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Dracula, My Love: A Gothic Paranormal Romance – Mina Harker's Forbidden Victorian Passion
Author Syrie James (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen) offers readers a breathtaking new perspective on Bram Stoker’s classic tale of the king of the vampires with Dracula, My Love. In these “Secret Journals of Mina Harker,” the object of Dracula’s desire relates for the very first time the shocking story of her scandalous seduction and sexual rebirth. This is not the chaste vampire romance of Twilight—Dracula, My Love celebrates a passionate obsession in all its hot and sensuous glory.
670 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
144 people are currently reading
4814 people want to read
About the author
Syrie James
20 books987 followersSyrie James writes about bold, smart women who defy the odds and overcome daunting obstacles to achieve a cherished creative dream, find truth and justice, or help people in need, often finding love along the way. She is the international, USA TODAY, and Amazon bestselling author of many novels of historical fiction, mystery, romance, and YA which have been published in 21 languages.
Syrie's Historical Murder Mystery series, The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire, is set in Victorian England and features sister sleuths who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. The series includes the Amazon bestseller "The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall," "The Secrets of Thorndale Manor" and the upcoming "Danger at Darkmoor Park."
Los Angeles Magazine dubbed Syrie the “queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings.” Her novel “The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen” sold at auction to HarperCollins and became an international bestseller, and was named Best New Fiction by Regency World Magazine. Her passion for love stories and the paranormal led to her critically acclaimed “Dracula, My Love,” “Nocturne,” and the YA series “Forbidden.” Her enduring love of all things English and 19th century led to her Amazon bestselling Dare to Defy Historical Romance series.
Syrie’s books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, hit many Best of the Year lists, been designated as Library Journal Editor’s Picks of the Year, and won numerous awards including the national Audiobook Audie Award for Romance and the Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read (“The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte”), and Barnes and Noble’s Romantic Read of the Week and Bookbub’s Best Snowbound Romance (“Nocturne”).
Syrie is also a WGA member with numerous scripts sold to film and television, and a published playwright, actress, and stage director.
Find Syrie at:
syriejames.com,
Facebook,
Instagram
Syrie's Historical Murder Mystery series, The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire, is set in Victorian England and features sister sleuths who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. The series includes the Amazon bestseller "The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall," "The Secrets of Thorndale Manor" and the upcoming "Danger at Darkmoor Park."
Los Angeles Magazine dubbed Syrie the “queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings.” Her novel “The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen” sold at auction to HarperCollins and became an international bestseller, and was named Best New Fiction by Regency World Magazine. Her passion for love stories and the paranormal led to her critically acclaimed “Dracula, My Love,” “Nocturne,” and the YA series “Forbidden.” Her enduring love of all things English and 19th century led to her Amazon bestselling Dare to Defy Historical Romance series.
Syrie’s books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, hit many Best of the Year lists, been designated as Library Journal Editor’s Picks of the Year, and won numerous awards including the national Audiobook Audie Award for Romance and the Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read (“The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte”), and Barnes and Noble’s Romantic Read of the Week and Bookbub’s Best Snowbound Romance (“Nocturne”).
Syrie is also a WGA member with numerous scripts sold to film and television, and a published playwright, actress, and stage director.
Find Syrie at:
syriejames.com,
Facebook,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
November 5, 2015
INCREÍBLE! Sin duda, es uno de los mejores libros que he leído este año. La autora consigue conservar el espíritu original de la famosa obra de Bram Stoker, y en cada una de sus páginas, uno cree vislumbrar al Drácula que todos tememos. Pero, y eso es lo sorprendente, también nos muestra otra versión del monstruo mucho más humana, dulce y pasional; alguien capaz de enamorarnos. Y ¿qué puedo decir del final? Sin palabras. Una lectura muy, muy recomendable!
February 9, 2014
The public domain is a wonderful concept. Copyright is a useful tool during a creator’s lifetime, but when a work passes into public domain, something special happens. Anyone can reproduce it and indeed use its characters and ideas without worrying about any associated legal encumbrances. In this way the public domain becomes a treasure trove of mutual cultural touchstones. Of course, to do this, one needs access to public domain materials. Hence why, in my review of Dracula, I praised Project Gutenberg for providing such access. It’s thanks to the public domain that Syrie James is able to create such an interesting book as Dracula, My Love.
You may also recall that my review of Dracula is not particularly favourable with regards to Stoker’s treatment of his women characters. This is but one area that James seeks to rectify as she retells the events of Dracula from Mina’s point of view. She also seeks to (possibly) clear Dracula’s name—he wasn’t a monster, as a matter of fact, merely misunderstood.
My expectations going into this were pretty low. I haven’t had a good track record with modern adaptations of classics; the prospect of a "romance" version of Dracula did not seem enticing. So I’m pleased to say that I was wrong. Dracula, My Love is very well-written. James has clearly paid close attention to her source material. She expands upon the characters of Mina and Dracula and manages to create a convincing romantic subplot in the interstices of the original story’s events.
I began reading this literally as soon as I finished Dracula. This was both annoying and useful, for James cribs many scenes, lines of dialogue, and even descriptions from the novel verbatim—as one might expect. So it was interesting to see the correspondences, even though at times it felt repetitive. Like its original, Dracula, My Love feels a little too long—but perhaps that was because I knew, this time, the general twists and turns of the plot, even if the exact details are somewhat different.
This book is essentially a second, secret journal that shadows the journal from Mina that Stoker presents in the original story. Herein Mina confesses that her interactions with Count Dracula go far beyond the dine-and-dash dramatics that Stoker describes. Rather, Mina meets Dracula while in Whitby, where he poses as the affable young Mr Wagner. She falls in love with Wagner, only learning his true identity much later into the book (though it is painfully obvious to the reader for the duration). This connection made, the novel slips into the standard mould of the romance plot in which the heroine is torn between two loves: the mysterious, sexually appealing Dracula, who offers Mina eternal life and eternal learning; and Jonathan, who has known Mina almost all her life, and who offers her a kind of stable existence impossible with the dynamic and terrifying Count.
James’ rendition of Mina is refreshing and illuminating. She makes Mina feel more real, certainly more of a person than Stoker’s Mina. Yet she is careful also not to let any modern anachronisms slip into Mina’s characterization either. The result is a heroine who is a complicated mixture of natural, human emotions and Victorian-inculcated morality. Though she shares the inexperience of Stoker’s Mina, she is far more frank and open with us about the extent of her longing for Dracula than her counterpart ever could have been. Her aspirations to "be a good wife" to Jonathan, to have children, maybe teach some piano on the side, are all quite normal considering her social standing and upbringing.
Yet, unlike Stoker’s Mina, these are not all she is. James includes an episode in which Mina discovers the identities of her parents, something that isn’t strictly necessary but goes a long way towards filling in the blanks of her past as well as demonstrating the kind of person Mina is in the present. Though she discovers that her father is now a man of some standing, she declines to make herself known to him. She says that having the mystery solved is satisfactory enough, and that announcing herself to him would only cause him pain.
Mina doesn’t want to bring pain either to Jonathan or to Dracula. It seems, for a time, that she and Dracula hit upon a plan that allows her the best of both worlds: he will wait for her while she lives a natural life with Jonathan, coming for her at the time of her death to make her into a vampire. It’s creepy and weird, but it makes a kind of ruthless sense. This plan is sabotaged by a conflux of circumstances that culminates in the climax of the original novel, only this time, Dracula fakes his death for the benefits of Van Helsing and company. Afterwards, he and Mina reunite in his castle for the true climax of the story, as she must make her choice once and for all.
James never definitively illustrates whether Dracula is, in fact, "good". It’s possible to read the story either way—he could still be a monster who has duped and misled Mina into loving him. Ultimately, though, James takes Stoker’s original story and adheres quite faithfully to the original sequence of events while putting her own spin on things. It’s a fascinating example of this type of literature, and as a romance novel it manages to be satisfying without being too over-the-top. I can’t speak for how a more experienced romance fan will find it, but aside from some overly flowery prose in the sex scenes, it’s tolerable.
If you haven’t read the original Dracula, you’ll not have any trouble following this story. If, like me, you’ve read Dracula quite recently, then you’ll have an added bonus of seeing the same things unfold, just rotated ninety degrees. And sometimes, that makes all the difference.
You may also recall that my review of Dracula is not particularly favourable with regards to Stoker’s treatment of his women characters. This is but one area that James seeks to rectify as she retells the events of Dracula from Mina’s point of view. She also seeks to (possibly) clear Dracula’s name—he wasn’t a monster, as a matter of fact, merely misunderstood.
