Dracula / Bram Stoker / 1897

Dracula / Bram Stoker / 1897

An addictive novel written in the epistolary form, the language of Bram Stoker’s classic aged like fine wine, capturing the introspective intensity of the era with delightful turns of language. Like a good rollercoaster, Stoker lets you watch a character’s doom approach without sacrificing any of the delight in the story when they plunge. It provides an interesting glimpse into the racial and class biases of the era with elements that should interest folks in the medical humanities, ethnic studies, and horror fanatics alike. Stoker’s Christian overtones were a little goofy but fine. I would love to discuss with a solid feminist about the portrayal of Mena and Stoker’s intentions there, as to me the sexism of the men proves to be the greatest weakness in their strategy to defeat Dracula. The novel has the men sideline Mena, a thorough and thoughtful organizer and strategist, because she is a woman in a way that seems aware of the foolishness of the move. The novel then still plays Mena out as the ideal victim and deferent woman, even after she’s reinstated into the team by necessity. Either way, I deeply enjoyed this book. 5/5