Book Review: Dracula

Dracula
by Bram Stoker
Published by Barnes & Noble Classic
Publication Date May 14, 2004
Source: Bought
Genres: Classic
Goodreads

The most famous of seductive evil in Western Literature, blood-thirsty Count Dracula has inspired countless movies, books, and plays. But, few, if any, have been fully to Bram Stoker's best-selling novel of mystery and horror, love and death, sin and redemption.

Written in the form of letters and diary entries, Dracula chronicles the vampire's journey from his Transylvanian castle to the nighttime streets of London. There, he searches for the blood he needs to stay alive - the blood of strong men and beautiful women - while his enemies plot to rid the world of his frightful power.

In Dracula, Stoker created a new word for terror, a new myth to feed our nightmares, and a character who will undoubtedly outlive us all.

Dracula is bone-chilling!  My neck prickles just thinking about it.  Turtlenecks are a new staple in my wardrobe.  In short, its like taking a shower after watching Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

Dracula, by Bram Stoker is a horror romance of sorts as Count Dracula become obsessed with his victims which always happen to be girls and “vunts to suck their blood” which represents a deathly erotic romance. The tale centers around a group of Londoners who become unfortunately, and unwilling acquainted with the Vampire and after claiming a dear friend’s life must kill the blood sucking monster.

Despite the Twilight phenomenon I was really quite ignorant about Vampires (because let’s face Stephenie Meyer has really watered it down) Sure, I won’t deny that I was unaware of the stereotypical garlic repellent and his beverage of choice, but because of my ignorance added an eerie backdrop to the novel. Dracula was a well paced suspenseful novel, filled with shocking twists in Transylvania.

I love stories told through forms of correspondence, I feel it adds a level of intimacy and because letter writing is a lost art has an olde fashioned flare (and yes I realize Dracula was written in the 1800s). Viewing Dracula’s persona from different angles was very enlightening and a very clever concept. At times,because of it being written in first person, you could really feel the characters (especially Mina and Jonathan) travel into insanity and could almost hear the Twilight Zone theme song in the background.

I must admit that after reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula it inspired me to go out and read Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, because lets face it without Stoker there would be no Rice. Dracula is fantastic, and something you want to bite you teeth into. {Excuse the pun} but it is so true, this novel is absolutely amazing!

Note: Dracula was read not only for my enjoyment but also for the Dracula Read-Along hosted by Allie at Literary Odyssey