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Dracula

(Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (B&N Classics)

By Brooke Allen, Bram Stoker

(1405)

| Mass Market Paperback | 9781593080044

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Book Description

Count Dracula has inspired countless movies, books, and plays. But few, if any, have been fully faithful to Bram Stoker’s original, best-selling novel of mystery and horror, love and death, sin and redemption. Dracula chronicles the vampire’s journey from Transylvania to thContinue

Critics

Dracula

Maggio 1890. Jonathan Harker, impiegato alle prime armi presso un importante studio notarile londinese, viene inviato nella remota Transilvania – una delle zone più arretrate e selvagge d’Europa - per assistere un nobile del luogo, tale Conte Dracula ... (read full critics)

mangialibri published on Thu, 16 Feb 2012

Dracula, By Bram Stoker

The protean creature that bounded in the form of "an immense dog" from the ship Demeter in Whitby in the late 19th century is now an unavoidable presence in cinema and TV. Yet, as Roger Luckhurst points out in his lively introduction, the revival in ... (read full critics)

independent published on Fri, 18 Feb 2011

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29 Reviews

2 people find this helpful

Dracula -- a fiction about courage and faith

Not excellent in terms of skills and use of language, and too religious-oriented to me. The author kind of overdid the sermons (by Dr. Van Helsing). It is as if I'm in a Catholics church, that I have to say a Hail Mary. Amen.
The characters here can only be described as gaily, with no other no ... (continue)

Not excellent in terms of skills and use of language, and too religious-oriented to me. The author kind of overdid the sermons (by Dr. Van Helsing). It is as if I'm in a Catholics church, that I have to say a Hail Mary. Amen.
The characters here can only be described as gaily, with no other notable human traits at all, and live as though they are already in the heaven. The plot could have been more creative, and it's just too plain and simple for a novel of this length..
With all being said, the story is very easy to read.. Indeed, up to now, it is the longest English novel that I manage to finish. It is excellent for pure leisure reading, as it won't even leave you the slightest bit of confusion. After McCourt's 3 memoirs, I want my brain to rest a little.
Yet why do I still finish it?? Because, taking the skill sets away, the story is still attractive. The plainness of the characters are deliberate for such a novel.
The first half is a better horror novel than the later half. At first, it is truly a page-turner. But as the story reveals, the horror disappears, and it becomes the old Catholic story of courage and faith.

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phystory said on Sep 29, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

The Father of Vampire Literature

Before the arrival of this book in the late 19th century, vampires and the undead where nothing more than the subject of legend and a few (Barne the Vampire and such) novelizations. But it would be Stoker's masterpiece that would influence Western work for the eternity.
Written in secondary narrati ... (continue)

Before the arrival of this book in the late 19th century, vampires and the undead where nothing more than the subject of legend and a few (Barne the Vampire and such) novelizations. But it would be Stoker's masterpiece that would influence Western work for the eternity.
Written in secondary narratives (with a few third-person portions), as the characters retell there lives to the reader. Some will find the usage of such an issue, but beyond it, it weaves an intricate narrative that allows the reader an indepth look at the mentalities of the characters (and even Dracula himself).
By far, the story is compelling, not only because of the naration, but because of Stoker's observation of Victorian life durring the novel, that gives it an unpresidented reality. That as Mina seeks the empowerment of women (telling of the woman who proposes to her loving man, etc., Lucy is the counter example: your princess in need of a prince. The far reaches of psycological science, and devotion torn between scince, love, and God.
There is of course, mush more to the novel, but every person will find amongst its contents, his or her own's observations, joy's and disslikes, and most importantly (and hopefully) see why this is the greates vampire book in existance.