My expectations going into this were pretty low. I haven’t had a good track record with modern adaptations of classics; the prospect of a "romance" version of Dracula did not seem enticing. So I’m pleased to say that I was wrong. Dracula, My Love is very well-written. James has clearly paid close attention to her source material. She expands upon the characters of Mina and Dracula and manages to create a convincing romantic subplot in the interstices of the original story’s events.
I began reading this literally as soon as I finished Dracula. This was both annoying and useful, for James cribs many scenes, lines of dialogue, and even descriptions from the novel verbatim—as one might expect. So it was interesting to see the correspondences, even though at times it felt repetitive. Like its original, Dracula, My Love feels a little too long—but perhaps that was because I knew, this time, the general twists and turns of the plot, even if the exact details are somewhat different.
This book is essentially a second, secret journal that shadows the journal from Mina that Stoker presents in the original story. Herein Mina confesses that her interactions with Count Dracula go far beyond the dine-and-dash dramatics that Stoker describes. Rather, Mina meets Dracula while in Whitby, where he poses as the affable young Mr Wagner. She falls in love with Wagner, only learning his true identity much later into the book (though it is painfully obvious to the reader for the duration). This connection made, the novel slips into the standard mould of the romance plot in which the heroine is torn between two loves: the mysterious, sexually appealing Dracula, who offers Mina eternal life and eternal learning; and Jonathan, who has known Mina almost all her life, and who offers her a kind of stable existence impossible with the dynamic and terrifying Count.
James’ rendition of Mina is refreshing and illuminating. She makes Mina feel more real, certainly more of a person than Stoker’s Mina. Yet she is careful also not to let any modern anachronisms slip into Mina’s characterization either. The result is a heroine who is a complicated mixture of natural, human emotions and Victorian-inculcated morality. Though she shares the inexperience of Stoker’s Mina, she is far more frank and open with us about the extent of her longing for Dracula than her counterpart ever could have been. Her aspirations to "be a good wife" to Jonathan, to have children, maybe teach some piano on the side, are all quite normal considering her social standing and upbringing.
Yet, unlike Stoker’s Mina, these are not all she is. James includes an episode in which Mina discovers the identities of her parents, something that isn’t strictly necessary but goes a long way towards filling in the blanks of her past as well as demonstrating the kind of person Mina is in the present. Though she discovers that her father is now a man of some standing, she declines to make herself known to him. She says that having the mystery solved is satisfactory enough, and that announcing herself to him would only cause him pain.
Mina doesn’t want to bring pain either to Jonathan or to Dracula. It seems, for a time, that she and Dracula hit upon a plan that allows her the best of both worlds: he will wait for her while she lives a natural life with Jonathan, coming for her at the time of her death to make her into a vampire. It’s creepy and weird, but it makes a kind of ruthless sense. This plan is sabotaged by a conflux of circumstances that culminates in the climax of the original novel, only this time, Dracula fakes his death for the benefits of Van Helsing and company. Afterwards, he and Mina reunite in his castle for the true climax of the story, as she must make her choice once and for all.
James never definitively illustrates whether Dracula is, in fact, "good". It’s possible to read the story either way—he could still be a monster who has duped and misled Mina into loving him. Ultimately, though, James takes Stoker’s original story and adheres quite faithfully to the original sequence of events while putting her own spin on things. It’s a fascinating example of this type of literature, and as a romance novel it manages to be satisfying without being too over-the-top. I can’t speak for how a more experienced romance fan will find it, but aside from some overly flowery prose in the sex scenes, it’s tolerable.
If you haven’t read the original Dracula, you’ll not have any trouble following this story. If, like me, you’ve read Dracula quite recently, then you’ll have an added bonus of seeing the same things unfold, just rotated ninety degrees. And sometimes, that makes all the difference.
March 14, 2012
If you have always sympathized with Dracula or wanted to see Mina and Dracula's romance, then this book is for you! My preference for characters leans toward the antagonistic and I am thrilled by forbidden romance. This book was right up my alley. I enjoyed it immensely--devoured it in but a few sittings, in fact. I was pleased with the characterization, dialogue, plot, pace, diction, basically everything. This includes the ending (which is really wonderful if you look at the signs, and does leave room for a sequel). I honestly can't think of a single complaint offhand.
This book also made me realize something. That is, you can be a paid author of fanfiction. Let's be a bit truthful here in admitting that this work is fanfiction. And that it is published and thus the author is getting paid for it. This is a beautiful, wonderful thing which gives me hope for my own future (and plenty of good things to read!). Of course I already knew this, but this book solidified the concept in my mind and very well too.
This book also made me realize something. That is, you can be a paid author of fanfiction. Let's be a bit truthful here in admitting that this work is fanfiction. And that it is published and thus the author is getting paid for it. This is a beautiful, wonderful thing which gives me hope for my own future (and plenty of good things to read!). Of course I already knew this, but this book solidified the concept in my mind and very well too.
September 24, 2019
Interesting fan-fiction spin on the original Dracula. Syria James takes the original book and creates a romance between Dracula and Mina that doesn't exist in the original book.
I couldn't help think that the Mina in this book was far less likable that the real Mina. This Mina kisses and makes out with Dracula while her husband is asleep in the same room...Ick!!
Though it was very well written...it was just OK to me and didn't improve on the original story in any way.
I couldn't help think that the Mina in this book was far less likable that the real Mina. This Mina kisses and makes out with Dracula while her husband is asleep in the same room...Ick!!
Though it was very well written...it was just OK to me and didn't improve on the original story in any way.
June 3, 2011
Skip it. If you've read Fred Saberhagen's The Dracula Tape, you've read a far far better version of this already. The author tries to turn Mina into a modern woman but doesn't succeed very well -- instead of thinking for herself she's like a weathervane, swinging around to believe whoever is telling her tales at the moment, so it comes across as more of a slightly discordant medley than a coherent tune. In fact, Bram Stoker's Mina is in some ways a more consistent and stronger character than this one. Then there's the completely irrelevant sub-plot about Mina finding her father and mother, which serves no purpose. It doesn't even make Mina a more interesting character since it's a very cliche Victorian solution. The book was a bit of a snooze in places because James had to recount in all the events of the original book in order to tell Mina's version of them; apparently she didn't want to assume that anyone had actually read the original, which to my mind is a major flaw (what's wrong with demanding your readers come to a book with a little context??). Finally, I thought the ending, while not bad in and of itself, was entirely wrong for the story thus far. It would have been a fine ending for a different version of the story, but for me it didn't fit this one well at all.
August 9, 2011
I can't even express to you how much I loved this book - but I will try my best!
The story of Dracula is one that I have always loved. And while it may not be as popular, it is obvious how its effects have impacted us even today. Just look around you and see the Twilight movies, or Vampire Diaries, or even True Blood and it is clear as day how popular vampires were back then, and still are now.
Bram Stoker's Dracula spawned a lifetime of fiction and even more superstitions - but at the same time, there were a lot of unanswered questions in his work. And Syrie James sets out to answer those questions. Using the character of Mina, Syrie sets out to write a novel based on a set of "hidden" journals that Mina kept while dealing with Dracula. Through her journals, we learn about a secret, deep and wonderfully love-filled affair between Mina and Dracula. The story paints Dracula not as this awful, blood-thirsty monster, but as a lonely immortal who has finally found the love of his life.
The character of Mina is also one of my favorites because not only is she beautiful, but she is incredibly intelligent as well - oftentimes outwitting all of the men in her life! She is strong-willed and has the ability to deal with emotions that would make most of us crawl into a ball and cry, lol. She's in love with two men, has all of her friends trying to kill one of them, and has to lie about it the entire time. It never seems easy, but Mina makes it seem like she can deal with anything.
This story was incredibly suspenseful, funny and romantic. I loved falling in love with Dracula and I couldn't wait to find out which of the two men in her life Mina would choose. Everyone should read this story, as well as Bram Stoker's original. It will be a wonderful treat! Let me know what you think!!!
Maria @GoodChoiceReading.com
The story of Dracula is one that I have always loved. And while it may not be as popular, it is obvious how its effects have impacted us even today. Just look around you and see the Twilight movies, or Vampire Diaries, or even True Blood and it is clear as day how popular vampires were back then, and still are now.
Bram Stoker's Dracula spawned a lifetime of fiction and even more superstitions - but at the same time, there were a lot of unanswered questions in his work. And Syrie James sets out to answer those questions. Using the character of Mina, Syrie sets out to write a novel based on a set of "hidden" journals that Mina kept while dealing with Dracula. Through her journals, we learn about a secret, deep and wonderfully love-filled affair between Mina and Dracula. The story paints Dracula not as this awful, blood-thirsty monster, but as a lonely immortal who has finally found the love of his life.
