A classic for a very good reason.
Who has not heard of Bram Stoker’s creepy tale of a desperate vampire seeking a new life in a new land? But to read it is to appreciate it on an entirely new level.
Stoker is a master at creating the despairing and lonely feel of the castle where you first meet Dracula. The little town, the coach mates, and all the subtle warnings work to intensify the tension of their first meeting perfectly.
The count himself could not be more sinister. There is a particular scene in the novel that stands out above the rest in shocking form. It is one where the Count tries to convince dear Jonathan that the bag he carries, with an infant inside, held anything but an infant. The horror of it had me shuddering. The thought of it, even now, works against that primal part of me that resists any harm done to a child. I cannot imagine what it was like to read that in 1897.
From start to finish, the characters were tangible and well written. I empathized with them as they tried to grapple with the events spiraling their lives out of control.
The slow reveal of Dr. Van Helsing’s suspicions was phenomenal. He brings the others along slowly, deliberately, and in good time, hoping that when he finally divulges what he believes has fallen on poor Lucy, they would not lock him up in the lunatic asylum with the rest of Dr. Seward’s patients.
As any timeless tale of good and evil goes, the virtuous come out ahead in the end, but I have to say I wish it had a more open ending. I like the idea of the Count living on, plotting the days until he takes his revenge. Maybe stealing away Mina one final time when good, pure Jonathan turns his back.
I hope you enjoy it!