Name: Dracula
Rating: 3.836422240128928 (1241 reviews)
ISBN: 9780393970128

Bram Stoker

This Norton Critical Edition presents fully annotated the text of the 1897 First Edition.

Authoritative Text, Backgrounds, Reviews and Reactions, Dramatic and Film Variations, Criticism

Dracula

Amalie Elisabeth

How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams.

avarni

Rhiannon Ellery

They say that people who are near death die generally at the change to the dawn or at the turn of the tide; any one who has when tired, and tied were to his post, experienced this change in the atmosphere can well believe it.

The view was magnificent, and from where I stood there was every opportunity of seeing it. The castle is on the very edge of a terrible precipice. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything! As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree-tops, with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm.

to think that the spirits of those lost at sea were touching their living brethren with the clammy hands of death, and many a one shuddered as the wreaths of sea- mist swept by.

The red sunlight was shining on the windows of St Mary's Church behind our seat, and as the sun dipped there was just sufficient change in the refraction and reflection to make it appear as if the light moved

The blood is the life! The blood is the life!

and so, as you love me, and he loves me, and I love you with all the moods and tenses of the verb, I send you simply his love' instead. Goodbye, my dearest Lucy, and all blessings on you.

If it should be, and he came to London, with its teeming millions.

He will not be back tonight; for the sky is reddening in the east, and the dawn is close.

Valle Fernandez

Nadie sabe lo dulce y bienvenida que es la mañana a los ojos y el corazón, hasta que ha sufrido los terrores de la noche. 

Alex J Wolfgang

Scrivo questa pagina di diario mentre aspetto la corriera, che ovviamente è in ritardo, ho ancora il crocefisso al collo. Sarà per via del terrore di quell'anziana donna, o per le spirali tradizioni di questo paese, o per il crocifisso, non saprei proprio, ma mi sento più freddo del solito. Se questo diario dovesse arrivare a Mina prima di me, le porterà il mio addio.

<<Benvenuto nella mia casa! Entrate liberamente, di vostra spontanea volontà!>>

<<Benvenuto nella mia casa. Siete libero di entrare e di andarvene senza alcun rischio, lasciando un po' della felicità che portate con voi!>>

Ho sentito dire che le persone in punto di morte spirano all'alba, o quando cambiano le maree: chiunque, stanco e obbligato a rimanere al proprio posto, abbia sperimentato questo cambiamento nell'atmosfera, può ben credere che sia vero.

Il mio dubbio era se un incubo potesse essere più terribile della mostruosa atmosfera di tenebra e mistero che sembrava chiudersi su di me.

Lucy si è addormentata e respira dolcemente. Ha le guance più colorite del solito e oh, è cosi bella. Se il signor Holmwood si è innamorato di lei solo vedendola in un salotto, mi chiedo che cosa direbbe se la vedesse in questo momento.

Che cosa significa tutto questo? Sto iniziando a chiederni se la mia lunga abitudine a vivere tra i pazzi non abbia cominciato ad avere effetto sulla mia stessa mente.

Matilda Maroino Bray

"Recuerda, mi amigo, el conocimiento es más fuerte que la memoria y no debemos confiar en lo débil." Fantástica obra. Este clásico dio origen a la leyenda de los vampiros modernos y realizó un impacto cultural que sigue vigente en cualquier industria actual. Puede sentirse de transcurso lento a estándares del siglo XXI pero considero que es el necesario para transmitir el suspenso constante y el peligro subyacente que inunda toda la historia. La decisión de narrar los hechos como recopilación de diarios de los personajes aporta perfectamente al clima de misterio.

The Penguin English Library Edition of Dracula by Bram Stoker 'Alone with the dead! I dare not go out, for I can hear the low howl of the wolf through the broken window' A chilling masterpiece of the horror genre, Dracula also illuminated dark corners of Victorian sexuality. When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to advise Count Dracula on a London home, he makes a horrifying discovery. Soon afterwards, a number of disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the arrival of his 'Master', while a determined group of adversaries prepares to face the terrifying Count. The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.

Sinny

We are so accustomed to all the Dracula and vampire movies/books, that when you read the original one you feel a little disappointment, since the character itself doesn’t actively appear throughout the whole book. He has some appearances, but not as many as one would wish. Still a very standout book, and I get all the praise it receives.

