(239) Amenable: willing to cooperate or able to be affected.
(240) Hobnails: nail that protects the sole of the boot. (240) in Manus tuas Domine: this translates to "Into your hands, O Lord," in Latin. (243) a particular: this translates to “a specific detail” in Latin. (126) garlic flowers: small white bulbs that grow on the end of wild garlic clove stems. |
Why did you choose this book?
I’ve always been interested in the fantasy world of vampirism but I have yet to read of Dracula. It was about time I picked up this book and read the tale of the vampire count. Mwahahahah!!! Setting (Where and when does this story take place) This story takes place in Transylvania, Romania, Carfax, England, and London, England the late1800’s. Who are the main characters? Van Heisling: the priest/exorcist Johnathon Harker: London real estate agent who was abducted by Dracula Mina Harker: Resourceful wife of Johnathon Lucy: Beautiful maiden who was turned into a vampire soon before she was married Count Dracula: Vampire count of Transylvania, Romania. Renfeild: Delusional servant of Dracula. Who is your favorite character? Why? I chose Van Heisling is a close second to Dracula. I chose Dracula because he is an all-powerful being with a tragic heart and a rotting soul. He is the human condition incarnate. We do horrible things to survive, his case only seems worse because he feeds on humans. Van Heisling is a second favorite because I picture him as this old, old, man who has a wrinkled face and requires a cane because he walks with an arched back because of his ar-tho-ri-tis, but then he pulls out this random awesome vampire hunter knowledge and I gain all sorts of respect for him. Which part of the book did you like the best? Explain why. I enjoy the multi-chapter chase of Count Dracula. More specifically right before he kills Renfeild. So much drama happens here. Mina, the supposed weak link of the group has so much inner strength and confidence after being told she might become a vampire. Then the hunt for the earth boxes took a few turns. Then Van Heisling, and his smart self, destroys the vampire maids and seals Dracula from both his tomb and his castle. My absolute favorite was when Morris became a valiant hero and in his final words brought comfort to Mina by telling her the wounds on her neck were gone. Summary: Who would think Johnathon’s first lawyer job would lead him to creepy innkeeper warnings, protections from the evil eye, and tales of werewolves and vampires only to be taken to Dracula’s castle by a ghost-driven, horse-drawn carriage, definitely not Johnathon. Suspicion is everywhere for Johnathon. The only mirror in the house is his shaving mirror, he never sees Dracula eat, he sees no servants, and never sees the count during the day. Johnathon has the misfortune to cut himself while shaving. Dracula cannot control himself and Johnathon is only shaved by the crucifix he got at the inn. |
When Jonathon ignores Dracula’s warning to only sleep in his specified room he is almost killed by three vicious vampire maids. He is only saved when Dracula throws a wounded child at them which they then feed upon. After he fails to send word to his wife Johnathan investigates and finds something interesting, Dracula sleeping in a wooden box of earth!! After making this discovery he takes some of Dracula’s gold and escapes out his window.
Later, now in London, with a distressed Mina and an in-love Lucy we find Lucy married and sleepwalking. Now in Carfax Lucy’s ex-suitor John Seward, the psychiatrist, talks about Renfeild, a man who believes he is a collector of souls. Now we know that 50 crates similar to Dracula’s are being sent to Whitby. Lucy is bitten by a vampire and shows signs of changing. Unable to treat her ailments Holmwood calls his old teacher to try and treat her. Before he arrives Johnathon is found and Mina rushes to his side. Full of questions Mina begins to interrogate her husband to be and is told that all the answers are in his journal and she should not read it until she really needs to. They marry soon after. It is revealed to us that Renfeild works for Dracula and when he escapes he is calmed by a bat (most likely a vampire in disguise) flies over the moon. We begin to focus on the story of Lucy. Her condition fluctuates between good and bad, neither Van Heisling nor John Seward can help her. Lucy is given blood transfusions and begins to feel better. Van Heisling administers garlic flowers about the home. Unfortunately, Lucy’s mother removes the flowers and she becomes worse. With the garlic flowers in place things only get stranger. When supernatural beings come to collect Lucy her mother has a heart attack and dies. Renfeild goes on a blood crazed rampage. Now with Quincy Morris (another ex-suitor of Lucy’s) comes to help Holmwood becomes depressed. When Mina writes to check on Lucy she is oblivious to what will happen. Lucy is dying and Holmwood says a reluctant goodbye with a kiss on the forehead instead of mouth as per instruction of Van Heisling. He is concerned about Lucy’s vampiric nature so precautions are taken. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work for legend of the “Blofer Lady” has come to town. Mina now knows that Lucy is “dead”. Johnathon’s memory is restored when Van Heisling comes to visit him and a mortified Mina. Renfeild has now come back to his state of wanting to collect souls by killing animals. Now aware that Lucy is the Blofer Lady all of the men (except Johnathon) go to purify Lucy’s body by almost mutilating it. Once again in the trials of misfortune Holmwood is almost killed by a vampire Lucy they successfully plunge a stake through her heart. |
Later, everyone exchanges journals and they realize that one of Dracula’s properties is the chapel right next door. With this new knowledge, only Renfeild is at ease. The asylum is now a base of operations. Mina is not permitted to accompany the others in the vampire killing so she attempts to gather Intel from Renfeild instead. After the disturbing interview Renfeild asks for the ability to leave but is denied any hope of escape. When the attack team goes to the chapel they find only twenty of the fifty boxes. All are purified and they return to the base. Renfeild curses Van Heisling and Mina is almost attacked by a pillar of smoke (quite obviously a vampire). Johnathon discovers the other locations of the boxes in his records. Renfeild begins freaking out about how his life is a mess and he doesn’t even have time to worry about his soul collecting. He is later found covered in his own blood.
Dracula has entered the asylum!!! Now Johnathon is unconscious and Mina has been force feed the blood of Dracula… she will soon turn. Now the study has been destroyed and Renfeild is dead, spirits are low. As a precaution Van Heisling seals Mina in her room and cleanses her. The hunters have the upper-hand and all but one box is destroyed. Mina is hypnotized into sharing a telepathic link with Dracula, now they know Dracula is fleeing by sea. On his way to Varna the hunters plan to kill Dracula. Now a valued asset Mina is allowed to come with. Mina makes the others promise that she’ll be destroyed if she completely turns. Varna is a dead end because the telepathic link was a two-way connection. Now in a new town they arrive too late, the box is gone, but they know where to go, Dracula’s castle! Holmwood and Johnathon take a steamboat and follow Dracula’s ship, Mina and Van Heisling take a train, and Morris and Seward take horses all meeting at Dracula’s castle. It is the final stretch of their journey. While Mina is sealed in a circle of communion wafers Van Heisling is attacked by the Vampire maids of Dracula. He manages to destroy all three of them and seal not only theirs but Dracula’s tomb. While upon the tombs he also seals the castle, leaving Dracula with nowhere to run. In the final moment Dracula’s box is being carried by a band of gypsies. The remaining hunters ambush them and Morris is dealt a deadly blow. When the box is opened Dracula is staked immediately and Mina is released from her immortal curse. Now free of their bane, Mina and Johnathon Harker are married with a child, Holmwood remarries with a wonderful woman, Van Heisling dies a happy old man, and Seward finds his true love as well. |