The character of Mina is also one of my favorites because not only is she beautiful, but she is incredibly intelligent as well - oftentimes outwitting all of the men in her life! She is strong-willed and has the ability to deal with emotions that would make most of us crawl into a ball and cry, lol. She's in love with two men, has all of her friends trying to kill one of them, and has to lie about it the entire time. It never seems easy, but Mina makes it seem like she can deal with anything.
This story was incredibly suspenseful, funny and romantic. I loved falling in love with Dracula and I couldn't wait to find out which of the two men in her life Mina would choose. Everyone should read this story, as well as Bram Stoker's original. It will be a wonderful treat! Let me know what you think!!!
Maria @GoodChoiceReading.com
February 1, 2016
I picked up this book way back when. At the time I was really into any book with a vampire theme. This one sounded intriguing and one that I had not read yet regarding the secret journals. Usually, when it comes to the story of Dracula and Mina it is usually Dracula that is featured and not his lover. Yet, there have been stories told with Mina but again some good and others alright.
I am really trying to read books from my massive to be read pile. So I picked up this book, still looking forward to reading it. I got four chapters in and was ready to put the book down. What a bore. Mina did not stand out to me as a strong feminine voice but a little girl pining for her lover. Plus, just from the little bit that I did read the story seemed to stretch on and repeat itself without real purpose. I already forgot what happened in these first four chapters.
I am really trying to read books from my massive to be read pile. So I picked up this book, still looking forward to reading it. I got four chapters in and was ready to put the book down. What a bore. Mina did not stand out to me as a strong feminine voice but a little girl pining for her lover. Plus, just from the little bit that I did read the story seemed to stretch on and repeat itself without real purpose. I already forgot what happened in these first four chapters.
July 25, 2010
Wow. This has been a fascinating retelling of the classic Dracula tale. It's told from Mina's POV and in this case, the first person narrative works wonderfully. The story begins with Mina visiting her dear friend Lucy while her fiance, Jonathon Harker is away on business in Transyvania. What Mina doesn't know is that Jonathon's business trip has taken a bad turn. After all, his client is none other than Count Dracula...
Click on link for full review...
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...
Click on link for full review...
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...
April 2, 2024
Honestly, I should have known: if someone's out here writing fanfiction of a classic, how fun could it be?
Mina after being told about pretty much every wedding superstition in the country:
Mina after being told about pretty much every wedding superstition in the country:
December 26, 2014
I love it when I read a book that makes me want to read another book. That's what books should do, in my opinion. Reading this book has convinced me that I need to read Bram Stoker's Dracula. Now that I know Mina's point of view, I need to read what the rest of the world thought. I seriously loved this book. I was kind of scared to purchase it, because it's a little out of my usual comfort zone. Plus, it was expensive. I kept thinking about it, though, so when I finally found a good deal, all other books on my to-read list were pushed to the back. I'm SO glad I gave this book a chance, because it is a truly beautiful story of love, deception, obsession, survival, and sacrifice. I was riveted, and could not put it down!
I'm on Mina's side. I saw that tender, romantic side of Dracula and found myself falling for him right along with her! She's got a difficult situation at hand. She went from being the plain, simple girl who never got any romantic attention (even from her husband), to being obsessed over and stalked by a mysterious and sexy bad boy. You'd think that would be terrifying, but she is so captivated by him that she dreamt of and longed for him when most women would flee in fear. She fell deeply and hopelessly in love with him, yet she felt so incredibly guilty because of it. She was married to another man, whom she also loved, but was sneaking away in the middle of the night to be with Dracula. This mortified her, but she could not help herself. When she tried to refrain from going to him, he came to her in the form of a mist that materialized by her bed in the middle of the night, unbeknownst to her husband. He would them sweep her away and have her back by dawn. So scandalous! I think that's part of the reason I loved this book so much. I think a little part of everyone is curious about the forbidden. It's only human nature.
The characters were so well developed. Each person had their own voice and their own opinions. Dracula was strong, sexy, deceptive, evil, manipulative, and extremely romantic! He called her, "My Love." Oooo la la! Mina was very strong, rebellious, and thought for herself during a time when women were supposed to be meek and submissive. She grew up a lot over the course of the book and learned a lot about herself. Mina's husband was the typical male from the time period. He was controlling, demanding, protective, and was all about saving Mina from this evil man who so desired her. Of course, he had no idea that Mina was a willing participant in her rendezvous with Dracula. She was sure to keep that a secret, in the hopes of preserving Dracula's life as well as her own.
While her husband and his accomplices (including Van Helsing, a former boyfriend, and the widower of her best friend) came up with an intricate plot to murder Dracula, she appeared to be helping them, but in reality was leading them on a wild goose chase formulated by Dracula himself. She kept swinging back and forth between the two, doing her best to keep everyone in the "loop". She hoped for both sides to win, because she cared so much about everyone involved. All of these elements tied together created a very spooky, suspenseful, and exciting romance. You get to jump into Mina's mind and hear her thoughts. You begin to understand her wants, fears, and desires. You number yourself lucky for not being in her shoes, but care too much to stop hoping that she figures everything out. You will be glued to every page and travel through every emotion with her.
The writing is done in old-fashioned English, which I found very refreshing. It really added to the story. I have a hard time when historical genres are written in contemporary language. This felt very authentic and seemed very real as a result. The mannerisms of each character were also believable. I loved the contrast between the chaste, ladylike behavior Mina displayed around her husband and friends and the, for lack of a better word, lustful thoughts and actions she exhibited with Dracula. It was like he had her under some spell that amplified her desires and emotions when she was with him. In all actuality, though, this book is not all about lust and carnal desires. Her time spent with him was always spent in long discussions about life and literature. They had so much in common. Her greatest desire was to be with him. The book is really very clean, except for one steamy "dream" she has about him.
I loved this book. It was entirely captivating, and I think I've discovered a new author to follow. Syrie James has written other books along the same lines, including The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte and The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen . Based on this book, I think they are both worth checking out. I'm also planning to read Dracula by Bram Stoker, and The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I think Dracula might have cast a bit of a spell on me as well!
Happy reading!
I'm on Mina's side. I saw that tender, romantic side of Dracula and found myself falling for him right along with her! She's got a difficult situation at hand. She went from being the plain, simple girl who never got any romantic attention (even from her husband), to being obsessed over and stalked by a mysterious and sexy bad boy. You'd think that would be terrifying, but she is so captivated by him that she dreamt of and longed for him when most women would flee in fear. She fell deeply and hopelessly in love with him, yet she felt so incredibly guilty because of it. She was married to another man, whom she also loved, but was sneaking away in the middle of the night to be with Dracula. This mortified her, but she could not help herself. When she tried to refrain from going to him, he came to her in the form of a mist that materialized by her bed in the middle of the night, unbeknownst to her husband. He would them sweep her away and have her back by dawn. So scandalous! I think that's part of the reason I loved this book so much. I think a little part of everyone is curious about the forbidden. It's only human nature.
The characters were so well developed. Each person had their own voice and their own opinions. Dracula was strong, sexy, deceptive, evil, manipulative, and extremely romantic! He called her, "My Love." Oooo la la! Mina was very strong, rebellious, and thought for herself during a time when women were supposed to be meek and submissive. She grew up a lot over the course of the book and learned a lot about herself. Mina's husband was the typical male from the time period. He was controlling, demanding, protective, and was all about saving Mina from this evil man who so desired her. Of course, he had no idea that Mina was a willing participant in her rendezvous with Dracula. She was sure to keep that a secret, in the hopes of preserving Dracula's life as well as her own.
While her husband and his accomplices (including Van Helsing, a former boyfriend, and the widower of her best friend) came up with an intricate plot to murder Dracula, she appeared to be helping them, but in reality was leading them on a wild goose chase formulated by Dracula himself. She kept swinging back and forth between the two, doing her best to keep everyone in the "loop". She hoped for both sides to win, because she cared so much about everyone involved. All of these elements tied together created a very spooky, suspenseful, and exciting romance. You get to jump into Mina's mind and hear her thoughts. You begin to understand her wants, fears, and desires. You number yourself lucky for not being in her shoes, but care too much to stop hoping that she figures everything out. You will be glued to every page and travel through every emotion with her.
