Dracula’s Origins

Dracul by Dacre Stoker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vampires are among us. Written as a biographical narrative of Bram Stokers early life, the authors descendant went through his forebears journal and constructed this novel. Much like original Dracula this novel is written in different point of view. At times it will be a straight narrative and others will be from the journals and anecdotes of the novels characters. Dacre Stoker pulls elements from the original publication and from other horror stories. He has done his research as well. Such occult motif’s as the Hell Fire club and mention of Walpugisnaught add more genuine European flavor.

The most interesting part of the book comes after the story is told. The author states that when Bram first submitted his novel Dracula to the publisher that this is a true story. Some of the characters were based on people Bram knew that is for sure. Dacre refutes the notion that Dracula the vampire is an ancient evil far older than Vlad the Impaler. Before getting this book published in the UK Bram had to edit out a bunch of material, something like the first 101 pages but this only effected th UK edition. Other editions published elsewhere were not edited.

The story itself starts off in Bram’s youth where as a sickly child he. Is confined to his room. The Stoker family takes on a Nanny named Ellen. She is rather strange in that some days she appears young and others withered and old. Ellen takes many forays into the forest. One day they follow her and she disappears into the bog. After searching her room they find a map, dirt under her bed and everything appears to be untouched.

After she disappears she is ever on their mind. Over the years they have visions and interactions with her some of which are forgotten. As a child Bram was a sickly boy, she made him well.
You can guess how. Ellen is a dag due. She was also connected to a Patrick OnCuive, someone who hung himself in prison. Years later he turns up dead again.

The search begins for Ellen. Bram and his sibling gather up artifacts and begin their search. Emily, Thornley Stokers wife is being vampirized by a mysterious stranger. An old journal comes up connected Ellen with the dark stranger Dracul. Upon finding Ellen they go on a quest to the city of the damned near Munich in order to confront Dracul and help redeem Ellen and the ones she loves.
Excellent story and it would be great to see this expanded into a series or movie.

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