Well Read Company Book Reviews: Dracula

One of our most popular designs features Bram Stoker’s classic tale of horror, Dracula. The initial inspiration for many reincarnations of vampirism to follow, Bram Stoker’s Count has become arguably the archetypal vampire. Nodded to in countless other stories, films and adaptations, the themes of death, sexuality and Christianity have been explored in every imaginable format. Our vegan handbag design pays homage to this iconic gothic story with the depiction of Dracula’s castle against a full moon and a blood-red background.

What at first glance seems to be a gothic horror story, Dracula can actually be read through many different lenses. Some scholars focus on the sexual imagery present in the book and the danger of a sexually liberated woman; others focus at the queer subcontext between Dracula and Johnathan Harker; others see it as an exploration of xenophobia. Like all great novels it remains timeless and ever relevant, able to be framed through whatever issues are still present in society today.

“I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul.”

The novel follows the young lawyer Jonathan Harker, who travels to visit Count Dracula in Transylvania to settle a real estate transaction. The at-first gentlemanly count is not what he seems - Harker soon realises he is in fact imprisoned, and the count possesses many mysterious qualities, such as leaving no reflection in the mirror. Back in England, Harker’s fiance Mina and her friend Lucy are also dealing with mysterious occurrences, which somehow seem to be linked to the Count. In the end, the group must band together to stand any chance against the terrifying vampire.Truly gothic literature at its finest!

With autumn approaching, why not spoil yourself or the bookworm in your life with one of our Dracula inspired accessories!