The writing is done in old-fashioned English, which I found very refreshing. It really added to the story. I have a hard time when historical genres are written in contemporary language. This felt very authentic and seemed very real as a result. The mannerisms of each character were also believable. I loved the contrast between the chaste, ladylike behavior Mina displayed around her husband and friends and the, for lack of a better word, lustful thoughts and actions she exhibited with Dracula. It was like he had her under some spell that amplified her desires and emotions when she was with him. In all actuality, though, this book is not all about lust and carnal desires. Her time spent with him was always spent in long discussions about life and literature. They had so much in common. Her greatest desire was to be with him. The book is really very clean, except for one steamy "dream" she has about him.
I loved this book. It was entirely captivating, and I think I've discovered a new author to follow. Syrie James has written other books along the same lines, including The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte and The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen . Based on this book, I think they are both worth checking out. I'm also planning to read Dracula by Bram Stoker, and The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I think Dracula might have cast a bit of a spell on me as well!
Happy reading!
December 5, 2016
In 1897, Bram Stoker presented to the readers all over the world a frightful and bloodthirsty character, the infamous vampire from Transylvania, Dracula. After more than a century later, in 2010, author Syrie James takes that story and gets inspiration to tell us everything from Mina Murray’s point of view (the future Mrs. Harker) by adding new details and a romantic and dangerous love story between the girl and Count Dracula.
“Dracula, My Love” is a thrilling and adventurous novel but, if I have to be honest, it did not amaze me that much. I started reading it hoping to experience those feelings that a story like this one usually creates and that I missed while reading the original plot by Bram Stoker, but sadly I was a little disappointed.
The book starts well, actually. The author cleverly describes the places that Mina visits with her friend Lucy and sparks the reader’s interest by telling, in a very detailed way, the protagonist’s feelings while she is watching the beauty of Whitby, and keeps being interesting in the following chapters when the charming Mr. Wagner arrives and gets both Mina and those who read about their encounter intrigued. I cannot deny that I would have loved to be Mina for some chapters! Slowly, though, that involvement vanishes. The appeal, the magic and mystery I found in the first chapters are not present, in my opinion, in the rest of the story.
Surely, the thing that impressed me the most was Count Dracula’s sensuality! This centuries-old vampire that Bram Stoker depicts as an ugly and evil being, in this variation has definitely an edge over the protagonist of the original novel. Nicolae Dracula is a charming and fiery character; he is strong, determined and very sexy! He is obsessed with Mina and he is willing to do anything to win her over (like the original vampire) but everything seems more real here, maybe because there are lots of scenes where the two characters interact and the readers have the chance of living with them all of the events that follow one another. One of the most interesting things of this relationship is the possibility that both characters have, at some point during the story, of hearing each other’s thoughts. I found this idea to be fantastic!
As for Mina, if on one hand I loved her courage and her being curious, on the other her indecisiveness and lack of constancy annoyed me. I understand that her feelings had to be conflicting because being in love with two men so different from each other does not make things easy -considering that one of those men is not even human!- but everything she does and says throughout the story does not mirror the decision she makes in the end and that left me a little perplexed. I cannot reveal what happens but the ending was unexpected and quite disappointing to me.
Also, one of the moments where I expected lots of action (the journey to find and kill Dracula) was not captivating as I hoped it would be. The narration is occasionally too long and slow. I would have preferred more pathos and breath-taking scenes, that anyway I found in the last pages before the epilogue.
Despite my quibbles, I liked reading the love story between the oldest and most famous vampire in the world and a young Mina Harker that opens up her heart to her diary only and tells us anecdotes and events that nobody knows. I think that who loves this kind of books could get involved in this story more than I did.
Note: Some intimate scenes are included but only one of them is more descriptive. Also, some parts (where the vampires’ attacks are described) are quite gory and macabre but, since this is a novel dedicated to Dracula, I would say it is pretty normal to find scenes like that! ;)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
“Dracula, My Love” is a thrilling and adventurous novel but, if I have to be honest, it did not amaze me that much. I started reading it hoping to experience those feelings that a story like this one usually creates and that I missed while reading the original plot by Bram Stoker, but sadly I was a little disappointed.
The book starts well, actually. The author cleverly describes the places that Mina visits with her friend Lucy and sparks the reader’s interest by telling, in a very detailed way, the protagonist’s feelings while she is watching the beauty of Whitby, and keeps being interesting in the following chapters when the charming Mr. Wagner arrives and gets both Mina and those who read about their encounter intrigued. I cannot deny that I would have loved to be Mina for some chapters! Slowly, though, that involvement vanishes. The appeal, the magic and mystery I found in the first chapters are not present, in my opinion, in the rest of the story.
Surely, the thing that impressed me the most was Count Dracula’s sensuality! This centuries-old vampire that Bram Stoker depicts as an ugly and evil being, in this variation has definitely an edge over the protagonist of the original novel. Nicolae Dracula is a charming and fiery character; he is strong, determined and very sexy! He is obsessed with Mina and he is willing to do anything to win her over (like the original vampire) but everything seems more real here, maybe because there are lots of scenes where the two characters interact and the readers have the chance of living with them all of the events that follow one another. One of the most interesting things of this relationship is the possibility that both characters have, at some point during the story, of hearing each other’s thoughts. I found this idea to be fantastic!
As for Mina, if on one hand I loved her courage and her being curious, on the other her indecisiveness and lack of constancy annoyed me. I understand that her feelings had to be conflicting because being in love with two men so different from each other does not make things easy -considering that one of those men is not even human!- but everything she does and says throughout the story does not mirror the decision she makes in the end and that left me a little perplexed. I cannot reveal what happens but the ending was unexpected and quite disappointing to me.
Also, one of the moments where I expected lots of action (the journey to find and kill Dracula) was not captivating as I hoped it would be. The narration is occasionally too long and slow. I would have preferred more pathos and breath-taking scenes, that anyway I found in the last pages before the epilogue.
Despite my quibbles, I liked reading the love story between the oldest and most famous vampire in the world and a young Mina Harker that opens up her heart to her diary only and tells us anecdotes and events that nobody knows. I think that who loves this kind of books could get involved in this story more than I did.
Note: Some intimate scenes are included but only one of them is more descriptive. Also, some parts (where the vampires’ attacks are described) are quite gory and macabre but, since this is a novel dedicated to Dracula, I would say it is pretty normal to find scenes like that! ;)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
July 13, 2010
(Note: This review is coming from the perspective of someone who has not yet had the pleasure of reading Bram Stoker's Dracula.)
Critically acclaimed and bestselling author, Syrie James, once again transports her readers back in time and enchants them with a tale of unknown romance. This time instead of revealing the secret love affair of a famous author as she did with Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, Syrie James decides to divulge the hidden romance between two fictional characters: Mina Harker and Count Dracula. Utilizing characters and plot from Bram Stoker's Dracula, Syrie James retells this horror classic with an infusion of romance.
Mina Murray, at the age of twenty-two has her life perfectly planned; after enjoying an extended holiday at the sea-side resort of Whitby with her friend Lucy Westenra, she is to wed her childhood friend Jonathan Harker and begin her life as a devoted wife, helpmate, and mother. But when Jonathan doesn't return from his business trip to Transylvania and dear Lucy grows more pale and lethargic each day, Mina learns that life doesn't always go as planned. To make matters worse, Mina finds herself extremely attracted to an intriguing and mysterious stranger by the name of Mr. Wagner. Could Mina be falling in love with another man?
We are all familiar with Count Dracula – he is centuries old, from Transylvania, nocturnal, has supernatural powers, and he is sustained by blood. But in Dracula, My Love, we learn that this famous vampire isn't as dangerous and villainous as he seems. Syrie James's Dracula is misunderstood, passionate, a friendless outcast, and...he is in love. The dilemma is that the woman he is in love with is engaged to a man who wants to see him dead. How will this scandalous and impassioned affair end?
What magnificent writing! I am a great of admire Syrie James's novels thus far and even though I wasn't that interested in reading a novel about Dracula and vampires, I was inclined to read this book because of Ms. James's illuminating and all-consuming prose. Believe me, I was not disappointed! Ms. James's Dracula may be a bit more romantic and reputable than Bram Stoker's original (an aspect which might chagrin some purists), but that didn't bother me as I completely fell in love with him! He is such a complex and intriguing character with such mysterious origins. I've become so enamored that I intend to read Bram Stoker's Dracula in the near future.
To put it simply: this novel was truly outstanding! I took pleasure in gaining new understanding and insight to Dracula's character, the compelling action of the plot, and the ardent yet illicit love affair between Dracula and Mina Harker. Dracula, My Love is poignant, passionate, and powerful you should not miss!
