Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Addicts discussion

Would you read a book with reviews such as:

"Persons of small courage and weak nerves should confine their reading of these gruesome pages strictly to the hours between dawn and sunset."
or
"The plot is too complicated for reproduction, but it says no little for the author's powers that in spite of its absurdities the reader can follow the story with interest to the end. It is, however, an artistic mistake to fill a whole volume with horrors. A touch of the mysterious, the terrible, or the supernatural is infinitely more effective and credible."

The book is "Dracula"--as you probably already guessed. April 20th is the 100th anniversary of Bram Stoker's death so the retrospectives are pouring in. And that prompted me to wonder: What makes us want to read a book? The original cover of "Dracula" was hardly eye-catching and the reviews were mixed but it became a bestseller.

Would you have read "Dracula" when it was published in 1897? Do you have any interest in reading it now?

Lol!! Now *that's* a book review!

I've never read the book, but my 16 yo daughter read it last summer. She continually complained at how boring it was. I wouldn't mind reading it some time.

I've read (and loved) Dracula. Of course dark gothic (often tragic) vampires are my favourite type. I probably would have read it in 1897 too. There was a huge upsurge in interest in the undead at around that time. The burgeoning medical field was just making claims at having found medical causes for the reanimation of the 'dead.' The church was investigating and making proclamations on the matter, etc.

Plus, while I pay close attention to reviews of my own book. I don't put a lot of stock in them when making a decision on what I want to read next. Everyone likes different things.

Michelle L. wrote: "Lol!! Now *that's* a book review!

I've never read the book, but my 16 yo daughter read it last summer. She continually complained at how boring it was. I wouldn't mind reading it some time."

I'm reading it at the minute, and it is hard going at times. At 50% I put it down to read something else but have found myself going back to finish it. Oddly, it's boring and gipping at the same time, not sure how that works.
And to answer the original question, I probabaly wouldn't read from those reviews, they make it sound like a gorefest with not much in the way of story, which it's not.

Mark wrote: "Oddly, it's boring and gripping at the same time, not sure how that works."

I know what you mean. 1Q84 was that way for me. It was almost trance inducing, but at the same time, I was compelled to finish it.

I didn't read it, but listened to the audio of it. I enjoyed it.

I don't pick a book to read by the reviews or even the cover. I almost exclusively pick books by the blurb. If the blurb can catch my interest then the book has an in with me.

The review makes me want to read it, but all of my friends have told me how dull it is so I never scratch that itch.

for it's time it was pretty out there and I think that's what made it such a hot read.

I've read Dracula... meh. As far as reviews, I like reading the negative ones. It's the only reason I bought 50 Shades, all the negative ones pointed out how sick and sadistic Christian was. I was sold. :)

LOL. That's the same thing that caught my attention for 50 Shades!!! ^_-

Shera (Book Whispers) wrote: "LOL. That's the same thing that caught my attention for 50 Shades!!! ^_-"


LMAO i got dracula as a free top 100 kindle download almost 2 years ago still not read it!

I have this book, but have not read it. I've seen the movie.

In 1897 I think I would have read it. The mystery, the forbidden love, would add excitement to my boring life.

Sharon wrote: "I've read Dracula... meh. As far as reviews, I like reading the negative ones. It's the only reason I bought 50 Shades, all the negative ones pointed out how sick and sadistic Christian was. I was ..."

and..? Did you find him sick and sadistic? I didn't.

He did have a sadistic "bend" but with Ana it was (almost) harmless --- and HOT !

lostime4me wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I've read Dracula... meh. As far as reviews, I like reading the negative ones. It's the only reason I bought 50 Shades, all the negative ones pointed out how sick and sadistic Christ..."

What? Banned? It is so light and fluffy compared to a lot of erotica. Plus it is not even about the sex IMHO. Weird. Would make me want to read it though ;)

I've read the book it's kinda boring 2 maybe 3 stars... I think I gave it 3 but that was before I read Night Huntress or BDB or anything else i'd probably give it 2 now.

lol, these old fashioned reviews are as bad as the older movie trailers. I swear some of them just sat there and told most of the story, condensed in minutes, in order, with spoilers included.

If I am honest I hate the book Dracula. I found it really boring and if I had not had to read it at University (there was me thinking a fantasy and the fantastic module would be fun; silly me) I probably would not have read until the end.

