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Most Helpful Favorable Review
23 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
One of the best vampire books ever written.
I don't mean to sound mean or anything, because I love Twilight, but Dracula is probably one of the best (if not the best) vampire book ever written. Not only is it a classic, but it's just a great story, with well thought out characters and a great plot. It takes a lit...Read More
I don't mean to sound mean or anything, because I love Twilight, but Dracula is probably one of the best (if not the best) vampire book ever written. Not only is it a classic, but it's just a great story, with well thought out characters and a great plot. It takes a little bit of getting used to, since the format of the story is a little strange, but a chapter or so in it's not too hard to read. The story is very compelling and will make you think, which also makes it good for book clubs and discussions. A good thriller!Show Less
posted by Alexandra-Lanc on June 28, 2009
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13 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
Just as scary as contemporary novels!
This book was written 112 years ago and it's just as scary as Stephen King's Salem's Lot. The fictional character of Dracula is not sexy nor repentant he is just full of bloodlust and everyone around him is his prey. This book should be read by anyone who likes gothic n...Read More
This book was written 112 years ago and it's just as scary as Stephen King's Salem's Lot. The fictional character of Dracula is not sexy nor repentant he is just full of bloodlust and everyone around him is his prey. This book should be read by anyone who likes gothic novels or vampires. This book should be the first vampire novel read before any others so you can see the progession of how the character has changed.Show Less
posted by Abby on February 14, 2009
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Alexandra-Lanc
Posted June 28, 2009
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One of the best vampire books ever written.
I don't mean to sound mean or anything, because I love Twilight, but Dracula is probably one of the best (if not the best) vampire book ever written. Not only is it a classic, but it's just a great story, with well thought out characters and a great plot. It takes a little bit of getting used to, since the format of the story is a little strange, but a chapter or so in it's not too hard to read. The story is very compelling and will make you think, which also makes it good for book clubs and discussions. A good thriller!
23 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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Just as scary as contemporary novels!
This book was written 112 years ago and it's just as scary as Stephen King's Salem's Lot. The fictional character of Dracula is not sexy nor repentant he is just full of bloodlust and everyone around him is his prey. This book should be read by anyone who likes gothic novels or vampires. This book should be the first vampire novel read before any others so you can see the progession of how the character has changed.
13 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Dracula (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
This was the first Barnes & Noble Classics Series book I bought and I had some mixed feelings about it. The book itself was great, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror films. But I would also recommend not reading the introduction if you do not already know the outcome of Dracula. In the introduction, Brooke Allen tells you alittle too much about the story, like its outcome and all kinds of things in the middle. I had not read Dracula, or seen any film adaptations of the original story, so having an introduction, that is not part of the story, tell me what the outcome was really bugged me. The book is great, but I would recommend skipping the intro if you don't already know the story of Dracula.
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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darthlaurie
Posted April 9, 2010
The original is still the best
When I was fourteen I saw a documentary on Bela Lugosi. Up to that point, I had never given much thought to vampires other than Grandpa Munster, Count Chocula, and the Count from Sesame Street. But there was something about Bela, his story and the way he immortalized Dracula forever that led me to reading Dracula.
Johnathan Harker isn't the most interesting character in literature. He's rather bland and I struggled through the first chapter or two until he enters Castle Dracula and meets his captor. Count Dracula is always written about in the third person. I really enjoy the epistolary form of conveying the story and I think Bram Stoker did a pretty good job of creating different voices. Sure his female characters lack complexity and Quincy Morris is the sterotypical Texas cowboy-- the strong but silent type. And of course, Van Helsing...Dracula's nemesis and the most complex good guy in the entire book. Stoker does a terrific job with setting the stage and moving the story along. He creates a monster that is genuinely terrifying because he is so inhuman and doesn't play by the rules of well-mannered Victorians. He is terrifying because you never know what form he'll take. Perhaps one of the more frightening aspects of Dracula isn't the actual vampire so much as his ability to control mere mortals and even drive them to the point of madness...there's a very fine line between sanity and madness sometimes and I think that point is driven home quite well in Dracula.
Dracula may not be scary in the fashion of Steven King, but I know I've had times where I've gone to bed and I haven't been able to fall right to sleep because there could be malevolent forces outside my window...well you never know. All I know is Dracula isn't sparkly or whiney or hating his eternal life. He embraces his life and maybe that's a lesson we should all learn.5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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frozenbloodmoon
Posted December 18, 2008
DRACULA BY BRAM STOKER
Good detail about the main characters and good visualization. Kind of hard to follow at times, but I was satisfied with how it came together.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Better Than the Movie
I loved this book! I wasn't going to bother reading it because I've been watching Dracula movies for years, but I'm glad I did. It is much better than the movies.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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All-American-Bookworm
Posted June 10, 2009
Now THIS is a vampire book!
