Dracula was a Gothic Horror novel, however what made it unique at the time was that it didn't immediately start as Gothic Horror, and had Jonathan slowly figure out that he is in a Gothic Horror Story, and unlike most Gothic Horror stories, the horror follows him home.
@@meganega123 yes we do, but it starts out as him meeting Dracula as a guest. Slowly weird shit happens and we can surmise something strange is going on. Then the setting completely changes
One thing I liked about the book is that we actually don't follow Dracula all that much but he is always there! We feel his oppressive presence at all times! There were a couple of a little boring moments, so I gave it 4.5 stars, but it was amazing!
I think you are the best booktuber I would definitely like to see more classic literature from you because I think that a lot of younger kids should definitely get more into the classics I can't wait for the War of the Worlds review....lol
Yeah I’ve been getting into older ones like Dracula and phantom of the opera. So far I haven’t even got past the first page since I only phantom of the opera today but it’s looking like it’ll be good
I found Frankenstein's pacing to be much better than Dracula's despite being published roughly 80 years earlier. I'm not sure that I agree with Daniel's assessment that Dracula's a slog to get through purely because of the time period in which it was written (but it definitely is a tough book to get through lol).
This book disapointed me somewhat, though for me too it was the first supernatural horror book that actually managed to scare me a bit. Mostly the first few chapters in the castle, but still. Anyway, I thought the pacing was fine and the first few chapters were great overall, but in the end Dracula was way too easily beaten. And even before that he had become completely non-threatning pathetic creature which pretty much ruined the story for me. I mean, first he was built up as this cunning, powerful evil monster but then all at once they listed several more huge limitations and weaknesses for him and right after that he just fled the country like a sissy and got caught and destroyed before getting a chance to even try fighting on his own territory. Also, the writing began to be very repeative and overly dramatic after a while. Farr too many "poor dears" and "brave, honest and true" lamenting. And overall the characters spoke unnaturally, but then again similar overly poetic weird way of speaking also fills Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens so I wonder if that was simply a common writing style in the 19th century and they didn't care about realistic feeling dialogue. And one other thing that distracted me was Stoker's habit of describing people "beating his hands together" when overcome with grief. So bizzare image, I've never known or heard of anyone doing that in real life when grieving. I guess it was worth one read but definitely not again, for me.
@@Oatmeal_TVx it does have some good points in redeeming values. You can listen to the audiobook for free on youtube. Then you can do other stuff and not have to dedicate your time to it
Yea I also think it was very anti climactic. Almost felt like the end of the book was going to lead into a whole nother book that would serve as the "finale". But nah they just kinda ended up catching him and killing him before he even woke up. Also when they confronted him in london, and no one in the crew even got a scratch on them? Someone in the group should have been injured or taken out to up the stakes and a couple of them were disposable too so it could have worked w.o messing with story. I dunno, overall I can see why it's so beloved but it could have def gone a bit farther
I liked the feeling of dread in Dracula, but I wish it had been as inventive in its treatment of the antagonist as Mary Shelley had been in Frankenstein many years prior. I also felt that Mina Harker was such an empty character that I wouldn't have cared if she had died. She was really just an object to be possessed. That's typical of its time to some extent, but this was written well after the works of the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen, etc. If you haven't done so already, you HAVE to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. If you're anything like me, you will find it a complete revelation. I realized I had no real idea what the book was about going in. I had seen countless adaptations of the material, and to say they are loosely based on the novel is an understatement.
Siansonea Orande Mina Harker was Bram Stoker’s take on the Modern Woman movement by making her a hardworking woman and even Van Helsing comments on her as “Having the brain of a man”. While Lucy was the epitome of the ideal Victorian woman by being pure and innocent and virtuous and docile. I found Lucy to be more empty than Mina, really :)))
Didn't read this until my 20's but loved it. Shared it 2 years ago with my daughter who was 13 at the time and she absolutely fell in love with it. This book, this story and how Stoker presented it, is still amazing today.
Atmosphere is one of the most important things for me, even in fantasy books. Dracula did quite a good job with it, H.P. Lovecraft is a master when it comes to atmosphere. I also felt IT has the same strenght but I also would say that I could not get scared by a book.
So far I've read about 4/5s of the book, had some difficulty even getting this far. The subject matter and plot is quite brilliant but had to read it one piece at a time. Literally had to force the text into my mind so I could then absorb and interpret the scene. Very hard in reading and interpretation but so curiously interesting and intriguing that it was impossible to not read it at all.
