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FindingJane
Feb 01, 2015FindingJane rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Whittling down the 400-plus page of Stoker’s original novel into a book a tenth its size couldn’t have been easy. But Mr. Raven manages it with flair and style. His Dracula is a sly seducer, achingly beautiful and eternally young. But the book omits mention of most of his supernatural powers, such as the ability to command the winds, create storms, summon animals or turn himself into fog, relying on his towering presence alone to display his menace and dangerous charm. Mr. Raven also creates a centuries-old feud between Vlad Tepes and gypsies, which is part of what leads to his downfall. Other changes are made as well, one notable and welcome one that has Mina taking a firm stance beside her husband. Once Dracula bites her, she feels she is invested in this fight and refuses to stand aside and let the menfolk handle it. Her role as determined fighter is commendable, making this book a rare treat for girls as well as boys. The illustrations are breathtaking, with pen marks that create humans and animals of excellent aspects. The bats and wolves in particular look so realistic; you expect them to leap off the page. While color appears to be muted or absent for the most part, it is utilized to startling effect when included. E.g., Dracula’s trio of brides, mentioned in the original novel as being two raven-haired women and one blonde, are here shown as having black, red or blonde hair, respectively. The illustration wherein this triad of lethal beauties attacks Jonathan Harker is one of haunting sensuality and their hair color punctuates the scene. This is a glorious picture book that is sure to please vampire fans. I highly recommend it.