Bram Stoker's Dracula: Sucking Through the Century, 1897-1997

By Dundurn

Winner of the 1997 International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts Best Non-fiction Book

In 1897, Archibald Constable & Company published a novel by the unheralded Bram Stoker. That novel, Dracula, has gone on to become perhaps the most influential novel of all time. To commemorate the centennial of that great novel, Carol Margaret Davison has brought together this collection of essays by some of the world’s leading scholars. The essays analyze Stoker’s original novel and celebrate its legacy in popular culture. The continuing presence of Dracula and vampire fiction and films provides proof that, as Davison writes, Dracula is "alive and sucking."

"Dracula is a Gothic mandala, a vast design in which multiple reflections of the elements of the genre are configured in elegant sets of symmetries. It is also a sort of lens, bringing focus and compression to diverse Gothic motifs, including not only vampirism but madness, the night, spoiled innocence, disorder in nature, sacrilege, cannibalism, necrophilia, psychic projection, the succubus, the incubus, the ruin, and the tomb. Gathering up and unifying all that came before it, and casting its great shadow over all that came and continues to come after, its influence on twentieth-century Gothic fiction and film is unique and irresistible."

from the Preface by Patrick McGrath

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dundurn
• Release date: Nov 1, 1997
• ISBN: 9781459721135

Book preview

Reviews for Bram Stoker's Dracula

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised to discover that this is an epistletory novel - I found that technique helped add to the suspense. There is more depth than I had expected from this famous vampire tale.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the original vampire story, introducing the infamous Count Dracula.Read and highly enjoyed as a child (1980s).

[srboone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For me the telling of this story in letters and diary entries did a disservice to the whole, but it's a chilling and suspensful read. Too episodic for 5 stars.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very, very good. The detail is interesting, the format is interesting, the characters are interesting. Real suspense and drama.

[ctfrench · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Young London lawyer Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to conduct business with Count Dracula, a mysterious and very sinister-looking man who reveals himself only at night. When their business is finished, Dracula seems intent on keeping Harker in Transvlvania while he travels to England. Harker soon figures out Dracula is not just an ordinary man but a vampire and manages to escape only to suffer a mental breakdown, delaying his marriage to Mina, a woman Dracula becomes fixated on. To the rescue comes Van Helsing, a doctor who knows about vampires and how to kill them. But their efforts to find Dracula are hampered by the fact that Dracula has Mina under his power and is able to stay at least one step ahead of them as he flees back to Transylvania.This classic is written in an interesting style with the plot relayed through diary and journal entries of the people surrounding Van Helsing. Readers might find it interesting that Stoker based Dracula on Vlad the Impaler, a Romanian ruler during the mid 15th century known for his cruel impalements of men, women and children. The plot lags at times, especially during lengthy discourses by Van Helsing, but it's an interesting look into the period (late 19th century) and the mindsets and interactions of men and women of that time. The story is at times thrilling and suspenseful and Dracula a most evil character.

[dnaej · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book was filled with unnecessary, long, drawn out conversations. The overall plot was the only thing that kept me reading.

[ltfl_ccatalfo_test · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

my review has been updated

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read this for a college course called The Literature of Evil.

[kcoleman428 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book!! It was so fun to listen to and follow the story!! I loved Mina!

[helenliz_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's a pretty interesting tale, told by extracts from a series of contributor's diaries. But it looses something in the style. Although there are 5 main characters who tell this story, they all sound the same, there's no personality in their text. It also makes the story a little disjointed at times, but whereas it works as a narrative device in some instances, here it isn't really exploited fully.

It's a fascinating story, and even if you think you know it, there are elements that are probably not in the many retellings. That includes the ridiculously far-fetched blood giving, which had me scrathing my head, waiting for someone to die. However it takes a very long time to get going, then seems to slow down in the middle before speeding up dramatically towards the end a finishing in a flash. It may be a classic book, but it's certainly not a brilliantly written story.