Natalia Strojna-So glad you brought up Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire, so far I've only read the first 3 books in her vampire chronicles series but I loved them, though I do have more of a soft spot for The Vampire Lestat & Queen Of The Damned over Interview With The Vampire as Lestat was my favourite character from the books. Also Daniel Greene I know someone's already mentioned it but you should definately read House Of Leaves, it's probably the most disturbing book I've ever read.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It! Also known as "the film written/directed by Mel Brooks and starring Leslie Nielsen that didn't do very well, and might have killed Mel's enthusiam for making parodies when it flopped." I haven't seen it in decades, but I remember liking what I saw. Don't know how reliable 5 year old me was though, so maybe it was as bad as critics and audiences thought.
Too many bad vampire movies/tvshows(I'm looking at you, Twilight). The one and only vampire story worth watching is Netflix's Castlevania, the only one honoring its forebears. Maybe you're not an anime guy, but maybe you should try like....1 episode?
If you really like a dark and mysterious atmosphere, I highly recommend checking out Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. It's sci-fi, but the Shrike (the mysterious character and figure in the book) is a very interesting interpretation on strange and different human-like creatures. Plus, the book is just good and the atmosphere gives me goosebumps.
Agreed, the timing of the novel's release and the amount of research Stoker put into this book makes it quite special. Check out his great grandnephew's books he wrote around Bram's book.
Wow. You earned yourself my subscription here. I wrote a presentation of dracula way back in school, so i know one thing or the other. I dig what you said here.
Count Dracula isn't just a vampire. He's also a werewolf, someone who's made deals with the Devil, and such based on things Dacre Stoker has looked into.
Favorite part of this vid was the bram stoker quote. Rings so true. Also I live in NZ and I am part Maori the way you said Taika Waititi name made me chuckle. Not your fault, I know Maori names are hard to pronounce. Hardly anyone I know can say my real name without giving it a few tries.
If you want a modern day Horror writer that is a master of focusing on atmosphere and dread, I would recommend checking out Dan Simmons. He's my favorite Horror and possibly even my favorite writer in general. He's a master of writing atmosphere and making the setting one of the most terrifying things about the story. Also his prose is just magnificent
MATH yes, it's called "Bram Stoker's Dracula". I enjoyed it even though the acting is poor and the should have used English actors or at least actors who could do a convincing English accent. I'm too lazy to read the book so I'm listening to the audiobook on UA-cam.
Yeah I love that film. I know a lot of people disagree but the most interesting part for me was the romance James. Heart wrote in, which wasn't in the book. I didn't mind the acting at all. Keanu was politely boring, yet that's how I imagined his character to be too lol.
Find us for our newest episode. Get your plastic fangs, a Bloody Mary and come watch our newest vampire movie extravaganza episode. 100% sparkle free. This one has Hugo, Vampires, and a lot of love for the dangerous eyes of Chris Makepeace.
I cant lie...I lowkey/highkey am a Dracula fangirl. I was 15 when the Coppola version hit theaters as one of the most accurate and faithful adaptations of the book and I was enthralled. The movie had a huge marketing push from the studio and there was all kinds of lead up to the movie release. And I remember reading the novel....on a weekend in Oct when I was completely alone.....it was terrifying and thrilling! Since then I've stayed loyallly fascinsted with the story and the cultural backstory. A few years after reading the book i actually wrote a college paper on it....and got an A. I am always devotee of adaptions that try and be faithful to the OG source material, but the OG book, tho plodding in some areas , is undefeated.
Very good review! I'm still reading this book and have done half of that, but as I'm not very fond of horror stories, I'm trying to get some insights on why it is worth reading.
For me I read vampire stories never to creep myself out. What I admire deeply about vampire culture are the philosophical questions it often raises about the human condition; immortality, forbidden desire, isolation etc. Some of the best vampire stories I find profoundly cathartic. Some examples are obviously Dracula by Bram Stoker, Fevre Dream by George R.R Martin, and the Tokyo Ghoul manga saga by Sui Ishida.
I know, I'm... 10 months late to the party, but I've read Dracula at least six times. I love this critique so much! I don't like how the modern media changed the characters up- especially Mina and Lucy (glares at FFC's Dracula)- and I wish someone would strive to preserve the plot and characters more. And I want Quincey Morris. Possibly played by Jensen Ackles.