Greg Talbot

Bela Lugosi's dracula never lured me as the definitive caricuture of the monster. Not to disparage his Universal Monster fim, Count Chocula, or any product of his mythology, but Bram Stoker's dracula is in my mind a much more disturbing portrait. The movies "Nosferatu" (1922) or Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu the Vampyre" have the haunted quality that interested me so much in this book. The book is about the journey of Johnathon Harker to Transylvania, at least for the first 60 pages. and Harker's academic cerebral understanding to the terrifying experience he has with the Count is worthy of being read as it's own story. The command of the foreign land, the baying of wolves, the unsettling forests and the Count's strangeness; all of this reminds me of H.P. Lovecraft's exploration of the unknown realm of of world. The book becomes something of a horror/mystery from here. Two young women Mina Murray and Lucy Wesenra are on precipice of new husbands, new lives and fulfilling their dreams. And of course the unsettling comes to them. Johnthon's unspeakable absence, an abandoned ship of mysterious cargo, Lucy's succoming to illnes, and the mental illness ramblings of Dr. Seward's Reinfeld. All these events take place, and put the book into motion, having all the characters take on the meaning of these preternatural events. Stoker's emotional range is vast here. At times he uses the lofty language of Shakespeare ("this way lies madness" (p.13), "sympathesize with poor Desdemona" (p.60)). The vocabulary thicket bored me at times, but that says a lot more about me as a reader, and the modern era. His examination of the women, their views of matrimony, and their exposure to the book to the dark sexual usurpations of the Count, gives the novel a lot of power about the topic of sex, consent and agency. The men, who are forced from their moral high ground into murky activites like exhuming a body in a cemetary and toying with the idea of having to destroy a woman's body (granted she is un-dead). As the novel progresses, we see the coaliation building. And the team goes from deep despair, Dr. Seward says he is "sick of the world and all in it", to an attitude of courage, as the team decides their only way forward is to fight the evil presence. The ending left me feeling a little dissapointed....I guess after seeing too many Marvel movies, you just expect a few rocket launchers and firestorms. Still it ends justly, soundly and fairly. Dracula is not an easy read, but well worth your time. I think it's worthy of good horror and good mystery.

Dark, spooky, Spiritual sickness, mortality, friendship. “cosy horror” It is a strong start, the follow through was slow. It felt like scooby-do cast plotting what to do next for 3/4 of the book. The plot was long-winded and repetitive. Feels dated with xenophobia, machismo, women hysteria and powerlessness. I wish Dracula’s will power over others, seduction by his harem, manipulation of Mina and deception in general was a more of a focus point in the book. Overall enjoyable classic and really a foundation for the genre.

Dracula (Vintage Classics)

Tim Pendry

A seminal cultural text - brilliantly written. What more is there to say other than to advise you to read it and enjoy its dark pleasures.

Dracula (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Genius and masterfully organized. It’s a slow burn and very heart-wrenching - not at all like the classic horror I was originally expecting. It became one of my favorites very quickly! 

marzipan♡

I can only describe this book as a Chaotic Gothic Horror. For it to be called Dracula we sure dont know much abt the dude. At times I found the story of the secondary characters redundant and unnecessary. It was good but it's one of the classics that I won't be rereading. 

Tsu 💙

es bueno pero si me costo bastantito llegar a la mitad porque lo sentí lento 

ariana

It was solid but it took a minuteeeeee to get interesting. It’s already a thick book so I think a lot of it could’ve been cut back. But I did like the letter/diary entry format. It always makes me feel like I’m reading other people’s private business. 

soph 

Dracula (The Classic Collection)

It's a vibe and then it drags on, no wonder I gave up on the first try. And definitely not a feminist book!!

martian1138

jay bee

It lived up to its reputation! Reading it after being into vampires my entire life it was fun to find and see what aspects inspired others. It certainly inspired me

Florence

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. It introduced the character of Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy. The novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and of the battle between Dracula and a small group of people led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.Dracula has been assigned to many literary genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, gothic fiction, and invasion literature. The novel has spawned numerous theatrical, film, and television interpretations.

