Charlotte's Updates en-US Sat, 12 Apr 2025 17:00:19 -0700 60 Charlotte's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9301814863 Sat, 12 Apr 2025 17:00:19 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte wants to read 'A Darker Shade of Magic']]> /review/show/7483710522 A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab Charlotte wants to read A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab
]]> ReadStatus9297705706 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 13:21:16 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte wants to read 'Alchemised']]> /review/show/7480892437 Alchemised by SenLinYu Charlotte wants to read Alchemised by SenLinYu
]]> ReadStatus9279774108 Sun, 06 Apr 2025 18:42:42 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte started reading 'The Secret Garden']]> /review/show/5538139175 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Charlotte started reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
]]> Review4942243694 Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:49:38 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte added 'The Red Badge of Courage']]> /review/show/4942243694 The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Charlotte gave 1 star to The Red Badge of Courage (Paperback) by Stephen Crane
bookshelves: classics, read-in-2025, used-to-own, hall-of-shame-dnf
This book was super boring and the characters not having names was kind of confusing.

Did not finish at page 40 of 99. This year seems to be the year of pruning my library! ]]> UserChallenge59241275 Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:47:44 -0700 <![CDATA[ Charlotte has challenged herself to read 12 books in 2025. ]]> /user/show/71971838-charlotte 11627
She has read 3 books toward her goal of 12 books.
 
3 of 12 (25%)
Create your own 2025 Reading Challenge » ]]> ReadStatus9249852390 Sun, 30 Mar 2025 09:11:44 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte wants to read 'Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men, Vol. 2']]> /review/show/6777128481 Marvel Masterworks by Stan Lee Charlotte wants to read Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men, Vol. 2 by Stan Lee
]]> ReadStatus9165797717 Sun, 09 Mar 2025 09:51:18 -0700 <![CDATA[Charlotte wants to read 'Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World']]> /review/show/7388855359 Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard Charlotte wants to read Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard
]]> ReadStatus9158898342 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 13:31:47 -0800 <![CDATA[Charlotte started reading 'The Red Badge of Courage']]> /review/show/4942243694 The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Charlotte started reading The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
]]> Review7255045888 Fri, 07 Mar 2025 12:57:34 -0800 <![CDATA[Charlotte added 'The Un-Dead: The Dracula Novel, Rewritten to Include Stoker's Characters and Events']]> /review/show/7255045888 The Un-Dead by Joel H. Emerson Charlotte gave 4 stars to The Un-Dead: The Dracula Novel, Rewritten to Include Stoker's Characters and Events (Hardcover) by Joel H. Emerson
bookshelves: fantasy, owned, vampires, read-in-2025
The original Dracula is one of my most favorite novels. I also wonder what it would have been like if Stoker hadn't cut the characters and scenes and plotlines that he had. This book is built on that premise, offering us a window into what Dracula could have looked like.

Even from the outset, the book is a lot different: this book opens with a series of letters detailing the Count's inquiries about acquiring a place in England with very specific requirements, and how the case eventually ends up in Jonathan Harker's hands, culminating in his trip to Transylvania (first having a layover of sorts in Munich, where the famous "Dracula's Guest" chapter occurs), where the original novel begins.

As things go on, the more divergences from the original novel occur: Kate Reed and Francis Aytown are introduced, with many extra scenes involving them and the Count; the cut dinner party scene with the Count as a guest (which by total coincidence or on purpose was in the 1979 Dracula starring Frank Langella as the Count); Inspector Cotford noticing the strange occurrences surrounding Arthur Holmwood and deciding to investigate; and many more.

This seems like a dream come true for someone like me, right? So why didn't I just absolutely love it, rating it 5*? I will tell you now, dear reader.

The thing is, I'm not sure all of these additions and restorations improve the book. It's interesting seeing all of them together at last, but perhaps there was a reason they were cut. I think the characters were integrated well, but it is clear that Joel Emerson, giving a truly remarkable effort as he did, isn't Bram Stoker. It's difficult to put into concrete words, but the parts that Emerson wrote (as in not what he plucked from other of Stoker's works) just feel different. And maybe that's just because I know that wasn't in the original novel, but there are passages that just feel like they're part of the novel and don't stick out.

The ending portion of the book is something I want to highlight in particular. [spoilers removed]

Speaking of Kate, I wonder how deliberately Emerson distanced his Kate Reed from Kim Newman's Kate Reed, as they are very different characters with very different beliefs and speech patterns and such. In his endnote on the character, Emerson does pretty clearly state that this Kate is not meant to be like Newman's. He does also call Anno Dracula an excellent series, so I'm not really sure how to take said statement.

In the end, I did really enjoy this take on a classic. Would read again! ]]> Review7339713915 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:33:43 -0800 <![CDATA[Charlotte added 'Fangs']]> /review/show/7339713915 Fangs by Sarah Andersen Charlotte gave 5 stars to Fangs (Hardcover) by Sarah Andersen
bookshelves: comics, owned, read-in-2025, vampires, fantasy
This was so adorable and funny lol. I've not read any of Sarah Andersen's webcomics, but I have seen her work around the internet (it was pretty popular for quite a while, no?)

I only wish it was slightly less gag strip style with a touch more interconnectivity. It's so short, but short and sweet instead of and all that. ]]>