I haven't delved into much fantasy/supernatural horror either, but I'd recommend The Terror. It's a good supernatural horror novel, though it drags at times and it's very long. The TV show was brilliant, definitely watch it if you haven't. Oh, and I just remembered that an official (written by Stoker's descendant) prequel to Dracula is getting released in October.
Hey Daniel, awesome work as usual. Are you thinking about reviewing A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin? I know that you kind of fear getting suggestions from your subs lately, but I really wonder your views on this particular book because it's different from the stuff I have read on the fantasy genre.
I like the way The Dresden Files handles vampires. Turns out, Bram Stoker actually published his novel as a sort of "How To" guide on How To Kill Black Court Vampires (the Dracula type). Several other versions of vampires exist, including the Red Court (bat monsters wearing "flesh masks") and the White Court (vampires who feed on emotion. The current ruling House likes to feed on Lust, so they're basically incubi and succubi. We meet two other Houses who feed on Despair and Fear). We also hear mention of an Asian based "Jade Court," but we don't have any more info than that.
I reallt enjoyed the begining and the ending. Not so much the middle. Dracula very much starts off as a normal story, and i got very invested in the relationships between the two couples. I do enjoy some romance sub plot, so the begining was a nice pleasant read. Then it's weird, Johnathan is in the castle, and i know the count is a vampire. But i kept hoping they could be amicable. No sich luck. Then the middle was really boring, but the ending was satisfying I will say it's a bit strange the way women are regarded in the book. Likely just a product of its time, but Mina ans Lucy seemed to be fawned over a great deal, and were head over heels for their husbands 24/7. Overall a good book
Dracula by Bram Stoker is great but I'm suprised no one is talking about Interview with the vampire. Anne Rice did magnificent job plotwise and writingwise. The whole series is absolutelu worth reading and asks many philosophical questions. Great video, I love watching you :)
My one struggle with the book is its treatment of women. The female characters are uniformly objects to be possessed and rescued with no agency of their own. But with that caveat, it's a good story and blessedly not written from the point of the view of the vampire.
It's odd to me that Mina is treated both objectively as you say and then she subverts it here and there in the story, as she does actually help them find Drac and they talk about how great and wonderful she is at raising their spirits and so on and so forth. But then she will go immediately back to a poor demure wife of Harker that must be protected because all these men just LOVE her so much! It certainly is a product of it's time in it's regard of women characters, and i wonder how those examples of Mina being her own character would have been recieved in this times? Or where audiences back then fine with the "this woman is strong and sprited but don't worry she is still X character's wife" kinda thing going on?
If you want something that makes you really unsettling like Dracula I would recommend House of Leaves. Though I would recommend not using audible and really reading it in paper as it doesn't read like a normal book
I didn't think IT was scary, either. Try Pet Sematary; it is scary, even to today's jaded horror readers, and it has interesting things to say about grief and burial rites.
I think my favorite alternative style vampire movie is Byzantium - it's usually on Netflix though it may take breaks. If you haven't seen it I'd recommend giving it a shot. It may suck and I might have my perception clouded by the female lead, well the "younger" one who is melancholy but kind and redheaded without over-freckling lol - yeah she may cloud my judgement a bit, but I still think it kicks the dog shit out of "blade" or any of the truly awful "underworld" ""films""
My issue with the novel is definitely the long middle portion with the constant emphasis on how poor, vulnerable and weak the women of the story are. It was a slog. The creepy parts are creepy but it was not always consistent in tone
i think youre missing something . i think its a religious book . the characters focus so much on God , and Dracula represents the devil . mina is more god-focused than lucy was , which could have been why she never fully turned. dracula has to be invited in , and people have to voluntarily invite in sin that will eventually come and go as it pleases (also shown in dr jekyll and mr hyde). theres more , but i cant take too much time in the comment section 😅
This was a great video! But I just wanted to tell you that on goodreads, you reviewed the wrong book. You reviewed the prequel "Dracul" by a relative of Bram Stoker.
