In my epic schemes for self-betterment, I have been trying to read lots of classic literature. Sometimes this go badly (cough Hardy cough), but it’s going rather well. Surprisingly well in fact.
I was quite anxious about reading Dracula because it has been so, so influential. I thought the clichés were going to be distracting, even though they weren’t clichés at the time. There was a very frustrating period lasting about one-hundred-and-fifty pages of ‘this lady is all weak and lethargic as though she has lost a lot of blood but there are no wounds on her body save for these mysterious teeth-sized puncture marks on her throat WHAT COULD IT BE’, wherein I was screaming ITS A VAMPIRE MAKE ME A DOCTOR IM READY, but other than that it has been highly unputdownable.
The other slightly distracting thing — also not the book’s fault — is I did not realise the name Van Helsing was taken from this book. I know. Silly. I have seen a film called Van Helsing, and while watching it I played a drinking game with my friends where we took a shot every time someone fell through a window. So when the doctor wrote to his friend to say he had contacted his mentor Dr Van Helsing to come figure out what was happening with weak lethargic lady I was thinking HOW’S HE GOING TO HELP HE’S JUST GOING TO BREAK ALL HER FURNITURE. The character is quite stern and stoic and scholarly, and not once has he entered a room by crashing in through the window presumably to the general bewilderment of all inside one of whom will drily inform him “The door is open”. It’s very distracting. But as @ohnomoogle pointed out, the name Van Helsing and vampire hunting are all the backstory necessary; cast Hugh Jackman and blow everything up.
I am now in the third act. Things are rather moving along. And all the characters, some of whom have only just met, all love each other. It reminds me of Gavin and Stacey, which is something I love, and the main reason I love it is because the characters are all nice people who have been forced together and are determined to get along, and there’s something heart-warming about that.
In other news, I have had a shuffle around with the 365 doodle gallery. And of course now I have done that it is plainly obvious I am horridly behind.
Nel Norris 