Thoughts: Dracula

Title: Dracula
Author: Bram Stoker
Year: 1897 
Audiobook Length: 15 hours 24 minutes
First Lines: "Jonathan Harker's Journal.  3 May.  Bistritz.--Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late."


I read parts of Dracula on my Kindle and listened to the rest as a great multivoice audiobook from the library.  Truly, I am surprised by how much I enjoyed Dracula.  I also freely admit that I apparently had no idea about the book's actual plot. 

This is what I knew about Dracula before I started:

1. Dracula is a vampire. 
2. Dracula is a bad vampire (aka he probably doesn't sparkle in sunlight).
3. Yup, that's pretty much it.

 The first part of the book, when Jonathan Harker is in Transylvania with Count Dracula, represents my preconceived notion of the plot.  Much like I want to yell at people for entering creepy houses in scary movies, I wish I could have told Jonathan to leave the castle or even listen to his own skepticism.  A few examples:

• Dracula: "Welcome to my house!  Enter freely and of your own free will!"  (Me: Clearly, not a normal greeting, buddy!)
• In Jonathan's journal: "It is strange that as yet I have not seen the Count eat or drink.  He must be a very peculiar man!" (Me: Peculiar is one way of putting it.)

At first I didn't understand how the book could be so long since Jonathan's stay at the castle seemed to move at a pretty good pace.  Thus, I was delighted to discover all of the other characters.  The prominence of Mina Harker throughout Dracula pleased me.  I did not expect such a strong female role in a book written by a man in 1897. 

I also liked Dr. Seward's patient Renfield.  Yes, he ate bugs, but he also made me laugh (I'm not sure if this was the intended reaction.  Maybe I'm just weird).  My favorite lines from Renfield: "I saw the mist stealing in, and I grabbed it tight.  I had heard that madmen have unnatural strength.  And as I knew I was a madman, at times anyhow, I resolved to use my power." 

Although I usually don't like to read books that are written in the form of letters or journals, I thought that Stoker used this approach to his advantage.  Hearing from the various characters enhanced the suspense of the story.  Stoker developed such a unique voice for each of them that I felt like I could tell their words apart by the end. 

Reading Dracula reminds me of reading Frankenstein in high school.  I kind of dreaded reading both, but ended up really liking them.  Dracula has been an excellent "themed" read for October.  I highly recommend giving it a chance!

I was motivated to read Dracula because of the Group Read hosted by Allie at A Literary Odyssey.  Now that I've finished the book, I'm looking forward to reading what others had to say!

Dracula Group Read: October 2011

I plan to participate in the October Group Read of Bram Stoker's Dracula hosted by Allie at A Literary Odyssey.  Leave Allie a comment to let her know you want to join in on the fun.  Then, just post about Dracula between October 16 and 22 and link back up to Allie's master post.  Easy!