How do you give a book review and barelt mention anything about the book lol. You talk about movie adoptions, tv shows, but dont mention any details about the book or how and why it became successful in its day. You dont mention its structure. You dont mention how(like most novels of that time and even going back 100 years prior) it was serialized and not published as a complete work. You dont mention how in an era wkth no tv, no phone, no internet, barely any cars, just being introduced to electricity and how England in that time had seen its shares of gruesome serial killers and how all that was a backdrop to the novel. Like...did you even read the book because your..whatevet this was supposed to be did nothing for the actual story and just spoke of Vampires as a staple of modern horror. Im convinced yoh really didnt read or do any research on this book
@danielbgreene just finished this book 2 days ago. saw u did a review months ago and didn't even know it was a book, my dumb ass always thought bram stoker was the director or some shit. So after seeing it was a book I added to my read list. got the paperback and crushed it in 2 weeks. I was hard to read at 1st with the old English and slang talk. But book was not a slog and unlike you would suggest it to friends. It was a good read. Love your channel and reviews, BUT... Gotta disagree big time on character building. This whole book was told in a POV way. Each character/AUTHOR told their own story. We knew mina was changing into undead via seward and vanhelsing but Johnathan was kept in dark about extent of this issue. so we got to know each character other than Lord and quincy very personally. I mean come on man we got see these peoples inner thoughts/hopes/fears. Characters were built and known to me very well.I mean GRRM epic is also POV so it is a good way to character build. as far as other "horror" titles I would like to see reviewed. the ones I will list are also POV books. World war Z A People's History of the Vampire Uprising
Dracula is translated to Drac Ullah in Gaelic, which means 'bad blood' As a history buff myself i think you might find the life of Vlad iii (impaler guy) much more fascinating than Bram Stokers book.
Not really, there are a lot of variations of vampires from various mythologies. Bram Stoker used one type, and that type is what people think when they hear the word vampire. Twilight vampires are closer to the Fae(though sometimes vampires are considered Fae).
You know what's more fascinating? That the book didn't actually have any impact at the time of its publishing, and Bram Stoker didn't became anywhere near famous because of it. Only with the success of Bela Lugosi's Dracula did the book attain cult or classic status.
I tottaly agree with most things you Said. I just finished the boom. Pretty mid nowadays. Writings isnt particularly great, the characters are ok, the premis of the story and scenarios interesting. I think its still a book Worth reading just to understand the origin of the vampire trope in todays media. I would say 3/5 stars
Dracula was a Gothic Horror novel, however what made it unique at the time was that it didn't immediately start as Gothic Horror, and had Jonathan slowly figure out that he is in a Gothic Horror Story, and unlike most Gothic Horror stories, the horror follows him home.
Doesn't he find out in chapter 3 or so? I actually was surprised it was revealed to him so early
@@meganega123 yes we do, but it starts out as him meeting Dracula as a guest. Slowly weird shit happens and we can surmise something strange is going on. Then the setting completely changes
One thing I liked about the book is that we actually don't follow Dracula all that much but he is always there! We feel his oppressive presence at all times! There were a couple of a little boring moments, so I gave it 4.5 stars, but it was amazing!
I think you are the best booktuber I would definitely like to see more classic literature from you because I think that a lot of younger kids should definitely get more into the classics I can't wait for the War of the Worlds review....lol
Yeah I’ve been getting into older ones like Dracula and phantom of the opera. So far I haven’t even got past the first page since I only phantom of the opera today but it’s looking like it’ll be good
Well, you got that review now
You should read Frankenstein if you haven’t already. One of the greats..
Agreed!
I found Frankenstein's pacing to be much better than Dracula's despite being published roughly 80 years earlier. I'm not sure that I agree with Daniel's assessment that Dracula's a slog to get through purely because of the time period in which it was written (but it definitely is a tough book to get through lol).
@@ncahill6175 100%
Try Junji Itos manga of Frankenstein
N Cahill yeah no its incredibly propulsive and intense. Also has that extra philosophical heft to it that Dracula lacks
This book disapointed me somewhat, though for me too it was the first supernatural horror book that actually managed to scare me a bit. Mostly the first few chapters in the castle, but still. Anyway, I thought the pacing was fine and the first few chapters were great overall, but in the end Dracula was way too easily beaten. And even before that he had become completely non-threatning pathetic creature which pretty much ruined the story for me. I mean, first he was built up as this cunning, powerful evil monster but then all at once they listed several more huge limitations and weaknesses for him and right after that he just fled the country like a sissy and got caught and destroyed before getting a chance to even try fighting on his own territory.
