I am continuing to go back to real ‘Victorian Gothic‘. Rereading the classics of Stevenson, Shelley, M R James, Hawthorne, O Henry, Melville, Flaubert, Gaskell etc etc.
#I really enjoyed Dracula and I can see his influence on others.
Am currently well into Stokers “Seven Stars”
pickA worthwhile, if anti-climactic read. Stoker slowly built up the tension to the moment of crisis, then let it fall flat on the final page. I do think there should be some reward for the diligent reader when the author has been at considerable pains to lay the scene for an earth-shattering revelation. I wonder if his Christian sentiment made him falter? Anyway, the journey was interesting, even if the destination was a disappointing one.
"We learn of great things by little experiences. The history of ages is but an indefinite repetition of the history of hours. The record of a soul is but a multiple of the story of a moment."
It's gone 2:00am and my head wants to read, but my body wants to sleep. I should listen to my body as my head's attached to it (or is it the other way around? 🤔). 📖 😴
30% in and there are some few similarities to Dracula: First person narrative, though a single pov, and so far it's like an extended version of the Lucy Westenra episode where she's on her sick bed with concerned loved ones trying to protect her and figure out what's wrong. Otherwise, this is also a locked-room mystery with the lawyer protagonist playing the part of Amateur Detective. Some uncanny elements, but nothing supernatural... yet!
A non-Dracula Stoker! 🚫🧛♂️🦇
Instead, this one brings the Mummy's Curse from Ancient Egypt to Edwardian London. The Universal Studios film The Mummy used some of the elements of Stoker's book, but was really it's own thing. A surprisingly good adaptation was filmed by Hammer in 1971, the luridly titled Blood from the Mummy's Tomb! I've had this book since forever and love the cover - high time I read the damned thing 🧟♂️
So I went to one of my local used bookstore and I found something I didn‘t know existed! I‘m so excited, I can‘t wait to start reading this. If only I wasn‘t reading three other books at the moment 😂
The Jewel of Seven Stars | 