Austenesque Reviews
Critically acclaimed and bestselling author, Syrie James, once again transports her readers back in time and enchants them with a tale of unknown romance. This time instead of revealing the secret love affair of a famous author as she did with Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, Syrie James decides to divulge the hidden romance between two fictional characters: Mina Harker and Count Dracula. Utilizing characters and plot from Bram Stoker's Dracula, Syrie James retells this horror classic with an infusion of romance.
Mina Murray, at the age of twenty-two has her life perfectly planned; after enjoying an extended holiday at the sea-side resort of Whitby with her friend Lucy Westenra, she is to wed her childhood friend Jonathan Harker and begin her life as a devoted wife, helpmate, and mother. But when Jonathan doesn't return from his business trip to Transylvania and dear Lucy grows more pale and lethargic each day, Mina learns that life doesn't always go as planned. To make matters worse, Mina finds herself extremely attracted to an intriguing and mysterious stranger by the name of Mr. Wagner. Could Mina be falling in love with another man?
We are all familiar with Count Dracula – he is centuries old, from Transylvania, nocturnal, has supernatural powers, and he is sustained by blood. But in Dracula, My Love, we learn that this famous vampire isn't as dangerous and villainous as he seems. Syrie James's Dracula is misunderstood, passionate, a friendless outcast, and...he is in love. The dilemma is that the woman he is in love with is engaged to a man who wants to see him dead. How will this scandalous and impassioned affair end?
What magnificent writing! I am a great of admire Syrie James's novels thus far and even though I wasn't that interested in reading a novel about Dracula and vampires, I was inclined to read this book because of Ms. James's illuminating and all-consuming prose. Believe me, I was not disappointed! Ms. James's Dracula may be a bit more romantic and reputable than Bram Stoker's original (an aspect which might chagrin some purists), but that didn't bother me as I completely fell in love with him! He is such a complex and intriguing character with such mysterious origins. I've become so enamored that I intend to read Bram Stoker's Dracula in the near future.
To put it simply: this novel was truly outstanding! I took pleasure in gaining new understanding and insight to Dracula's character, the compelling action of the plot, and the ardent yet illicit love affair between Dracula and Mina Harker. Dracula, My Love is poignant, passionate, and powerful you should not miss!
Austenesque Reviews
September 27, 2010
I found it interesting that I picked up this book actually, as I had just finished another story based on Mina Murray's account of the story of Dracula. This book kept far closer to the actual story by Bram Stoker, only through the eyes of the woman (and one of the main characters of it as well - although it was never explored that way in the original). I really enjoyed this version. I felt it kept true the the story and there wasn't anything fabricated differently from the original. If anything, there were things that were explained better, with a more 'modern' look at things, without the superstitions and other contexts of the day. I liked how Syrie James kept true to the characters too, including the 'evil' side of the Dracula that everyone knows and loves. It was a great addition to the Dracula concept books and not so far fetched either, that you wouldn't pick it up again to cross reference with Bram Stoker's version. All in all, it kept to the human tragedy and the love story elements that has made Dracula a classic.
October 11, 2021
En cierta forma ha sido como volver a leer Drácula ya que los hechos que aquí se narran siguen punto por punto los que conocimos en la historia original, pero todos vistos desde la óptica de Mina y con ciertos cambios provocados por la figura de este nuevo Drácula que nos presenta la autora aquí. Ahora, aunque vista como un todo me gustó, lo relacionado con el romance de Mina y Drácula me hizo llevar las manos a la cabeza más de una vez. Me explico: aunque el segundo no deja de ser una criatura monstruosa siempre me ha parecido fascinante y me hubiera gustado que se conservara esa esencia; pero aquí hay una vuelta de tuerca que, aunque original, no me convenció sino que me hizo echar en falta todo el tiempo a ese monstruo sin corazón que, pese a ello, conservaba una pizca de humanidad; además, siento que Mina ha quedado muy mal parada aquí y lo lamento porque siempre me pareció un personaje admirable. No comento más porque podría spoilear, pero creo que en esta historia la cosa va de gustos; desgraciadamente no ha calzado con los míos :(
July 25, 2010
Based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, the "original" vampire novel, Dracula, My Love tells Mina Harker's side of this famous story. But while Stoker's tale presents Dracula as someone to be feared and loathed, Dracula, My Love presents a more humanized Count Dracula, one with a conscience and deep feelings of sadness, remorse, and love. I enjoyed the clever way James fills in the blanks left from Stoker's story. Her thoughtful and well-imagined explanations for Dracula's seemingly brutal acts fit right in with the rest of the book and made perfect sense to me. The author also makes use of the popular Victorian trend of diary-keeping to explain much of the story as it happens, for each of the main characters keeps a diary at some point throughout the book.
There were aspects of this book that reminded me of another classic tale: Beauty and the Beast, where the Beast is not truly a monster underneath his evil appearance, but rather a misunderstood figure of legend. Outsiders only think they comprehend this complex creature, and tremble at the folkloric tales of his mythical existence. As one strange incident after another transpires, the entourage of men who seek to exterminate Dracula convince themselves of the worst, thinking him to be the most vile of all creatures. In actuality, he is entirely different from the imaginary being that fear has helped conjure in the minds of those privy to his existence. The famous quotation by Roosevelt comes to mind: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
All that Dracula truly desires is to spend the rest of his life with his love, but alas, the Beauty of his desire is a mortal and he cannot fully possess her. Something that annoyed me a little bit was how faithless Mina could be at times. Although she claimed to love Dracula, she could be so easily swayed. I guess she was torn up emotionally; she was, after all, in love with two men who were enemies, and her guilty conscience could explain why she was so hot and cold. But there were times when Mina considered what it might be like to live forever in immortality with Dracula...yet how could she come to such a conclusion after so little time in his presence getting to know him? It would be like someone in today's times getting engaged to be married after only knowing someone for a summer (hey, it happens), but instead they would be entering into a marriage that would last for all eternity. I suppose what I'm getting at is that I would've liked to have seen more of a courtship take place before Mina even considered the possibility of becoming his vampire bride one day.
One of the historical themes explored in this book is the Victorian view of decorum. There were times throughout the book when Mina would scold herself for acting in a certain way (for example, walking in a public space in broad daylight with a man who was neither her relative nor her betrothed) because such an action would be deemed unfit by the standards of the time. Mina is expected to give up her occupation as a teacher immediately after she is wed, despite the fact that they have little money between them and that Mina quite enjoys employment as a teacher. This was something which Dracula, a man over 300 years old, could not quite wrap his head around. So, while sometimes it is true that the earlier we go back in history, the more stringent propriety rules become, the Victorian age was an anomaly in this regard. While things were progressing immensely in terms of science and medicine, social manners were not modernizing along with the times and were in fact becoming even more rigid. While some may attribute this to Queen Victoria herself, most historians seem to think that it was in fact her consort Albert who encouraged this stricter manner of behavior. One reference I found delightfully entertaining was where Mina explains that dancing The Waltz with a man who was not one's husband had been considered totally risque in years past...until Victoria danced the Waltz with Albert before they were wed in full view of the royal court. This was big news back then! As the young queen had deemed the Waltz appropriate, social protocol was altered and dancing the Waltz out of wedlock deemed permissible.
I didn't love the ending of the book. I like how it differed from the original Dracula and offered a slightly altered ending (I won't say how...you'll have to read the book for that!), but again, Mina's indecisive naiveté grated on me by the end. However, I will say that the writing is charming, breezy, and easy to follow, and James has quite perfected the art of the cliffhanger. I had never read any of Syrie James's books before but now look forward to exploring her earlier works as well as reading her next novel when it is available.
There were aspects of this book that reminded me of another classic tale: Beauty and the Beast, where the Beast is not truly a monster underneath his evil appearance, but rather a misunderstood figure of legend. Outsiders only think they comprehend this complex creature, and tremble at the folkloric tales of his mythical existence. As one strange incident after another transpires, the entourage of men who seek to exterminate Dracula convince themselves of the worst, thinking him to be the most vile of all creatures. In actuality, he is entirely different from the imaginary being that fear has helped conjure in the minds of those privy to his existence. The famous quotation by Roosevelt comes to mind: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
All that Dracula truly desires is to spend the rest of his life with his love, but alas, the Beauty of his desire is a mortal and he cannot fully possess her. Something that annoyed me a little bit was how faithless Mina could be at times. Although she claimed to love Dracula, she could be so easily swayed. I guess she was torn up emotionally; she was, after all, in love with two men who were enemies, and her guilty conscience could explain why she was so hot and cold. But there were times when Mina considered what it might be like to live forever in immortality with Dracula...yet how could she come to such a conclusion after so little time in his presence getting to know him? It would be like someone in today's times getting engaged to be married after only knowing someone for a summer (hey, it happens), but instead they would be entering into a marriage that would last for all eternity. I suppose what I'm getting at is that I would've liked to have seen more of a courtship take place before Mina even considered the possibility of becoming his vampire bride one day.
