June 2004

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Title: Dracula Author: Bram Stoker Copyright Date: 1847 Publisher: Fine Creative Media, Inc.

OVERALL

Characters Plot Imagery Style

Review

This was a decent book.

Naturally, it had some issues that I had to take into acount when reading. The diction of a foreign author is always going to cause me some confusion, especially when refering to common items/knowledge/places in their country. And if I read a book that came out when my great-great-great-grandfather was in school (grade school, at that!), the confusion becomes exponentially greater with each generation.

I was intrigued by the use of letters, diaries, and newspaper clippings to tell a novel. I find it very imaginative and ambitious. The style makes the story believable enough to draw the reader in and lends it an air of authenticity. Unfortunately, it also creates a restraint on the suspense and slows the tempo of the story. The entries are written as flashbacks during lulls in the action so none of it is transfered to the reader. We know everything is fine otherwise we would have nothing more to read.

Here are my gripes:

Gripe #1: Who's Talking	The characters were fairly well developed but all the male characters read like the same person. There is no distinct difference in styles to differentiate between characters. By the time you are two pages into an entry, you can hardly tell which young male is telling the story.
Gripe #2: Stilted Script	Van Helsing's accent helps to seperate his character from the other men in the story. I had a problem believing that his journal entry would also reflect his accent. I cannot accept he would write his private journal in a foreign language. I'm sure it was done to offer a continuity of character to the reader but it still vexed me.
Gripe #3: Lack of Drac!	Where's the Big D!? We get a very exciting visit to Dracula's castle but then only cameo appearances. I didn't even get a dramatic battle with him at the end.
Gripe #4: Harker's Captivity	What that hell was going on in Dracula's castle when the Big D left for London? I can't remember the length of time Harker was left with the "brides" but we know he wasn't there as a food supply. We learn from Dracula's feeding on Lucy and Mina that a single Bite is enough to make a psuedo-vampire out of the still-living victim. Harker shows none of the symptoms.
Gripe #5: Where's the Hype?	I have to say that a lot of people make some crazy claims about this book. Let's explore a few I've heard: Erotic Tales People see me reading Dracula and practically every one goes: "Boy! That's an erotic book!" I respond: "You have a boring sex life." I admit the scene where the "brides" come to drink Harker's blood on the couch is sensual but nothing happens. There is nothing even remotely erotic in this book. Female Oppression The back of the book claims the story is a textbook example of the Victorian repression of female sexuality. I say the women are the strongest characters in this story. Homophobia Someone said: "The story reflects the fear of Homosexuality in Victorian society." I said: "I didn't even realize Dracula was Gay." Let's face it. The man primarily feeds on succulent young damsels and has a number of "brides". Sounds more like a fear of poligamy.