I Am Legend by Richard Matheson – review

 

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Is I Am Legend a horror story? Science fiction? Both?

The protagonist, Robert Neville, is a solitary figure, the last man alive on Earth. But he is not entirely alone; he is tormented by what others have become. The classic monster of myth and horror stories – vampires. Human shaped but without humanity.

They come to his home at night, a home that he has turned into a fortress against them. They taunt and tease him in any way they can in their desire for his blood. The female vampires even exploiting his sexual frustrations and loneliness – playing out erotic displays on the lawn – to try and draw him out. 

By day, Robert can roam as far as he can during daylight hours. But, at coming night, he must return to shelter, or meet violent death. 

So then, a horror novel? One man against vampires thirsty for his blood?

There are moments of horror and suspense. As when Robert realises, out on errands during the day, that his watch has stopped and he has stayed out later than he ought. A race with monsters at his heels follows. However, this book is not as simple as all that.

In Matheson's book, the vampire is not a creature of myths and folklore, some gothic creation of the supernatural. It is the language of science that is used to explain the origins and traits of the vampire here. Bacteria and psychology, not evil and the unexplained. If certain of these phenomena did not fit in with the bacilli, he felt inclined to judge their cause as superstition.

 Matheson brought horror and sci-fi together here, producing something hybrid perhaps, or something else entirely.

With his main character apparently a sole human survivor of apocalyptic catastrophe, this novel is Matheson's deep exploration of loneliness and loss. Neville had not always been alone, his family lost to the contagion and to death. And this is not a story of his struggle against demons at his door, but the demons in himself.

It is the story of a lonely man trying to hold himself together, trying to find reason in a brutal world. Striving to stay human in more ways than one.

Sometimes, in the long and lonely evenings and nights, Robert has found relief in too much whisky. Letting a veil of inebriation soften the hard edges of the cruel world outside his door. And the reader is witness to the conscious efforts that this character makes to abstain. How easy, he considers, it might be to give in and slide into oblivion. 

But one form of oblivion can lead to another, a much more permanent oblivion, and our protagonist isn't ready for that yet.

As with the best horror and science fiction stories, this novel uses the fantastic as the framework for a very human story, and ask human questions. What is the point of carrying on in the face of the unimaginable? What else is lost when one loses human connection? And what can a person abandon, and what must they hold on to, before they lose their humanity?

It is the loneliness that is the real horror in this story. It exacerbates every other torture that Robert endures, and leads to self-torture too. Robert's isolation, depression, and desperate want for escape is the horror, not the vampires outside.

After the last page has turned and the book is closed, it is not the pathetic vampires which stayed in my mind, but the image of a solitary man doing what he can to stave off despair. Sometimes sadly over too many glasses of whisky. And sometimes throwing himself into studies of his enemies. Vacillating between despair and hope. 

This is a slow study of loneliness and depression looking for hope.

So, horror? Science-fiction? 

I Am Legend is a bit of both, but really it's neither.

What it has definitely become is influential. Published in 1954, it has been an influence on many post-apocalyptic stories that followed, with its tale of humanity wiped out by contagion and infected survivors becoming something monstrous. These sorts of stories are much more commonplace than they were before Matheson's novel, and many of them owe a debt to Legend.

George A. Romero and Stephen King, amongst others, have acknowledged Matheson and this novel as a major influence.

By the way, there is another monster in this novel. A monster that hides in plain sight, but which is not seen because of our point of view. A creature not of the world in which the novel is set. 

It is the presence of this monster, revealed in the final pages, which might really rock the reader. That might leave the reader considering just how much the world, and a way of life, can change.

To sum up, a novel that uses horror to get at what's human. To consider the fragility of life.

You can purchase a copy of I Am Legend by Richard Matheson here.

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American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis - analysis and review

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the price of any items, and it does not influence the content of the blog.

Patrick Bateman is twenty-six years old and works on Wall Street. He is handsome, charming and intelligent. But, Bateman lives a dual life that takes in both the American dream, and its worst nightmare. 

Patrick is one of literatures most monstrous creations. He is almost entirely devoid of all human emotions, caring for the material and the fashionable only. To the point that even other lives are but a source of entertainment and amusement.

This novel is brutal, and bleak.

American Psycho is the dream of wealth, the desire for the material and status symbols, taken to its conclusion - a gigantic and unquenchable desire for more. Nothing is ever going to be enough, because the fashions and the technologies that Mr. Bateman chases are ever updating and improving. And so, the protagonist is left with nothing more than an emptiness that can never be filled. His nightmare world is a reflection of the dream.

