Dracula

The Original Novel by Bram Stoker—Annotated and Contextualized

Since its publication in 1897, Dracula has never truly disappeared. It has inspired countless adaptations, shaped modern vampire mythology, and become one of the most influential works of Gothic fiction ever written. Yet the novel that Bram Stoker created is richer, stranger, and more deeply rooted in history than many readers realize.

Behind the story of Count Dracula lies a world of real places, historical figures, ancient folklore, religious traditions, and Victorian anxieties. Stoker drew upon the landscapes of Transylvania, the history of Vlad III Dracula, Eastern European vampire beliefs, and the scientific and cultural debates of his own age to create a tale that continues to captivate readers more than a century later.

This historical and literary edition features more than 80 annotations that illuminate the people, places, customs, and ideas behind the novel. Discover the history of the Carpathian frontier, the folklore that inspired Dracula’s powers and weaknesses, the Victorian technologies that drive the hunt for the Count, and the real-world traditions that shaped one of literature’s most enduring legends.

Read Dracula as a Gothic masterpiece. Explore it as a historical artifact. Encounter it as Bram Stoker’s first readers never could.

Includes: Editorial Introduction • 80+ Annotations • Further Reading