Book Blog #420: Dracula by Bram Stoker

 

Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

# of Pages: 5 hours 57 minutes

Genre: Classics, Horror, Thriller

Rating: ★★★★☆ (GR: 4.25)

Synopsis: For centuries, Dracula has evaded capture. Enter Mina Harker. Audible presents Dracula, a brand-new, full-cast adaptation of Bram Stoker's masterpiece starring Ella Purnell, Jonathan Bailey, Aimee Lou Wood, Louis Partridge, David Jonsson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. When her fiancé vanishes in Transylvania, Mina pieces together letters, diary entries and chilling testimony to hunt the predator stalking those she loves: only to discover he's already hunting her. Dracula lurks in shadow, slips into dreams, and casts no reflection. To nearly all, he defies detection: beyond what the eye can see, and what the mind can comprehend. When her closest friend Lucy succumbs to his thrall, the enigmatic Professor Van Helsing is summoned to wage war on this unfathomable threat. But it is Mina, her intellect, her resolve, her gift for drawing the unseen lines between clues, who holds the key to stopping this ancient killer. If he hasn't already found his way inside her mind… Starring Ella Purnell (Fallout) as Mina, Jonathan Bailey (Wicked) as Dracula, Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes) as Jonathan, David Jonsson (Industry) as Dr Seward, Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus) as Lucy, Johnny Flynn (Emma) as Renfield, Lesley Manville (The Phantom Thread) as Mrs. Westenra, and Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight) as Professor Van Helsing, this is Bram Stoker's groundbreaking epistolary novel, given a new lease of life. Directed by Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary) featuring an original score by Ilan Eshkeri (Audible's 1984, House of Guinness) and with full sound design, Audible's Dracula invites you to feel the terror of being hunted. And the thrill of the hunt.

Review: Started listening for Jonathan Bailey, stayed for the amazing voice acting cast!

In all seriousness, this full cast recording was extremely immersive and got me to listen to a classic that I otherwise probably would never have read. It was more like an audio experience rather than an audiobook since there was music and sound effects, and the speaking parts were only dialogue and internal thoughts rather than descriptions on what is happening (could have used more of this during the vampire fighting scenes). 

The only reason why this doesn't have an even higher star rating is because the voice actor for Professor Van Helsing broke the immersion. All the other voice actors were acting with so much emotion and intensity, and then Professor Van Helsing's voice would cut in with such a robotic, Siri-like tone.

First couple parts were the best; one of the few times where I liked the beginning more than the ending of a story. Overall would recommend this for as an auditory experience.

Book Blog #193: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Title: Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley
# of Pages: 273 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Horror
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.
Review: I usually put the recommendation at the end, but I want to say this now: EVERYONE should read this book.


Frankenstein, as Frankenstein's monster is commonly mislabeled, is nothing like the costumes children wear during Halloween. Unlike other great works such as Romeo and Juliet, pop culture's version of the story has been warped beyond recognition.

Are there problems with living in solitude when people are social beings by nature? How much does appearance affect how accepted people are in society? What does revenge truly accomplish? These are only a few question this book has strove to answer.

I couldn't help but compare Frankenstein's monster with other "monsters" such as Wicked's Elphaba and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. Although the monster does not marry a beauty nor run away with a scarecrow, he faces the same rejection from society due to his unusual appearance just as Elphaba faces scorn from her classmates because of her green skin. Although the monster is compassionate, people are quick to shut him out of their lives because of his scary image similarly to how Glinda is loved over Elphaba despite Elphaba's "strange" appearance. With so many labelling the monster a "wretch" and "vile being," he needs someone to love him to prevent him convincing himself that he IS what people call him. The Beast is only "saved" when someone (Beauty) sees past his beastly looks to his true personality, and Frankenstein's monster REALLY needed to have at least one person on his side...