I think that this is why Ellis decided to make the character - the successful Wall Street man - an unfeeling and violent killer; it truly is the extreme conclusion of anyone whose dreams and pursuits are made of surface stuff and status symbols. People become objects of pleasure and amusement too, and sometimes, Bateman literally turns people into objects. 

Bateman's world is all surface. With the right haircut, the right clothing, the right music, you are beautiful, but the beauty is only skin deep. And underneath there is something toxic. Indeed, this book is a warning; beware of the dreams that are made of flashing lights and pretty faces, because the bright colours and smiles might just be a distraction, a lure to draw you into a trap.

This really is a shocking novel, and not for the squeamish or easily offended, but a very good book that is well worth a read. A clever book that draws the readers attention to just how easily we can be distracted, from the profound and meaningful, by societies obsessions with the bland and vapid.

You can purchase American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis here.

Thank you for reading. And, just before you go, can I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me turning pages!

I resist ad space here, wishing to generate more than just sales in this blog. But, with writerly ambitions, I throw myself on the kindness of my readers to support this blog.

So, if you can, support the blog here. And, thank you, every reader and supporter!

The Silence by Tim Lebbon - analysis and review

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale, but this does not affect the price of the items, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

The Silence is a horror novel that draws half its horror from the ways people can fall apart during times of crisis. Each chapter opens with fictional social media or internet quotations, spaces we all know can be a place of panic and fear at the best of times. This is a great device used by the author to explore this theme of how people hold up, or not, in adverse times.

Deep in an unexplored cave system, blind creatures unknown to humanity hunt in darkness. They hunt without sight, exploiting sound to catch prey. But, when the caves are opened and people come, these creatures are unleashed onto a world that might just be forever changed by their emergence.

With Ally, deaf for many years and used to a world of silence, and her family, we follow this story of survival in a world made unrecognisable.

The central theme of the book that particularly caught my interest was that of human reactions to tragic events. By embracing the theme of social media and the internet, as tools for communication and disseminating information, Lebbon did a good job of exploring the ways in which people can respond to fearful times. Indeed, a great deal of the horror in this novel is not in the behaviour of monstrous creatures, but in the monstrous and desperate things that people can do to each other. The book is at its best in those parts, casting an eye on how people will justify to themselves committing horrible acts.

I don't know what inspired Lebbon in his creation of these creatures, blind cave dwellers that hunt by sound, but they are solidly scary. We are an awfully noisy animal, us humans, with our music, our cars, our need to perform on some virtual platform, and, sometimes, our desire to just stand up and shout. In The Silence, in this world where people are forced into quiet, it is a stripped back world. A world where much is given up, but also a world where connections are brought back to those with whom we are closest.

This is a decent horror novel, with themes worthy of exploration.

You can purchase a copy of The Silence by Tim Lebbon here.

Thank you for reading. If you can, please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me turning the pages!

Thank you to every reader and supporter!

5 memorable dogs from literature

 

Monsta

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the price of the items, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

In 2019, just before Christmas, Monsta, my dog, my best friend, got sick. At first, I wasn't too concerned. She was still interested in her food and still had a light in her eyes. However, after a couple of days, and little change, we made a visit to the vets.

Over the course of days, she got worse. That light in her eyes dimmed. She stopped eating, and she was tired all the time. She didn't want to leave the bed or the sofa. I had to resort to carrying her about, and more vet visits followed.

As I write this, I feel the sadness blooming in my chest, wanting to burst behind my eyes.

Two years and two months later, I still miss the light in her eyes. I miss the strange sounds she'd make, like the high-pitched keening noise when she was anxiously excited by some silly thing. I miss the click of her claws behind me as she would follow me from one room to another. I miss the softness just behind her ears. I miss how she would look up at me when she walked beside me . . . I miss it all.

With Monsta in mind, I write this little list of memorable literary dogs, because they add a little something to the books in which they can be found, as they do our lives . . .

1. Bullseye, from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist has asked for more!

When he flees the workhouse, Oliver Twist finds himself taken under the wing of the Artful Dodger and falls in with a group of pickpockets in London.

Bullseye is the long-suffering companion of the cruel criminal, Bill Sykes, who mistreats his poor dog. The image of Bill Sykes and Bullseye, stalking dismal Victorian London, amongst the criminals and the wretched, is one that remains with the reader.

You can purchase a copy of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens here.