[chancemaree · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've visited the shrine where vampire horror all began, and I happily pay homage. The Dracula novel surpasses all the old movies, in my opinion. To enjoy it throughly, I set aside modern jade and prejudice and simply enjoyed the story with as fresh eyes as was muster-able. Dark forests and mists and wolves. Red eyes, sharp teeth, mists and seduction. Chilled as terror-cicles in the blood. To Stoker's credit, his novel, now over 100 years old, remains creepy, and page-turningly-bold.

One observation, or point of discussion, is the evolution of villains and evil in culture. In Dracula, evil is straight forward: the vampire is dead/unclean, repelled by sacred objects, repulsive, and, any attraction is sexual in nature--but here, sexual attraction to be fought against-- its allure is a trap that leads to the soul's death and destruction. Upon defeat, Dracula gains a moment of peace, perhaps grateful for having been staked and beheaded.

In modern times, from Interview with a Vampire to Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, et al, evil is allowed to speak to the reader directly. Evil has a story, can love, can be loved, hey--the monster's not all that bad if you don't mind a little gore and carnage. Our culture desires romance with vampires. We want to be vampires, live forever, be as strong as superman--lose our fear of the night. The shade of evil is less clear. Some vampires play the role of bad guys, others are warm, fuzzy and heroic. The world is more complicated, you see.

I believe this comes from our wanting to weaken evil, make evil not so scary as all that. Reduce our fears by showing a 'human' side to evil, beyond the motivation of Dracula which was to simply survive, reap a little vengeance now and then, or take on a few servants as needed.

Humanized evil is popular now. Zombies, werewolves and vampires are not that much different than us. Perhaps this is a positive view, if we apply it on foreign people and cultures -- less demonizing and more tolerance of, er, different appearances and lifestyles. If such is the case, I'll praise the modern horror trends. Fear is a rotten motivator of worldly action.

As for straight out horror in literature, the more alien, unknown, and unknowable the slimy, dark-hearted critter is, the more I'm likely to keep the light on and the covers pulled up to my chin after a night of reading. This frightful feeling is fun in fiction, but for real life, I prefer tolerance and cute vampires who can handle crosses and garlic, yet struggle with morality and the pursuit of meaning in life. I think Stoker might not mind the variety and abundance of nightmares his work helped spawn. He may even have enjoyed Buffy, who, come to think of it, is not all that different than Mina--without all the Victorian dressage.

[chriskrycho · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Delightfully well-written, modern in pacing, unusual in form. Very good.

[seldombites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read many vampire stories, from the scary (Salem's Lot) to the romantic (Twilight) but, despite it's age, this is by far the creepiest vampire novel I have read. In fact, this is the only vampire story that has ever disturbed my sleep. The old-world language and diary format lend it an air of tension to this novel that is lacking in other vampire books that I have read. Most horror books are scary, but fairly predictable. Not so, Bram Stoker's Dracula. I found this story to be intriguing and enthralling and I found myself unable to put it down. This is the original vampire novel and, in my opinion, still the best.

[kassilem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've never actually seen any Dracula movies but I've seen and read my fair share of vampires in general. They seem to be popular in fiction these days. I know this book has been on my mental list of books to eventually read but no need to really soon for years. Then I watched the movie 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' the other week and it made a reference to Dracula. For some reason that cause me to transfer the book to my actual 'to read' list. And so when I saw it on the library shelves’ audio books section I decided now was as good a time as any to read it, or rather listen to it. I didn't really know what to expect so there was no disappointments of any kind. It was a fairly entertaining book really. I'm glad I got to it since it is a classic, but I will most likely not read it again. I really liked the beginning of the book, but the middle seemed to drag a little for me and the end seemed slightly rushed. But the beginning was fantastic. I wasn't sure the book would succeed in the 'creepy' since 'creepy' in the 1800s might have been different from the 'creepy' of today, but there were parts that may have caused a shudder. I believe it was the writing style that allowed this. The book was an 'okay' for me. It was slightly less than a "I sincerely like it". But I am glad I got to it. I do think any reader should get into some classics at some point in their life. If for nothing else, to see and debate on why they are considered classics. :)

