The adventure continues!
In this chapter, we meet Dracula, check out his castle, and wonder why it took Jonathan Harker so long to realize something was up. But, first, here are some technical details. The novel is Dracula by Bram Stoker. It’s read by Kate. The music is Oppressive Gloom by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
(Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) and this was edited in audacity.
Chapter 1 can be found here.
I mean, it seems obvious, but it doesn’t hurt to say it. I’m reading Dracula right now
Welcome to Vampire Month! This month we will be reading and discussing vampire novels! The horror! The romance! The unbelievable nonsense! The glamour!
I am so excited.
In our post announcing Vampire Month, we said we had a special treat for you. Well, here it is! We will be reading Dracula by Bram Stoker. As in actually reading it, into a microphone while a machine is recording and then uploading the recordings here so that you can enjoy and/or mock them. (It’s cool, I expect some mocking. Especially as a newbie with a lot to learn about recording and editing.)
Before get down to Jonathan Harker’s thrilling journey to Castle Dracula, here are some technical details. The novel is Dracula by Bram Stoker. It’s read by Kate. The music is Oppressive Gloom by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
(Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) and this was edited in audacity.
So, kick back, relax, and enjoy Chapter 1 of Dracula by Bram Stoker!
In October, I am dragging Beth and all of you on a vampire-laden adventure inspired by this past summer’s pop culture homework assignment! We are going to review some vampire novels, discuss the vampires, the heroes and the heroines, and we have a special Dracula-related treat! So, prepare yourself for an influx of vampires (but don’t invite any strangers into your house!)
Another awesome book from my local library!
Hoo boy, this book. This is the story of Lexi Jewell who returns to her hometown to help her father try to win his wife back and keep her from divorcing him. She keeps telling herself that its temporary and that she’ll go back to Chicago in a few weeks when everything back home is settled. For better or worse, she has the freedom to make this extended trip back to Colorado because she’s recently resigned her post at a big accountancy firm following a scandal. Of course, things are complicated back home by many things. Her father and her step-mother are prideful, cantankerous coots. The local Mountain Search and Rescue organization is having some financial difficulties and need an accountant. Oh, and her ex-boyfriend Austin is a park ranger and a member of the volunteer Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue organization and is stupidly hot.
So, shenanigans and many sexy bits ensue. There’s a heart-warming ending. This is exactly what I was looking for. Its a lovely, little romance novel. It is a series and I might even read the next one, which is about the Park Ranger’s best friend, who is the fire chief!
So, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was so, so good. Its critique of society was subtle, but apparent, its heroine was super likable. Man, I love when a book is this enjoyable.
I think my favorite part was how Frankie grew and learned while the novel progressed. I also think it was great how she clearly struggled with wanting to be a part of something and wanting to create her own path and do her own thing.
Anyway.
This book is the story of Frankie Landau-Banks who, at the outset of the novel, confesses to conceiving of a series of pranks/vandalism that took place at her elite boarding school and were carried out by The Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds, a secret society at said institution. From there, they go back to the beginning and lay out exactly what happened to bring her to this confession. The pranks are fun and the way she goes about getting them accomplished is pretty genius. Or, if not genius, is pretty clever.
I enjoyed this so much, and if you like reading about high school shenanigans and social commentary, I think you’ll like this one, too.
Beth and I saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2 this week on Broadway! It was an exciting, if long experience. The play takes place after the final scene of the seventh film. We’re going to keep this review spoiler-free. It was an experience and definitely worth seeing, if you are a huge Harry Potter fan. We don’t want to ruin the magic for anyone.
What was your favorite part?
Kate: The magic, maybe. I think they did a great job making the stage really feel like the wizarding world.
Beth: Agreed. The stage craft was on full display. How they were able to create the feel of the wizarding world without special effects of the movies was very impressive.
What about the costumes did you like?
Kate: I want capes to be a thing in everyday life now. There is just so much drama and flair in wearing a cape. I could use a little more flair in my life.
Beth: OMG! The Capes! The way they moved and swayed I’m so jealous. We should bring back the capes.
What did you like about the staging?
Kate: The special effects were really neat but they didn’t distract from the story. I really liked that.
Beth: I thought it was so well done. I loved how they did the moving stairs.
Kate: OMG! The stairs were so good! I liked how the stairs and the movement made the space feel so much bigger and more dynamic!
Who was your favorite character?
Kate: Scorpius Malfoy, hands down. He was amazing. Draco comes in second, but possibly only because I was really impressed by how much his character developed from when we last saw him at Hogwarts.
Beth: Yeah! Who would have thought that a story with Harry, Hermione and Ron that Draco and his family would turn out to be the most likable. Scorpius was the real heart of the story. He brought most of the laughs and kept the story going. I’m hoping that if they do a new movie series after Fantastic Beast, it should be centered on him.
Kate:I would watch Scorpius Malfoy movies. I love that little nerd.
Any last thoughts?
Kate: I still have some questions about various bits and pieces of the story. But, I really enjoyed the spectacle of it, so I’m willing to forgive (though, if you follow us on twitter, clearly not forget) some of the more plot-hole-ish things.
Beth: I’m with you on this. There were some pretty noticeable plot-holes that fans should easily notice and since I’m guessing that most people who see this are big fans, then we are not the only one who has issues with it. That being said, sitting in the audience with other people who came dressed up in their Hogwarts finest, made it more enjoyable. We all knew what was going on. We all got the easter eggs they dropped. We all gasped at the same time. It was like a community experience. Harry Potter fans, I think this is a must see (plot-holes and all) and theater geeks, too, because the staging is in a class of it’s own.
Kate:It was so good to see people turned out in their Hogwarts finest! You are so right! I loved seeing everyone’s outfits! And, everyone who turned up in their cape in August, I have so much respect for that. It must have been so hot.
I finished my pop culture homework assignment, this month’s book group book, and I’m free! I can read whatever I want! So, I picked up something that was completely different from everything else I’ve read this summer. This book is about a park ranger and an account!
I’m really excited to listen to this read-by-the-author book!
2 Women, So Many Books 