula himself without having read Bram Stoker's tremendous work of gothic horror. Think that Dracula and other vampires can't be out in daylight? Wrong--they simply have no powers during the day, which you'd know if you read this extraordinary book.

Written in epistolary form (that is, as a series of letters and diary entries), the story is presented from the viewpoints of the main characters, from Jonathan Harker to his wife Mina to Dr. van Helsing. Rather than detracting from the story, this format breaks up what would otherwise be a rather long manuscript into manageable chunks and adds to the historical character of the novel.

Modern film interpretations have presented Stoker's story through the eyes of each producer, director, and screenwriter, with nearly all making wholesale changes--Mina Harker, for instance, is NOT the reborn lost love of Count Dracula as Francis Ford Coppola would have us believe. Many others who have "read" Dracula have done so through abridged texts that distort the story through omission. Pick up and read the story that started it all in its intended format... Bram Stoker's Dracula. You won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Thrilling and truly frightening
Review: Bram Stoker's Dracula came as a nice surprise. I expected a dull, dreary period piece with a small amount of horror thrown in; instead I was treated to a fine tale of monstrous terror lit by a backdrop of Victorian gaslights.

As you know, Dracula is a vampire. A vampire's lot in life (or unlife) is to exist with a wanton need for human blood, living forever while feeding upon the souls of its victims. Vampires are immortal; or can be as long as they consume human blood, which is their primary form of sustenance. They can turn themselves into a foggy mist. They can change their shape to resemble bats or wolves, among other things. They have the power to hypnotize their prey, and even have the power to turn their victims undead as they are, cursing their victims for eternity. For the vampire is not alive as we know it; they live in a state of undeath. Their bodies appear human, yet the uniquely human qualities of the vampire are long dead.

Vampires routinely scheme for power, or failing that they scheme simply out of boredom. Humans are their unwitting pawns.

Dracula begins with the journals of Jonathan Harker, who has been hired by the Count Dracula to prepare the Count's legal affairs for the purpose of an extended trip to London the Count wishes to take. While in Dracula's castle, Harker is tormented by the Count and various other fiends within the walls of the castle. Harker is prohibited from exploring the castle during his stay, yet his curiosity gets the better of him and Harker finds himself plunged into a supernatural pit of despair. Dracula intends to bind Harker within the castle until the arrangements for the London trip are finalized, and mostly succeeds; Harker finally leaves, but is mentally scarred and in no position to challenge the Count's behavior.

Fast forward a bit, and we meet Dr. Seward, a "modern" psychologist working in an asylum, Mina, Harker's fiancée, playing the womanly role of helpless victim (yet one of the most clever and quick witted characters in the book), pining for his return and worrying about his whereabouts, and Lucy, Mina's friend and confidant who seems to be having trouble sleeping...

Lucy, you see, has been having bouts with sleepwalking and Mina has become concerned. She calls upon Dr. Seward, and he in turn calls his mentor, Dr. Van Helsing, to assist in his examination of Lucy's mental state. Lucy begins to feel physically ill, complaining of extreme weakness and is perpetually tired. Van Helsing is getting suspicious, and calls for blood transfusions to assist poor Lucy and her weakness.

Van Helsing is the best character in the book. He plays the part of the imminently respected doctor who still has respect for the old ways and traditions. His speeches are loaded with bombastic, Victorian charm, and never is he at a loss for words. Melodramatic might be a nice word for him, but I don't think it's strong enough. Imagine a player who can speak for pages at a time, yet for every 500 words of apology, politeness, and trying to "protect" his acquaintances from the unspeakable truth, he might speak 10 words which get to the POINT. I found him charming in the same sense as an actor over-dramaticizing their role to the max; think of William Shatner playing the role in all his over-the-top glory.

The story moves along with a bit of a slow pace, but the language Stoker uses and the tension-building skills he possesses shine through. Other characters, such as Lucy's husband Arthur, are well drawn and each has a clear personality of their own. The personalities shine through in Stoker's use of journals and diaries by the players throughout Dracula.