2. Montmorency, from Three Men in a Boat (to Say Nothing of the Dog!) by Jerome K. Jerome

Three hypochondriacs, believing they are suffering from almost any malady you could care to mention, decide upon a restful holiday on the Thames, with Montmorency, the fox terrier, as companion.

This humorous novel depicts probably the worst holiday in literature, still providing laughs today, over one-hundred-and-thirty years after its original publication.

Montmorency shares the spotlight with the three men, and there are some comedic passages about the mischievous little fox terrier to be found within.

You can purchase Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome here.

3. Charley, from Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

In 1960, there was an itch in Steinbeck's feet that he couldn't ignore. Travelling America, through woods and forests, dirt tracks and highways, cities and wildernesses, he witnessed America and Americans with a humorous and sometimes sceptical eye. There is warning and prophecy in these pages, from one of the greats of twentieth-century literature.

And Charley, Steinbeck's French poodle, accompanied the great writer on his travels across America.

Actually his name is Charles le Chien. He was born in Bercy on the outskirts of Paris and trained in France, and while he knows a little poodle-English, he responds quickly only to commands in French. Otherwise he has to translate, and that slows him down.

You can purchase Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck here.

4. Toto, from The Wizard of Oz by  Frank L. Baum

Follow the yellow brick road . . .

Dorothy seems lost when a tornado picks up her and her little dog, Toto, from Kansas, and drops them in the wonderful world of Oz. Along the yellow brick road, she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. 

Toto is another loyal and goodly companion, a dog that has found his way firmly into literary history.

You can purchase The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum here.

5. Cujo, from Cujo by Stephen King

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine . . .

Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, and the best friend that Brett Camber has ever had. After Cujo is bitten by rabid bats, he becomes a horrifying vortex, drawing in all the people around him, and is one of King's most memorable creations.

You can purchase Cujo by Stephen King here.

Thank you for reading. Just before you go, can I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the support really is a great boost!

If you can, please consider supporting, and, dog dads and mums, give your dog a hug. They aren't here long enough, and they are a gift.

I still bloody love you, Puppy Dog!

A Time For Violence: Stories With An Edge, An Anthology, Edited by Andy Rausch & Chris Roy - analysis and review

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org, and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sellers, but this does not affect the cost to the consumer. And it does not influence the content of this blog.

In this anthology collection, the theme of violence connects each short story. Sometimes the story is a straightforward tale, a crime or suspense thriller short story, but sometimes the tales are more subtle, or even surreal. 

I was sent this anthology via Twitter, and asked to take a look. I made my way through it slowly and, I have to admit, sometimes unenthusiastically. However, this might have had something to do with my dislike of reading my books on a screen. But, I found myself fully engaged with some of the short stories in this collection, with scenes and characters still inside my head after I finished reading.

Though you might be put off by a collection of stories exploring the theme of violence, rest assured there is a diversity of tales within. This is not just a collection of explicit slashing and gore stories. You will find some well thought out tales within. Though, it might be worth warning you, there is slashing and gore in there too. 

The collection opens with Blood Brothers by Richard Chizmar, a fairly straightforward "story with a twist" about a pair of brothers, one a family man and the other on the wrong side of the law. And from there, the collection undulates, from one story to another, some better than others. Though, as I say, there is enough diversity in there that you can probably find a story that you will find enjoyable.

I found Santa At The Café by Joe R. Lansdale, and Ladies Day At The Olympia Car Wash by Andrew Nette to be fairly entertaining tales, but perhaps your tastes are different.

To be honest, this is an anthology that I dipped in and out of, and it wasn't a collection that I felt a need to read from beginning to end once I had started. There were some stories that I found myself wanting to end sooner than they did, and there were some that I found myself entertained by more than I had expected. I suppose that that's the nature of a collection featuring different authors.

You can find A Time For Violence: Stories With An Edge on Amazon.

Before you go, I would like to thank you for reading. And, I would like to ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps my eyes open as I turn pages, and then tap away at my keyboard!

Though I am affiliated with a couple of booksellers, I have resisted adding space for adverts to this blog. I started writing here because I have a love for books and a desire to write; I want that to shine through, not to turn this into a space for selling products.

But, as I research, write, proofread, edit, rewrite . . . for these posts, and as I pursue my passion for writing, it would be unrealistic, and self destructive, if I didn't seek some remuneration for my efforts. So, I do ask, if you are able to do so, could you give a little support to keep these posts coming.

If you can, head on over to ko-fi.com, send a coffee, and I'll get back to the books! Thank you to every reader and supporter - you keep me writing!

