I’ve finished the book now, so I think I can answer your third question as well.
End of book spoilers!![spoiler]
I think the main reason that they separated was that they had two different tasks. The young men had the task of hunting down Dracula, and Van Helsing and Mina had the task of sterilising the castle and killing the female vampires. I think that Van Helsing would also be there as a last resort if the other men failed to catch Dracula.
The other men split up because it would maximise their chances of catching Dracula. One team could follow him along the river, and hopefully catch up, the other team could follow along the land incase they made a surprise landfall, or if something happened to the steam boat.
For your other questions I found a good quote in Mina’s Memorandum in chapter 26: “He must be brought back by someone. This is evident; for had he power to move himself as he wished he could go either as man, or wolf, or bat, or in some other way.”
General comments about the book: I love this book. Definately one of my favourites. I think it’s exciting and very well written, with just the right amount of spookiness. I particularly like the descriptions of Whitby at the start, as I went to Whitby for the weekend in the summer and so can match up the descriptions with the place (I’ve walked along the clifftop where Dracula first bit Lucy, and stayed in a hotel in the crescent where Lucy and her mother stayed. The description in the book is perfectly done). The one thing I don’t like about the book is the sexism (e.g. Van Helsing complimenting Mina by saying she has a man’s brain) but I imagine that’s common for books written at this time.[/spoiler]
To all the new people: welcome! As Wulf said I don’t think many people have finished yet, so feel free to join in!
Don’t worry about it
If people are still reading Dracula when you’re ready to start you could try to get it read quickly. If not, there’ll be plenty more books to join in on in the future!
I know this is sort of late, and I’m not quite planning to try to catch up before the next book but I got my hands on Dracula today. I just came across it in the bookstore, and here it is now. I hope it’s a good translation.
I’m done with the book. A question from me though, I’ve read all the spoilered parts but couldn’t see anything of this sort:
To the beginnings of the book…
SPOILER - Click to view
Dr. Seward, Quncey Morris and Arthur Holmwood had decided once to propose to Lucy on the same day, haven’t they? That’s a conclusion I came to, but I couldn’t be sure.
To the end-ish parts of the book…
SPOILER - Click to view
While they were still in Dr. Seward’s house, just before leaving for Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, Mina gathered everyone together and talked to them about something which is irrelevant right now. Then she asked Jonathan to read a prayer from the Bible (or I thought so, I was reading a translation and it may have been different). Then somebody said that his/her energy was being drained from him/her and s/he couldn’t go on. Who was it? Why was his/her energy being drained?
What I didn’t like about the book (with major spoiler)…
SPOILER - Click to view
How Dracula died so easily. I was expecting an epic battle scene, but all I got was… a death of some sort. It was weird. And the fact that Quincey died and they named their child after him.
What I really liked was how I could create very vivid mental images for people in the book, although they weren’t decribed way too much. For some reason, I have very specific faces for Lucy, Morris, Dr. Seward, Van Helsing and Arthur. I haven’t read a book that made me do that for a long time. And actually, I (most of the time) don’t visualise the faces of characters in books.
So that was my side from reading the book. It was an awesome read for me
Hmm, well I might start reading Dracula anyway if we are not starting with a new book soon? I have bought myself a e-reader so I would love to start on a new (classic) book!
Let’s start with the style of the book. I am reading the e-book version so I has no cover. I don’t really mind, maybe reading it open minded is better. Apparently there are different kinds of covers and I would be interested in the original cover.
I like the way the book is written, it gives me the feeling that I am someone who found all these diaries and letters and that I am solving a puzzle. I had some trouble reading at first, for I am not a native English speaker. I have read several books in English but this one is somehow different. It became easier to read later on Expect the part when Mina is with Lucy and this old man tells them stories. I have very much trouble figuring out what the man says, probably because I have no knowledge of English dialects.
I have been wondering about a things of the book though. Is this the first book with vampires described this way? For I could easily guess what all the signs meant, but I wondered what someone in that time would have thought. (When Jonathan is in the castle of Count Dracula)
I have also been wondering about ‘New Woman’. I am not familiar with them, but I suspect that it is a feministic group. Maybe someone can explain it to me? I haven’t read about the woman doing much. Apperently they were free whole day, waiting to be proposed I also think that Mina is way too sweet to Lucy to be realistic. Deep down there should be some kind of jalousy, or something else. Mina tells often in her diary how sweet Lucy looks. I know that this is because the writer wants to point out how her condition changes in time, but I still think it is odd. Maybe the rest of the book will explain this behaviour.
I just felt compelled to pick up a new one a propos du Dracula The review in that link just came out, and I’m itching to buy that book. Amazon’s reviews are just as positive. Anyone with me?
Ooo I have such a history with this book. It completely influenced me for a while there, and by overcoming its many arguments I learnt to think in higher levels, which is also of course in great part thanks to that book. It’s been so long since I last read it. Let’s do it? Guys, this is a seriously engaging book. You will get passionate about its arguments (positively and/or negatively) but the story itself is a thrill.
. I would have thought this community would be more active, now the whole point about reading together is gone.
Expect the part when Mina is with Lucy and this old man tells them stories. I have very much trouble figuring out what the man says, probably because I have no knowledge of English dialects.
I also think that Mina is way too sweet to Lucy to be realistic. Deep down there should be some kind of jalousy, or something else. Mina tells often in her diary how sweet Lucy looks. I know that this is because the writer wants to point out how her condition changes in time, but I still think it is odd. Maybe the rest of the book will explain this behaviour.