| Title | : | Dracula and Other Horror Classics |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1435142810 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781435142817 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Leather Bound |
| Number of Pages | : | 757 |
| Publication | : | First published April 13, 2010 |
For more than a century, Bram Stoker's fiction has inspired countless writers of horror and fantasy fiction. This volume allows readers a unique opportunity to appreciate the full range of his dark imagination.
Dracua and Other Horror Classics is one of Barnes & Noble's leatherbound classic editions. Each volume features authoritative texts by the world's greatest authors, in exquisitely designed bonded-leather bindings with distinctive gilt edging and an attractive silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensible cornerstone for every home library.
Dracula and Other Horror Classics Reviews
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Dracula and Other Horror Classic
At last- this has been a new journey for me.
A side project actually. I have been wanted to read what we today consider “Classics” for a long time now and since it’s not exactly my favorite genre, I have been taken it slowly.
I am however tremendously happy that I have started this “journey”, and can’t wait to see which author will be my next project.
Currently I am thinking Jules Verne, but we will see.
Dracula -4 Stars
Fascinating!
I find it fascinating to read books prior to my “time”.
Books that’s been labelled classics.
How did they earn that title? How was it written? What made it so epic? Why do we love them so much?
Dracula is one of the books that has been the inspiration for many great vampire stories. I LOVE vampire stories, so reading “the original” vampire story was high on my list.
The language was definitely from another time. A lot was repeated time after time, but the language was strong and very formal. Some parts were eerily beautiful written. Others were slightly dull. It was however, a fascinating read. A pleasant read.
The Jewel of Seven Stars- 3 stars
One thing I have noticed with Stokers work is that he never gives any answers.
He is excellent at building up the anticipation.
And we think we get an explanation. Something remarkable, and yet he always leaves us in glorious wonder.
The ancient Egypt is a topic that has always interested me, and I was pleasantly surprised of how it was implemented in The Jewel of Seven Stars.
It took forever to really pick up, though. At least for me. But when it did (roughly 60 % into the book😂), I felt the anticipation rise, and I wanted to know what had happened to Queen Tera.
The Lair of the White worm- 2 stars
There is this extremely satisfying feeling reading “tales of old”. Even stories not written that long ago, and yet there is a world of difference. Take the “(The) Lair of the White Worm”. Published in 1911,and yet again I find myself fascinated . To get whirled into the British society that is so very different from how we act, behave and even speak today. Reading classics gives me an insight into the past, and I find that feeling so very charming. However, the past was not all light and proper use of gramma and Latin phrases. No. It also had a very dark side, and it’s something we still see to an extent today. Something horrible.
The Lair of the White Worm was probably the most racist story from Stoker. I tried while reading the story to say to myself that this was the norm. This was how man thought in this period of our history, but I have to be honest that behaviour they showed was by all means not acceptable. I simply cannot understand how entire societies could belittle people this much, simply for the fact of how they looked. It’s appalling. Distasteful.
What I did liked was the fact that “The Lair of the White Worm” had much more going on than some of Stokers other work. There were new people introduced though out the story, there was a few changes in the scenery, both internal dialogue and compelling discussing. It did take a bit to really pick up, and I found myself truly invested in the discovery of what exactly the White Worm was.
Dracula’s Guest- 4 stars
“The dead travel fast”.
So pleasant, and beautifully written.
I adore the visual image Stoker so gracefully creates , and find the language quite charming.
It’s so different from the books I normally spend my time on, and I can fully understand why Stoker’s literature is considered “classics”.
The Judge’s House- 4 stars
Spooky. A Good ol’ classic spooky tale.
A student in England decides he needs a little quiet time for him to study, and ends up in a very old house that hasn’t been inhabited for years. Strange and mysteries things happen. Let me just say this, I fucking hate rats.
The Squaw- 3.5 stars
3.5 ”Don’t hurt the kitten” stars !
An avenging black cat. Yeah, you heard me right. Stoker really surprised me. Not the writing itself, but the ideas/stories he creates. I can’t figure out if I find them completely unjust or strangely justified.
It was an odd story, but kinda satisfying to read.
It’s called karma.
Or revenge.
Or just some fucked up shit.
The Secret if Growing Gold- 2 stars
Such an odd little horror story.
A Gipsy Prophecy - 3 stars
This stayed true to Stokers usual writing style. Odd, weird and deliciously old school.
As a woman from a modern age I find the descriptions of a woman from that period of time really strange.
