Classic vampire tale is sexier and darker than you remember.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
This classic is much sexier than you remember. Sexually aggressive female vampires dance seductively for Jonathon Harker who expresses "a wicked, burning desire" for them to kiss him. There's a suggestive, promiscuous female predator (Lucy), and an unsettling scene involving the heroine (Mina) forced to drink from Dracula's breast.
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Staking, throat slashing, biting and blood drinking. These scenes are not described with gruesome detail, but there is definitely more colorful descriptions than you'd expect from a late Victorian novel.
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Male characters drink and smoke in passing as was the custom for the time period. Plus some unsettling descriptions of the "medicines" used by Dr. Seward.
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An excellent glimpse back into the turn of the century. Plus many of the newfangled inventions of the late 19th/early 20th century play a major role in the story. Trains, typewriters, and steam ships are mentioned often.
Positive Role Models
a little
Mina is a strong female character. She is practical, courageous, and selfless in the face of increasing peril. She is resourceful and plays a key role in defeating Dracula. Lucy is foolish, free with her affections, and selfish, but she is punished for it. Jonathon is curious, protective, and brave. He shows a strong will to escape his captor and protect Mina.
Positive Messages
very little
At the core of this story is a group of individuals working together to defeat a literal monster in their midst.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the vampire novel that started it all is sexier, more violent, and edgier than you probably remember. In one scene, sexually aggressive female vampires dance seductively for Jonathon Harker who expresses "a wicked, burning desire" for them to kiss him; in another the heroine is forced to drink from Dracula's breast. While not described in gruesome detail, there's plenty of staking, throat slashing, biting, and blood drinking. Count Dracula is not the tortured romantic hero of modern-day cinema, but rather an evil monster that must be destroyed. Also, parents should be aware that this novel has a strong female character turned into a sexually aggressive predator, as well as unsettling descriptions of mental illness.
I did ! I read Bram Stoker's Dracula when I was 8 years old, in 1972. My Mother, who never went past 6th Grade growing up during the Depression, while not Educated herself, was near fanatical about her children getting educations. She taught my Sisters and I to read before we went to School. So, Granted, I was a precocious child. By 6th Grade, I was tested and was reading at a College level. So,there's that, I suppose. But I think it ALL DEPENDS ON THE CHILD. I LOVED Reading, and still do. After Dracula, I became fascinated by Ancient Mythology, and read anything I could get my hands on about Greek and Roman mythology. By 4th Grade, I discovered 'A Wrinkle in Time' and that started my love of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and read the Hobbit at 10, and then the Lord of the Rings at 12. I think reading widely is the greatest Gift and the Greatest Aid to Education there is. So, thats MY Dos Centavos on the matter, Lol. Hope this helps !
What's the Story?
When Jonthan Harker is sent to Transylvania to conduct some business for an enigmatic nobleman, he's warned by the villagers that Count Dracula has evil powers and diabolical ambitions. When Jonathon attempts to leave he discovers that the villagers are right; He is held captive by the count and barely escapes, badly injured. Meanwhile back in England, his beautiful wife-to-be, Mina, joins her friend Lucy in Whitby to wait for Jonathon to return. Lucy falls ill and begins acting very strangely and it becomes apparent that Lucy's illness is related to the evil count. With the help of two of Lucy's suitors, a brilliant old professor, and a new-found incentive to protect Mina, Jonathon sets off back to Transylvania to destroy the monster.
DRACULA has all the necessary requirements to keep it read by each generation of horror fans. As well as being an excellent time capsule to turn-of-the-century England, it's a scary, intriguing under-the-covers read. With great horror staples like spooky howling wolves, damsels in distress, evil monsters, and a quest to destroy them it's not surprising that this is the novel that kicked off the vampire craze. While the myths about vampires may be familiar, don't be too shocked when this vampire is more monster and ghoul than romantic hero.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the vampire myth. How are the vampires in the Twilight series different? Which vampire lore do you prefer?
Why, when Count Dracula is such a cruel creature in this novel, has he become such an iconic character?
How does the novel itself live up to the hype of all the movies? Were you disappointed to find that Dracula isn't the romantic hero he is on screen?
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