Dracula by Bram Stoker

I have just finished reading by email Bram Stoker's Dracula. I used Dailylit.com who were excellent with a great selection of public domain books and the ability to adapt the length of the email you get sent. I have now started A Study in Scarlett after the recent brilliant adaption of Sherlock on the BBC.

Anyway back to Dracula. This is the second time I have read the book I was inspired by my favorite living author, Meg Cabot publishing her new book Insatiable. It is a modern retelling of Dracula (but not very similar to the original). Meg Cabot mentioned how Mina Harker is a feminist character and not remembering that the first time I read it I decided to reread it. Dracula is unique for being one of the first books to have the entire narrative written in letters and journals. This breaks up the story nicely and means that the reader gets to see how each character learns about Dracula and how they come together to destroy him. The problem with this style of narrative is that just as in real life diaries, there will be lots of activity and then lots of sitting around and talking which gets very dull.

Despite Meg Cabot's endorsement of Mina's feminist credentials, she too becomes annoying and the men spend the majority of book being very condescending. I realise that for the time Bram Stoker is being very empowering of women by writing a woman who has a job, writes short hand and knows the train timetable however in these modern times this view is as condescending as James Bond in 'Live and let die' towards the emerging Civil rights movement. It is uncomfortable to read and insulting when it refers to you.

Ultimately Dracula should be read as the definative vampire lore bible. What to write your own twilight novel? Read Dracula and learn the vampire lore, some of it is as ridiculous as sparkly vampires!