Progress on Dracula, Part 2

[bunnyboo]

Gotten a little further in now, and I'm really digging it. It's very Lovecraftian (or, should I say, that Lovecraft is reminiscent of Dracula?) in a "rational thought cannot explain these phenomena and the more you think about it, the more you realize that reality is not quite what you thought it was" kind of way. 

Got to the scene where Dracula climbs up and down the castle walls. That actually sent a shiver down my spine. It's really evocative prose.

Also, holy shit! That scene with Dracula's "brides" (as I've heard them called - that term hasn't come up yet) was horrific. And did Stoker really just imply that they ate a child?

Comments

[earthspirits]

"Dracula" is definitely ahead of its time - The great-granddaddy of modern vampire horror that so many authors have been inspired by and/or emulated. No wonder the story's been filmed so many times!

When you're done with Dracula, you may want to check out another of Stoker's horror books (this one with an ancient Egyptian theme): "The Jewel of Seven Stars". There's 2 different endings: the first edition and a later revised edition.

[bunnyboo]

Ooh, I shall add that to my list!

[selenak]

They did eat a child. "Brides" is not a term used in the novel itself as far as I recall; it hails from the movies. And if we're talking Stoker pushing the Victorian envelope, how about Dracula claiming Jonathan is his and no, the women can't share him?

The scene of Dracula climbing face down gets cited by Stephen King as one of the most chilling scenes he's ever read, so you're in good company. :) (I remember it sending down shivers my spine as well.)

[bunnyboo]

I know that there's some criticism that Dracula as a character represents latent homosexuality (Thanks, Wikipedia!), but I haven't gotten far enough to really dig into that myself. The edition I'm reading has commentary and notes that focus on Dracula as a commentary on Irish nationalism and the English occupation and destruction of Irish land and culture. It's an interesting take. And hey, why can't they both be true? I've been really impressed with how multi-faceted the book is and how rich of an experience it creates.