Book Review - The New Annotated Dracula edited by Leslie S. Klinger

The New Annotated Dracula by Bram Stoker, edited by Leslie S. Klinger



Just a quick note: this is not a review of Bram Stoker's manuscript, but a review of the notes and essays written by Klinger and relating to Dracula. I may at some time review only Stoker's novel, but at this point, I am dedicating this review only to Klinger's additions.

Thanks to the good people over at W.W. Norton, I received The New Annotated Dracula for review some time ago and have finally finished reading and poring over this tome. This review has been a long time in coming, and I am grateful for Norton's patience. And now, onward!

Leslie S. Klinger took it upon himself to research Bram Stoker's masterpiece for himself, and while there have been numerous books written on Dracula and its allusions, Klinger has exhausted almost every reference in the novel, plus taken the narrative as a non-fictional account of a group of individuals' battle with the folkloric vampire. Klinger, known for his research on the stories of Sherlock Holmes, guides the reader through the novel with explanations of various territories of Transylvania, explanations of cultures, and humorous critical analyses of Stoker's writing.

Klinger successfully provides interesting insight into the fashions of the late 1800s; there is no doubt about it. Some of the most interesting facts come from Klinger's historical research of the era. One instance that really sticks out is the note about blood transfusions and their progression from hit-or-miss operations to the understanding of blood types and how "bad blood" can affect the human body. These redirections from the narrative add a vast amount of entertainment, almost a "Pop Up Video" for books; not to mention the knowledge gained from reading Klinger's notes can add to anyone's personal collection of trivia for showing off at Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy.

Klinger also manages to compile a good sampling of notes from other reputable authors on Dracula, giving a smattering of different viewpoints of the analysis of Stoker's text. It's interesting to note that Klinger does not purport to be the all-knowing critic of Dracula, but refers to other friends and researchers as a new point of view. It shows a lot about Klinger as an editor - a person who does not doubt his own interpretations but realizes that they may not be correct. The reader picks up on this, and should, as it lets them know that the editor is not conceited or oblivious to the fact that Dracula is subject to interpretation.

One of the strongest points of the notes is the errors that Klinger finds, both with dates and references to certain parts of the narrative. It's incredible that such obvious mistakes passed right by me; in fact, had it not been for the annotations, I would never have found them. The erroneous information and the contradictions in the descriptions highlight the fact that Dracula could have been an edited form of a true story, and while I was skeptical of the reality of the story when reading the notes, there is always a possibility. I think that it's fun to keep that mystery alive, and Klinger does so without flinching, even if it means being taken less seriously. There's a courage in that that is missing from a lot of annotated novels that should be applauded and encouraged in more editors' works.

Besides housing the story and the remarks of Klinger, The New Annotated Dracula also includes the excised short story "Dracula's Guest" and a few essays on Stoker's life, the influence of Dracula on later works, earlier vampiric stories, film and theatrical productions of Dracula, an extensive bibliography sure to whet anyone's appetite for more Dracula analysis, an attempt at dating the narrative of Dracula, and even a chronological timeline of the story. There's just a huge amount of information here that this review cannot do justice. The book also comes in well-bound hardcover, looks nice on your bookshelf, and is a must for any fan of literature, whether a connoisseur of horror or not.

There is one downside - the notes tend to take away from the energy of Stoker's prose. This isn't Klinger's fault in any way; with annotations, there is no way to avoid this. For a reader who has never experienced the novel, I would suggest reading Dracula first and then going back through it with Klinger's notes. That way, one can get the full effect of both the story and the notes without being distracted from the actual thrill of the novel.

This is a book for those who like to be critical, though, and if you're not a fan of analysis, this might not be the right book for you. On the other hand, if you do love critical interpretations, this is a book that requires more than one read to appreciate all of the research Klinger has unearthed. Get this book - Klinger knows more about Dracula than Stoker does, and one cannot be disappointed with the vast amount of knowledge that has been "unearthed." Get it! A pun!

Mr. Klinger, please do Frankenstein next!