Book Review: Dracula

***Spoiler Alert*** I reveal the ending of the story, so if you don't know it and don't want to, don't read this post.

So, I've been a slacker again with the blogging. I have some things I'd like to record for prosperity, but just haven't gotten around to it. So, for now, we'll talk about Dracula by Bram Stoker.

As I've said before, I was pleasantly surprised by Dracula. It's written in epistolary form, which means the story is told via letters and journal entries. This device gives Stoker the ability to write the story from multiple points of view without undue confusion. I think it could be annoying if every book were written that way, but Stoker does such a good job with it that I didn't find it distracting at all.

The story begins with Jonathan Harker traveling to visit Count Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. On his way there many people warn him that he shouldn't go, give him things to ward off evil (a crucifix), and feed him garlicky food. He's travelling on business, though, and insists that he must go. At first Dracula is very cordial, but as time passes Jonathan realizes that Dracula has no intention of letting him ever leave. He does, however, make his escape and return to England, but not before Dracula has had himself shipped there. Dracula gets to England and begins to wreak havoc in the lives of Jonathan's friends.

Anyway, the opening chapters are very suspenseful, but the pace slows a bit in the middle. It's still interesting, but not quite as compelling as it was in the beginning. Nearer to the end of the book, when the main characters are hunting Dracula, things get moving again. Dracula visits Mina Harker, Jonathan's wife, and so the vampire hunters are extra motivated to kill Dracula so that Mina doesn't turn into a vampire. In the end, they catch and kill him just before sunset as Dracula has almost been returned to his castle.

I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. They kill Dracula, and then it's pretty much over. It's not a great battle, as Dracula is still in his coffin (or, box of earth), and so cannot fight back. Which is good for the people trying to kill him, but somewhat less exciting than a modern reader is used to. Mina is free from the influence of Dracula and she says enough to fill up a couple more pages after the account of Dracula's death and then it's over.

The other thing that struck me as dumb on the part of the male characters is their exclusion of Mina from the hunting of Dracula. She has helped them get together everyone's story of their various experiences with Dracula directly or their experience with those affected by him. At that point they leave her out of the hunt and don't tell her anything. But they leave her with no safeguards. They don't make sure she has a crucifix, or a communion wafer, or garlic flowers at her door and windowsill...none of the provisions that had been made to protect others previously. So, obviously, Dracula goes for her. I can kind of understand them wanting to leave her out of the hunting, as it was dangerous and they wanted to protect her. But, if you want to protect her, why not leave her with protections as well? Silly men.

I also thought it interesting that the stake driven through the vampire's heart doesn't have to be wooden. A metal stake or a blade works just as well. Also, the vampire's head must be cut off and the mouth filled with garlic if it is a newly made vampire (if it's an old one, it's body will turn to dust). I also thought it interesting that vampires only go for members of the opposite sex. Dracula (a man) only goes after women. The female vampires that he's made only go after men. That trend doesn't necessarily hold true through the rest of the vampire genre that I've experienced.