Dracula in Bound Together

Oct 12, 2015 ❀Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, book-club, audiobook, buddy-read, favorites-classics

Dracula was a rather “outside the box” read for me. While I love reading gothic and Victorian era novels in addition to the occasional classics, this was my first vampire book and I have to say it was a highly enjoyable adventure. I loved it for the unusual epistolary format, the fascinating characterization (I wanted more of Renfield!), and the whole eerie, gothic ambiance. Even though it was not overly scary (we are talking vampires here!) just thinking about it might make me walk a little ...more

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Nov 23, 2021 Cindy Newton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, classic-lit-english, horror

I'm really embarrassed to admit (horror-lover that I am) that this is the first time I have read this. It did not disappoint! Within the Victorian setting and old-fashioned diction were genuinely creepy descriptions and events. The horror of this tale holds up well and made my skin crawl.

I'm now reading Anno-Dracula by Kim Newland, which is an alternate version of events. It is the story of how London would have turned out if Dracula had defeated Van Helsing and the others in the original story ...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Alana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-to-film, historical-fiction, classics, fantasy, foreign-culture, thriller-horror, boxall-s-1001-books

Not being into the vampire genre in the slightest, I was nonetheless curious to read this classic that started it all. I wondered how different the story was, how much of the traditional means of vanquishing the demons showed up in this original work, what storytelling was used for the plot, etc.

On the methods of vanquishing vampires, I feel much more enlightened, although some of them I'd heard of through scattered episodes of Buffy and other sources, but knowing how long ago some of these supe Not being into the vampire genre in the slightest, I was nonetheless curious to read this classic that started it all. I wondered how different the story was, how much of the traditional means of vanquishing the demons showed up in this original work, what storytelling was used for the plot, etc.

On the methods of vanquishing vampires, I feel much more enlightened, although some of them I'd heard of through scattered episodes of Buffy and other sources, but knowing how long ago some of these superstitions existed was interesting. I found it especially compelling in the way Stoker pointed out that Jonathan tended to scorn the religious relics such as the crucifix, because as a Protestant, these objects of traditional Catholicism are nearly idolatrous in nature. There are all the traditions of crucifixes, garlic, stakes and beheading, plus the ability to change shape and other characteristics of which I had previously been unaware.

As for the storytelling itself, some of the thriller nature was diminished in the epistletory and diary format. After all, if the author is writing about the events, they must certainly have made it through alright. The most frustrating aspect was when very obvious symptoms began appearing and the characters, though thoroughly involved in the hunt, somehow don't manage to notice. The constant referring to women as weak creatures who couldn't possibly handle the strain of the fear that the men were dashing off into, while normally something to overlook in older literature, was so repetitive that it became quite annoying, and I wanted to bash the men over the head and remind them that it was the women half the time who came up with all the best plans and solutions! Women are often taken as literally the weaker sex in classic literature, which is not usually done in a disrespectful manner, but it was quite overdone in this story.

The story was interesting, though, and for the most part moved along at a fairly good pace. The "good" characters were all far TOO good to be believable and the bad characters were all completely evil, so there were no scruples about how to deal with each situation. There was little room for gray. The most poignant moment in the novel, in fact, was when (SPOILER) Mina reminds Jonathan that the man that they are trying to destroy was once a good man with a soul and they are truly seeking his salvation as well, so they would be wrong to wish ill upon his eternal soul.

From a Protestant Christian perspective there are so many theological elements wrong with the story that I won't even begin to go into them. That is a topic for a book discussion. Suffice it to say that if there's one thing as proof for the nonexistence of such creatures as vampires, it is that God has not made a salvation provision for anything of the kind, therefore it would not fall under his creation.

For an entertaining tale, four stars. For theology, 1 star. For drama, three stars. Worth reading? Certainly. Overall, three stars. ...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Jenna Cross rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, own, audio-a, classic

This story ebbed and flowed between interesting and dull. Overall I liked the story and am glad I read it.

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Mar 02, 2012 Rose rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was an interesting but long read. I enjoyed the letters and journal entries written by the women, but the rest was a little slow. The story really picked up after the group began hunting for Dracula. So I enjoyed the second half of the book more so than the first half.

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