They always seem to be weak minded and faints a lot, and this was the case here as well.
However, I understand that this was the most common thought and although I strongly disagree, I find it a bit refreshing to read something so different and odd. I think it paints a very clear picture of the culture at the time and I find that very fascinating.
The Coming of Abel Behenna- 3.5 stars
3.5 Stars - rounded up since the descriptions of the nature was beautiful.
Probably one of Stokers stories that actually made sense. 😂
I had the sickest “This is a fairytale”-feeling, since we are introduced to one woman named Sarah, who got two suitors, Eric and Abel, both competing for her hand, and both handsome. One looking like a gypsy, the other as a Viking.
It’s not a typical horror story, but I will say it ended rather grim.
The Burial of the Rats- 2 stars
The karma is thick in this short story.
An Englishman travelling Europe whilst waiting for his year of probation to end, so he can go back to England to claim his love, Alice.
He spends a great deal of time in Paris, and since he possesses a curious nature, he spends his time discovering the hidden and isolated parts of Paris.
Sadly for him he picks the wrong neighbourhood and ends up running for this life.
Stoker really have this fascinating with rats. It was a little slow in the beginning, but picked up a bit in the end.
A Dream of Red Hands - 3 stars
I never thought I would stumble over something of Stoker’s work with an actual peaceful ending.
We are told the story of Mr. Settle, a man with nightmares of his own. Trying his best to do right for a wrong he did many years ago. Trying to find peace and forgiveness.
It was more pure than anything else I have read from Stoker. Yet, it still held an aspect of horror. Horror is so very connected to Stokers work, and yet this one felt more honest. More about doing the right thing.
Crooken Sands- 2 Stars
Strange and odd.
I don’t think I have read a short story so very fixated on clothes. To be more precisely Scottish attire.
I found the short story odd, and not nearly as fascinating as Stokers other works.
I did like how it ended. It didn’t “peak” before the last page, and I was a bit worried that I didn’t feel like it was a “Stoker story”. But true to his type of writing he smoothly takes a everyday experience and adds this understated horror to it that makes it all worth reading.
The Crystal Cup- 2 Stars
I found the 3 perspectives on beauty quite refreshing, and yet - I was not at all intrigued by the story.
I did really want to see how the crystal cup looked like though 😂
The Chain of Destiny - 2 Stars
Sadly uneventful.
Beautiful ending though.
Typical Stoker, and yet- the horror was less dominant. His descriptions are as always a pleasure to read.
Frank was also very sweet and seems god-hearted.
The Dualists; or, the Death Doom of the Double-Born
What a terrifying tale!
Such a gloomy end.
Worst part? This could actually have happened, which makes this tale even more horrific.
Mankind can be really sick.
This was a compelling short story, which a dark twist, and even darker ending. -
I attempted to tackle this book when I was a curious and rambunctious 10 year old. The story was legendary, but I wasn't made aware that the language would drain my blood with as much fervor as the principal character. Frustrated, I tossed the booked aside. Several years later, in an AP English class, it became a required read and, surprisingly, I was lost in the magnificence, the majestic coolness, the imagery, the darkness of every word on every page. It chilled me; left me looking over my shoulder as I walked home many late evenings. My senses keened as every quiet indecipherable human form approaching me, became Dracula. Since those early days, I have read Bram Stoker's Dracula nearly a dozen times, as well as taught it's eerie details to high school students who were convinced that vampires didn't exist before Vampire Diaries.
This book defines classic literary phenomenon, in every sense. Dracula, as a novel, was written in a tradition long lost; a full story that draws the reader deep into its narrative. You know the story... now read the book again for the very first time. -
Es lebe der subtile Grusel. Dracula ist nicht umsonst der Klassiker unter den Vampirromanen.
Hier ist noch nichts grob, plump, deftig oder vulgär.
Genau so wie jemand, der immer scharfes Chilli isst, dem zarten Geschmack von Spargel vielleicht nichts mehr abgewinnen kann, kann eventuell ein Konsument der heutigen Thriller mit all ihrer Derbheit mit Dracula nichts anfangen - was nicht schlimm ist. Man sollte sich nur dessen bewusst sein, dass Klassiker sich einer anderen Sprachen bedienen. Insofern sind sie eine sprachliche Zeitreise. Sie wussten damals genau so viele zu begeistern wie unsere Literatur heute. Gerade bei Dracula ist es mir wieder aufgefallen, dass dies ein Roman ist, der geschrieben wurde um zu unterhalten. Und unterhalten hat er mich ausgezeichnet. -
In some ways, the novel resembles little more than an epistolary Victorian sex fantasy. Fans of "Twilight" will hate this book; that quality alone would sway my opinion in its favor. You could write off Dracula as a simple horror novel or attempt to compare Stoker's vision with other vampire novels. That would not be veracious to this novel, nor would it be accurate.