All of my most recent reads!

 Disclaimer: MonstaReader is affiliated with bookshop.org, and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the seller. However, this does not impact the cost to the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

A day in the life of your friendly little MonstaReader is spent pretty much like anyone else's. I wake up in the morning and sigh because my body didn't metamorphose into something less flabby and more muscular while I slept; I check my diary for the day, considering where and when I can fit in some reading time; I make myself a coffee, watching the birdfeeders whilst it brews . . .

Pretty standard stuff, you know.

But, if you're here, it's probably the books that you're interested in. So, in today's post, I thought I would do a little round-up of all my most recent reads. Three books that I was reading simultaneously, and books that I will dive into much more deeply in future posts.

Native Son by Richard Wright

We start with Native Son by Richard Wright (my copy pictured above), a novel written as protest, in which we follow Bigger Thomas, a young black man trapped in poverty and Chicago slums. Published in 1940, this was a novel that shocked readers at the time, and which still has power in its pages today. 

The reader is immersed into a world of anger and fear, a world where something has to break, because a world into which you are born Black is a world in which you are not free. There is not even the illusion of freedom.

Much has changed since this novel was written but, one fears, much has stayed almost exactly the same. This is a novel written as a protest, and though some criticisms have been levelled at the novel - James Baldwin did so in his writings on protest novels - the author, Wright, explained in an introduction to the novel that the world he created in the book was a reflection of the world in which he lived.

This is a book well worth reading, a landmark novel, that went on to make Richard Wright the first bestselling Black writer in America.

You can purchase Native Son by Richard Wright here.

The Silence by Tim Lebbon

Next, we move on to something quite different . . .

In an underground cave system, sightless creatures use sound to hunt their prey. When humans move in and disturb these inhabitants, the predatory creatures are loosed from the caves, and they swarm from the darkness. 

Ally, deaf in the years since a terrible accident, knows how to live in silence. Ally and her family leave their home, and make their way towards a remote haven, where they hope to escape these creatures, which are drawn to sound. But is the world forever changed?

Horror novels have been looked upon with a lack of respect in the past, and it's true that a bad horror novel can be pretty torturous - horrific in all the wrong ways - but a good horror novel can explore important themes, just as much as any other genre. Indeed, is well placed to explore themes other genres would find difficult to include.

The Silence explores how people react to extraordinary events. Each chapter opens with an extract from a fictional news report, a briefing , or social media commentary. With the fantastic events of the novel juxtaposed with the familiar human commentary that we are all used to by now on these platforms, the world in this horror feels that much more real. Indeed, half the horror and suspense in the book comes from how the human beings can treat each other when they are scared, and can't make sense of the world any more.

You can purchase The Silence by Tim Lebbon here.

Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellman

This one is a Pulizer Prize winning biography I have read before, and now I am reading it again.

We follow Wilde's ascent and, sadly and inevitably, his downfall in Victorian society, in this, Richard Ellman's definitive Wilde biography.

Wilde was a kind, brilliant and, at times, self-destructive man. And he almost made the work of the biographers easy for them, having lived a life so ideal for biography. 

This is a book that you can tell has been written with care, a desire to do justice to the subject, the subject being a brilliant man torn down, and that care and attention elevates this biography.

Unfortunately, I cannot find a link to this book with my affiliates, but it is out there. It was published by Penguin and, if you can seek it out or you stumble across it, I urge you to make the purchase! Or, perhaps your local library has a copy!

Thank you for reading. Before you go, can I ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps my eyes open as I turn pages or tap away at my keyboard.

Writing these posts is driven by my passion for books, which I hope shines through, and, though I am affiliated with two booksellers, I have resisted placing ad space in my posts. The affiliate links are there, but I am much more interested in writing about the books than I am in trying to sell them to you as a product. I discuss the books, and then the choice is yours.

But my passion for the written word has extended beyond bibliophilia, and I find myself engaged in endeavours to write. And unfortunately, one needs money to pursue their ambitions and passions.

Every reader and supporter is much appreciated - ko-fi.com - and I thank you for reading! Thank you!

Feeling uninspired by Halloween? Try these three horror filled books . . .

 

Disclaimer: should you make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, MonstaReader might earn a small commission from the sellers, but this has no affect on the cost to the consumer and it does not influence the content of this blog.

If you're left feeling cold by the idea of Halloween, try one of these three horror filled novels. And, if you're still left feeling cold, check your pulse, you may just be a zombie!

1. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Twenty-six year old Patrick Bateman works on Wall Street; he is handsome, charming, and intelligent. And he lives a life that juxtaposes the American dream with a dark and brutal nightmare.

You can purchase American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis here.

2. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

In this science fiction tale, genetic engineers have created a dinosaur amusement park. Dinosaurs are now walking the Earth with human beings and a dream has been made real. But, there is a dark side to the dream and, when the park's defense systems fail, horror and suspense take over!

You can purchase Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton here.

3. Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Something strange is happening in Stockholm. The dead are waking up . . . 

David's wife dies in a car accident. But, when he goes to identify her body, she starts to move . . .

Across Stockholm, families find themselves able to see their loved-ones one last time . . .

This is a gothic horror story about love and death, a horror story that will shock you and move you.

You can purchase Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist here.

I do hope that these three suggestions have sparked some spooky ideas for you this Halloween!

You can support my writing by buying me a coffee on ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me sufficiently prepared for any spooky surprises, as well as it keeps me tapping away at my keyboard!

Thank you to every supporter and every reader . . .

And, have a happy Halloween!

A Few More Films Based on Rather Good Books

 

As well as the books I love, I also enjoy a good film, and the last post I published on films based on books I so thoroughly enjoyed writing that I thought I might do another one. It should be noted though, before we get into this piece proper, that where I mention streaming options for some of these films I am basing those details on what is available here, in the UK. Sorry, everyone else. I do still love you though.

Room (based on the novel by Emma Donoghue)

I've read the book, but not seen the film. However, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 93%, I am expecting the adaptation to be quite good. 

Brie Larson won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in this film. She plays Jack's mother, trying to give her five-year-old son as normal an upbringing as she possibly can. A tall order when Jack has spent the entirety of his life so far in one room! Having been held captive by her abductor for years, Jack's "Ma" decides they must try and escape. And so, Jack will be introduced to something greater than he has known so far - the world outside the room.

Room is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Rosemary's Baby (based on the novel by Ira Levin)

Ira Levin's novel was the bestselling horror novel of the 1960's, and the film is one of the best horror films ever made. With a wonderful performance from Mia Farrow as Rosemary, and an Oscar winning performance from Ruth Gordon as one of her odd neighbours, if you haven't seen this perfect horror, it might be time you did so. 

Rosemary's husband, an ambitious but, so far, unsuccessful actor, makes a pact with the devil. And, from that act, the horror unfolds.

Rosemary's Baby is currently available on Amazon Prime from £2.49

IT (based on the novel by Stephen King)

They don't come much creepier than killer clowns. And Pennywise is about as creepy a killer clown as they come. Partly, of course, because he is much more than a simple murderous clown.

If you've read the book, you'll know what a hefty thing it is (clocking in at over 1000 pages), and so, when it was adapted for the big screen a few years ago now, it might come as no surprise the story was split into two films.

I enjoyed the book, and I enjoyed the film. The book is well crafted, and if you're a Stephen King fan but you've not read this one, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Though, like I say, it is a biggun. Of course, films based on King books can be a bit hit and miss, but I think this film is enjoyable enough.

IT is currently available on Amazon Prime from £3.49

Joker (based on the Batman comics character, created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson)

From one murderous clown to another . . .

Anyone familiar with the Batman comics will know that this character is the Dark Knight's most dangerous adversary. Seemingly completely detached from reality, but intelligent and with a desire for destruction, the Joker is the character that keeps coming back. He is also the adversary that has most affected the hero of the comics.

When Todd Phillips' Joker was released in 2019, there were some questions raised as to the need for a film about this character (a murderous white man), but I don't think there's any denying that the performances are solid and the story is decently told. And, as for those objections, I don't think we ought to sympathise with the character, but understanding the descent of the character might be worth the time.

Joker is currently available on Amazon Prime from £13.99

Let The Right One In (based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist)

There is a distinctly bloody and horrific theme running throughout these suggestions. Well, why break the habit now!?

However, Let The Right One In, like the novel it is based on, is not quite a straightforward vampire horror story. No, in this story you will find themes of what it is to be an outsider, and forging a friendship even when it might seem doomed. And, the vampire here is no cardboard cutout vampire, but a cursed and tormented character. It is also a beautiful portrait of adolescence. It is perhaps that more than it is a vampire film.

Let The Right One In is currently available on Amazon Prime.

American Psycho (based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis)

It's another bloody one. Sheesh! I know!