I read this shortly after reading Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, and let me tell you, if you're looking for a book about vampires, THIS is the one to get! No sparkly, "vegitarian" vampires here! I've got nothing againts the Twilight saga, but Stoker's Dracula is definatly the book to read for an awesome vampire story!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted April 22, 2010
Dracula
Young Johnathan Harker, a young lawyer is sent to complete a transaction with The Count Dracula. He is very excited at first to meet new people. The Count lives in a very mysterious country of Translyvania. When he arrives in Translyvania the people act very funny. They start handing him garlic and crusifixes. He passes them down. When they arrive to where Dracula is supposed to meet, he has to wait for a very long time for Dracula to arrive. They are almost attacked by wearwolves on the way. Soon after he arrives there he starts thinking about what is going on. He is not very sure. He soon starts to be affraid. After so long he begins to think that he is trapped, and this is a nightmare, but this was real. Even though all this stuff he is determined to get the job done. At first he thought Dracula was very nice and a good person, but soon figures out he isn't such a good person. He finds out that he sleeps in a cascet and seems to not come out during the day. When it is Johnathan's turn to eat Dracula is always already ate. When he figures out that he is imprisoned he has many attempts to escape. His wife began being woried when she wrote him and he never wrote back. Whenever he would get mail the Count wouldn't let him write back. One night Johnathan looked out the window and saw Dracula climbing up the side of a wall. Then he is very suprised and alarmed. One weird day Johnathan found himself outdoors. He figured out that Dracula had been going to his home and biting his fiancee. All the shock of this caused his mother in law to have a heart attack and die. With the help of Van Helsing they all destroy Dracula by stabing him with knives many times.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Good read
Dracula is definetly a classic given its time it was written. Very vivid detail the story actually gives off an eerie aura and atmosphere. Very gothic and a bit romantic. It is also uniquely written; as if you are reading a diary! This style gives it a more immersing feel which is pretty smart but it will be awkward for readers who are not use to this kind of writting. However, I personally was only thrilled the first few chapters of the book which are outstanding. After that the story seems to lose that incredible attention to detail. It actually becomes quiet cheesy with the drama and the ending is even less polished. It is interesting through out but cannot hold its greatness the whole way.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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"King Book of All Vampire Books"
I'm into vampires and I believe almost everybody nowadays especially after the rise of Stepehenie Meyer's Twilight Saga (which by the way I'm done reading with). I started reading vampire books back in highschool and I was actually introduced to the writings of Anne Rice (the popular Lestat or the Vampire Chronicles in general)and since then grabbed vampire books that I can get hold of. In line with this, I just recently finished this novel by Bram Stoker and I'm dying to watch the movie starred by Gary Oldman. As I've noticed Stephen King's Jerusalem's Lot (short story) was kinda pattered to the diary style of Stoker. Anyways, I'm glad that I purchased this book and read as I've tagged it " the king book of all vampire books". :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Gage
Posted March 23, 2009
Stoker's Masterpiece
Stoker definitely succeeded in giving each character their own voice and making them distinct. Dr. Van Helsing is a pragmatic but caring old gentleman who has seen a great many things in his life time. Dr. Seward is a professional and analytical psychiatrist and a good friend of Van Helsing. Jonathan Harker is a humble and caring husband who will do anything for his wife, Mina. Arthur Godalming is a good-hearted and noble man with unflinching nerve. Quincy Morris is a gung-ho American adventurer with a spirit that speaks well of all Americans.
Out of this host of identifiable characters there are only two leading women. Mina Harker is Jonathan's wife, a very caring and open woman with a spirit that can endure all the hardships that are placed on it. Lucy Westenra is described as the most innocent and beautiful of women. She is kind-hearted though flirtatious and highly persued by a variety of men. Both women are humble and subservient as befitted women of the time but they distinguished themselves, even amongst the men, with their unflinching resolve and determinations.
Not only were the characters top notch but the story was, as many others agree, classic. Dracula's story is one of the most beloved of all time. Along with its prevailing theme and legendary status, the plot is also a winding maze of plot twists and secrets that keep the reader hanging in suspense until the end. Unfortunately it fails to keep them hanging until the very end. As the story draws to a close, the reader becomes slightly detached and simply ready for the ride to end. When it finally does, it almost leaves the reader wanting more. Perhaps it is merely the great hype that surrounds Count Dracula but the story is incredible and the ending is rather disappointing.