Stoker's was the first popular novel of the vampire genre, and remains arguably one of the best. (Polidori's The Vampyre--a portrayal of the destructive genius of Byron--was the first.) Stoker has managed to produce a novel that is simultaneously a masterful study of High Victorian morals and strictures; a horror novel in which good does not ultimately triumph; flawed protagonists and an utterly alluring evil. This Dracula does not invite empathy, nor is he portrayed as misunderstood. He is simply an ancient evil that will either destroy or be destroyed. Modern readers unfamiliar with the premise may find the Victorian formal language off-putting. However for those of us that grew up with a literary diet laced with large helpings of Shakespeare, Chaucer, Spenser, Byron, and Tennyson Stoker's prose is clear and maintains a pace appropriate for a horror novel.
For those of you that cut your teeth on such lesser vampire offerings such as Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton, this book may not be to your taste. Stoker's vampire is not a sexy, well-dressed fop with a penchant for lace ascots and leather pants. There is no doubt that Stoker's Dracula is a fundamental force of evil; yet he is also intelligent, passionate, and cultured. Dracula is not the focus of the novel, but he is the force that propels everything in it. The book is a classic in every way without emphasizing the stuffy, nauseating over-analysis that often accompanies that phrase. -
Dracula uit 1897 van Bram Stoker. Een meesterwerk in de horror en een meest invloedrijk werk in de cultuur. Iedereen kent de naam Dracula en is in bepaalde maten bekend met het verhaal. Nu moet ik eerlijk toegeven redelijk onwetend te zijn geweest in mijn kennis over het verhaal en de belangrijke karakters, maar wat is dit boek dan een extra groot plezier om te lezen. Het verhaal bestaat volledig uit dagboekbladzijden, krantenartikelen en medische geschriften die ons meenemen en kennis laten maken met Dracula. Tegelijkertijd zien wij hoe de hoofdpersonages kennis maken met Dracula en hoe zij constant in een kat en muis spel verwikkeld zitten om te overleven. Dit maakt het boek extra spannend en intrigerend om te lezen. Buiten de spanning biedt Dracula een mooie kijk in het Victoriaanse tijdperk, zijn kijk op de positie van vrouwen, technologische vooruitgang en het bovennatuurlijke.
Ik heb enorm genoten van het boek en hoop jullie ook te kunnen overtuigen. Een langere analyse staat op YouTube;
https://youtu.be/UpKmgOBWra8 -
I'll just paste in all my separate reviews of the stories:
Dracula: Full review here:
http://www.obscuraundead.com/blog/201...
The Jewel Of Seven Stars: As many times as I have read Dracula, I have never read anything else by Bram Stoker!
This is a really interesting story. It's very victorian gothic, that has an egyptian supernatural mystery. It's not THAT hard to guess, but still interesting! I thought it ended just as it was getting good, though. I have always been fascinated by Egyptian mythology and history, so I would have liked to see more! I read that apparently there's an alternate ending that is similar to how Dracula ended, but I think this ending was way better.
The Lair Of The White Worm: A young australian man is summoned to England by his granduncle to take over his estate. It starts alright, and then... it just gets weird and bad. It's racist and sexist, even for the time it was written in. The plot is super weird and random (what was the deal with the kite and all that?), pretty hard to get into, boring and just not scary. There are a lot of monologues which is pretty tiring to read. I read the original version, so FORTY chapters - but only 150 pages though. Luckily the short chapters really helped me get through it. I can't believe this was written by Bram Stoker - but at the same time I can tell it's written by him. But this was just.. pretty bad. It's not the worst book in the world, but... If you're reading reviews to decide if you're going to read it or not, just don't.
Dracula's Guest And Other Stories
Dracula's Guest: A (very) short story. I'm not sure if this was supposed to be the first chapter of Dracula, or something? The main character COULD be Jonathan Harker, but we don't know. It feels very similar to the beginning of Dracula.
The Judge's House: A good and pretty creepy story!
