September Group Listen #2 - Dracula by Bram Stoker

[Scot]

Here is the thread for the September Group listen #2, Dracula by Brand Stoked.

Use spoilers and have fun!!

[Latasha]

I'm not sure if I have this or not. I know I have the one read by Tim Curry.

[Char]

Cool! I actually have this. I'm not sure who the narrator is, though.

[Randy]

If you buy the kindle edition for 0.99, you can buy the audiobook for 0.99 :-) Otherwise its a full credit or $16.95 on Audible.

[Latasha]

I'm lagging behind but i'll be here shortly

[Latasha]

starting this in the morning along with hill house

[Melissa]

Dracula kept me sane during a 2.75 hour commute to work on the rainy Los Angeles freeways. I'm about 10 hours in now. I am enjoying Audible's edition very much. I refer to the annotated print edition here and there to find out what certain references, foreign words, outdated terms mean. I could get by without the references, but I get curious.

[Latasha]

I was surprised to see it was 15 hrs. I did NOT think it would be anywhere near that long but it's ok.

[jb]

I loved this book with Tim Curry as one of the narrators. He was excellent. This book to me builds the suspense.

[Latasha]

yes, that's the one I have. I love him!

[Latasha]

well... I didn't read who read what and had hoped Tim Curry had a bigger role. oh well. some is better than none. I'm not even half way through yet but here are some notes I jotted down today.
the lady reading Mina's journal- it is soooo funny when she reads the old man's part. especially when he's telling mina & lucy about the guy's bench. great job!!
the captain's log was absolutely terrifying. great job there too!
when Mina see's the dark thing lurking of a sleeping Lucy? so scary! I loved it.
I'm very impressed with all the readers so far. they are all great.

[jb]

Oh yeah that part with Mina and Lucy can get a bit creepy!

[K.N.]

I'm starting this tomorrow. I'm glad to see some positive comments since I just finished a very disappointing (and angering due to the time wasted) 13+ hour audiobook. I'm excited for this cast!

[Melissa]

When the female narrator reads journal entries quoting Van Helsing...LOL.
I decided to have a listen on an evening walk. I got to the part with the Demeter and hurried home!
The scene at Lucy's crypt was super spooky. If you're wondering (like I was) about the "bloofer lady," this is supposed to be baby talk for "beautiful lady."

[Latasha]

I finished this today and I enjoyed it. All the readers were great. I think I like the guy that read dr. Seward's parts.

[K.N.]

I think that was Alan Cumming. ;)

[Latasha]

ok. I didn't look to see who read which parts.

[K.N.]

For those listening to the Audible edition (as per the book description):

Alan Cumming as Dr. Seward
Simon Vance as Jonathan Harker
Katy Kellgren as Mina Murray
Susan Duerden as Lucy Westenra
Tim Curry as Van Helsing
Graeme Malcolm as Dailygraph correspondent
Steven Crossley as Zookeeper's account and reporter
Simon Prebble as Varna
James Adams as Patrick Hennessey
Nicola Barber as Sister Agatha
Victor Villar-Hauser as Arthur Holmwood
Marc Vietor as Quincey Morris
John Lee as Introductory paragraph, various letters

[jb]

I have an illustrated version of this book and the audio. (view spoiler)[I did feel the end was a bit rushed, but overall very much enjoyed the book. (hide spoiler)] The overall story has such a creepy vibe to it.

[Latasha]

That's cool! My copy is not illustrated but it's pretty! Lol

[K.N.]

I mostly enjoyed this; obviously I wish there had been more of Dracula, less of Van Helsing's rambling and repetition, and more of Mr. Renfield (maybe my favorite character, probably because I had known nothing of him prior); also, less sexism, but that's a given.

Does anyone think that Dracula was described as (view spoiler)[having a "child brain" (hide spoiler)] simply so that our protagonists had a chance? (view spoiler)[Honestly, Dracula should have won against this crew; Mina was the most clever, but she was kept out of the loop so often that Drac should have won against these long-winded drama llamas. (hide spoiler)]

I loved seeing the initial spark here that set off both the vampire and werewolf craze.

I may cross-post these questions on any other Dracula threads I find, but

A) What's your favorite Dracula adaptation/expansion/homage?

B) Are there any works of fiction that expand or accompany Renfield's story?

For myself, my favorite adaptation (so far) is Nosferatu. I think the trimming of the cast and streamlining of the story made it scarier.