Bram Stokers Books 1897 Paperback Dracuka Novel Dracular

Probablya 3, but gave it 3,5 for some very vibrant, atmospheric parts. Sometimes during the first half I have to say I experienced it as being too long or meandering. A classic is a classic, so for me that has to be judged on its own scale, and as far as this one goes a very good one. A lot of aspects of the book is very of it's time ofc (in terms of religiosity, morality and some frank racism). Not as bad as some, better than most in that regard (as in, written before the 1900's). Suspenseful and charismatic. 

Tove Söderberg

Me gustó mucho esta historia, disfruté la lectura aunque a veces la sentía un poco lenta.

Creo que soy fan del formato de cartas y diarios, le da una capa más de realismo el sentir que estoy leyendo un registro más que un relato de corrido. Sé que no es del gusto de todos, pero a mí me acomoda bastante. También fue muy interesante conocer los puntos de vista y experiencias de varios personajes en vez de solo leer el de un protagonista!!! 

Mis partes favoritas fueron las explicaciones de los vampiros y sus habilidades, sus poderes, su historia. Mi interés por los vampiros no deja de crecer. Obviamente cuando comencé mi lectura pensé que sería centrada en Drácula, así que sentí un poco de decepción cuando entendí que no sería así.

Además, hace poco vi Nosferatu (2025) y creo que haber terminado de leer este libro poco tiempo antes hizo que disfrutara cada pequeño detalle de la película (tal vez lo habría disfrutado incluso más si hubiera visto las películas anteriores, pero eso queda para otro día).

No hay que ignorar los niveles brutales de misoginia en esta historia, en esto queda muy plasmado en su época, en un mal sentido. Los personajes femeninos a veces parecían payasos actuando como lo que un hombre quiere que sea una mujer. En ese sentido fue muy aburrido, pero lo tomé con humor y me reí cada vez que decían cosas raras sobre las mujeres o cuando decían que Mina era parecida a un hombre debido a su inteligencia. 

fabi ✩࿐  

Me gustó mucho esta historia, disfruté la lectura aunque a veces la sentía un poco lenta.

Creo que soy fan del formato de cartas y diarios, le da una capa más de realismo el sentir que estoy leyendo un registro más que un relato de corrido. Sé que no es del gusto de todos, pero a mí me acomoda bastante. También fue muy interesante conocer los puntos de vista y experiencias de varios personajes en vez de solo leer el de un protagonista!!! 

Mis partes favoritas fueron las explicaciones de los vampiros y sus habilidades, sus poderes, su historia. Mi interés por los vampiros no deja de crecer. Obviamente cuando comencé mi lectura pensé que sería centrada en Drácula, así que sentí un poco de decepción cuando entendí que no sería así.

Además, hace poco vi Nosferatu (2025) y creo que haber terminado de leer este libro poco tiempo antes hizo que disfrutara cada pequeño detalle de la película (tal vez lo habría disfrutado incluso más si hubiera visto las películas anteriores, pero eso queda para otro día).

No hay que ignorar los niveles brutales de misoginia en esta historia, en esto queda muy plasmado en su época, en un mal sentido. Los personajes femeninos a veces parecían payasos actuando como lo que un hombre quiere que sea una mujer. En ese sentido fue muy aburrido, pero lo tomé con humor y me reí cada vez que decían cosas raras sobre las mujeres o cuando decían que Mina era parecida a un hombre debido a su inteligencia. 

it was definitely enjoyable, but a little slow paced for me

So I planned to read this during October as a little Halloween book, but I also started uni so it’s ok lmao.

This story was incredibly intriguing, I loved the characters so much, especially my lovely girl Mina, and the way you get to experience the story through all the diary entries of the characters, the newspaper articles etc. 

Although I expected to learn more about Dracula himself and also the ending felt a bit rushed on the last pages, it was so, so good.

Valentina

So I planned to read this during October as a little Halloween book, but I also started uni so it’s ok lmao.

This story was incredibly intriguing, I loved the characters so much, especially my lovely girl Mina, and the way you get to experience the story through all the diary entries of the characters, the newspaper articles etc. 

