Author: Christopher Denmead
Illustrator: Ken Hunt
First Published: 2021
Contains spoilers
The Blurb: We take the entire cast of Dracula and Gender Swapped the cast, Its (sic) the classic story with new twists and turns. This is a prose novel. Very akin to Bernie Wrightson Frankenstein with 24 black and white illustrations by Ken Hunt.
The review: If the (Amazon) blurb is sparse then it is no sparser than this retelling of Dracula, which spans just 69 pages and contains a large number of full-page illustrations. So let us start there. Ken Hunt’s illustrations are absolutely lovely and capture the story so very well.
There are, however, some issues with the prose. Not that it is badly written but the language is simplistic and necessarily so as we go breakneck through the story. However, it did make we wonder at what demographic this was aimed at – it was perhaps too specialist for the young-adult audience the prose suggested. I should mention that there are Americanisms that wouldn’t be used by Brits – Grade school for instance – and this is a modernised version of the tale, though there is nothing wrong with that, in a fictional version of Whitby.
I think one thing that didn’t make much sense to me was the gender-swapping of the entire character cast. Now, before you question why I would say that, I will reiterate (as said elsewhere) that I have no problem with gender swapping characters of beloved stories in general. However, to do it for the sake of it, as it feels here, seems pointless. Making changes for inclusivity reasons aside, if you gender-swap (or change a character’s ethnicity or sexuality) use that to explore the narrative in new and subversive ways that enhance or even challenge the original vehicle’s vision. I have seen excellent stage productions where Renfield has been gender swapped – in both cases bringing something different and interesting to the narrative. Simply swapping every character and then doing nothing particularly new with it just seemed a wasted opportunity. Sorry. Though perhaps, if the prose had been expanded the author would have offered those enhancements or challenges of which I speak.
In short, beautiful illustrations but sparse prose, which make for a quick read. This does not make it a bad volume, but it doesn’t raise itself above other vehicles. 5.5 out of 10. My thanks to Sarah who bought me this for Christmas.
In Paperback @ Amazon US
In Paperback @ Amazon UK
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