Patrick Bateman is a monster that fits nicely into the 1980s world of greed, money, and shallow self service. He has very little interest in anything beyond maintaining a pleasing veneer, and exploring the dark and intensely violent urges he has. And, though he often fears that his mask of sanity is slipping, it seems as though the world in which he lives is one that does not recognise the monster he is. For, it seems, it is not only he that is only interested in superficial and selfish desires.

The book is not an easy read. The film is not an easy watch. There is much violence. And, as I say, Bateman is a monster.

American Psycho is currently available on Netflix.

I hope you enjoyed this piece. If you did, perhaps you would consider following/supporting me on ko-fi, a platform specifically for creatives, and a great place to keep up to date with what your favourite creatives are up to. All support is gratefully received.

Thank you, and see you soon.

Dracula by Bram Stoker - an analysis and review

 

Disclaimer: If you should make a purchase through links in this blog, I may earn a commission from the sellers, however that does not effect the cost to the consumer and has no influence over the content of this blog.

Bram Stoker drew upon a visit to Whitby in 1890, stories told to him by Ármin Vámbéry, a Hungarian-Jewish writer, about the Carpathian mountains, and the mythology of vampires when he wrote his most famous novel, Dracula. However, he didn't depend purely on inspiration, and he spent several years researching locations, and the mythology of the vampire, making plenty of notes, before he began to write the novel proper.

What he created has endured, and Stoker gave the world one of its most well known monsters.

The structure of the novel is epistolary, made up of diary entries, newspaper cuttings, and notes made by the characters. In Stoker's work as newspaper writer, he would have been well acquainted with the practice of collecting together snippets of sources like this and collating them.

In this way, the world we are drawn into is always seen through the eyes of the characters within it. And so, we see the monster, Count Dracula, the King of Vampires, through the eyes of the characters too. We experience their fears, their apprehensions, anxieties, and hesitant hopes. In this way, that famous vampire is always shrouded in the fear and uneasiness the characters' feel because of him, so feeding the tension of the narrative. More so than if the novel had just been a straightforward telling from third person perspective.

The novel has inspired analysis regarding sex and sexuality. From the three female vampires in Dracula's castle, seductively trying to draw their intended victims unto them, and the slight homoerotic tones in Dracula's hold over the character of Jonathan Harker ("he has a fearful hold upon me"). These have, in part at least, been inspired by analyses of Stoker's own sexuality (he appears to have endured a passionless/sexless marriage, and he was associated with other gay figures from the Victorian literary world, such as Oscar Wilde, and a great admirer of Walt Whitman). 

On reading Dracula, the reader does notice that Stoker seemed to have had a preoccupation with what the role of men and women ought to be, how the gender roles ought to be played. There is much talk of admirable and good "brave men", and the character of Mina, Jonathan Harker's fiancé, is spoken of admiringly by the male characters in the novel for her support of their cause. It might not be too much of a stretch to draw the conclusion that Stoker, in his writing about sex and gender roles, was trying to exorcise some of his personal preoccupations and fears.

Dracula has also deals with the theme of illness, and the spread of disease. Again, something of which Stoker was personally acquainted, having been bedridden in his childhood with an unknown illness. Indeed, throughout the novel the reader finds imagery of sickness and descriptions of characters, such as Lucy Westenra, having to take to their beds with feelings of sickness. 

Dracula's taking of blood, and offering his blood to victims, his control of animals like bats and rats, thought dirty and carriers of disease, also suggest the writer's exploring the theme of disease, and how disease is spread. Dracula is even able to spread his condition of vampirism to other character's in the novel.

The character of a Dracula has since become a pop culture icon that can be found in comic books, cartoons, films, and even advertisements. But, Stoker's creation, the character that inspired them all, is a more complex monster than many of these two-dimensional renderings would have you believe.

This King of Vampires is centuries old and was once a military leader. However, by the time that we meet Dracula at the beginning of the novel we find that this is but a memory, though he is proud of his warrior past. We also learn that Dracula is very intelligent, and he is proud of his high ranking ancestry.

As an "Undead", and a scholar of black arts, Dracula possesses great strength and supernatural abilities. He is capable of changing form, controlling animals, and his appearance seems to change throughout the novel, especially as relates to his apparent age. He is also, however, bound by certain laws, some perhaps well known to you, like his aversion to daylight and garlic.

The plot of the novel stems from the Count's desire to move from his castle in Transylvania to London, England. To do so, he employs the solicitor, Jonathan Harker, which is where the story begins . . .

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