Dracula: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for Dracula by Bram Stoker. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1897, 161,966 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1897, 161,966 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
161,966 words. Modern gothic and horror often runs 70,000 to 90,000 words, so this is long for the shelf today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 162,000 words, Dracula is longer than modern horror norms (typically 70,000 to 100,000 words) but shorter than epic fantasy. The length suits the scope: multiple narrators, detailed investigation, and the slow revelation of supernatural truth. Modern editions often trim or modernise the text.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1897, 161,966 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The book was serialised in The Strand Magazine and other publications. Chapter breaks function as serial breaks: each ends with a hook or revelation. Chapter 4 (Jonathan's escape), chapter 12 (Lucy's death), chapter 16 (Lucy's destruction), chapter 21 (Mina's violation) and chapter 27 (Dracula's defeat) are natural serial climaxes.
Chapters: Ch 4, Ch 12, Ch 16, Ch 21, Ch 27
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps include: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (historical vampire epic), Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Gothic horror with multiple narrators), The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (supernatural bargain and long pursuit), and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (secret societies fighting supernatural evil).
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Today Dracula would be shelved in horror and Gothic fiction. It appeals to readers of paranormal romance, historical fiction, and literary horror. The epistolary format and multiple narrators attract readers of experimental fiction. It remains a staple of academic study and genre history.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: graphic violence (blood transfusions, staking, decapitation), sexual assault (the Count's violation of Mina), death of a child (implied), mental illness (Renfield), and themes of corruption and bodily violation. The book contains period-typical racial and ethnic stereotypes.
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 16, Ch 21, Ch 27
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
A band of ordinary men and women must unite to stop an ancient evil that has invaded modern England. When a young solicitor escapes a Transylvanian castle with a terrible secret, he discovers that the vampire he fled is now hunting in London. As the creature corrupts those he loves, the group must overcome doubt, fear and the limits of science to defeat him.
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title is a simple proper name, unusual for Gothic novels of the era which often used descriptive titles. This directness is modern and effective: it names the threat plainly. The style fits horror and paranormal genres, where the antagonist's name often serves as the title.
Ask Dracula a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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