Also, the writing began to be very repeative and overly dramatic after a while. Farr too many "poor dears" and "brave, honest and true" lamenting. And overall the characters spoke unnaturally, but then again similar overly poetic weird way of speaking also fills Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens so I wonder if that was simply a common writing style in the 19th century and they didn't care about realistic feeling dialogue. And one other thing that distracted me was Stoker's habit of describing people "beating his hands together" when overcome with grief. So bizzare image, I've never known or heard of anyone doing that in real life when grieving.
I guess it was worth one read but definitely not again, for me.
I agree. There's so much build up and it's resolved so quickly and easily.
Well I was gonna read it
@@Oatmeal_TVx it does have some good points in redeeming values. You can listen to the audiobook for free on youtube. Then you can do other stuff and not have to dedicate your time to it
Unnatural? they speak like any other Victorian pom did. Except Dracula himself.
Yea I also think it was very anti climactic. Almost felt like the end of the book was going to lead into a whole nother book that would serve as the "finale". But nah they just kinda ended up catching him and killing him before he even woke up. Also when they confronted him in london, and no one in the crew even got a scratch on them? Someone in the group should have been injured or taken out to up the stakes and a couple of them were disposable too so it could have worked w.o messing with story.
I dunno, overall I can see why it's so beloved but it could have def gone a bit farther
I liked the feeling of dread in Dracula, but I wish it had been as inventive in its treatment of the antagonist as Mary Shelley had been in Frankenstein many years prior. I also felt that Mina Harker was such an empty character that I wouldn't have cared if she had died. She was really just an object to be possessed. That's typical of its time to some extent, but this was written well after the works of the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen, etc.
If you haven't done so already, you HAVE to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. If you're anything like me, you will find it a complete revelation. I realized I had no real idea what the book was about going in. I had seen countless adaptations of the material, and to say they are loosely based on the novel is an understatement.
Siansonea Orande Mina Harker was Bram Stoker’s take on the Modern Woman movement by making her a hardworking woman and even Van Helsing comments on her as “Having the brain of a man”. While Lucy was the epitome of the ideal Victorian woman by being pure and innocent and virtuous and docile. I found Lucy to be more empty than Mina, really :)))
I thought Mina was cool, but tbh I thought Quincy should have had more development
@@No1WillMakeItOutAliveQuincy didn't get more attention because Stoker is British and didn't center Americans and he was not essential to the plot
@@anaihilator "not essential to the plot" is what im saying. he was just kind of there.
I just started reading Dracula a few days ago. Its the first book in a long time that got me addicted to reading again.
What did you think of the ending
Didn't read this until my 20's but loved it. Shared it 2 years ago with my daughter who was 13 at the time and she absolutely fell in love with it. This book, this story and how Stoker presented it, is still amazing today.
‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King would make a great review!
Atmosphere is one of the most important things for me, even in fantasy books. Dracula did quite a good job with it, H.P. Lovecraft is a master when it comes to atmosphere. I also felt IT has the same strenght but I also would say that I could not get scared by a book.
I don't get scared but I did get goosebumps a couple times in this story!!
Very articulate and a great review, Dracula is actually free right now on kindle for those who want something to read during these difficult times!
So far I've read about 4/5s of the book, had some difficulty even getting this far.
The subject matter and plot is quite brilliant but had to read it one piece at a time. Literally had to force the text into my mind so I could then absorb and interpret the scene.
Very hard in reading and interpretation but so curiously interesting and intriguing that it was impossible to not read it at all.
Natalia Strojna-So glad you brought up Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire, so far I've only read the first 3 books in her vampire chronicles series but I loved them, though I do have more of a soft spot for The Vampire Lestat & Queen Of The Damned over Interview With The Vampire as Lestat was my favourite character from the books. Also Daniel Greene I know someone's already mentioned it but you should definately read House Of Leaves, it's probably the most disturbing book I've ever read.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It!
Also known as "the film written/directed by Mel Brooks and starring Leslie Nielsen that didn't do very well, and might have killed Mel's enthusiam for making parodies when it flopped."
I haven't seen it in decades, but I remember liking what I saw. Don't know how reliable 5 year old me was though, so maybe it was as bad as critics and audiences thought.
Too many bad vampire movies/tvshows(I'm looking at you, Twilight). The one and only vampire story worth watching is Netflix's Castlevania, the only one honoring its forebears. Maybe you're not an anime guy, but maybe you should try like....1 episode?
Yup
See the new Netflix series “dracula” its bases on the actual book
If you really like a dark and mysterious atmosphere, I highly recommend checking out Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. It's sci-fi, but the Shrike (the mysterious character and figure in the book) is a very interesting interpretation on strange and different human-like creatures. Plus, the book is just good and the atmosphere gives me goosebumps.