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M. F. Soto said on May 13, 2011 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

Dracula

This is my favorite book of all times. The fantastic and dark plot contrasts with the narrative style, so precise and analytical. It's a masterpiece. It is the first book you need to read if you're intrigued by vampires and especially by the mystery revolving around the character of Vlad the Impaler ... (continue)

This is my favorite book of all times. The fantastic and dark plot contrasts with the narrative style, so precise and analytical. It's a masterpiece. It is the first book you need to read if you're intrigued by vampires and especially by the mystery revolving around the character of Vlad the Impaler. In my opinion, no other book on this topic is as coherent, and "original" as this one.
This edition includes an introduction and notes by the book critic Brooke Allen. He makes a thorough analysis of the characters and of the story, contextualizing it within the social, scientific and cultural trends of that time. An exhaustive source for an insight on the studies carried out by the author for his masterpiece.

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Benny Rossi said on Feb 11, 2010 | Add your feedback

Chilling

I enjoyed this book immensely, and can really see why it is named as a classic! Many ‘classic’ novels, I can’t see the worth of, but this one was different. A lot goes on in this story, including vampirism, bug-eating, and there is the famous Dr. Van Helsing! It’s a very typical Victorian novel, wit ... (continue)

I enjoyed this book immensely, and can really see why it is named as a classic! Many ‘classic’ novels, I can’t see the worth of, but this one was different. A lot goes on in this story, including vampirism, bug-eating, and there is the famous Dr. Van Helsing! It’s a very typical Victorian novel, with a lot of honour and protection directed towards women, and groups of men acting together and being manly.
Although I really enjoyed the book and would read it again, I found the ending a little anticlimactic. Of course, I don’t want to spoil the ending for you :)

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Jemma said on Mar 28, 2012 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Thank you Bram Stoker...

Wow this was not the ordeal I was expecting it to be. I always automatically regard older books as something that won't interest me. I really don't know why. This was definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Yes the writing is a little bit difficult at times but when I say a little bit, I ... (continue)

Wow this was not the ordeal I was expecting it to be. I always automatically regard older books as something that won't interest me. I really don't know why. This was definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Yes the writing is a little bit difficult at times but when I say a little bit, I mean a little bit. After the first few pages the difference in the older style of writing barely registered with me I was so engrossed in the actual storyline.
Dracula is the original vampire book really isn't it? And since the literary world is over-run with vampire and paranormal themed books at the moment I though I should go back to the original that stemmed all the books that I adore. It didn't let me down one little bit. It's probably still the most original, the most scary and atmospheric than any of the vampire themed books I've read.
As I've said countless times before I love a book that deals in multiple narratives and this one does just that. All the characters are then well-developed and you get a personal feel for each and every one of them. Mina is a great strong female character and even though this book is over a hundred years old I felt she had her own very strong opinion and independence. Of course there's the obligatory minding of her by the men as she is just a 'weak woman' but I don't feel that this in any way went over the line of sexism, more just extreme chivalry. This actually surprised me. Also the men are all in all such kind and decent people you can't help but forgive them some of their comments about protecting Mina's innocence. By the way I did not know that Van Helsing was created in this novel.
The plot is fantastic and moves a long at a great pace. The problem with some older books is they can have pages and pages where nohing is happening but a character is having a long argument in his head about something or other. This does happen in Dracula but these seem to be contained to paragraphs rather than pages. Dracula himself is such an inherently evil and scary character that it makes the whole book more atmospheric just by him being in it. I also loved the character's surroundings at the different points in the book such as Dr. Seward's lunatic asylum and the castle in Transylvania. Try saying Transylvania without doing the accent, bet you can't!
Anyway to sum up this was one of my best reads, not just all year, but ever. I enjoyed it immensely and am forever indebted to Bram Stoker for creating a character so good it has survived through decades to live on in so many ways and forms, not just in the literary world but the film and tv too. Thank You!

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Lauraolsthoorn said on Mar 2, 2012 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

i read it over one year, not because it's boring; on the contrary, it is really good of language and the scenes are vivid. The characters' personality are lifelike. i read it over one year since i'm not a native speaker as for English, but I still want to read over this book although I have to check ... (continue)

i read it over one year, not because it's boring; on the contrary, it is really good of language and the scenes are vivid. The characters' personality are lifelike. i read it over one year since i'm not a native speaker as for English, but I still want to read over this book although I have to check dictionary all the time while reading this. hah

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aurevoir said on Jan 7, 2012 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback