Dracula

I would ordinarily wait to finish reading a book before writing an opinion about it but it's been 3 months and I still have 30-odd pages to go and I'm starting to believe that I will never finish this book. If and when I do, I don't think my thoughts on Bram Stoker's Dracula will have changed at all.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. As a fan of practically every vampire movie, book and show I've ever come across I felt the need to read the book that started it all. The beginning was really good. You can feel the sense of foreboding as Harker makes his way to Dracula's castle. I especially loved the scene in the carriage in the forest with the blue flame and the wolves just before they get to the castle...but nothing ever seems to come of all the suspense.

The story slowly gets worse from there. The characters are flat and Dracula is simply, sadly uncompelling. I thought the book was about Dracula and his pain at being alone and immortal and simply misunderstood.

Perhaps I missed something and I feel like I did after reading the reviews on Amazon.ca. Most people seem to love it. I have considered the possibility that television has ruined my ability to appreciate the true classics (as my lit. teacher would most probably say)...but then again, I really enjoyed Paradise Lost by John Milton. I don't know if that has any bearing, but there it is.