Bram Stoker's epistolary masterpiece established the vampire myth as we know it and remains surprisingly readable over a century later.
Dracula endures not because of its villain — who is absent for much of the novel — but because of its atmosphere. Stoker uses the epistolary format to create an escalating sense of dread, as letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings gradually reveal the scope of Dracula's plans.
The opening section in Castle Dracula remains some of the most effective horror writing in the English language. Jonathan Harker's growing realization of his imprisonment is masterfully paced, and the Count's castle is described with a vivid sense of place.
While the novel's Victorian attitudes and pacing may challenge modern readers, Dracula rewards patience with an immersive atmosphere and a surprisingly complex meditation on modernity, sexuality, and the fear of the foreign.