malalai khan

As he spoke he smiled, and the lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, as white as ivory. One of my companions whispered to another the line from Burger’s “Lenore”.

“Denn die Todten reiten Schnell.” (“For the dead travel fast.”)

The strange driver evidently heard the words, for he looked up with a gleaming smile. The passenger turned his face away, at the same time putting out his two fingers and crossing himself. (Chapter 1)

Just reading these lines, I knew it would be the best horror book I will ever sink my teeth into.

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel, written by the Irish author, Bram Stoker. It is regarded as the most popular literary work derived from vampire legends, based on the immortal Count Dracula.

Plot

It starts off from Jonathan Harker’s diary where he departs for Transylvania on a business trip as a solicitor. On his journey, the locals warn him of vile, undead creatures that roam in the night and hand him garlic and crosses to protect himself. He reaches the castle, finding out there is no other living soul there except himself. He attempts to escape before he also falls prey to the vampires. Afterwards, there is a long series of diary entries, letters, logs and journals in which Dracula travels to England with the ambition to take over the world, Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker are turned into vampires, ending with the demise of the Count.

The most horrifying part of the novel for me is the scene of the ship captain’s log on Demeter, as one by one, each sailor mysteriously disappears on board. The shipmates go mad over the fact that they will, too, become victims of the demonic blood sucking Count. I truly got the chills down my spine reading it. Kudos to Stoker.

The part of the novel that I didn’t get was the ending – it was too swift! It could’ve been just one chapter longer, for the Count died too quickly.

Character Critique

Count Dracula has an enigmatic personality that would frighten anyone who doesn’t consider vampires to be ‘nice’. Though he is the antagonist, he still lives on as the most iconic—and exemplary—classic character in the history of horror. I liked his dark and peculiar ways, especially at the castle. The way Stoker describes his animal-like abilities i.e. climbing down the castle walls, was really terrifying.

“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!” Seeing, I suppose, some expression in my face strange to him, he added, “Ah, sir, you dwellers in the city cannot enter into the feelings of the hunter.” (Chapter 2)

Jonathan Harker is a solicitor, who seemed very cowardly and fainthearted, mainly at the castle. I admired the personality of Dr. John Seward, the administrator of an insane asylum, for he plays a major role in tracking Count Dracula. Renfield, the patient at the asylum, was a very interesting character; Bram Stoker could have given him longer time to live (yes, he also dies). Van Helsing is an old Dutch professor who attempts to end any spawn of evil. For me, he was way too religious. Quincey Morris and Arthur Holmwood were very underrated in the novel.

I disliked the personalities of the female characters i.e. Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray, because they are shown weak and idolized like princesses. The men treat them like delicate lilies, even though Mina did somehow help them by providing information about the Count.

Rating

Out of 5, I give Dracula a 4.7, which rounds off to 5.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I definitely recommend this prized novel to everyone, for Dracula lays a foundation to classic literature as well as a praiseworthy ideal in the horror genre! ❤

(Read it on Goodreads!)

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