Dracula's Child
Publication Date: September 22, 2020
If there were ever to be a novel worthy enough to be a sequel to Dracula by Bram Stoker, Dracula's Child by J.S. Barnes is the one. Dracula's Child is written in the same style and dialogue as its predecessor. The novel is separated not by chapters but as different journal entries by characters as well as newspaper clippings. I find this style to be intriguing much like the original Dracula because you never know from one "chapter" to the next whose diary you will be reading, therefore the narrator is constantly changing and so is the mood.
I would highly suggest that you first read Dracula by Bram Stoker as you will need to know some of the previous story and background of the characters from that novel. That being said, Dracula's Child begins twelve years after Dracula ends. At this point Jonathon Harker and Mina Murray-Harker are married and have a twelve year old son named after a previous acquaintance, Quincy. We meet back up with Arthur Holmwood, Dr. Seward and dear old Professor Van Helsing at Quincy's twelve year old birthday celebration. The reader finds out that these characters did not live happily ever after when Dracula ended as you would have hoped. Jonathon is a closet alcoholic. Mina is trying to keep up appearances and hold her family together all by herself. Arthur has now inherited a large estate that comes with more responsibilities. Dr. Seward now has his own medical practice and has moved away from the insane asylum. And dear old Professor Van Helsing has aged and doesn't pursue the nosferatu with as much vigor as he used to. The party goers revel in each others' company but then everything turns south fairly quickly and the story begins. Of course what would this story be without an appearance from our dear old Count Dracula?
One
of my favorite quotes from the book is, "An old truth of the world is here
presented: that to make a thing forbidden is to fill the souls of those who are
warned against it with unquenchable thirst". This quote ultimately relates
to every character throughout the story from those wanting to do good to those
that have found themselves overwhelmed with evil. I think as human beings we
can all relate to this quote too, the grass always seems greener on the other
side. All of the characters in the book deal with enormous conflicts personal and physical . I enjoyed, as with the original Dracula, hearing every character's internal dialogue through their journal entries. I feel that this style helps the reader be able to understand why a character acts and reacts the way he or she does.
Ultimately,
I would recommend this book to anyone who has previously read Dracula it
is a fitting sequel and I think Bram Stoker would be happy to read what J.S.
Barnes created out of his beloved novel. As with its predecessor Dracula's
Child is a timeless novel that will be enjoyed for many years to come.
Thanks as always to Net Galley for and advanced copy for an honest review and Titan Books.
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