[daniel5estes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a celebrated classic for good reason. So much in popular culture since its publication over a century ago originates from the creation of this single character—this undead, parasite of the night.The story itself is a brilliant, wordy mess of journal entries written by forlorn characters desperate to understand an unfamiliar evil. But rather than compulsively turning the pages, you're more likely to wander through the confusion thinking, "What is going on here?" Dracula has its moments—alarming revelations that will chill your bones—but I'd be understating if I said you'll have to slog through a bunch of babble to get there.

[shesinplainview · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this long ago and remember enjoying it. Much different, and better, than what few modern day vampire stories I've read. I think I'd like to hear an audio version.

[deathbykleenex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about Dracula – one of the earliest vampire novels? I do love the epistolary style… it reminds me of modern social/viral media horror, e.g. NIN’s Year Zero and various faked zombie virus outbreaks. Stoker’s vampire definitely has one foot in the grave – he’s a far cry from the modern idea of a seductive, brooding, anti-hero vampire. As much as I love some (and I must stress ‘some’) of these newer vampires, Dracula reveals the dark history behind the Lestats, Spikes, and Angels of the world.

[5eva5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story, told in an epistolary format, of infamous Count Dracula's attempt to settle in England, and the battle to thwart this attempt, and finish the vampire, by a small group of righteous people, led by equally well-known Professor Abraham Van Helsing. I've seen numerous film-versions based on this story, but this is the first time I've managed to get through the original and I must say it's absolutely fantastic. There isn't much new to say about the actual story since most people are fully aware of what a great and monumental literary masterpiece it is, but I must note that the (unabridged) full-cast audio-version with Alan Cumming and Tim Curry is absolutely excellent and highly, highly recommended.

[jawalter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

eBook

It's hard, at this point in my life, not to feel as though I've already read this book. The Dracula story has been told and retold and reimagined and reinterpreted so many times that it was kind of shocking to realize I've never actually dealt with Stoker's original work.

That said, I don't feel that I have too much to say about it. Vampires and sex and blood and superstition and science and religion ... it's all kind of played out. The most unexpected part of the book was the relish Stoker seems to have taken in writing an epistolary work. There are letters, diaries, shorthand accounts, phonographic recordings, telegrams, and newspaper articles, and not only is this how Stoker chooses to tell the story, it's how the characters try to tell the story.

The characters, as much as the author, are fascinated by more than just the account of their experiences. They are fascinated by how they record those experiences, commenting frequently on their methods. A not-insignificant portion of the story is actually just the main characters reading one another's writing and transcribing an additional copy.

It seems strange that a book about vampires would get so excited about writing in shorthand or transcribing a phonographic cylinder, but it does make sense for these people to react to the supernatural with the logical and rational response of simply recording their observations.

[chrishall57_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember when I was about 11 or 12 years old rummaging through a second hand bookshop in Egham. I had this urge to buy a book, my first ever book that I'd paid for with my own money. After much faffing about I settled upon a rather aged and dog-eared paperback by Bram Stoker titled Dracula. I don't remember the cover but I do remember the smell. There's a very distinct smell about second hand books, which gets more distinct the older they get!

Back then I took maybe two days to read it from cover to cover and really enjoyed it. Re-reading it nigh on 38 years later on the Kindle I find I have lost none of the enjoyment. It's an excellent book that keeps you with the story all the way through. It's also interesting to see how cinema has changed the story when it's been adapted by Hammer and Hollywood, it's often been made much more sexualised and at the same time less horrific. Perhaps the closest film regarding Dracula in 'feel' to me would be Polanski's 'The Dance of the Vampire Killers'.

If you haven't read it then do. Free on ebook readers as well!

