Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Dracula by Bram Stoker

341 reviews

akgeekgirl's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

_emma_rose_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I read this through the email newsletter Dracula Daily, which sends each day's epistolary journal entries/letters on the corresponding date to experience the story in real time. I thought it was really cool, but I will say that it was hard to feel the book's momentum when spread over six months. However, it is obvious why this is a classic-- gothic vibes, interesting characters, and most importantly, a Texan cowboy for some reason.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood

rebb003's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Child death

keaganbailey's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The book's main fault is that it's a classic; as such you know the entire time what is going to happen, the majority of Dracula's powers, and are not surprised at any turn. The story also absolutely drags as the author discusses train schedules, characters' availability, and travel more than actual action that drives the plot forward. I could not finish this in text and needed to listen to it on audiobook to move forward. I enjoyed the story while actually reading it, but was not compelled to pick it up again the following day(s) to finish the book.

The acts of killing are also strangely sudden (being a few paragraphs at most) compared to the human deaths that take place over multiple chapters. Between that and the sections of nothing but planning travel - the pacing some of the worst I've ever read as the author focuses on mundane information of the world rather than plot. 

However, that all being said, I still enjoyed the main story beats. I would recommend an abridged version.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Stalking

Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Kidnapping

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

natderosa's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I read this as part of Dracula Daily, where you read each letter/diary entry on its corresponding day. This made reading the novel easier because it was in small bursts, and if you're new to reading classics I'd recommend it! The novel is beautifully written and easy to follow. The multiple character POVs add depth to the story you don't usually experience, but it's a slow burn, which takes away some of the experience, so does the format of letters & diary entries. You're reading everything after the fact, losing some of the drama of the story. I like the agency Mina has as a character, which I feel can go unrepresented in a male-centric novel. Definitely give this one a read at the start of Autumn!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Child death and Racism

s3ag0at's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War

wowsmeows's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Animal death

vaguelyredhead's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Minor: Animal death and Child death

reese_lanier's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Surprisingly good! And surprisingly scary! I really enjoyed this, and really enjoyed each and every character. It was well paced and each perspective felt distinct. I love the way the story is told, and that Stoker uses and resolves everything that he sets up. There were a few plot points that I thought were slightly odd (the vampires relationship to sunset and sunrise, as well as Dracula traveling by box), but at least they're consistant all the way through. I would have loved to see certain characters doing certain things as to give the story a sense of arc, but overall it is very cohesive, and a really fun read. It does not feel wordy which I was worried about given the age of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Minor: Animal death