Although I expected to learn more about Dracula himself and also the ending felt a bit rushed on the last pages, it was so, so good.

I read the graphic novel! Very good, sometimes hard to understand since it is a kind of old english but a very good story overall!

Femke

Finally finished. No clue why this took me two months to finish? Extremely odd bro. But. What a book. You can clearly see how our version of Dracula that we use in our movies and books and stuff stems directly from this gross pale thin white creature. Honestly the way Dracula is described in this made me feel sick and I really felt for Jonathan harker because Dracula just sounded so gross and he just seemed like he smelt so bad 💀 Stoker definitely needed a lesson on how to condense his story a little bit because why was this book 450 pages with the tiniest font possible? I feel like twenty percent of the plot could have been completely eradicated and wouldn’t have impacted the book, perceptions or end point at all. Also, there was quite a lot of characters in this, which is fairs but I’d hardly recommend having so many characters because it starts to get so confusing. Also, the way it’s narrated through journal entries and letters for the entire book is quite interesting too, honestly I’ve seen other gothic novellas like Frankenstein incorporate letters but not for the entire book, I don’t know whether I like it or not but it’s quite a unique way of narrating it. I’m not giving its rating because I always struggle to rate classics because of their different writing style and form. 

surtified™

No home library is complete without the classics! Dracula is a keepsake to be read and treasured. 2013 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Winner in Cover Design - Small Format (Fiction) Irish author Bram Stoker introduced the character of Count Dracula and provided the basis of modern vampire fiction in his 1897 novel entitled Dracula. Written as a series of letters, newspaper clippings, diary entries, and ships’ logs, the story begins with lawyer Jonathan Harker journeying to meet Dracula at his remote castle to complete a real estate transaction. Harker soon discovers that he is being held prisoner, and that Dracula has a rather disquieting nocturnal life. Touching on themes such as Victorian culture, immigration, and colonialism, among others, this timeless classic is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! Now available as part of the Word Cloud Classics series, Dracula is a must-have addition to the libraries of all classic literature lovers. About the Word Cloud Classics series: Classic works of literature with a clean, modern aesthetic! Perfect for both old and new literature fans, the Word Cloud Classics series from Canterbury Classics provides a chic and inexpensive introduction to timeless tales. With a higher production value, including heat burnished covers and foil stamping, these eye-catching, easy-to-hold editions are the perfect gift for students and fans of literature everywhere.

I can see how in it’s time Dracula was a scary revolutionary book. I can also see how it has shaped modern literature and pop culture. However, I went into this book thinking that I would learn more about Dracula and his origin while I did learn some about how he came to be it was still not really what I was looking for. In this book you can see the original vampire hunting group as well as how many horror movies have taken pieces away from the story with leaving one character alone with a killer on the loose. 

Chulandon leanday Bradley 

It bored me in the beginning (got a couple good nights rest out of it +1 star) but I enjoyed it overall. 

Jas 🐸

Would say one of my favourite books! Really long but so worth it. 

Selin bekkaya

definitely liked the first half more than the second half 

Essence

Maureen

"He is finite, though he is powerful to do much harm and suffers not as we do. But we are strong, each in our purpose; and we are all more strong together."

***

Finally met Edward Cullen's great ancestor! But in all seriousness, I now understand why Dracula is the progenitor of all evils. Unlike modern-day villains that saturate mass media, this vampire has no gray area. Stoker never provides an instance wherein Dracula might merit respect because the distinction is clear—he definitely belongs to the dark side. Regarding his characterization, I find it interesting how despite his heartlessness and bloodlust, Dracula is somewhat humanized. Save for his sharp teeth and red eyes, he is depicted as an charismatic, genteel, and aristocratic man.

This book was SO long, though, and it was honestly draining to read. Some parts were overtly redundant, and I felt that the ending was quite anticlimactic. After all those pages of intense buildup, Stoker capped it off so quickly. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining and gruesome read; the author did not shy away from portraying bloodlust. I also found its epistolary rendering effective because we witnessed the story unfold through the perspectives of different characters. 

Dracula being a hallmark of Gothic fiction is well-deserved.

Dracula Authoritative Text, Backgrounds, Reviews and Reactions, Dramatic and Film Variations, Criticism

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