The Squaw: Full review here:
http://carolinesometimes.blogspot.com...
The Secret Of Growing Gold: This really reminds me of Poe's Telltale Heart, just not as good!
A Gipsy Prophecy: Ok that was kind of hilarious!
The Coming Of Abel Behenna: I didn't find this a very interesting story, but it's not bad.
The Burial Of The Rats: Didn't find this very interesting or scary, really.
A Dream Of Red Hands: I think this was a nice and short sad but beautiful story.
Crooken Sands: It bored me at first, but then it picked up and was pretty creepy!
The Crystal Cup: I couldn't really get into it. Might read it again another time.
The Chain Of Destiny: Not bad! But not particularly exciting, so wouldn't really recommend it unless you're a HUGE fan of Bram Stoker or literature from around that time.
The Dualitists: That was definitely... weird. Bram Stoker was sure a creative horror writer! -
Dracula - I was worried initially that the writing style would be too difficult to grasp, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was rather easy. From what I can remember (I did begin this in April after all) Dracula started off reasonably well-paced. I found I enjoyed the story line with Lucy and her antics better than the subsequent manhunt for Dracula himself which means I didn't enjoy the ending as much as I could have. It was also a bit slower before the climax with Stoker/his characters doing a lot of waffling that really wasn't needed. I also found that the characters came to trust too easily and fell in love awfully quick, but maybe that was just part of the times.
The Jewel of Seven Stars - This one drew me in straight away with the Egyptian themes throughout as I find the whole mummies and curses ordeal fascinating. Again, I found that the protagonists fell in love way too quick for my tastes but, I went along with it as usual. This, like Dracula, started off well then declined in a lot of unnecessary waffle and then ended with a shock. I'm still in shock now at how this one ended so I would have to say this one might be my favourite out of the three longer tales as it was so unexpected.
The Lair of the White Worm - From reading the title to the end of this one, I was terribly confused. First of all, a worm? That's the big threat? And second of all, the plot was kind of all over the place. The love between the main characters seemed to happen instantly and then the death of a character had an absurd reasoning behind it. The only bit I really enjoyed was the climax-type scene towards the end.
The shorter tales - The majority of these, funnily enough, I rather enjoyed. They were quick and to the point, drawing me in and then abruptly ending in all sorts of weird ways. The Squaw, The Judge's House and The Burial of the Rats were my favourites out of the bunch with intriguing plots, a strong role for the animals and beautiful imagery.
Overall - Even though the writing was quite easy to navigate, it was still obvious that they were all written some time ago as the women were expected to stay out of the drama and the racism in The Lair of the White Worm was shocking! -
I loved Bram Stoker!!! With this I finally got to read Dracula, and what a true literary classic. So much suspense throughout and it was clearly meant to be more than a horror novel as it went into depth with other themes. I also enjoyed The Jewel of Seven Stars and The Lair of the White Worm. For somebody hoping to dive into Bram Stoker’s work this is it. Hopefully they admire his writing like I do. And I just hope his literary work lives on forever.
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Dracula
Me ha gustado mucho la historia de Drácula, es un buen clásico, y que decir de los Personajes como van helsing, como mina, o el loco (quien me daba más miedo que el propio conde)..es una lectura que te mantiene pendiente con los misterios alrededor de esta historia. Los otros cuentos de terror son cortos y terroríficos, muy buenos. -
I wil be reviewing this in the future on WKAR's Current State. Stay tuned...
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I’m glad to know the origins of the rules and paraphernalia of vampires, but I was surprised by the sexism and the integration of Christian symbolism and icons as part of this horror story. I want it to be more subtle.
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Story: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Reread: Yes, I have read this book multiple times already so this won't be the last time. -
Opinião em breve
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Disclaimer: I only read Dracula from this book, not the other stories. The beginning from Jonathan Harker's perspective was such riveting and exciting reading, but after that it was such a drag. It was such a struggle to finish. I did kind of like how all the characters teamed up together in the end to defeat Dracula.
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Very cool to read it in the old English style. Does require a lot of concentration because it isn't the way we talk nowadays.
Highly recommend it if you're a fan of the classic horror tales! -
Dracula 🌠🌠🌠🌠
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My favorite 🦇
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Five stars for Dracula alone, everything else is just a nice bonus!
