nytpu reviewed Dracula by Bram Stoker
Effective horror for the time period, well-written and interesting
4 stars
Content warning Very minor and inconsequential spoilers
Finished Dracula, my first time since reading it in like 6th grade on Project Gutenberg so I really didn't remember anything. Honestly wasn't expecting much in terms of horror and suspense by today's standards, but a few sections (the opening castle introduction, the arrival of the ghost ship in Britain) were genuinely effective horror IMO. Good consistent pacing for most of it, held my attention at least—too many older novels have long dry spells that are a struggle to get through.
There were a lot of instances where I thought Mina would be a “strong and independent woman” and take charge of the hunt or something, but it being written in 1898 I suppose that never would've happened. As it is I'm surprised that the book even portrays her the way it does.
I also found it very frustrating that they refused to leave the asylum after Dracula got invited in, if they had just gone somewhere else without random lunatics then he wouldn't be able to get in at them! Why stay there! Aaah!