Dear Dracula,
Spooooky… I did not realize how different you would be from the watered down pop culture version of the Dracula I knew. You definitely had me on edge for some of the novel, I think you hit the end of my horror rope.
With Love,
Hannah
P.S. Book Details
Author: Bram Stoker
Narrator: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley
Book Length: 488 pages// 15 hours 28 minutes
Book Genre: Classics//Horror
Publication Date: May 1986
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: 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.
………………………………………………………….
I have been wanting to read Dracula for a couple years, I bought myself a copy and simply could not get into it. The main reason was, I did not allow myself to get used to the writing. On first read, I found it a little boring. Que the audiobook! Dracula was free on audible, so I finally picked it up again (as it was October and I had to read something scary). Listening to Dracula got me involved with the story and characters much sooner than reading it did.
Honestly, I really enjoyed Dracula as a character. He was spooky and I didn’t want to be around him, I could feel his presence through the ear buds. I enjoyed scenes with him more than some of the other characters. The other characters made me feel something… most of the time the feeling was anger! I was so frustrated with the little “gentleman’s club” clique towards the end of the book. So much could have been avoided if they did not keep out one person. Why did they keep out one person? Because she was a woman!! It got to me, obviously I’m still thinking about it a while later. Everyone was interesting individually, but when the boys came together, I felt irked.
The scenery was SO vivid! I enjoyed the gothic settings and imagery, it really felt like Autumn. Time to cuddle up, put garlic around my neck, and hope to not get bitten. You know, like most normal people… Seriously, if you have time, go look up pictures of Transylvania and Dracula’s castle. It is absolutely spectacular and helps get in the mindset of Stoker.
All in all, I can see why this is classified as a classic. The characters, the setting, and the writing were well done. As I listened, I could actually see the mist rising up or the exhaustion on Lucy’s face during the long nights. I enjoyed the experience of listening to this book during a pandemic-y Halloween. It was a nice escape, yet I felt a certain ambiance transferred from the book to real life. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a little spookiness in your life and have the patience to persevere through slow points. If you have struggled in the past, or are struggling in the present, with Dracula, I would encourage you to take a look at the audio version. It really helped me. Happy reading everyone!
To Books, With Love 