A classic novel penned by Bram Stoker in 1897, Dracula is highly regarded as one of the pioneers of Goth Novels. By goth, defined the dark evil forces which would chill the spine of the various characters in novels for the lust of blood and evil motive of immortality. Dracula is the superior Vampire as stated by Bram Stoker, the origin of the term defined by a class of act.

While the story is enthralling with several plot twist, the structure of novel is more of a character narrated story (i.e. the characters of the novel explain the story in form of diary notes, newspaper articles and various telegrams in between them). Not to mention even Dracula had a short personal note mentioned in the final parts of the novel.

A horror story, various moment in the novel have not been explained as of how they have happened while some details have been overly mentioned. The starting chapters or Jonathan Harker’s journey to Castle Dracula in Transylvania have been captured in a vivid detail allowing the readers to feel each moment the character was living through. The fear and disgust in the inability to do anything against the Count Dracula have been mentioned very neatly. But here lies the crux as I mentioned – as Jonathan Harker jumped off the windows of Castle Dracula, there is no mention of how he ended up in the hospital in Budapest with the brain fever.

The best moments have been captured within the previous scene as mentioned earlier, kick starting a spine-chilling experience for the readers. The drought in story starts just after with the Lucy Westerna portion. While it may have started with a little staleness with too much of a girly talk, the slyness in the entry of Dracula in London via the ship and his constant blood-sucking attacks on Lucy have been nicely portrayed. Dr Van Helsing enters the scene as Mina Harkar exits to visit Jonathan as earlier mentioned is in Budapest. Dr Seward meanwhile is treating Lucy, Van Helsing finds the actual reasons for Lucy’s state but doesn’t mention it to her going to be husband Arthur Holmwood and his partner Quincey Morris.

Side characters’ origins like Renfield, the lunatic in Dr Seward asylum and the wolf which had attacked Lucy’s house on the finals days of the Dracula’s attack on Lucy’s house have not been mentioned properly. The wolf from the zoo that attacked Lucy’s house has never been mentioned about again in book which leaves it to a blur.

The final segment of the book where now we are left with remaining characters, all now aware about Dracula trying to locate his movements and end it all has Stoker feel short of content as to how to get the characters back to Transylvania where all the story began. Leaving readers with unnecessary details like the ones of Arthur Holmwood’s talent to fix the boat engines. The quick anticlimactic ending of the novel, which sees Dracula’s end just in slash of sword not even allowing him to face the characters in Transylvania in his home land seems very short and incomplete.

As always, the final battle scene must have a lead causality and alas the most sane character of the novel, the American Quincey Morris dies in the final battle against the Dracula’s minions but though slashing of Dracula’s head.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula showed chivalry in his character as the lord of the three kingdoms with the blood line of the Huns, Magyars and many more great dynasties running through the once warm veins. Dracula still marks its point classic novel being one of the must reads for a one of horror/adventure novel. Being an inspiration for decade long Dracula movies, I would rate Bram Stoker’s Dracula a 7/10 rating and a one timing read-novel. Readers might find it harsh but it is at it is for me, rest everyone might find their own feeling regarding this.

Cheers