Finally, the method in which Stoker tells the story is both inventive and attractive to the reader. The entirety of the story is presented in journal entries written directly by the characters, each detailing their own experiences. This allows the reader, on occasion, to examine the same event from slightly different perspectives as each character relates his thoughts. For the most part however, Stoker presses on with the story, using a different character to tell the next chapter instead of going through each character's recollection of a single event. This keeps the story moving and prevents the reader from growing bored.
This technique also gives the reader a sense of closeness to the story. The tale is not told by a narrator but it is written in the character's own words. This adds to the prevailing reality and believability of the story. It allows the mental mindset of reading a secret journal, perhaps leaving through the musty pages alone in the dark. Not only does it add to the reality of the story but supplements the overall tone of superstition and awe as well as the timelessness of Stoker's masterpiece.
Overall, Bram Stoker's Dracula was an excellent book with fine, believable characters, a twisting and compelling plot and a unique method of delivery that manages to complement all the other aspects of the novel. I highly recommend Dracula to anyone who has yet to read it. I must however, warn the hardcore fans of the Dracula that populates film and other spin offs. If you are such a fan, leave all your expectations behind when you pick up this novel. Read Dracula as though you have never heard that fearful name before and keep an open mind as you leaf through the pages of one of the m2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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The birth of Vampires
Dracula proved to be a stunning masterpiece that is definitely on my top 5 favorite novels of all time. Stoker really brought together a sensational story that is filled with sensuality, thrill, excitement, horror, and determination. His writing style is neat and organized, but not hard to understand. The characters are all memorable and very noble. Oh, I could just go on and on about how great this book is, but you'll just have to read it for yourself.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted May 24, 2007
A reviewer
This book is a tad old, but still good. It can get a little slow but if u want to read a good classic, THIS IS IT. I would say the best parts are at the beginning and the end. Definately picks up.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted August 25, 2010
Not what you would think.
For everyone that loves the Twilight series you probally will not like this book seeing as it sheds vampires in a very bad light and it is very poor in the romance department. Although there is a romance story it is more husband to wife love and gentlemanly affairs rather than boyfriend and girldfriend love plus jacob black if you catch my drift. I found that at the beginning of the story and towards the end it was pretty boring to be honest but while I was reading it in the middle and when I had plenty of time on my hands I became completely enthralled. I read this at the end of my seventh grade year at school but I would not reccomend it for most other people my age. I loved this book to death no pun intended.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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If you like Vamp fiction, you must read Dracula
I felt like I needed to pay homage to the original vampire creator....worth reading but the entire book led up to one single action, was ended up a bit anti-climactic. Interesting format - written in diary and letter format was pretty cool. Worth a shot, but certainly not fast paced.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted February 13, 2010
I had always wanted to read Dracula
I am glad that I picked this up one day on a trip to B&N, I had always wanted to read it. It was a very good book, an interesting read. I liked how the book was written, but the language was hard for me to get through easily.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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A Classic (nuff said)
It's Dracula, for crying out loud. If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?! If all you know is that lousy movie with Keaneu Reeves, you are sorely mistaken. Enjoy the book and for get "Dude, is that the castle?"
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted December 30, 2009
please for the love of god stop...
I would like to start this off by saying I mean no disrespect to those who may find twilight enjoyable. Bram Stokers Dracula is an incredible book and I cannot help but feel sorry for anyone who has ever or will ever write any form of literature including a vampire. It has gotten to the point where if a character has pointy teeth or glitters in sunlight they will be compared to the ridiculous cultural phenomenon that is Twilight. I am just beginning to read all of the classics that formed the foundation of modern day literature and even cinema, and honestly as soon as someone mentioned twilight I nearly clicked back to the book listing right then. However, I tried not to let it be ruined by mentally comparing it. In the end, all I have to say is this book is without a doubt a must read. I mourn the death of the true and compelling legend that is the Vampire.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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THE EXPERIENCE OF DRACULA
I recommend the book Dracula to anybody who loves drama,thrills,and is crazy about vampires.It's a great book to read on especially Halloweens.So those who like what I listed down.Drama,thrills,and vampires.It's also full of action to make you want to read it again and again.So those who find this interesting go out to the Barnes and Nobles Bookstore take a quick flip through it,and if you like what you see,go ahead and buy it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted September 22, 2009
Best vampire ever
I first read this in 9th grade and it has been one of my favorite stories of all time. This is the book from wich all modern concepts of what a vampire is come from. It is awsome. Dracula isn't just a vampire he is THE VAMPIRE.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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