Dracula, part 2; ch 5-8

[Jenn, moderator]

Discuss Dracula part 2.

[Phil]

I enjoyed the build up of atmosphere in this section. Suddenly transported away from Transylvania and dark brooding gothic castles, to light and gay frivolities of two young women full of the joys of young love. Again, we have typewriters, Pitman Shorthand, Phonograph recordings all showing that this is the modern world (absolutely contemporary for the first readers), but we have an air of brooding incoming menace - Renfield's increase of insane activity, Lucy's sleepwalking, the ship captain's diary and ultimately we have ther unexpected surprise that Jonathan Harker isn't dead, but simply in an exhausted stupor in Budapest.

I do like the way Stoker uses a variety of documentary sources to build up his tale from multiple viewpoints.

[Danielle]

Phil wrote: "I enjoyed the build up of atmosphere in this section. Suddenly transported away from Transylvania and dark brooding gothic castles, to light and gay frivolities of two young women full of the joys ..."

Yes. The different types of material seem to bolster the 'reality' of the tale. I keep thinking about Frankenstein, my favorite scary story, and how it combines narratives, but Stoker tries harder for reliable texts from 'disinterested' parties. Not that the ship's captain is ultimately disinterested, but he isn't in the same position as our main characters.

[[deleted user]]

Are you finding the different narrative sources "sound" different? I felt that even though they were supposed to be different people reporting on events that they all wrote in the same style and there wasn't any differentiation between the characters in their manner of writing. It's an incredibly difficult trick to pull of - to make different writers sound distinctly different, but I wasn't convinced that he'd managed it.

[Phil]

I think that his women sound different to his men, but the characters themselves don't particularly sound different from others of the same sex.

However, I can forgive that. I'm now speaking Van Helsing in a "Dutsch akshent" now though rather than a German one.

[Nikki]

I've read Dracula several times before and recently, so I may not be on top of things in regards to the discussion, but I do enjoy reading everyone's ideas and comments! At this point in the novel I was actually finding myself very sad to be away from the Gothic castle. Most of the appeal, to me, is that element as opposed to plot. The characterization of Dracula and Jonathan is my favorite!

[Linda]

I like seeing the mystery unfold as the observers notice specific aspects of what we all know is the classic vampire. Yes, many of the source documents sound alike. Still, a very good story! And I wonder how people felt about it back when it was first published.

[Kelsi]

I love the multiple viewpoints. However, I don't recommend listening to the Librivox recording at work. I'm reading the book as well, but I needed something to get through a work shift. Librivox uses a different volunteer for each chapter and each person uses a different voice for the characters. I could not identify with any of them because the voices were so bad. I at first was a little put off by the letters from various viewpoints. I was really into Harker's journals, but then when Lucy, Minet and the various suitors start weighing in I was really confused. Now that I've stuck to only reading the book I'm finally beginning to get a sense of identity and coherence. Thank goodness I stuck with it, because it resolved itself quickly.

I too keep comparing this to Frankenstein but am finding myself loving the tone and feel of this book much much more.

[Catherine]

Kelsi wrote: "I love the multiple viewpoints. However, I don't recommend listening to the Librivox recording at work. I'm reading the book as well, but I needed something to get through a work shift. Librivox..."

If you are an audible.com member there is an excellent version that is free. At least it was the last time I checked. http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?... I just finished it and can recommend it highly.

[Linda]

The last time I tried to read Dracula it was via an audiobook I borrowed on cassettes from the library. I got frustrated with it after the action switched to England, probably because of the dialect of the old sailor. This time I'm reading (on kindle) and am, at this point, 65% done.

[Alana]

I have a decent version from Overdrive with one narrator. He does a decent job of changing voices between accents and men and women, but you're right, the writing style does not actually differentiate many of the characters very much, so it's a bit of a challenge to follow. I'm enjoying the audio quite a bit, I'm listening while unpacking in my new place. You know, pulling out cereal boxes while listening to descriptions of bite marks :)