Jilli, a review from the latest Publisher's Weekly that might be of interest:
The Dracula Dossier by James Reese
In Reese's scrupulously imagined thriller, told largely through entries from a lost journal kept by the author of Dracula in 1888, Bram Stoker attends an indoctrination ceremony of the Order of the Golden Dawn, at the behest of Oscar Wilde's mum and a young William Butler Yeats. The ceremony goes horribly awry, resulting in one participant—Francis Tumblety, a patent medicine salesman newly arrived from America—becoming a vessel for the evil Egyptian god Set and applying his surgical skills to the slaughter of Whitechapel prostitutes in order to draw Stoker out for a supernatural showdown.
Bestseller Reese (The Witchery) so perfectly pastiches the journal format that initially, his story reads as dry and boringly as most private diaries. With Tumblety's malignant conversion, though, the novel turns into a rip-roaring penny dreadful that compels reading to the end. Dracula fans will apreciate the nods to well-known works that Stoker wrote supposedly follwoing this confrontation. (Oct.)
Has anyone read Tana French's book
In the Woods
? I finished it late last night and thought it was frantabulous.
Jilli, a review from the latest Publisher's Weekly that might be of interest:
The Dracula Dossier by James Reese
Hmmm. It sounds interesting, but I'm always a bit wary of books that try to combine Dracula and anything like Jack the Ripper. Because honestly, none of them are going to top
Anno Dracula
by Kim Newman. But, I'm sure I'll end up picking up
The Dracula Dossier.
Because I'm predictable like that.
Oh,
The Dracula Dossier
sounds like fun.
And another PW review on a Dracula tome for Jilli-- this one is starred and look who wrote the introduction:
The New Annotated Dracula
Bram Stoker, edited with a foreword and notes by Leslie S. Klinger. Norton, $39.95 (624p) ISBN 978-0-393-06450-6
Klinger brings the same impressive breadth of knowledge that distinguished The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes to this definitive examination of one of the classic horror novels of all time. Adopting the conceit that Stoker’s narrative is based on fact, Klinger elucidates the plot and historical context for both Stoker devotees and those more familiar with Count Dracula from countless popular culture versions. Because he had privileged access to the typescript Stoker delivered to his publisher, Klinger is able to note changes between it and the first edition and comment on the reasons for them. Through close reading, Klinger raises questions about such matters as the role of lead vampire-hunter Van Helsing and whether the villainous count is actually dispatched at book’s end. An introduction by Neil Gaiman, numerous illustrations, essays on topics ranging from Dracula in the movies to the academic response, and much more enhance the package. 8-city author tour. (Oct.)
Wow, that sounds cool! And I might need to get that Sherlock Holmes, too, even though I have the original annotated as well.
Has anyone read Tana French's book In the Woods ? I finished it late last night and thought it was frantabulous.
Not yet, Kat, but it's been on my TBR list for a few months. Do you think it could have crossover YA appeal? I tend to read books quicker if there's a chance I can booktalk them to my teens.
Also, she has a new one out,
The Likeness,
that's been getting great reviews too.
The annotated Dracula sounds great! I think it will be added to my Christmas wish list.
The New Annotated Dracula Bram Stoker, edited with a foreword and notes by Leslie S. Klinger
But but but ... I already have
The Essential Dracula,
edited by Leonard Wolf! However, upon re-reading the description, TNAD sounds even more elaborate than what I've already got.
... oh who am I kidding. Of course I want it. Apparently shopping for my birthday is going to be even easier than usual for people.
Note to self--if ever you need to find a rare book on vampires, ask if Jilli has it, first.
