Bram Stoker: the man, the myth, the legend that started the ball rolling on everything Vampire! If you’re a fan of Buffy, Supernatural, Twilight, or any other vampiric story, thank this man when you’re searching for credit on Vampire lore (except perhaps if you like Twilight. Then blame Stephanie Meyer. Dracula definitely did NOT sparkle). Also, if you’re the type of person who faints at the sight of blood, well…I still recommend it. It’s just that good.

When it comes to writing from the point of view of multiple characters, I agree with the advice “don’t jump around in other people’s heads unless you’ve mastered that skill well.” Different personalities can become confusing quickly. However, Bram Stoker’s use of manuscripts, journal entries, newspaper clippings, and telegrams proved to work extremely well with understanding the plot and the characters themselves.

The story of the monster known as Dracula terrorizing a group of friends and (unwittingly) the whole city of London is a dark one, full of despair, heartbreak, twisted trees and blinding moonlight, and well-written atmospheric scenes that chill the bone (especially if you listen to a good audiobook). Stoker uses such a voice within his characters that each entry seems to predict certain doom— especially Jonathon Harker’s first encounter with the Vampire and his journey from the lovely landscape of Transylvania to a ruined forest that disturbs his very soul.

As dark as it sounds, one of the most beautiful aspects of this masterpiece lies within the contrast between the characters and the plot. The circumstances are grim, that’s for sure. But the characters Stoker brings to the stage not only rise to the challenge of confronting Dracula, they keep their faith in God and each other despite everything. At first, I found it difficult to accept that Dr. Seward, Jonathon Harker, Mina Murray, Lucy Westernra, Arthur Holmwood, the philosophical Dr. Van Helsing, and the Texan, Quincey Morris, were as pure as they appeared. However, when the plot of a story becomes darkly twisted to the point where the characters’ world becomes unrecognizable, the story itself needs unrealistically true and strong people to carry the reader through with a feeling of hope. Let me tell you, these characters shine brightly. They remind you of what it truly means to stay strong in the Lord through perilous times. Though they become fearful, these friends learn to depend on each other in a way that shows the kind of bonds friendship can hold, even when fraught with fear. They are #SquadGoals, everybody. Beware of this deadly group that shares one soul in all things.

Before I conclude, I would also like to add that Bram Stoker’s ideas about gender and the importance of communication in relationships are worth exploring. Every time the men decide not to share their daily horrors with the women, and the women hide their feelings from the men, the group suffers. And I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

So, if you’re in the mood for a gothic story about bravery in the midst of a villainous force and redemption of the greatest kind, some hope in darkness, or maybe just a good old creepy tale, pick up Dracula. You might be surprised at how much you learn.