Agreed, the timing of the novel's release and the amount of research Stoker put into this book makes it quite special.
Check out his great grandnephew's books he wrote around Bram's book.
Wow. You earned yourself my subscription here. I wrote a presentation of dracula way back in school, so i know one thing or the other. I dig what you said here.
Count Dracula isn't just a vampire. He's also a werewolf, someone who's made deals with the Devil, and such based on things Dacre Stoker has looked into.
Favorite part of this vid was the bram stoker quote. Rings so true. Also I live in NZ and I am part Maori the way you said Taika Waititi name made me chuckle. Not your fault, I know Maori names are hard to pronounce. Hardly anyone I know can say my real name without giving it a few tries.
If you want a modern day Horror writer that is a master of focusing on atmosphere and dread, I would recommend checking out Dan Simmons. He's my favorite Horror and possibly even my favorite writer in general. He's a master of writing atmosphere and making the setting one of the most terrifying things about the story. Also his prose is just magnificent
You should check out the vampires in Penny Dreadful. They're done well and Dracula is certainly done justice in it.
I'll be reading Dracula for the first time next month! I've heard so many mixed opinions on the work that I'm curious about what I'll think about it.
loved this review. Yes, please read more horror fantasies!
There's a Dracula movie from the 90s with Keanu Reeves that I really enjoyed. It follows the book so worth a watch if you don't wanna read it.
MATH yes, it's called "Bram Stoker's Dracula". I enjoyed it even though the acting is poor and the should have used English actors or at least actors who could do a convincing English accent. I'm too lazy to read the book so I'm listening to the audiobook on UA-cam.
I like cheesy acting. I think what made the movie for me though was how weird the cinematography was. It did a good job of being creepy.
Yeah I love that film. I know a lot of people disagree but the most interesting part for me was the romance James. Heart wrote in, which wasn't in the book. I didn't mind the acting at all. Keanu was politely boring, yet that's how I imagined his character to be too lol.
Unpopular opinion:We need a mainstream Hollywood adaptation of Carmilla.
Anyone agree?
Find us for our newest episode. Get your plastic fangs, a Bloody Mary and come watch our newest vampire movie extravaganza episode. 100% sparkle free. This one has Hugo, Vampires, and a lot of love for the dangerous eyes of Chris Makepeace.
I cant lie...I lowkey/highkey am a Dracula fangirl.
I was 15 when the Coppola version hit theaters as one of the most accurate and faithful adaptations of the book and I was enthralled. The movie had a huge marketing push from the studio and there was all kinds of lead up to the movie release. And I remember reading the novel....on a weekend in Oct when I was completely alone.....it was terrifying and thrilling!
Since then I've stayed loyallly fascinsted with the story and the cultural backstory. A few years after reading the book i actually wrote a college paper on it....and got an A.
I am always devotee of adaptions that try and be faithful to the OG source material, but the OG book, tho plodding in some areas , is undefeated.
Interesting review, very well structured and good content. Thank you 😊
Very good review! I'm still reading this book and have done half of that, but as I'm not very fond of horror stories, I'm trying to get some insights on why it is worth reading.
Great Review, thank you. I started the audio book and I LOVE it!
Dracula is one of the few classics I've read, and it's a pretty gooooood book.
I read this novel in grade 6. It was a difficult novel for me back then. Wanna try again soon
One of my favorite books! Do a top 10 albums, you did 10 movies and i saw you behind that kit in your timelapse
For me I read vampire stories never to creep myself out. What I admire deeply about vampire culture are the philosophical questions it often raises about the human condition; immortality, forbidden desire, isolation etc. Some of the best vampire stories I find profoundly cathartic. Some examples are obviously Dracula by Bram Stoker, Fevre Dream by George R.R Martin, and the Tokyo Ghoul manga saga by Sui Ishida.
Surprised you’ve only just read this dude although it’s great picking up classics latterly! One of my faves! Hope you enjoyed it! “Bloofer lady”
I know, I'm... 10 months late to the party, but I've read Dracula at least six times.
I love this critique so much! I don't like how the modern media changed the characters up- especially Mina and Lucy (glares at FFC's Dracula)- and I wish someone would strive to preserve the plot and characters more.
And I want Quincey Morris. Possibly played by Jensen Ackles.
