Dracula
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4.3 • 38 Ratings
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- £9.99
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- £9.99
Publisher Description
Brought to you by Penguin.
This Penguin Classic is narrated by Mark Gatiss, who also wrote the screen play for the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation. Gatiss has also had an extensive acting career including roles in Sherlock, which he wrote alongside Steven Moffat, The League of Gentlemen and Wolf Hall.
When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes a series of horrific discoveries about his client. Soon afterwards, various bizarre incidents unfold in England: an apparently unmanned shipis wrecked off the coast of Whitby; a young woman discovers strange puncture marks on her neck; and the inmate of a lunatic asylum raves about the 'Master' and his imminent arrival. In Dracula, Bram Stoker created one of the great masterpieces of the horror genre, brilliantly evoking a nightmare world of vampires and vampire hunters and also illuminating the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire.
(P) Penguin Audio 2020
Customer Reviews
Everyone should read it!
When a Facebook Group I’m a member of, suggested reading Dracula, coming up to Halloween, I thought I’d give it a go. Never having read it before and not having a lot of time, I thought I’d try it as an Audiobook. I searched through Audible for one I fancied and an abridged version (although not very abridged - it was still almost 18 hours in length) came up, narrated by Mark Gatiss and had excellent reviews. I downloaded it and, for the next few days, I was in another world.
I obviously knew the general idea of the story - it’s about a vampire - right? Well yes, it is, but there is so much more to it and I wish I’d picked it up years ago!
No, it’s not very fast-paced and yes, Stoker could have probably written it in half the number of pages, but I thought the story was told well. Gatiss was an excellent narrator. I’m not sure some of my friends across the pond would understand the Yorkshire accent in parts (hell, I’m not sure I got all of it) but it added it to the authenticity of the location.
Initially told from the point of view of Jonathan Harker’s journals, Dracula follows several characters as they are immersed in the story. Mina is Harker’s fiancee, Lucy is Mina’s closest friend and Art is her fiancé. Each one is drawn into Dracula’s world in their own way, and Dr Van Helsing and Dr Seward set out to solve the mystery.
The story is descriptive and entertaining, with a wide variety of characters. Some you will warm to and others are just plain boring. As Dracula’s ship comes into Whitby harbour, the story of its journey across the seas put me on board with the crew to experience what they did. Was I scared? No, not at all, I have read much more terrifying stories of vampires and suchlike but this was just a well-written and often warming story.
Should you read it, if you haven’t already? Yes, of course, because it’s a classic and everyone should know the story. I’ve added it to my list of books to buy and I’d like it as a Penguin Clothbound to add to my collection! It will look good on my shelves!
Dracula - the original and best
An exceptional reading of this classic work which provided the inspiration for so much that would follow later. Very beautifully read, this was an absolute joy to listen to. So much so, that as soon as I finished it, I started all over again. Very highly recommended.