One of the historical themes explored in this book is the Victorian view of decorum. There were times throughout the book when Mina would scold herself for acting in a certain way (for example, walking in a public space in broad daylight with a man who was neither her relative nor her betrothed) because such an action would be deemed unfit by the standards of the time. Mina is expected to give up her occupation as a teacher immediately after she is wed, despite the fact that they have little money between them and that Mina quite enjoys employment as a teacher. This was something which Dracula, a man over 300 years old, could not quite wrap his head around. So, while sometimes it is true that the earlier we go back in history, the more stringent propriety rules become, the Victorian age was an anomaly in this regard. While things were progressing immensely in terms of science and medicine, social manners were not modernizing along with the times and were in fact becoming even more rigid. While some may attribute this to Queen Victoria herself, most historians seem to think that it was in fact her consort Albert who encouraged this stricter manner of behavior. One reference I found delightfully entertaining was where Mina explains that dancing The Waltz with a man who was not one's husband had been considered totally risque in years past...until Victoria danced the Waltz with Albert before they were wed in full view of the royal court. This was big news back then! As the young queen had deemed the Waltz appropriate, social protocol was altered and dancing the Waltz out of wedlock deemed permissible.
I didn't love the ending of the book. I like how it differed from the original Dracula and offered a slightly altered ending (I won't say how...you'll have to read the book for that!), but again, Mina's indecisive naiveté grated on me by the end. However, I will say that the writing is charming, breezy, and easy to follow, and James has quite perfected the art of the cliffhanger. I had never read any of Syrie James's books before but now look forward to exploring her earlier works as well as reading her next novel when it is available.
June 21, 2011
There are several books available that tell the story of Dracula from Mina Harker's perspective, but none have been as intelligent nor come close to the original as Syrie James' novel.
"Dracula, My Love" is an account of Bram Stoker's Dracula seen through the eyes Mina Harker. As in the original novel, the narrative is given from the journals of Mina and Jonathan. Mina, however, keeps a more shocking and intensely romantic journal in secret shorthand, free from the prying eyes of those who might seek to discover the events that are not recorded in Bram Stoker's version. In this spellbinding novel, Mina is both terrified and intrigued by Count Dracula.
Mina heads for a holiday to Whitby after her fiancé, Jonathan Harker, leaves for the continent on business to Transylvania. Not having heard from him in months, Mina is deeply worried about him and of her friend, Lucy Westenra, who has taken up sleepwalking and is looking rather pale. Her mind is also preoccupied with the devastatingly handsome foreigner who has just arrived in England and has taken an interest in her.
Although Mina misses Jonathan terribly, she is swept off her feet by the attentions of Mr. Wagner (aka Count Dracula). He is charming, intelligent, worldly, cultured and sympathetic. When Mina shares her concerns about Jonathan and Lucy, he knows just what to say to put her mind at ease. He is always near and seems to appear whenever she wishes to see him. She feels drawn to him despite her moral obligation to Jonathan. She feels confused and ashamed, but the thought of not seeing him again fills her with grief. When Mina comes to realize that she is in love with Mr. Wagner, she resolves never to see him again despite her breaking heart.
Dracula, however, has plans of his own and vows to keep Mina for himself. He spins a web of passion, deceit, and uncertainty around Mina to always keep her guessing at what the truth is. Syrie James' Dracula is not the monster Bram Stoker paints him out to be. He is evil, but he is also a deeply passionate man who is alone. He wants someone to share his lonely existence with and feels he has found his soul mate in Mina. It is that passion that propels Dracula to make the horrifying choices he does. He will stop at nothing to keep her, even at the risk of losing her love or bringing about their possible destruction.
The novel follows the events of Bram Stoker's Dracula but is fleshed out and given a richer narrative by Syrie James. She makes a great attempt to show us richer, three-dimensional characters than the ones of Bram Stoker, adding backstory for both Dracula and Mina Harker's origins. This book was an absolute joy to read and I will be adding it to my personal library.
"Dracula, My Love" is an account of Bram Stoker's Dracula seen through the eyes Mina Harker. As in the original novel, the narrative is given from the journals of Mina and Jonathan. Mina, however, keeps a more shocking and intensely romantic journal in secret shorthand, free from the prying eyes of those who might seek to discover the events that are not recorded in Bram Stoker's version. In this spellbinding novel, Mina is both terrified and intrigued by Count Dracula.
Mina heads for a holiday to Whitby after her fiancé, Jonathan Harker, leaves for the continent on business to Transylvania. Not having heard from him in months, Mina is deeply worried about him and of her friend, Lucy Westenra, who has taken up sleepwalking and is looking rather pale. Her mind is also preoccupied with the devastatingly handsome foreigner who has just arrived in England and has taken an interest in her.
Although Mina misses Jonathan terribly, she is swept off her feet by the attentions of Mr. Wagner (aka Count Dracula). He is charming, intelligent, worldly, cultured and sympathetic. When Mina shares her concerns about Jonathan and Lucy, he knows just what to say to put her mind at ease. He is always near and seems to appear whenever she wishes to see him. She feels drawn to him despite her moral obligation to Jonathan. She feels confused and ashamed, but the thought of not seeing him again fills her with grief. When Mina comes to realize that she is in love with Mr. Wagner, she resolves never to see him again despite her breaking heart.
Dracula, however, has plans of his own and vows to keep Mina for himself. He spins a web of passion, deceit, and uncertainty around Mina to always keep her guessing at what the truth is. Syrie James' Dracula is not the monster Bram Stoker paints him out to be. He is evil, but he is also a deeply passionate man who is alone. He wants someone to share his lonely existence with and feels he has found his soul mate in Mina. It is that passion that propels Dracula to make the horrifying choices he does. He will stop at nothing to keep her, even at the risk of losing her love or bringing about their possible destruction.
The novel follows the events of Bram Stoker's Dracula but is fleshed out and given a richer narrative by Syrie James. She makes a great attempt to show us richer, three-dimensional characters than the ones of Bram Stoker, adding backstory for both Dracula and Mina Harker's origins. This book was an absolute joy to read and I will be adding it to my personal library.
April 24, 2011
This book was an excellent read. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to read more, even in tears in a few places. Mina is definitely the kind of heroine that I love -- she's strong, smart, quick-witted and able to keep her emotions in check. The part I liked the most was that she was able to do all this without sacrificing her femininity. Dracula as the hero was even more than I could imagine and it's difficult not to be in love with him also.
Syri does a good job of taking you through Mina's dilemma of loving her husband, Jonathan, and Dracula, as well. You can understand why she had no choice but to let go and allow the relationship to flourish in order to find herself on the other side of it. I couldn't helped being reminded of Frenchman's Creek at times where Lady Dona has the dilemma between her dolt of a husband and the Frenchman, albeit Jonathan is not a drunken dolt, which makes Mina's story a little more painful in places.
I don't wish to give any more away without sending out spoilers, but this is a must read, even if you claim you're tired of the over-saturation of vampire stories.
Syri does a good job of taking you through Mina's dilemma of loving her husband, Jonathan, and Dracula, as well. You can understand why she had no choice but to let go and allow the relationship to flourish in order to find herself on the other side of it. I couldn't helped being reminded of Frenchman's Creek at times where Lady Dona has the dilemma between her dolt of a husband and the Frenchman, albeit Jonathan is not a drunken dolt, which makes Mina's story a little more painful in places.
I don't wish to give any more away without sending out spoilers, but this is a must read, even if you claim you're tired of the over-saturation of vampire stories.
October 2, 2010
There isn't much original about this book. It is a rehash of Stoker's 'Dracula' through Mina's eyes--expected. Then it turns into a 'Twilight' version of 'Dracula' where the vampire's bad habits are explained away and he eats only animals and doesn't kill anyone if he can help it.
December 16, 2016
2016 review:
I didn't enjoy this as much the second time around. I felt something was missing and I think it boils down to the relationship with Dracula. I wish they had more of a buildup to love. Here, he fetches her hat, dances with her a couple times and oop! love! For what it was, it was a fine guilty pleasure read. Having read so many books in the last three years with better relationships and better buildup to the relationships, this was a let down on reread. Maybe the three years between reads is a sign of me maturing as a reader?
