I loved this audible of a true horror classic. However, I question my own fandom of Tim Curry after hearing this novel read to me. I thought, throughout, that it was he who read the part of Dr Seward only to find out that it was Alan Cumming. And I thought some “older voice actor” read Van Helsing. I am so confused. But not about the quality of the read. It was phenomenal.
Released by: Audible Studios
Release date: 20 February 2012
The cast:
Dr. Seward: Alan Cumming
Jonathan Harker: Simon Vance
Mina Murray/Harker: Katy Kellgren
Lucy Westenra: Susan Duerden
Van Helsing: Tim Curry
Graeme Malcolm: Dailygraph correspondent
Steven Crossley: Zookeeper’s account and reporter
Simon Prebble: Varna
James Adams: Patrick Hennessey
Nicola Barber: Sister Agatha
Victor Villar-Hauser: Arthur Holmwood
Marc Vietor: Quincey Morris
John Lee: Introductory paragraph, various letters
Audie Awards:
Audie Award Winner, Distinguished Achievement in Production, 2013
Audie Award Winner, Multi-voiced Performance, 2013
Audie Award Nominee, Classic, 2013
I seriously am mad at myself for confusing the voices of Cumming and Curry. The whole listen, in my head I pictured Tim Curry in a smoking jacket, holding the book in one hand and a pipe in the other – that is how he read to me. Or so I thought. HA!
In my youth, I tried to read Dracula and found it too slow for my liking. As an adult, I added it to my “need to read” list. With the unreliable nature of my vision, an audible of this particular classic seemed the best route. I am so thankful that is the path I chose. I love that the book was read as journal entries of various sorts. I love Katy Kellgren as Mina Harker! I thought she was perfect.
Per Audible’s SoundCloud: “Because of the widespread awareness of the story of the evil Transylvanian count and the success of numerous film adaptations that have been created over the years, the modern audience hasn’t had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker’s original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we’ve tried something different. By returning to Stoker’s original storytelling structure – a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters – with an all-star cast of narrators, we’ve sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.”
Because I am new to the novel but the novel has been around since the 1890’s, I will not suffer you my critique of the written word other than the fact that I enjoyed the journal entries as a way of separating the thoughts of the characters. I found it interesting that Dracula never spoke. Being Hungarian, I am fascinated to know of the Hungarian influence in the novel. And finally, I will probably “read” the other horror classics this same exact way!
For additional critiques of this audible:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dracula-bram-stoker/1116610564?type=Audiobook
https://www.thatswhatsheread.net/2012/10/audiobook-review-dracula-by-bram-stoker/
The 1897 review of the novel: https://bookmarks.reviews/an-1897-review-of-bram-stokers-dracula/
There is also a Lore podcast on the Bram Stoker which I LOVED: https://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/1
Have you read or listened to it? Did you love/hate it? I would love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments below!
Thoughts and Ponderances 