Jonathan Harker is a soon-to-be-wed lawyer who eagerly travels to Castle Dracula in the lovely country of Transylvania to settle a real estate transaction with the noble gentleman. During his journey, Jonathan suspects that things aren't as ordinary as they seem in the beautiful country. Superstitious locals speak of demons, vampires and vengeful spirits. The wolves howl with unnatural hunger. Children and villagers disappear without a trace. Blue flames appear out of thin air. The land itself seems to be haunted by a dreadful presence. Upon arriving at the castle, Jonathan soon realizes that all the horror in the land is the direct influence of the very man he was soon to meet. Count Dracula is a monster with plans to spread chaos and misfortune wherever he walks, and Jonathan is now his helpless prisoner.
In spite of its flaws, this book holds a special place in my heart. It's far from perfect and certainly far from the best story out there, but I can't help but love it because Dracula is the first horror novel I ever read. This is the book that turned me into a horror fanatic all those years ago, the book that sparked my obsession with dark literature, culture, history, folklore, music and all things relating to the horror genre. From the haunting beauty of the Carpathian Mountains, the eerie hellscape of Dracula's castle and the constant bombardment of dread that stems from the looming threat of Dracula himself, there's a lot to love here.
If you read it with the sole intention of it being scary or horrifying, you're probably going to be disappointed. That being said, it's one of the most atmospheric books ever written in my opinion. The very analytical look into Victorian society, the questioning of outdated traditions and smothering cultural standards, the exploration of sexual identity and expression, the steady rise of science vs. religion, the eerie dread that permeates every page with rumors of monsters, devils, witches, evil spirits and all manner of wicked things, the gloomy gothic architecture and more. The atmospheric nature of the tale told through personal and intimate journal entries truly make you feel as if you're experiencing the events from the eyes of the struggling characters. Stephen King taught Dracula to college students for many years and it reflects in his own works quite a bit.
Speaking of the characters, the version of the cast in the original novel are so much better than any of their numerous film and television counterparts. I always felt like every adaption fails to capture the complexity and emotional depth of the cast, portraying them as bland and one-dimensional when the original versions had a lot of heart to them.
Dracula himself is much scarier and crueler, while still maintaining his lovable disguise as a good-humored, charismatic gentleman. He feeds a living baby to a pack of ravenous vampires then feeds the mother to a flock of rabid wolves. He finds humor in psychological torture and prolonged suffering. He amuses himself by driving people insane and watching them bring harm to themselves and everything around them. He's a creepy sicko, a heartless monster and a lovably passionate nobleman all rolled into one. He's an excellent villain, especially considering the time this was written.
Jonathan, Lucy, Dr. Helsing, Seward, Quincy, even the hilarious Dr. Renfield are all heartfelt characters in their own right. Most of all, my favorite part of the book is the character of Mina Harker. I always felt moved by her bravery, kindness and rebellious humor. No matter how strong the threat of Dracula grew, Mina's the one that remained strong, courageous and rational in the face of terror and despair. Even after losing her dearest friend and when her male comrades were left frantic and devastated, she remained a great leader. She was the link that held the main group together and gave them the courage they needed to face off against the menacing Dracula. If you ask me, she's very underrated as far as strong female characters go. I think it's very sad that Mina's character is always horribly misconstrued and poorly represented in nearly every film and tv show she's ever been in because the original character is fantastic. -
(This rating is for ‘Dracula’ only, as I have not yet read the other stories in this book.)
“Welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”
A story of a vampire, Dracula, who travels from Transylvania to London so that he may have at his disposal an ample supply of fresh blood; and of a group of people who discover his existence and determine to hunt him down.
My previous ideas of Dracula were wiped clean as I began this book and he revealed himself not to be a cheesy caricature resembling a cheap magician but a shadowy object of pure evil.
I was slightly worried that it would be boring or difficult to read because of the time and language in which it was written, but it was a delightfully easy and intoxicating read! The story is written not from one person’s POV, but with the combination of newspaper articles, journal entries, and ship logs.
The 19th century language and sophistication and the evil and horror of Dracula paired interestingly well and made for a very remarkable story! It was a bit more dark than I expected for a book of its time, and I found myself sucked into the story as strongly as Dracula sucked the life from his victims. -
One of the greatest books I've ever read. I remember being very surprised as a young boy, expecting it to be very dry and melodramatic. However, I was sucked in from start to finish. The format of journals, diaries, and newspaper clippings made it seem all the more real. It was like I was reading something that truly happened to these people. Dracula was suddenly no longer a cartoon character in my mind but a genuine threat. Highly recommended.
