Finally I finished this long-winded book! The story doesn't really need a synopsis as most people are familiar with the theme, whether or not they have read it. It is fascinating to read the book that spawned a whole genre of its own, but I had to constantly remind myself of the time in which it was written (1897) because so many things caused me to roll my eyes, especially the women. Which wouldn't have been so bad in itself, but the author waxes poetic on the virtues of the saintly protagonists ad nauseum. The book could easily have been cut by a hundred pages by reducing those portions in half. I was intrigued by the blood transfusions done without any typing whatsoever with no adverse effects on the victim, and the madman was also amusing. Van Helsing was a most interesting character, as well as Mina, who was given quite a brain by the author but still relegated to the role of the "weaker sex" by being kept out of the mens' discussions of how to deal with the vampire. I was totally exasperated by Stoker's ploy of maintaining the reader's suspense by Van Helsing's secretive manner, doling out information only bit by bit to his comrades, which really did not come across as very credible. That those characters did not insist on explanations sooner also was unbelievable, and became tiresome. The melodrama was over the top, but perhaps it was normal for the time period, and really brought to mind visions of black-and-white silent movies. I imagine it was pretty titillating to Victorian readers! While I'm glad I read it, I'm even more glad it's over. Now I have to gear myself up for Frankenstein.
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