[britt84 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I recently discovered that I do not actually own a copy of 'Dracula', which horrifies me! I was really quite convinced I did...As a fan of gothic literature, 'Dracula' is of course mandatory reading. I really love the novel, and the diary style in which it is written, which gives you a great insight into the thoughts and ideas of the characters in the novel. Well-written, mysterious and a real page-turner. Still one of my favourites...Really need to buy it some time! :/

[carmenere_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finally, I finally read the classic Dracula by Bram Stoker which has spawned a genre onto itself!Very atmospheric novel which begins with Count Dracula preparing for his departure from Transylvania and his arrival to London with the help of young solicitor Jonathon Harker. The reader doesn't quite know all that transpired while Jonathon was trapped in Dracula's castle but it left him a scarred man. Once he's back in London and recovering in the care of his loving new wife, Mina, Dracula, once again rears his otherworldly head and preys on the one Jonathon loves.I found Stokers characters, for the most part, strongly defined. Although, at times, Jonathon and his friends seem like the Keystone Kops as they attempt to capture and defeat Dracula and there is more verbage than action, I can see how Victorian readers would find this novel titillating. I certainly recommend this novel, not too ghoulish, gorey nor frightful.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have a hard time with classics, I don't like books with vampires, so why then did I enjoy the 1897 classic novel about the vampire to top all vampires, Count Dracula? I won't go into the plot, I'm sure that there are many descriptions that are far better than I could write, but I will try to explain my feelings about this book.First, I have to say that I've never watched the movie so I had no idea of the tale that would be related, so I was enveloped into the story at the very beginning, travelling through what is described as a beautiful land but with residents that are frightened of something, but no idea what.The story was captivating, how this group came together to defeat this evil creature and save the lives of women and children that were threatened. However, the characters were, IMO, a little two dimensional and the style was a little difficult to follow in a few areas, but overall, I liked the story being told in their diaries and letters. At the time of the original publication, I would imagine that Victorian England was scandalized by the behavior of Dracula and his victims, because even though there may have been discussions of folklore related to vampires, I doubt there were few books telling the tales.So for me this classic was a winner. But don't think that I will be searching or reading more vampire literature, I think I've had made fill.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading the classic Dracula by Bram Stoker was an eye-opening experience. I was expecting a slow moving, stodgy, old fashioned story but instead I was delighted in this dark, romantic tale of evil vampires overcome by a band of unlikely heroes. The story jumped right into Dracula’s castle and other than a small slow down in the middle part of the book, kept up the quick pace of a modern day thriller. The ending was particularly well done and I closed the book feeling a great satisfaction that this, the grandfather of all vampire reads, is truly a worthy read. I won’t dwell upon the plot as it is quite well known, but as I mentioned above this was my first read, and there were details that were quite new to me. The character of Mina was a particular surprise as I was expecting a wan, wispy girl, and, in fact, found a forthright, interesting heroine who, even when fighting for her own immortal soul came off both strong and interesting.If you have yet to give Dracula a try, I would encourage you to do so as it is truly both intriguing and mysterious and, if you are a fan of horror, it is wonderful to see where so many of the vampire clichés originated.

[jechtshot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dracula was not at all what I expected; and I mean this in a good way. I made presumptions early on that this would be a dated, heavy, wordy, literary and somewhat boring tale of the Vampire Dracula and thus hesitated cracking open this book for many years. However, once I read the first page and realized that the story was told from the viewpoint of multiple characters via personal journals, diaries, memorandums etc... my interest was piqued. The story of Dracula is pretty tame overall, but if you have been hesitating to read it for reasons similar to those described above, I would dust off your copy and read the first couple of pages. My guess is that you will get sucked into Mr. Stoker's world just as I did.

[midkid88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this in about 1.5 hours while subbing and I found that it was a very simple story introducing Dracula and then finishing him off. It starts out following Jonathon where you are first introduced to Dracula. He is a very smart and cunning person who traps Jonathon and then leaves for London to try his hand there. I found it was an interesting read that compelled me to the end to know exactly what happens.