However I do appreciated that it was an important book that has helped shape the genre that I read. I would hazard a guess that I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read it at the time it was first published (presuming I could read growing up in that day and age), it was a bit different and as close to urban fantasy as you could get at the time.

I feel that way about alot of books Omi.

I have not read Dracula and probably never will. My TBR pile is too big already!

I suppose it's like older movies, they were the best thing out in their time, but things have evolved and when you go back, it's just not as good. Having said that, some people like that old movie thing and they are probably the ones that would also like older books.

I felt like Dracula was trying to sell me the technology of that time. Really bored me to tears.

For me it is all about hegemonic patriarchy with homoerotic undertones. That is not the sort of themes I like in a story, with exception to the TV show Grimm which I can not seem to help but love. I like UF books with strong female protagonists that to some extent are facing issues that women face today. Of course I would not have found a book like that when Dracula was released. Even if I was a women with enough education to read I probably would not have picked up the 'women are evil' theme in it at the time anyway.

Pretty much all the people I know who say they like Dracula are doing/have done an English literature degree and I half expect they do not like all the books they say they do. I just find it hard to believe that anyone likes all the "classics" without exception. Call me sceptical though.

It was definitely a different writing style and probably quite cutting age in its day. But I find a lot of that rather dry and dusty, so I haven't read it. Although I do like the review snippits above! ;)

I listened to the audio a few years ago. It was pretty good.

Omi wrote: "For me it is all about hegemonic patriarchy with homoerotic undertones. That is not the sort of themes I like in a story, with exception to the TV show Grimm which I can not seem to help but love. ..."

I agree someone who cliams that all the classics are good, they just drive me crazy.

Most of them are good, but you have to have enough reading since to think outside the classroom and say I didn't like this particular book because of blank.

It drove me crazy when I was the only person in my class that read The Great Gatsby and didn't like it, but they coudln't support why the liked it.

It would be like me saying I love all urban fantasy books; it is my genre of choice but there are some books in it that I just hate.

With Dracula there are things that I can say I do not like about it for good reason, like how gender is portrayed, but mostly I just could not get into it.

I think Jane Austen is another good example for me. I like Pride and Prejudice but I just did not like any of her other work. I like urban settings so a lot of the classics do not keep my attention. It is a similar story with Shakespeare, I liked a midsummer night's dream because I liked the fantasy side of it but I just did not love anything else by Shakespeare.

Midsummder's Night dream is grand. But Julius Caesar will always be my favorite.

It's strange how much I love Urban Fantasy considering I hated urban settings so much.

I couldn't stand Wuthering Heights, but most people think it's awesome-sauce.

Carol ~ I'm A Voracious Reader wrote: "I couldn't stand Wuthering Heights, but most people think it's awesome-sauce."

I tried a while ago and couldn't do it. I keep meaning too, because like you said it's supposed to be awesome-sauce.

I have never read Wuthering Heights, I can not even get though a movie adaptation of it. But I love the phrase "Awesome-sauce". Hehe.

Something caused her to awaken in an unfamiliar, darkened room. Heavy velvet drapes hung from the ceiling high windows but she could see a sliver of light peeping through the center where the panels of blood red fabric kissed. They beckoned to her... “come see”. She slowly obliged the pull- moth to flame, yin to yang - by walking straight to the window. Grasping the thick velvet panels, she threw them each to the side and felt the warmth on her skin. In agony, she screamed and fell.

Waking from her nightmare, Janelle felt her skin burning and smelled the acrid odor of singed hair, yet she was whole and unharmed. Reaching out for her husband, she found his cool hand and although he was deep in healing sleep he squeezed her hand in a loving gesture.

Relaxing back onto her down-filled pillow she frowned over her dream. Firstly, due to the fact that she shouldn’t be able to dream and secondly, why would she dream of being burned?

Her husband Vladimir was waking and causing her nightmare to be forgotten she smiled and moved to him. Who would have thought that the 40-year old spinster would fall in love and marry?

She loved him more than any words could convey. She told him every evening as they rose to kiss and make love, and despite talking around her fangs still being very difficult for her, she could never imagine not being Mrs. Dracula.

Maybe people wanted to read something reviewers suggested was nearly inappropriate and testing safety boundaries, not unlike today.

I think with reviews like that I would have been all over it. I tend to read things that many seem to find odd or horrifying or perverse. Or at least thats what my family and friends seem to think anyways.