In the end, the reader can feel pity for both the monster and Victor Frankenstein, although perhaps for different reasons. Victor is incredibly self-centered yet his intentions were not innately evil which prevents the reader from completely hating him. Yet in the same turn neither character can be truly loved by the reader due to their actions/decisions.

A very interesting read and one of my favorite classics.

Book Blog #166: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney

Title: Curse of the Bane
Author: Joseph Delaney
# of Pages: 455 (paperback)
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Horror
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, rid the county of witches, ghosts, boggarts, and other creatures of the dark. And there's some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger. The Bane!

But the Bane is not their only enemy. The Quisitor arrives, intent on hunting down anyone who meddles with the dark. Thomas Ward and the Spook must prepare for the battle of their lives.
Review: Pretty much enjoyed the sequel as much as the first one.

To address the horror aspect of the book, most of it's more gross than scary. While Delaney is a good writer, he's not at writing horror (but you won't see me complaining). I read this book at night, and it wasn't scary like I expected it to be. The "horror" scenes lack the build up of suspense that usually freak me out. It has the grotesqueness I would expect from the genre but not the scariness.

The Last Apprentice series reminds me a lot of The Ranger's Apprentice series (which shouldn't be surprising). Both books were published within the same year, so neither author copied the other. The reason why I'm bringing this up is because I think the reason why I like The Last Apprentice so much is partially because I enjoyed The Ranger's Apprentice. Don't get me wrong; they both have very different aspects (for one, I didn't have to worry about reading Ranger's Apprentice at night, and I find Halt more admirable than the Spook). But if you like Ranger's Apprentice, you'll like this series too (and vice versa).

Like the first book, it's a very quick read. I finished it within 24 hours. Recommended.

Book Blog #165: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

Title: Revenge of the Witch
Author: Joseph Delaney
# of Pages: 294 (paperback)
Genre: YA, Horror, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried—some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.

Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope, the last apprentice.
Review: I usually avoid horror books at all costs.

My scare tolerance is extremely low. Both the book and Disney movie for A Christmas Carol gave me nightmares (I only got two pages into the book before I threw it out of my room. I later gave the book to a friend; I didn't even want it in my house. As a general rule, I avoid any book in the "horror" or "thriller" genre.

When I first saw this book in the department store, I didn't know it was considered to be a horror book. I had heard that it was made into a movie and that the Last Apprentice series was suppose to be pretty good. I read the first half of the first chapter and loved it (the description of the food may have had something to do with it, but that's unimportant. As I usually do before buying a new book, I looked up the book on Goodreads.

When I saw the genre, I was disappointed. After reading a few reviews, I came under the impression that it was going to be scarier than Stephen King books (who's books I've avoided even looking at). I didn't buy the book that day.

Weeks later, I was still thinking about the book. I went to the book store again and read the beginning of the second chapter. Then, against all better judgement, I bought it. But I set a few ground rules; I would only read it during the day when I wasn't alone, and I would definitely not read it once it got dark.

Apparently, these rules worked pretty well because I didn't find it very scary at all. Sure, the "scary" parts would have undoubtably been scary if I read it in the dark at 3 am, but I didnt, so it wasn't. Delaney's writing flowed well and was an easy and quick read.

However, Delaney would unnecessarily explain the definition of words; if he thinks the reader won't understand them, then he shouldn't use them. Even if he did it to show how young and naive Tom is, it doesn't make it any less annoying to the reader.

EX: "'Malevolent means evil,' he explained. 'Benign means good.'" (84-85).
"The Spook had told me that the main topic in an apprentice's first year was boggarts, together with such subjects as botany, which meant learning all about plants.." (99).
"'Mr. Gregory called it the definitive work,' I said, "which means it's the best book ever written on the subject.' [Alice] looked up from the book then, and to my surprise her eyes were filled with anger. 'I know what definitive means,' she said. 'Think I'm stupid or something?'" (228).

Took the words right out of my mouth, Alice.

Otherwise, I loved this book! I'll be reading the second book. Recommended!