2013 review:
Love never dies.
That is the tagline to the 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula. Syrie James' version of the beloved classic follows a similar premise to Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece.
Dracula is in love.
Though there are many similarities as well as differences to the plot lines of these two works, Syrie James' version doesn't disappoint. It is beautifully written and probably the closest to the original plot of Dracula I have read. The story is mesmerizing. The inner struggles and transformation of the once-innocent Mina shine through the pages with brilliant emotion. Not only Mina's struggles, who is the narrator the throughout the entire novel (abandoning the epistolary format of the original), but we are submerged into Dracula's own inner struggles as well.
Throughout the novel, Dracula is constantly at war with his own demons. His past haunts him and the being he had become four centuries before battles with the man he was in life. Dracula paints himself as innocent, but the beast inside him, the anger and hate it fills his body with, is his destruction, becoming a monster obsessed with the one thing he loves most, even to the point of lying or hurting her to obtain what he wanted.
Dracula is the man Mina desired, but the fiend she feared to become while Jonathan was man who could give her the happy life she dreamed of. Dracula showed her some of the mysteries and pleasures of life, even releasing her from the oppressive grip society bestowed on its women at the time and introducing her to the enlightenment she so desperately craved. He persuaded her not to fear him, that he was innocent of the crimes he was accused. But there was still that sense of danger. That feeling that at any moment his anger and hate would emerge and he would lose control of that beast imprisoned within.
Mina faces her own demons. She was given to an orphanage at a young age, not knowing who her parents were or that she would ever meet them if they were alive. She only knew what she had overheard the orphanage maids chatting about- that she was conceived out of wedlock. There were two things that were odd about her childhood. First, her education was paid for by some unknown party, something unheard of for an orphan. Second, she would have premonitions as a child. What bothered her most was her image in society of her being born out of wedlock. It was Dracula who showed her the truth.
Mina is also torn between her two loves. Dracula and Jonathan embodies her darker side and virtuous side, respectively. Both sides offer what she desires. Both sides come with a price. And these two sides within Mina battle and engulf Mina, warring and battling for her heart.
In the end, it was Mina's choice to become a vampire, which at the time she believed was inevitable, and live with Dracula for eternity or live out her natural life with Jonathan, a struggle that was fought and decided with heavy consequences that thrashed my emotions.
Dracula, My Love is an enthralling retelling that leaves the reader craving more...even in the form of a mysterious 400-year-old tall, dark, and handsome vampire with entrancing blue eyes that could kill within an instant. Dracula, My Love seduces the reader, then plunges its sharp fangs into the reader's neck, unlocking an enigmatic world within.
**** out of *****
I didn't enjoy this as much the second time around. I felt something was missing and I think it boils down to the relationship with Dracula. I wish they had more of a buildup to love. Here, he fetches her hat, dances with her a couple times and oop! love! For what it was, it was a fine guilty pleasure read. Having read so many books in the last three years with better relationships and better buildup to the relationships, this was a let down on reread. Maybe the three years between reads is a sign of me maturing as a reader?
2013 review:
Love never dies.
That is the tagline to the 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula. Syrie James' version of the beloved classic follows a similar premise to Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece.
Dracula is in love.
Though there are many similarities as well as differences to the plot lines of these two works, Syrie James' version doesn't disappoint. It is beautifully written and probably the closest to the original plot of Dracula I have read. The story is mesmerizing. The inner struggles and transformation of the once-innocent Mina shine through the pages with brilliant emotion. Not only Mina's struggles, who is the narrator the throughout the entire novel (abandoning the epistolary format of the original), but we are submerged into Dracula's own inner struggles as well.
Throughout the novel, Dracula is constantly at war with his own demons. His past haunts him and the being he had become four centuries before battles with the man he was in life. Dracula paints himself as innocent, but the beast inside him, the anger and hate it fills his body with, is his destruction, becoming a monster obsessed with the one thing he loves most, even to the point of lying or hurting her to obtain what he wanted.
Dracula is the man Mina desired, but the fiend she feared to become while Jonathan was man who could give her the happy life she dreamed of. Dracula showed her some of the mysteries and pleasures of life, even releasing her from the oppressive grip society bestowed on its women at the time and introducing her to the enlightenment she so desperately craved. He persuaded her not to fear him, that he was innocent of the crimes he was accused. But there was still that sense of danger. That feeling that at any moment his anger and hate would emerge and he would lose control of that beast imprisoned within.
Mina faces her own demons. She was given to an orphanage at a young age, not knowing who her parents were or that she would ever meet them if they were alive. She only knew what she had overheard the orphanage maids chatting about- that she was conceived out of wedlock. There were two things that were odd about her childhood. First, her education was paid for by some unknown party, something unheard of for an orphan. Second, she would have premonitions as a child. What bothered her most was her image in society of her being born out of wedlock. It was Dracula who showed her the truth.
Mina is also torn between her two loves. Dracula and Jonathan embodies her darker side and virtuous side, respectively. Both sides offer what she desires. Both sides come with a price. And these two sides within Mina battle and engulf Mina, warring and battling for her heart.
In the end, it was Mina's choice to become a vampire, which at the time she believed was inevitable, and live with Dracula for eternity or live out her natural life with Jonathan, a struggle that was fought and decided with heavy consequences that thrashed my emotions.
Dracula, My Love is an enthralling retelling that leaves the reader craving more...even in the form of a mysterious 400-year-old tall, dark, and handsome vampire with entrancing blue eyes that could kill within an instant. Dracula, My Love seduces the reader, then plunges its sharp fangs into the reader's neck, unlocking an enigmatic world within.
**** out of *****
December 29, 2010
I got a copy of this book through Librarything's Early Reviewer program. I love the original story of Dracula but always wished that the women characters were more filled out. This book does a great job of doing that in a believable way and paints Dracula into a more complex character than he was originally portrayed as.
The whole book is told through the viewpoint of Mina Parker. Through her eyes we see Lucy's decline, hear of Jonathan's troubles in Transalvania, etc. The story line closely follows the original Dracula storyline but the interactions between Mina and Dracula are more filled out. You also see more of Mina's relationship with her husband Jonathan. This definitely comes off as more of a romance than the original Dracula, but mostly it is a Victorian fantasy of sorts.
I thought the book was well done. The language and writing style mostly stays true to the original Dracula, and the original Dracula storyline is basically followed (if embellished on quite a bit). Mina Harker is a wonderful complex character: she is dutiful, yet independent, she loves her husband, yet is drawn to Dracula. She is a character that is easy to love and empathize with, she is even admirable at points.
The characters of Jonathan and Dracula are also filled out nicely. Neither of the male leads is completely good or completely evil. Jonathan can be overly restrictive and traditional towards Mina; which suffocates her at times...yet he is also a loving husband. Dracula is more accepting and encouraging of Mina's non-traditional behavior (wanting to work outside the home and be educated) but is selfish when it comes to what he wants.
This book ends up being less about the mystery behind Dracula and more about Mina's struggle to decide between two men who truly love her but each have faults of their own. That being said there is still some mystery and urgency throughout this book. The book would have been more engaging and unpredictable if I had not already known the story of Dracula so well.
Overall the book is well done and a must read for Dracula fans, especially Dracula fans who have always wanted the role of the female characters in Dracula expanded. This take on Dracula is definitely more of a romance than a horror, although not annoyingly so, and it is aimed towards a female audience. Some of the steamy scenes in the book get pretty explicit so I would recommend for an adult audience. I enjoyed this book and would definitely consider reading other of James' books in the future.
The whole book is told through the viewpoint of Mina Parker. Through her eyes we see Lucy's decline, hear of Jonathan's troubles in Transalvania, etc. The story line closely follows the original Dracula storyline but the interactions between Mina and Dracula are more filled out. You also see more of Mina's relationship with her husband Jonathan. This definitely comes off as more of a romance than the original Dracula, but mostly it is a Victorian fantasy of sorts.
I thought the book was well done. The language and writing style mostly stays true to the original Dracula, and the original Dracula storyline is basically followed (if embellished on quite a bit). Mina Harker is a wonderful complex character: she is dutiful, yet independent, she loves her husband, yet is drawn to Dracula. She is a character that is easy to love and empathize with, she is even admirable at points.
