Review: Dracula-Bram Stoker

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arnaleigh
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Review: Dracula-Bram Stoker

Post by arnaleigh »

Most books these days are about vampires and they seem to follow similar story lines so I decided to read Dracula as my first classic novel.

As I'm sure you all know Dracula is about a vampire of the same name. For the most point it is written from Johnathan Harkers point of view as he travels to the house of Count Dracula for business. Harkers point of view is in the form of diary entries but this later evolves to letters and diaries of other central characters. This style of writing adds to the books unique nature.

While I greatly enjoy the storyline of this book, it's not until a fair way in that anything exciting starts to happen. This as well as paragraphing being non-existent makes for a slow read.

However for those who enjoy classic literature or a curious about how vampire books used to be written, I would recommend this book.
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Mom2Grey
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Post by Mom2Grey »

OMG, IT TOOK ME A FLIPPING MONTH TO READ IT!
I am speechless - just exhausted.
What a job that was....
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gali
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Post by gali »

I have seen the movie, but didn't read the book. I think in this case the movie is much better than the book.
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Post by TrishaAnn92 »

I haven't started reading the book yet and I'm kind of glad I haven't started it yet with it being a slow read and all. I plan on making it my next read though.
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Post by aneeha15 »

The book is chilling, especially when the reader realizes that the man who drives the carriage and the Count are the same...shivers...
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Post by Wreade1872 »

I'm a big Dracula fan i love its 'found footage' kind of vibe, i was just thinking i wonder if there is a version of this out there thats is printed up as if its the original documents. So you'd get the diaries, the letters, the newspaper clippings and maybe a cd or downloadable mp3s of the dictaphone records. That would be awesome, probably does exist somewhere i'll have a look later.

My only problem with the story is the ending which for a modern reader does seem a bit anti-climactic, the chase is fine your just expecting a bit more when they catch up. Still really like it though overall.
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Post by saouad »

Having really enjoyed other gothic novels, such as Ann Radcliffe's The Italian (though it was published approximately a century years before Dracula) and Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which is more contemporary, I was a lot more disposed to appreciate the pacing of the plot and the Victorian style.

Considering the role that vampires have come to play in the modern imagination, I was very interested to read about the iconic vampire figure that has started it all.

I thoroughly enjoyed it! I've not seen the movie, though.
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Wreade1872
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Post by Wreade1872 »

saouad wrote:...Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which is more contemporary, I was a lot more disposed to appreciate the pacing of the plot and the Victorian style...
Someone else on this planet apart from me has read The Beetle, wow! :) That book actually came out same time as Dracula and was the more popular of the two at the time. Fantastic opening.
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Post by KLyons1 »

I was not previously aware of The Beetle, so thank you both for the recommendation ;)
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Post by cheshiregator »

It took me ages to get through. I wasn't a fan of the plodding plot or the anti-climatic climax personally, but I can certainly see how it has become a classic. This is one of the (very few) books I found I preferred the movie version over.
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Post by David Dawson »

I had to read this for my A-levels at school several years ago, and remember being struck by just how terrible the writing was (laugh at loud bad at times). I suppose it's a testament to how memorable the character/ good the plot is that it has endured all this time.
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Post by PashaRu »

Having read the book two or three times and seen most movie versions (there are several, starting with the silent 1922 German classic "Nosferatu," the famous 1931 Universal film starring Bela Lugosi, several incarnations by Universal through the 40s and 50s, the British Hammer films of the 60s starring Christopher Lee, the version starring Gary Oldman, etc., etc.), the book is better than any movie version I've seen. It's a classic for a reason.
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cheshiregator
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Post by cheshiregator »

The Gary Oldman version was the only movie one that I've seen that I really cared for. But everyone's got a different cup of tea
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Post by Hisshep »

Growing up, this was one of my top 5. Of course I was eight when I first read it. One thing that struck me is the strength of the character of Mina in an age when women weren't typically portrayed as such.
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Post by cheshiregator »

Hisshep wrote:One thing that struck me is the strength of the character of Mina in an age when women weren't typically portrayed as such.
I will admit that was certainly a bright spot of the book for me as well
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