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I've been meaning to read this classic for a LONG time, and when I saw a copy of it at a very affordable discounted price, I couldn't resist buying it. The version I have bought is the New Puffin Classics version, which not only has the full story, but has an introduction by by editor Holly Black, and some additional information on the vampire myth at the back of the book. I would definitely recommend this version, if one wishes to study deeper into the historical and mythical context of the book.
The classic tale is of Jonathan Harker who, upon visiting Count Dracula in his Transylvanian home, discovers some horrible secrets about the Count. As the Count decides to make Harker's life a literal living hell by threatening the very people he holds dear, it's up to him and his new-found colleagues to stop the vampire before more unsuspecting victims fall prey to his menace.
What really bugs me is that of all the movie adaptations of the novel, why NOBODY has ever made a movie that depicts EXACTLY what happens in the book? The only adaptation that comes close is the one whose movie poster I used above, starring Anthony Hopkins and Wynona Ryder. The book is just as spine-chilling without having poetic license destroy it. Those who rely solely on the movie adaptations are truly missing out on something good here.
Bram Stoker tells the narrative in the form of relating letter/telegram correspondence between the main characters. I found this approach quite interesting and unique, and I couldn't help but drawing mental comparisons between the communication devices used in Stoker's day with the communication age of today. The hour by hour details in each of the letters reminded me of something we would see today as a blog entry or a FB/Twitter update... Could you imagine someone doing a contemporary adaptation of this film? Jonathan Harker's new status update: OMG! That creepy dude is scaling down the wall!..... But I digress..... It was an interesting comparison though....
Anyway, by all accounts, this is indeed a must-read for all classic horror fans out there.
(P.S. Watch this space for when I eventually read the official sequel just come out!!!)
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