The characters of Jonathan and Dracula are also filled out nicely. Neither of the male leads is completely good or completely evil. Jonathan can be overly restrictive and traditional towards Mina; which suffocates her at times...yet he is also a loving husband. Dracula is more accepting and encouraging of Mina's non-traditional behavior (wanting to work outside the home and be educated) but is selfish when it comes to what he wants.
This book ends up being less about the mystery behind Dracula and more about Mina's struggle to decide between two men who truly love her but each have faults of their own. That being said there is still some mystery and urgency throughout this book. The book would have been more engaging and unpredictable if I had not already known the story of Dracula so well.
Overall the book is well done and a must read for Dracula fans, especially Dracula fans who have always wanted the role of the female characters in Dracula expanded. This take on Dracula is definitely more of a romance than a horror, although not annoyingly so, and it is aimed towards a female audience. Some of the steamy scenes in the book get pretty explicit so I would recommend for an adult audience. I enjoyed this book and would definitely consider reading other of James' books in the future.
August 22, 2012
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. First it is well written and easy to read, without being simplistic, just enjoyable. Second, I liked the original Bram Stoker’s Dracula, of course. All the ambiguous scenes in the book about things maybe happening but not being said clearly had always thrilled me. In particular, the sensual, sexual tension about Dracula and Lucy and then Mina. So when I saw the title of “Dracula My Love” and then the back cover, I immediately borrowed it at the library, convinced it was precisely the kind of book I like. And it was. The plot was really faithful to Bram Stoker’s story and at the same time it revealed a whole new perspective on it, which was interesting! Besides I enjoy love stories, so everything was fine! When I had already read the two third of the book, I became a bit worried because I was beginning to wonder if we would have some concrete sexy scene by the end of the book. My naughty mind wanted something more serious than just ‘longing’…and fortunately, [SPOILER] Syrie James gave us the description of Mina’s dream, and even if it was just dreamt, I was satisfied with it. And finally, whereas I was almost at the end of the novel, I became worried for the second time wondering how everything was going to end because: I knew all the possible endings I didn’t want to happen but I couldn’t figure any ending I could like either. And Syrie James eventually managed to do a well-thought ending, [SPOILER] without Mina becoming a vampire and without Dracula being a complete evil monster. To sum up, it was a good book, true to the original Bram Stocker’s Dracula (which I thought REALLY important), with the exact measure of romanticism, sex and surprise I wanted. I wish I could keep the book instead of giving it back to the library.
September 7, 2015
I think I loved this, but it's still hard to tell. I am awash with conflicting emotions at the conclusion. It is a novel of great passion, which I love; and darkness, which I also love; and the workings of human (and UNhuman) emotions, which I find utterly fascinating.
The problems arise with pacing for various parts of the novel- there is a lot of set-up, and then, for the period of time where Dracula is MIA, it is also very drudging. James has to acquaint the reader with various facts from Stoker's Dracula to make sense of her plot (which, I'll admit I haven't read, so this seems to be warranted, to some degree). Then there is some incredulously naive and downright stupid behavior by many of the characters- even Dracula! who should be as close to perfect and omniscient as a 400 hundred year-old sentient being could be! The final blow comes at the resolution which made me feel like the whole stinking novel was for naught! I'm still angry; can you tell?
In breaking vistas, between the drudgery of the mundane plotting, the story throbbed with Victorian shame, scandal, illicitness, passion, and longing. Everything you could wish for in story about the oh-so fascinating immortal dark lord, and despite being a very clean novel, it was really quite emotionally riveting.
I really loved the beautiful journey, so I can't say I regret having read it. I'll just have to make up an alternate ending in my head. I am still really quite heartbroken about the injustice of it all.
The problems arise with pacing for various parts of the novel- there is a lot of set-up, and then, for the period of time where Dracula is MIA, it is also very drudging. James has to acquaint the reader with various facts from Stoker's Dracula to make sense of her plot (which, I'll admit I haven't read, so this seems to be warranted, to some degree). Then there is some incredulously naive and downright stupid behavior by many of the characters- even Dracula! who should be as close to perfect and omniscient as a 400 hundred year-old sentient being could be! The final blow comes at the resolution which made me feel like the whole stinking novel was for naught! I'm still angry; can you tell?
In breaking vistas, between the drudgery of the mundane plotting, the story throbbed with Victorian shame, scandal, illicitness, passion, and longing. Everything you could wish for in story about the oh-so fascinating immortal dark lord, and despite being a very clean novel, it was really quite emotionally riveting.
I really loved the beautiful journey, so I can't say I regret having read it. I'll just have to make up an alternate ending in my head. I am still really quite heartbroken about the injustice of it all.
November 25, 2015
This story is based on the original story of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It is written as the diary of the main character, who is torn between two men. The very beginning is slow, but it picks up when Dracula enters the scene and charms the ladies. Then it becomes a very engrossing story. However, towards the end, the hunt for Dracula gets drawn out, thus slowing the pace.
The story has many twists and turns that make the story interesting. However, the story of the main character’s mother and father could be more developed. I was hoping for more of this and less of the hunt for Dracula.
Overall, it’s well-written and engaging story.
The story has many twists and turns that make the story interesting. However, the story of the main character’s mother and father could be more developed. I was hoping for more of this and less of the hunt for Dracula.
Overall, it’s well-written and engaging story.
June 10, 2015
Bref j'ai vraiment adoré suivre cette histoire d'amour, d'une passion contre nature. Je suis vraiment rentrée dans le livre dès le début et j'ai été passionné par l'histoire de Dracula. J'ai voulu faire durer le livre mais les bonnes choses ont une fin et ma curiosité a fini par l'emporter et j'ai voulu connaître assez rapidement. Donc cette lecture a été une gros coup de cœur.
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2010/...
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2010/...
December 13, 2019
Congratulations Syrie James for creating the most asinine, spineless version of Mina imaginable, and for some of the worst attempts at writing (considering you had the story served to you on the platter by Coppola and Stoker.)
I read this garbage because I have a soft spot for historical Dracula and Stoker's vampire. Stoker didn't have the wealth of knowledge at his fingerprints as you do, and still managed to create a believable Dracula without denigrating the history or the man himself.
I read this garbage because I have a soft spot for historical Dracula and Stoker's vampire. Stoker didn't have the wealth of knowledge at his fingerprints as you do, and still managed to create a believable Dracula without denigrating the history or the man himself.
December 17, 2018
Half this book is exactly as Coppola's film, and the other half is bad. Just bad.
February 2, 2019
que libro!
October 19, 2022
Die altbekannte Geschichte, neu erzählt aus der Sicht des weiblichen Hauptcharakters - ein sehr stimmungsvoller, düster-romantischer Herbstschmöker.
July 12, 2023
j'ai bien aimé mais il y a beaucoup trop de longueur j'ai fini par décrocher avant la moitié
March 17, 2012
The famous Dracula!
This is the story of Mina Murray, who came to love Dracula under the circumstances that most women do, under extreme visual and physical imagination.
Mina is an orphan, never knew her parents. She is engaged to be married, but her fiance' stops writing to her, and when he does right to her, he is very distant and has a tone of general disinterest.
Well, when things such as this happen, it leaves women feeling very .... unappreciated, unloved, un-thought-about.
Which opens the door for said women to be wooed by other men whom, under normal circumstances, the women wouldn't give a second thought to.
It's the same old Dracula story, without feeling like the same old Dracula story, as far as his women are concerned.
It is a love story, a romance story, but you won't find it in the romance section of the library. ... at least, not in mine. In my library, it was in the horror section. I am not sure why, as, although it has some scary pieces to it, it's definitely not 'horrific'
Anyways, I really liked it.
I thought it was well written, it flowed well, it's climax is good, and the ending is slightly surprising. All good things!
Pick it up!
- CJ
This is the story of Mina Murray, who came to love Dracula under the circumstances that most women do, under extreme visual and physical imagination.
Mina is an orphan, never knew her parents. She is engaged to be married, but her fiance' stops writing to her, and when he does right to her, he is very distant and has a tone of general disinterest.
Well, when things such as this happen, it leaves women feeling very .... unappreciated, unloved, un-thought-about.
Which opens the door for said women to be wooed by other men whom, under normal circumstances, the women wouldn't give a second thought to.
It's the same old Dracula story, without feeling like the same old Dracula story, as far as his women are concerned.
It is a love story, a romance story, but you won't find it in the romance section of the library. ... at least, not in mine. In my library, it was in the horror section. I am not sure why, as, although it has some scary pieces to it, it's definitely not 'horrific'
Anyways, I really liked it.
I thought it was well written, it flowed well, it's climax is good, and the ending is slightly surprising. All good things!
Pick it up!
- CJ
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