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So happy and proud that I finally finished this tome today!!
Dracula - 4 stars
The Jewel of Seven Stars - 3 stars
The Lair of the White Worm - 1 star
Dracula's Guest and Other Horror Stories - 4 stars. -
scary in places
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like 3.5??? idk
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Book had a very strong beginning and middle, but I got more disinterested the farther into it I read. Also the ending was completely anti-climactic. Best character by far was Renfield.
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"Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own will!... Come freely. Go safely; and leave some of the happiness you bring!”— Count Dracula.
Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. It introduced the character of Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy.
Jonathan Harker, a young British solicitor about to be made partner, is sent out to Castle Dracula in Transylvania to see about a new client of his firm. Waiting at home for him is his young fiancée and secretary, Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray. Jonathan expects to be back home within a few weeks, but he doesn't know that Count Dracula is an ancient vampire whose intentions in moving to England are nothing less than a plan to feast on the teeming crowds of London.
Meanwhile, in England, Dr John Seward, keeper of an insane asylum, notices a strange habit of his patient Renfield: consuming live things to absorb their life energy. Renfield keeps trying to escape to the old abandoned house next to the asylum, which seems to be seeing a lot of activity all of a sudden. And Lucy Westenra, Mina's beautiful best friend with one fiancé and two men in unrequited love with her (Dr Seward being one of the two), is beginning to fall ill.
Concerned about Lucy's health, Dr Seward notifies his Dutch mentor, Dr Abraham van Helsing. When Van Helsing recognizes Lucy's illness as the mark of the vampire, he gathers Lucy's loved ones around him to save the girl: her fiancé Arthur, Lord Godalming; her American former suitor Quincey Morris; Jonathan Harker (who was found severely traumatized by Dracula, but alive), and Mina. Knowing that Dracula's power doesn't work during the day — although he can still move about, and fight, quite well during these hours — they form a plan to hunt him down and rid the world of him forever. Although the men initially try to keep Mina out of the loop to protect her feminine sensibilities, she quickly proves herself to be a strong and thoroughly clever investigator...which Dracula himself is just as quick to notice.
The central theme in Dracula is sexual predation and the conflict between lust and repression. More broadly, it's about the classic Romantic vs Enlightenment argument, precisely "old world" (magic/superstition) vs "new world" (science/technology). Dracula is a gothic novel, after all, which leans heavily towards romanticism. Dracula himself has the edge throughout most of the story because his existence is not even fathomable by members of this "new world." The terrifying ability of Dracula (to a Victorian Brit) is his ability to cause sophisticated modern women to slip back into "savage" sexuality.
Another one of the major themes in the novel is the old age of superstition and magic embodied by Dracula versus the new age of science embodied by the protagonists. Initially, magic, aka Dracula, has the edge because the scientific worldview has no place for him and refuses to accept that vampires exist. Dracula does not work the way science says the world works, so he can act with impunity. Ironically, only by getting rid of the conflict and combining the two in Van Helsing is Dracula defeated. Van Helsing accepts things outside of the scientific worldview and uses those unorthodox methods to fight Dracula. At the same time, he uses modern scientific advances such as technology and criminal theory to predict Dracula's movements and eventually defeat him.
The other horror classics by Bram Stoker (including The Jewell of Seven Stars, The Lair of the White Worm and Dracula's Guest, to name a few) that come in this beautiful leather-bound edition were fascinating to read. Still, nothing quite beats the in-depth and heavily symbolic story that Stoker was known for. -
Dracula: 2/5
Dracula has its strengths in the smaller stories it tells, like the story about the madman who catches flies, then spiders, then birds, and when he doesn't get a cat, eats the birds. Another story I liked a lot was the one about a captain and the mysterious disappearance of his crew till only he remains as a paranoid, broken man who is determined to reach port. Both of these are excellent examples of how to build dread and are legitimately eerie.
The problems come in the main story, as it is a compilation of different diaries, articles, letters, and so on, I expected the writing-styles to be different enough to notice the difference without having to look at the names above the chapters. It isn't. Another thing I have to point out is that Lucy and Mina constantly brag about how honorable and wonderful all men are, which only made me wonder if Stoker has ever actually talked to a woman. While that's uncertain, it's clear that Stoker's biggest weakness is writing characters. The best way to describe them would be, "Unevenly carved bread," as there are differences, but not enough to notice it unless you pay close attention.
