29.Oct.2009 Dracula by Bram Stoker
*SPOILERS below* (Thought I’m not gonna bother to avoid spoilers this time)
I had the advantage of reading Dracula (or so I thought). I knew almost absolutely nothing about it, because I never watched the movie based on the book. Oh of course I knew he sucks blood. I knew there were Count Dracula, a castle, and a woman (women?). But that’s about it.
So I was quite excited to start the book with a bang. Dropped right off Count Dracula’s castle! Spooky, eerie, we’re meeting the Count in person, and the pace was just right! I was never left too long in suspension. I thought, this is great!
It went for 4 chapters (out of 27) before reader is transported to correspondence between two women, gossiping about their men and suitors. I was devastated! WHY are we here? There’s so much excitement back there in Transylvania! BRING ME BACK TO THE CASTLE! *rolling and wailing on the floor*
Then it went on and on and on and it never picked up the pace again.
I’m glad that I read it, because it’s the root of something that is part of our culture. For example, I just learned that Van Helsing is originated from Dracula. Before that I thought he was some sort of a super hero, like Fantastic Four.
The language was quite easy to read, which I was very happy about as well. Though sometimes the characters sounded funny to me. As in funny that made me chuckle. Imagine trapped in such situation and talk like “Oh, my God, what have we done to have this terror upon us!”
So dramatic it’s funny.
The book is told via a collection of journals and letters by the main characters. And that probably what made it tedious for me. Today Lucy looks well. Next day. Today Lucy looks not so well. Next day. Today Lucy looks better. Next day. Today Lucy looks worse again.
Then after her death, everybody starts to call her “poor Lucy” like poor is her first name. Poor Lucy.
I lost the urge to finish it after a while because I could see the end from miles and miles away, the whole trip got kinda boring. I’ll say, compress chapter 5 to 26 to half, then it may work better. I’m not sure if it’s just me. I just felt very impatient throughout the whole book.
1897, 444 pp
First line
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 Dracula in participation of Dueling Monsters Read-a-long hosted by Fizzy Thoughts for the month of October. (Gosh, October is such a busy month!) It’s a great closure to spooky October and the R.I.P. Challenge! I’m happy that I finished the book :)
Thanks for hosting softdrink! (wish I could just call you Fizzy) You can visit her site in the next couple of days for recap of everyone’s thoughts! (ETA: Fizzy’s wrap-up)
Also reviewed by
Liked it! — Fizzy Thoughts | Subliminal Intervention | Book-o-rama | su[shu]
Didn’t. – Rebecca Reads | | Farm Lane Books Blog
Challenges
R.I.P. IV (book #5), 1% Well-Read (book #8), Herding Cats II (book #1), 1001 Books Before You Die (book #26)
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