Dracula's Child by J S Barnes
I would like to thank Sarah from Titan for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher – Titan
Published – Out Now
Price - £8.99 paperback £5.59 Kindle ebook
It has been some years since Jonathan and Mina Harker survived their ordeal in Transylvania and, vanquishing Count Dracula, returned to England to try and live ordinary lives.
But shadows linger long in this world of blood feud and superstition - and, the older their son Quincey gets, the deeper the shadows that lengthen at the heart of the Harkers' marriage. Jonathan has turned back to drink; Mina finds herself isolated inside the confines of her own family; Quincey himself struggles to live up to a family of such high renown.
And when a gathering of old friends leads to unexpected tragedy, the very particular wounds in the heart of the Harkers' marriage are about to be exposed...
There is darkness both within the marriage and without - for new evil is arising on the Continent. A naturalist is bringing a new species of bat back to London; two English gentlemen, on their separate tours of the continent, find a strange quixotic love for each other, and stumble into a calamity far worse than either has imagined; and the vestiges of something forgotten long ago is finally beginning to stir...
I think the hallmark of great stories will always be both their longevity and their adaptability. Modern audiences will find things in Frankenstein just as relatable two hundred years later. If I say vampire you will immediately think of Bram Stoker’s 19th century novel and its many many interpretations. Sometimes we just need one great story and it never leaves our collective consciousness from Buffy to Duckula. It also raises the question of what happened next? If there is one thing Hollywood taught us is that you can never keep a bad vamp down for long. J S Barnes in Dracula’s Child looks to tell us what happened many years later to the survivors of the original story and that some evils eventually wakes up.
Jonathan and Mina Harker are a happily married couple with a young boy called Quincey. They are still friends with Professor Van Helsing, Dr Jack Seward and now their other friend Arthur aka Lord Godalming. All have moved on in different ways and become respectable members of society. But in 1902 a right-wing newspaperman is saved from suicide by a mysterious lord of parliament. A struggling actor in exile from the UK finds himself exposed to danger in Transylvania and the Harker’s young boy finds himself often feeling like someone else is trying to take him over. A giant web of revenge is being carefully created to entrap not just these individuals but the entire country and then the world.
Dear reader, slight confession I’ve yet to get around to Dracula. Booktempting is relentless. But one day I will get to it! But I am of course thanks to other media familiar with the story and versions of it. J S Barnes has attempted a quite smart way of building on the story before as through newspaper clippings, diaries and letters a tale of revenge and evil gets slowly assembled. Building up a story for those not 100% familiar with the book and also adding quite successfully a new dimension of its own.
Two things really stood out. I liked the atmosphere of the story. Its got a feeling of people in a world that is darkening and filled with ever closer menaces. We see people being corrupted and brought down by their own weakness for power or the flesh. A major thread is what sort of people would support an evil power’s return and though its 1903 I found Barnes’ use of a right-wing newspaper populist and scheming politicians who want to make Britain great again fairly on the nose as to whom would support power at any cost. Strange events and people cross paths in each other’s narrative and you start to see lines and I have to say the plotting here is great and builds a wonderful sense of dread.
I also liked the exploration of what people who fought Dracula would be like. Many years on these people were changed by loss of loved ones or what they encountered. Jonathan Harker is fearful and loves to hide in alcohol; Mina wants a fresh start and tries not to rock the boat. Arthur and Jack are trying to find a new life but feel haunted. I like the shade Barnes added to these characters they are not lets all go up and fight – they’re already been badly hurt by the last encounter. Barnes also adds some really interesting new characters. In particular I liked the tales of Maurice Hallam a reprobate actor in exile who discovers his latest lover carries his own dark secrets and the detestable Arnold Salter who would easily grace today’s Daily Mail in his hatred of the modern world and desire for former government. Each tells their side of the story in their own words giving you a lot of insight into whom these people are. You may not always sympathise with these characters, but I liked a lot how Barnes made you understand their word view and actions.
For a story over 550 pages the constant use of small letters and stories actually means its an incredibly quick read which I hoovered up mainly in one night. My one drawback was we spent perhaps a little too long in the set-up of the plan and not enough in its final execution. The world after which looked very different and is fascinating to explore – perhaps a little longer there would have been more successful.
Despite that one niggle I found this a highly enjoyable read. Barnes has a good understanding of how to unsettle a reader and make you fear for bad things happening to good people and the atmosphere create is fascinating. As we approach the month of spooky things a story that I think horror lovers should have a glance at and check it has a reflection just in case….
