The Sunday Penguin: Dracula by Bram Stoker 

Dracula is such a mind-freak - I loved it - so engrossing

Great review of such a fantastic book! I read this in my teens and I became so obsessed with it for a time that I annoyed my high school girlfriend. You’re right about how little Dracula there is for a book named after him. I need to reread this. Heck, I don’t think I currently have a copy of it, something I need to rectify. Oh, and I’ll say this part quietly so that your mom doesn’t hear… congratulations on breaking 900 subs!!

I have this on my tbr for next year! My first time reading it.

Thanks, I enjoyed that short story.

I really enjoyed Dracula… very creepy 😍 fantastic review as always. 900 !!! Woot woot!!!!

"Luke into my eyes Van Helsing". / I used to scare hell outa my younger sibling by showing my copy of Dracula that had a particularly menacing cover. Drac is not only a great read but a great character.

Okay I have started reading DRACULA on your recommendation for the first time

While reading Dracula, one can feel the influence the book has had over the years. One can see the foundation being set in place that others from HP Lovecraft, to Stephen King, to William Peter Blatty, and countless others would later build upon. The scene where Jonathan Harker has his first meeting with the Count at the castle door feels like the epicenter of an earthquake in the collective psyche, the aftershocks of which are still being felt today.

Reading it now. So good!

I was always skeptical about reading Dracula, but you make it sound incredible! And your clothbound edition is gorgeous!

Easily one of the best books ever in my humble opinion! Definitely worthy of it's legendary status! And Keenu Reeves as Harker is still something that makes me laugh to myself.

I reread Dracula earlier this year. I still enjoyed it. I have read anything else by Stoker. I kind of like that Dracula was mostly behind the scenes.

In my 2012 review of Dracula, after my second reading, I wrote, “This is to me the most classic, most perfect of all horror stories.”

On my TBR this month! I last read Dracula 20 years ago. 🧛‍♂️

Someone called Dracula "a literary found footage" story. I like that description. I think it's accurate. I prefer the Leslie Klingler version. There's a lot of 19th century British references that I had no clue what was being mentioned. The annotations helped a lot.

Just started that myself finally. I’ve meant to read it for years.

Your review makes me want to think about rereading it since I`ve read it only once. But then again - I a very, very rarely reread. I guess that is something I should finally change. Also, love this hardback of Dracula you own :)

I certainly remember reading this as I was in the hospital waiting for my partner to go into labour with our first child!!

I have always loved Dracula and have read it at least 30 times...I also like Interview With the Vampire by Ann Rice...talk about an over the top book! 🧛

I do have this book, just havent got around to reading it yet. Great review.

There IS a (more or less) faithful adaptation of the novel: Count Dracula, a BBC mini-series aired in 1977.

Agreed; great discussion here. And don't forget the one Dracula episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when Dracula decided to move to Sunnydale. It was SO FUNNY how Xander was mind-controlled by the dark lord.

Great review. Personally, I think the BBC's 1977 "Count Dracula," with Louis Jordan comes closer to the novel than any other version.

Amazing review as always, but I really did a double take like “is that… is that Juan?” Then I read your description 🤣

One more that I’m ashamed I haven’t read yet. Don’t think I’ve seen any of the movies either, but I can’t remember. Great review!

As a teen, I disobeyed my Mother to read this book while home alone on a school snow day. Foolish... I wouldn't reread it.

Gary Old man was sooo sinister as Dracula.

Excellent review of a wonderful book.

Ya know, Jaws was an excellent movie because the shark wasn't seen that much. It's more suspenseful. Stoker probably went the same direction.

Van Helsing is a frightful bore at times I agree… It is one of those novels that has culminating effect and really worth sticking with.

Dracula is one of those perfect books. It simply works. It's a fantastic book to read as a kid and as an adult, too. Layered. And you're right, no movie has yet captured the novel's tone and spirit, nor its eeriness. Have you ever seen the Bele Lugosi DRACULA in tandem with the Spanish version, shot on the same sets at night after the English version was done shooting? If you blended scenes from both, you'd have a far better movie than either alone. Still wouldn't beat the book, though. Stoker ended up with syphilis I believe, so yeah, fear of sex made sense. Blame the dead spots on Leigh Hunt. Lit'ry fella, don'tcha know ...

Such an amazing book and I love that copy! It's always interesting to compare the book with all the different adaptations (and there are so many!). I agree with you that the Dracula from the book seems much more evil and scary than most adaptations depict him. Modern adaptations are the worst, making him more of a cool anti-hero than a terrifying villain.

I need to schedule a reread of Dracula. I remember the section with Dracula’s castle and the section with the Bloofer Lady being fantastic. I also remember in the second half the characters seeming to lose their sense of individuality - there were a lot of platitudes about how wonderful everyone was to each other. It’s been a while, and I wonder if I’ll have the same impression on a reread.

I’ve rarely read a vampire book where I couldn’t find something to enjoy (Twilight defeated me). Dracula is my favourite and like you I’ve read it every year or two since childhood and it still gives me the creeps. I agree with all your criticisms but it still works as an experience. Mina is the hero in my opinion because they wouldn’t have succeeded without her. Typewriters in Victorian novels always make me stop for a second! Deb

I read Dracula a couple years ago and I liked it. but I think that the ending was a little rush. That was a disappointment. Great review!!

Dracula is such a great book and this review was great. Van Helsing was a major pitfall, a lot of the slower bits are when he's delivering a monologue lol I'd love a modern adaptation as long as they stick to the story, the visuals of 1890’s London would be terrific

Love your channel and your reviews but I'm sorry your take on Dracula is freshman tier. There is a lot going on here in the way of commentary but it's not the "repressed Victorian society" narrative children learn. Much more nuanced. He was actually celebrating modern England AND it's rootedness to an older Europe as well as it's empire.