The Jewel of Seven Stars: 1/5
How do you make an ancient mummy-witch taking possession of someone's life bad? To put it simply, all the characters have one trait, if you stretch the meaning of trait to "they all have a different job." Combine this with a plot buildup that's so generic that a sitcom would roll its eyes and utter boredom throughout. When a gun is fired into a room it shouldn't be more tempting to put the book down and write a paper on the aerodynamic capabilities of a brick than continue reading.
The Lair of the White Worm: 1/5
This is the exact same as The Jewel of Seven Stars with one notable exception: Explicit racism of the early 20th century, where Stoker talks about the beauty of a Caucasian, white, blonde before saying that her beauty is only elevated by standing next to people of a darker skin colour, which he compares to ugly animals. I paraphrase, as I am not comfortable quoting what he actually wrote, so maybe it's for the best that Stoker's just remembered for Dracula.
Short Stories: 1/5
I find the two stories I talked about in the beginning to be the best parts of Dracula, which made me a little excited for the short stories, but alas the stories he told in Dracula were the only good ones. I never found myself as much as unnerved. The previous problems come up, but there's nothing good in them.
Conclusion:
Dracula is a work for those who are interested in the evolution of vampires, horror, and those who like literature from the 19th-20th century. The rest is a jumble that just illustrated how Dracula was lightning in a bottle. If you like Dracula and want to see what else Bram Stoker wrote, I can recommend it, but I doubt you'll find anything you'll like. I might be wrong, though. -
31/130 (2019 Reading Challenge)
Firstly this is not one book it is 4. Dracula, The jewel of the 7 stars, the lair of the white worm & Dracula’s guest and other stories.
Dracula definitely gets 5stars, it was enjoyable to read & compelling right to the very end. I’d tried to read it when younger & could not get on with it but now really enjoyed it. A defining piece of horror fiction & a definite classic.
The Jewel of the seven stars, I would give 5 stars as well. Not the classic Dracula is but still found it really compelling & enjoyable to read. The original ending as well!
The Lair of the white worm is where the writing is let down. It started off fairly intriguing but got boring, nonsensical & horribly racist to boot. This will always be a problem with older work & is never nice but is a reflection of the time & books capture that. It’s horrible & depressing to see how the world was but as it can’t be undone it can be learned from. Racism is abhorrent & horrible & the fact that the book got published at all tells you what you need to know about past views. I’m not going to get into a big thing here but this book has some really bad lines in it & was sad to see after the first two books as despite being obviously outdated in some ways never went down that path. & it was a dire book story wise, no value at all.
Thankfully the final short story collection means the book does not end with this & there are some great stories here. Dracula’s guest, the burial of rats, the squaw, the coming of Abel behenna & crooken sands were my favourite.
So a mixed bag. The book itself is lovely, leather bound & a joy to behold & read. If you want to delve into Bram Stoker’s work it’s a great choice for what it contains. It’s a shame one of them was really shoddy but that’s my opinion. Make your own. -
I can't offer much that hasn't already been said countless times over the past hundred-plus years since its publication. A defining novel of the horror genre, and as influential a story as any in the modern era, for good or bad. Like a lot of people, I had known the story for a long time having seen the multiple film adaptations and television shows. For me, it's still the Coppola version that's my favorite and I couldn't help but see the actors when I visualized them while reading the book.
The Coppola film did end up being fairly true to the original although some things changed in the adaptation as they always do. Dracula’s fascination with Mina and her similarity to his deceased wife are never a stated part of the book. Dracula's actions and motivations are mostly "off-screen", and his only basic raison d'être seems to be to spread his influence and brood in a new world, England.
In fact, the character of Dracula is fairly flat, more of an opposing avatar or symbolic force of evil for the main cast. We typically only see the outcome of his actions and his actual scenes are fairly brief with only the smallest amount of dialogue. His biggest or at least longest scenes all occur in the interactions with Harker at Castle Dracula, at the beginning of the novel. Still, it’s very effective storytelling and it reminded me of the Lovecraftian approach to tangential storytelling. I also enjoy Stoker's device of the journal and letter entries, restricting it to a sort of limited first-person point of view. It's interesting how much more personality the various visual media versions of Dracula display compared to the original.
I also love the genuine sense of authenticity in novels written during this time period. The language and dialogue can be a bit unwieldy at times, but that makes it all the more credible. I have one of the B&N editions with more of his novellas and short stories and will read those later.