We learn that Van Helsing has used his years of background studies to conclude that Lucy's ailments are the result of numerous "feedings" by a nightmarish creature in their midst - the vampire! The plot snowballs from there, and the band of confidants develop a plan to rid their nights of the vampire menace. That's enough plot for now; I don't want to be a spoiler!

The supernatural fear that Stoker invokes is quite real. For each incredible ghoulish power Dracula holds, the solutions are equally supernatural in nature. Mostly, the weapons to ward off vampires include Catholic symbols such as the Crucifix and pieces of the Host. For me, the solutions are every bit as frightening as the problem; it seems to me that using faith as a weapon vs. the very real fear of death can be an intimidating prospect. What happens if you are an unbeliever? These characters are believers, but there is no doubt that they too question (not in so many words) placing their lives in the hands of mystical wards against evil. Harrowing stuff, if you read between the lines.

The essence of Victorian life is used as the perfect backdrop to our story. Van Helsing understands too well that the "modern" world no longer wishes to accept such creatures as vampires. Dr. Seward, a man of the times, is forced to admit that Van Helsing is on the right track; even though it was Van Helsing's teachings that brought Seward to the top of his profession. The teacher didn't tell him everything, and with good reason.

Dracula doesn't make too many personal appearances within these pages. He is used as a phantom, and fleeting glimpses out of the corner of your eye are all you see of him. Foe me, this accents the horror of this unnatural "man". Often, Stoker will allude to the terror, and just when you think the writer will refrain from placing the horror before your eyes, he goes for the throat. This was cutting edge material when it was new, and reads very well today. Certainly the readership 100 years ago were shocked out of their skin when reading about the three sisters, or asking themselves what exactly did Dracula do to that poor woman...?

An outstanding novel, and easily convinced me why it's been so popular over the years. A must for any fan of horror fiction.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The first of the frightrides
Review: If "Lord of the Rings" was the first major fantasy work, then "Dracula" was the first major horror work. It technically wasn't the first vampire-related work of fiction, but it was the first to become so incredibly well-known and has shaped all vampire-related horror ever since. It's absolutely fantastic.

A young English man, Jonathan Harker, comes to the castle of the mysterious Count Dracula, after encountering a lot of seemingly superstitious locals, who seem to be afraid of something. (One old lady even gives him a crucifix) And soon Jonathan discovers why -- Dracula, for all his seeming politeness, is a vampire, a merciless blood-drinking undead being. And worst of all, Dracula is about to venture out of Romania in search of fresh blood.

Modern readers often find "Dracula" rather dense, because the Victorians were very prose-y writers. So be ready for a lot of detailed descriptions of travel and speeches, and some now-cliched material like the wolves and vampiric grins. But the imagery that Stoker pulls up every now and then is absolutely chilling, such as when Jonathan notices that Dracula has no reflection, or when Dracula crawls DOWN the castle wall. Very freaky. And the freakiness is not just of the horrific kind, but also like when three vampire girls appear to seductively feed on Jonathan -- the passages where they approach him are sexy and dreamy in a horrible kind of way.

Even in the non-horrifying passages, "Dracula" has a kind of poetic grimness, with phrases like "the dark side of twilight" or the line "the dead travel fast." It has a very understated menace that a lot of supposed horror fiction doesn't manage. The writing, in its lush Victorian manner, is also extremely lyrical, with a lot of very evocative words woven in there. ("Here and there are silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests.")

The diary/letter/clipping format is something that almost never works in a book, because usually it's handled very awkwardly. But Stoker did this quite well, and it makes you wonder if the people who wrote these entries are going to live to see the end. He also does a good job in making them all sound very different; Mina's writing is very different from Jonathan's. (Although I HATE Van Helsing's accent)

The characters, especially the increasingly freaked-out Jonathan and the understatedly strong Mina, are usually quite likeable, if a bit typical (personalitywise) of people of that era. Mina in particular is striking -- without really stepping outside the boundaries of a Victorian lady, she becomes a very strong presence in the fight against Dracula. Dracula himself is just evil -- creepy, freaky, and purely vampiric. He's perfect, especially the feeling of not just a lack of good, but a deliberate step the other way -- he's not misguided, not whiny, ...

