My reading of Dracula was a peculiar case in my reading history, for three years ago I read about half of it on an online PDF and then unintentionally DNF’d it, not for any negative reason other than the fact I didn’t enjoy reading on my laptop. I finally got around to reading it again (this time in the form of a physical copy) and alike to my experience re-reading Frankenstein, though in the case of Dracula I had no negative feelings toward it, it was much better than I recalled. It is written in an epistolary format, which isn’t something I have engaged with often, though the telling of the story was not hindered, nor do I believe it to be enhanced by this. It faltered in that each of the 5 characters diaries that were taken from didn’t have any sort of unique narrative voice, but were more undifferentiated from one another.

 Stoker’s attitude to the only principle female character, Mina, was also frustrating, as she is often left out of the band of mens discussions or pursuits of Dracula for they fear it may scare her “womanly self”, in addition to the belittling of her contributions by often remarking “she has the brilliance of a man’s brain.” However, such attitude is to be expected with a text from 1897. She was involved in the final climax of the novel which I suppose is worth something. 

Aside from such, the overall plot was compelling, Van Helsing a character I very much enjoyed my experience with, and my whole enjoyment of Dracula I believe to be very much enhanced by the immersion I experienced reading the first half whilst on a trip to Whitby, therefore surrounded by the Gothic setting Stoker took so much elements of and inspiration for his tale from.