Do u make a full complete summary for. Dracula like u did the stormlight archive?
I haven't delved into much fantasy/supernatural horror either, but I'd recommend The Terror. It's a good supernatural horror novel, though it drags at times and it's very long. The TV show was brilliant, definitely watch it if you haven't. Oh, and I just remembered that an official (written by Stoker's descendant) prequel to Dracula is getting released in October.
Hey Daniel, awesome work as usual. Are you thinking about reviewing A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin? I know that you kind of fear getting suggestions from your subs lately, but I really wonder your views on this particular book because it's different from the stuff I have read on the fantasy genre.
"40" Days of Night....
You have an image from the DVD box and still can't say 30...
I like the way The Dresden Files handles vampires. Turns out, Bram Stoker actually published his novel as a sort of "How To" guide on How To Kill Black Court Vampires (the Dracula type).
Several other versions of vampires exist, including the Red Court (bat monsters wearing "flesh masks") and the White Court (vampires who feed on emotion. The current ruling House likes to feed on Lust, so they're basically incubi and succubi. We meet two other Houses who feed on Despair and Fear).
We also hear mention of an Asian based "Jade Court," but we don't have any more info than that.
I reallt enjoyed the begining and the ending. Not so much the middle.
Dracula very much starts off as a normal story, and i got very invested in the relationships between the two couples. I do enjoy some romance sub plot, so the begining was a nice pleasant read.
Then it's weird, Johnathan is in the castle, and i know the count is a vampire. But i kept hoping they could be amicable. No sich luck. Then the middle was really boring, but the ending was satisfying
I will say it's a bit strange the way women are regarded in the book. Likely just a product of its time, but Mina ans Lucy seemed to be fawned over a great deal, and were head over heels for their husbands 24/7. Overall a good book
Great review- you took many words out of my mouth!
Dracula is actually based on a real person. Vlad the impaler. His nickname is dracul.
zact lee I think Stoker just got the name from Vlad the Impaler. The look of Dracula and such was likely based on Henry Irving.
Dracula by Bram Stoker is great but I'm suprised no one is talking about Interview with the vampire. Anne Rice did magnificent job plotwise and writingwise. The whole series is absolutelu worth reading and asks many philosophical questions.
Great video, I love watching you :)
My one struggle with the book is its treatment of women. The female characters are uniformly objects to be possessed and rescued with no agency of their own. But with that caveat, it's a good story and blessedly not written from the point of the view of the vampire.
It's odd to me that Mina is treated both objectively as you say and then she subverts it here and there in the story, as she does actually help them find Drac and they talk about how great and wonderful she is at raising their spirits and so on and so forth. But then she will go immediately back to a poor demure wife of Harker that must be protected because all these men just LOVE her so much!
It certainly is a product of it's time in it's regard of women characters, and i wonder how those examples of Mina being her own character would have been recieved in this times? Or where audiences back then fine with the "this woman is strong and sprited but don't worry she is still X character's wife" kinda thing going on?
If you want something that makes you really unsettling like Dracula I would recommend House of Leaves. Though I would recommend not using audible and really reading it in paper as it doesn't read like a normal book
I didn't think IT was scary, either. Try Pet Sematary; it is scary, even to today's jaded horror readers, and it has interesting things to say about grief and burial rites.
You and Mike's Book Reviews should do a collab sometime
There is now a show called "Wellington Paranormal" which is based on the cops in the movie you mentioned.
Vampire is Serbian word and first ever mention of vampire comes from Serbia.First document they are ever mentioned is in mouseum in Paris.
This and Salem's Lot are my favourite vampire books.
I think my favorite alternative style vampire movie is Byzantium - it's usually on Netflix though it may take breaks. If you haven't seen it I'd recommend giving it a shot. It may suck and I might have my perception clouded by the female lead, well the "younger" one who is melancholy but kind and redheaded without over-freckling lol - yeah she may cloud my judgement a bit, but I still think it kicks the dog shit out of "blade" or any of the truly awful "underworld" ""films""
My issue with the novel is definitely the long middle portion with the constant emphasis on how poor, vulnerable and weak the women of the story are. It was a slog. The creepy parts are creepy but it was not always consistent in tone
would be nice to see more horror reviews
I just bought the portuguese 1st edition Dracula Book!!