Usually the first major book of any genre is the best, and "Dracula" is no exception. If you can handle the heavier prose of Stoker's time, then this is a downright chilling story. A must-read, and a true classic.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Basis for 100 Movies, and so much better than all of them
Review: The first time I picked up Dracula was at the age of twelve while on a Gothic Literature kick and considering the Coppola version of the film had just come out, expected to be sinking my teeth into a horror tale akin to The Vampyr. Only problem was Stoker wrote the book a few decades too late to be considered truly "gothic" and it isn't really a horror novel at all [despite what my teachers and minister kept telling my parents].

Dracula is a love story at its heart. The romantic love story between Jonathon Harker and his sweetheart Whilamina Murray, as he escapes from castle prisons, fends off the advances of Dracula's Brides, and finally hunts down the lethal creature he unwittingly sets on Mina's scent. It is also the story of platonic love between a group that cover almost every aspect of Victorian Society as they come together to become not just the force that will destroy the Count, but the closest of friends. The Victorian Morality is rather thick, but rather than taking from the story as many books written during this same time it only add to the storyline. The way in which it is written as well - as diary entries and scrapbook clippings - also adds to the mood and drives the story on quite effectively. The tensions slowly build with every entry as you jump from Jonathon's journal to Mina's diary to John Seward's dictations and you find yourself wanting to read as fast as you through one character's words to find out what piece of the puzzle the next character will help you discover. To be quite honest, the Count himself is really a secondary character .... an evil for the lovers and their friends to defeat so they may save the Pure Miss Mina from the same fate as the other women in the novel.

Those looking for a sexy horror novel might be disappointed by Dracula because it really doesn't offer much of either unless you're willing to read into the Victorian Politeness of the prose. However those looking for an inventive, well written classic tale of love, honour, friendship and a stirring battle against the powers of evil will not be disappointed with this book one bit.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good but not great
Review: I know it's blasphemy, but hear me out! Did I enjoy this book? Yes. Do I recommend it? Yes. However readers need to be warned about the Van Helsing diatribes. Even those who are fans of flowery victorian prose will find this trying. It's this alone that hinders the pace of this book and had I been warned ahead of time, I think I would have enjoyed Dracula more than I did. That aside, let's get to the good points.

The journal entries as a form of telling the story are unique and work for the story. Stoker is quite capable of providing each character a distinctive voice making them personable and the reader that much more involved. Especially with Harker and Mina. But it can lag due to the reasons stated above.

Some of the scenes are downright scary! When the pace picks up, the descriptive writing combined with years of media perception surprisingly adds to the enjoyment of reading this. Not to mention Renfield is a force to be reckoned with in the book wheras he is parodied in most movies. I found myself getting goosebumps and that's saying something for a book written about a century ago.

And lastly the major theme of the book is a sheer delight. Science over mysticism. The 1800's must have been an interesting time. It's the century that invented psychology and yet people were still being arrested for witchcraft. This is Stoker's master stroke. He captures the excitment and conflict of these elements perfectly. More so than Frankenstein, which is more of a scientific morality tale. Here they embrace it and save for Coppola's half-hearted attempt, none of the movies have bothered to touch on it.
Dracula is a good book, but I just couldn't get into Van Helsing. Highly recommended though. A classic that captures it's time and doesent wane with it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A remarkable and uplifting story
Review: Stoker's classic is unique for many reasons - the unusual method of storytelling, the slow, solid building of plot and atmosphere, the juxtaposition of the supernatural and the "modern" world, and the exquisitely crafted characterizations.

The character of Mina, in particular, is worthy of noting. It is wonderful that at a time when women were thought of as weak and not particularly intellectual, Stoker created a such a strong and intelligent female character. (It is largely through Mina's efforts that Van Helsing and Co. are able to track and ultimately defeat Dracula.)

Sadly, modern film versions of the book do not reflect this - Mina is either depicted as ineffectual and helpless, or as a gullible creature who quickly falls in love with the title character.

Also, film versions neglect to emphasize one of the best parts of the book. Dracula is not only a story of supernatural horror; it is also a story of love, courage, and faith uniting a small band of heroes against a powerful evil.


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