Dracula [Audible Edition]
Written by: Bram Stoker
Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley
Length: Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date: 02-20-12
Publisher: Audible Studios
About the author
Bram Stoker was an Irish writer and is best known for his novels and short stories. The Gothic horror novel Dracula is probably his most popular work. He lived during the Victorian and Edwardian Eras (1847 – 1912) and published Dracula in 1897.
What is Dracula about
Dracula is the original vampire story. It’s what got vampires into the public psyche, making them a subject of fascination and fear for years to come. It’s about Count Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England and the struggle of a small group led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing (no, not the one with ragged coat, long hair and crossbow) to prevent him from achieving his goal.
What I liked
Stoker is an excellent storyteller and knows how to get your attention and keep it. The novel is wrtitten in an epistolary format, consisting of letters, diary entries, documents, etc. I think that gives it kind of a more realistic feel which makes it even creepier. I like horror and all things spooky, so the first half of the book kept me pretty happy with Jonathan Harker’s experiences in Dracula’s castle. I didn’t know what to expect and it was genuinely thrilling to listen.
The language sounded dated and archaic of course but I found it amusing and interesting. I guess I haven’t read many classics recently.
The narration is excellent, no doubt about it. This is the audio edition to get if you’re going to listen to Dracula.
I got to develop a strong relationship with the characters which got apparent when one of them died. I really felt sadness and a sense of loss.
What I didn’t like
The second half of the book dragged on a little bit but lead to a satisfying ending so overall it wasn’t bad.
Who would I recommend Dracula to
If you want to get through the classics Dracula is one of your best choices. It’s creepy, mysterious, dramatic and old-fashioned (in a good way). There’s very little not to like about it. If you are a fan of horror, paranormal or other genres that include vampires, this is a must read. After all, it’s where it all started.
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4 replies on “Dracula by Bram Stoker Audiobook Review”
I grabbed this one when it was available as a free listen during Halloween. Glad to hear that the audiobook is just as good, if not better than the paperback!
Well, ‘better’ is always subjective but I think most audio listeners will find it to be of very good quality. 🙂
This is one of my all-time favorite books, so I approached this audio performance with trepidation. Other than Tim Curry as Dr. Van Helsing, who I felt didn’t quite work, I loved this production. I meant to listen to it again this year but never got around to it. I will definitely be listening to it this year though!
How interesting. I thought Dr. Van Helsing worked quite well. Maybe that’s because I haven’t read the book in print and didn’t have a pre-existing impression of his voice in my imagination. Anyway, that’s a good book to re-listen. 🙂