Dracula in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Feb 18, 2017 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, paranormal, 1001-books, fantasy-and-sci-fi, classic, audio, saw-the-movie-b4-i-read-the-book

I knew the story already. I think maybe everyone does. I'd seen a play based on this book (great production, too!). I've seen the movie of course (in particular: Coppola's version with Gary Oldman), but I've never read the book. I've tried a few times, but it's such a snoozefest I could never keep at it. This full cast audiobook is the perfect solution! I didn't realize it was abridged until I downloaded the audiofiles; I usually avoid abridged versions, but it is admittedly a refreshing change I knew the story already. I think maybe everyone does. I'd seen a play based on this book (great production, too!). I've seen the movie of course (in particular: Coppola's version with Gary Oldman), but I've never read the book. I've tried a few times, but it's such a snoozefest I could never keep at it. This full cast audiobook is the perfect solution! I didn't realize it was abridged until I downloaded the audiofiles; I usually avoid abridged versions, but it is admittedly a refreshing change after the two-month-long ordeal I just completed with my last audiobook. (I had wanted the Tim Curry / Alan Cumming version, but I guess my library doesn't offer that one on Overdrive. At any rate, that's not the version I got.)

I can't believe I'm saying this, but the movie was better (questionable casting decisions aside). Coppola filled in some plot holes, he gave Dracula an origin story, he explains the connection between Dracula and Renfield, and he gave Dracula motivation, and a heart that can love. Stoker gives us just an empty evil creature who must be stopped. (And Count Dracula isn't even in the book very much!!)

Pure evil is boring. But a good person who has become evil, or an evil person who tries to be good, is intriguing. We as humans are always terrifyed by our own evil impulses, and we are reassured by tales of redemption.

A few notes of interest to me about vampire rules and miscellany:
Vampires are killed by beheading or a stake through the heart, but the stake doesn't have to be wooden.
Old vampires turn to dust after killing them, but not the younger ones.
You become a vampire if a vampire bites you and you die, and the vampiric transformation (long teeth, pale skin) starts even before you die.
Vampires can transform into a variety of things, including dogs, bats, and mist.
Vampires all seem to be able to use some sort of mind control.
Vampires sleep during the day, but they don't seem to have any problems being exposed to sunlight.
Garlic FLOWERS keep vampires away, not garlic bulbs.
Lucy is staked on September 29th. ...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Lydia Presley rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, paranormal, 1001, 2011

Original review posted here

It’s not often my 17 year old brother tells me I have to read a book. So when he does, I put it on the short list.

I’ve had Dracula on my list for a while though. I thought it’d be a fun read after reading Frankenstein earlier this year, but Frankenstein did a number on me (it was not nearly as gripping as I had hoped it would be) so Dracula got put to the back burner. I should have known better.

First of all – for those of you who have not experienced Dracula yet – it’s ...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Ana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, 2011-september, classics, paranormal

Gothic literature, we'll see how I do.

Dude, I am totally surprised at how much I really, really liked this book. There was one point where it was just Lucy and Mina chatting back and forth and that was boring, but after that it picked up once more and I basically read it all in one day. (Helped by the fact that I had no internet...). This is definitely a book that I will read again at some point. :) ...more

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