Please please please read Frankenstein. It blew me away the first time I read it
"The Shining" by Stephen King
My goodness, the audio quality... made laughable by the obvious efforts of the mic screen, and then the book shelf! Somebody roast this, please, haha.
my favorite book
Ummm Such a great Review
Stokers seminal book, dracula,set the bench mark, Period
Hi from uk 🇬🇧!!!! Great video!!
i think youre missing something . i think its a religious book . the characters focus so much on God , and Dracula represents the devil . mina is more god-focused than lucy was , which could have been why she never fully turned. dracula has to be invited in , and people have to voluntarily invite in sin that will eventually come and go as it pleases (also shown in dr jekyll and mr hyde). theres more , but i cant take too much time in the comment section 😅
Supreme book.
Thankyou for another good video.
I wonder what you would think about "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov.
This was a great video! But I just wanted to tell you that on goodreads, you reviewed the wrong book. You reviewed the prequel "Dracul" by a relative of Bram Stoker.
How do you give a book review and barelt mention anything about the book lol.
You talk about movie adoptions, tv shows, but dont mention any details about the book or how and why it became successful in its day.
You dont mention its structure. You dont mention how(like most novels of that time and even going back 100 years prior) it was serialized and not published as a complete work.
You dont mention how in an era wkth no tv, no phone, no internet, barely any cars, just being introduced to electricity and how England in that time had seen its shares of gruesome serial killers and how all that was a backdrop to the novel.
Like...did you even read the book because your..whatevet this was supposed to be did nothing for the actual story and just spoke of Vampires as a staple of modern horror.
Im convinced yoh really didnt read or do any research on this book
I don't know if I want to laugh at vampires. I want them to be gothic and unholy.
The living blood by tananarive due was pretty good .
@danielbgreene just finished this book 2 days ago. saw u did a review months ago and didn't even know it was a book, my dumb ass always thought bram stoker was the director or some shit. So after seeing it was a book I added to my read list. got the paperback and crushed it in 2 weeks. I was hard to read at 1st with the old English and slang talk. But book was not a slog and unlike you would suggest it to friends. It was a good read. Love your channel and reviews, BUT... Gotta disagree big time on character building. This whole book was told in a POV way. Each character/AUTHOR told their own story. We knew mina was changing into undead via seward and vanhelsing but Johnathan was kept in dark about extent of this issue. so we got to know each character other than Lord and quincy very personally. I mean come on man we got see these peoples inner thoughts/hopes/fears. Characters were built and known to me very well.I mean GRRM epic is also POV so it is a good way to character build.
as far as other "horror" titles I would like to see reviewed. the ones I will list are also POV books.
World war Z
A People's History of the Vampire Uprising
Read The Ritual by Adam Nevill. It's pretty darn good.
Best horror books
I found Dracula absolutely hilarious
You should read and review Gormenghast!
Dracula is translated to Drac Ullah in Gaelic, which means 'bad blood'
As a history buff myself i think you might find the life of Vlad iii (impaler guy) much more fascinating than Bram Stokers book.
30 days...it's 30 days of night.
Dunno if you read manga but you need to read Naoki Urasawa's Monster.
Do more horror !
If you can get to the end of this video without saying Stephanie Meyer... +2 to willpower - and...
He did it!
Who?
At least this vamp didn’t sparkle.
They are the dullest of all mythical creatures.(stephenie Meyer didn’t help with that)
Not really, there are a lot of variations of vampires from various mythologies. Bram Stoker used one type, and that type is what people think when they hear the word vampire. Twilight vampires are closer to the Fae(though sometimes vampires are considered Fae).
Why is Neil Patrick Harris doing book reviews?
30 days, not 40
😉
The ending is fucking awful. Rest of it is fucking sick
Try Clive Barker.
Fucking hell, sound equipment ordered on wish ffs
SUBSSSSCRIIIIIBED
You know what's more fascinating? That the book didn't actually have any impact at the time of its publishing, and Bram Stoker didn't became anywhere near famous because of it.
Only with the success of Bela Lugosi's Dracula did the book attain cult or classic status.
WOT !!!!!!
I tottaly agree with most things you Said. I just finished the boom. Pretty mid nowadays. Writings isnt particularly great, the characters are ok, the premis of the story and scenarios interesting. I think its still a book Worth reading just to understand the origin of the vampire trope in todays media.
I would say 3/5 stars
I'm not taking seriously anyone who uses the word mid in a book review
You talk nd talk …. Nothing…
How Boring is your "review"