Dracula - Bram Stoker - A Short Summary & Review
Dracula - Bram Stoker - A Short Summary & Review
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review
A short summary:
Dracula tells the story of a Transylvanian vampire who migrates from his ancient, decaying castle to modern London, carrying terror, contagion, and moral disruption with him. Told through letters, diaries, and newspaper clippings, the novel unfolds as a collage of perspectives, mirroring the confusion and panic spreading alongside Dracula himself.
Stoker blends folklore, religion, science, and Victorian anxieties into a narrative about invasion and resistance. The Count is not merely a monster; he is a destabilizing force that exposes the fragility of modern confidence, reason, and empire. The story becomes a battle not only for lives, but for meaning, faith, and order in a rapidly changing world.
My favorite quote from the book:
Questions to ponder while reading:
My review:
This is the grand-daddy of the vampire tale, and it shows.
Cultural and genre references abound because nearly everything that followed borrowed from here: the rules, the atmosphere, the tension between desire and dread. Reading Dracula is like walking through the original blueprint of modern horror.
The novel is also wonderfully, undeniably Victorian. The men are earnest to the point of melodrama, frequently overwhelmed, emotionally expressive, and prone to speeches that feel almost operatic by today’s standards. It’s histrionic, yes, but also sincere. These characters believe deeply in duty, friendship, and moral responsibility, even when faced with the impossible.
What gives Dracula its staying power is not just the vampire, but the collective effort required to oppose him. Knowledge must be shared. Faith must be reclaimed. Evil is not defeated alone.
This novel isn’t subtle, but it doesn’t need to be. Dracula endures because it understands fear as both personal and cultural, and because it insists that darkness, once named, can still be resisted.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller based in Tontitown, Arkansas.
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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