[tess_i_am48 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After reading for 55+ years, I thought it about time to read the "real" Dracula and I'm glad I did.The book is intriguing and suspensful without being gory or bloody. A lot of history about Dracula is given and also explains why he does what he does. The book is written as diary entries by all the major characters; gives great perspective.The only negative comment is that some of the journal entries use less than proper grammar (he has brain of child, he weak, etc. This detracts from the otherwise well-written book.

[ccookie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dracula by Bram StokerFirst line:~ May 3. 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 ~ Why have I not read this before? I think I somehow thought it would be written in the tradition of the Mysteries of Udolpho and be boring and tedious but it was really quite a good read. Suspenseful. Decidedly creepy. With a nice strong female character which surprised me since it is written by a man. Not that men can’t write strong female characters. But I did not think a man from the late 1890’s would write such a strong female character.I enjoyed the epistolary style quite a bit. Liked getting different perspectives to the whole situation. And it makes the story seem more factual with all the journal posts, newspaper articles etc.Count Dracula is in many ways a very sad character. Tragic and alone, in spite of his minions. I really loved this book.

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say I have not read the original Dracula, what I am reviewing now is the free Kindle version, which I knew had been reported as improperly edited, modernized, and "dumbed down" for today's audience. To be honest, I could tell these things as I was reading it. There were times when I thought, "Certainly the first edition didn't use language like this, it's far too modern!"That said, I quickly became involved in the edited version all the same. There are so very many versions of Dracula out there that you have to be willing to accept that you won't get the original every time you encounter it. If you approach the edited version knowing that, you will probably enjoy the experience. You might even enjoy it enough to pick up the "proper" version and read that too, which is something I am looking forward to doing.

[polymathicmonkey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dracula really was an intriguing story. I am ashamed to admit: I am a horror buff and vampire lover, and yet somehow I had not yet read this book! I had seen Dracula movies, seen Nosferatu, read plenty of modern stories about vampires, but I had never read the real classic, the Gothic tale, the novel that truly popularized the vampire! Something that clearly needed to be remedied!So, I went into the novel knowing nothing about it. I was actually a little worried before I started that the writing might be dry or otherwise difficult to get through; however, I was very pleasantly surprised by the style. I'd had no idea it was written in the form of journals of the participants; various characters documented (insofar as fictional documentation goes), each in their own manner and style, everything that happened at various places and points in time throughout the book. These journals & records themselves become a bit of a key point as things progress. It initially threw me a little bit, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but I quickly got into the style and found it a rather interesting way to tell a story. I didn’t know what to expect of the characters or the plot when I picked it up (seeing as how movies distort their origins so much), but I found myself eager to discover what would become of it all, where the turns would take them, and how it would be wrapped up. Lest anyone think it has no fault- there is the glaring issue that it was written in an age when women were very much second class, "belonging in the kitchen" and such, and it shows, a lot. The women in the tale are essentially looked at as being helpless, and it’s considered an extraordinary feat highly commended (and astonished at) when they do something beyond mediocre housewifery. Coming up with a good plan, doing anything to outwit, etc, it leaves all the men with dropped jaws cooing over how extraordinary that was! If the men had just considered the women as regular people, a lot of the troubles throughout the book would never have even come about! But again, this was due to the time period, not a particular bias of Stoker's. However, then we have Van Helsing. Who, while a reasonably likable character, is practically the end-all be-all of everything; he is the ultimate resource, he can speak multiple languages, he knows what to do in any situation, he has books and people he can check with for any bit of knowledge not already stuffed in his head, he has unending knowledge of (and utter lack of surprise regarding) the supernatural, etc, frankly, he’s just a liiiiiittle bit over the top. Also, I think it was a little annoying to go into it already knowing Dracula is a vampire, rather than having that be a mystery – it spoils some of the fun. Of course, more than a hundred years later, some things simply can’t be avoided. ;)Overall, I was very happy with this book and found it completely worthy of its classic status and spawning of the now-massive vampire sub-genre. Definitely recommended for all horror fans!