Could three "ordinary" young girls have the powers, information and education to cure - not cull - vampires? To heal, not hunt? To save, not slay? Rest in peace, not pieces?
Have I ever been so charmed yet conflicted about a book?
On the one gloved hand, 'Dracula & Daughters' is a children's book with vampires, redhaired heroines, interesting characters all around, interesting vampire lore I have not seen elsewhere, preexisting vampire lore and media references not limited to 'Dracula', gothic imagery, feminism, social justice, epidemic and pandemic nods and social commentary, appreciation for science and intelligence, and STEM issues - including how men have always either ignored women's important, groundbreaking work, or they take credit for it themselves. Because the patriarchy hates and fears smart, powerful women. More than vampires; more than actual, predatory monsters, even.
I should have absolutely adored it. I should be praising it to the full moon and bats and ravens this Halloween.
However, on the other gnarled, clawed hand, its plotting, structuring and pacing are quite clunky, and it contains many plot contrivances and plot holes. Because of its structuring and pacing issues, it isn't as atmospheric, nor as suspenseful, as it could have been, for a 'Dracula'-inspired gothic, historical horror mystery novel. I'm a little flabbergasted - it is flabberghastly, I tell you! - by how thin and flimsy the book's plot framework is, and how scene-to-scene transitions do not flow that well and organically, with not much happening in some chapters.
'Dracula & Daughters' doesn't reach its full, exciting potential with its premise and characters, though maybe this is saved up for the sequels? That it's for younger readers is no excuse for its softening and backpedalling in some of its content, and areas in its writing. It's still a horror story about vampires!
Or did I set my expectations far too high based on the cover (which is bloody excellent), and praise everywhere?
To go back to the plot and pacing, 'Dracula & Daughters' doesn't really pick up in action until over a quarter of the way in, and it is not until about sixty pages from the end that things really get exciting, thrilling and twisty.
Speaking of "twists", the family connection between the three young redhaired heroines - the characteristically distinct Mina Cullers, her sister Buffy Cullers, and Bella Drake (I love those reference names) - and Dracula himself, is treated like a huge surprise on page 135, even though it's revealed like it's no secret on most blurbs of the book I've seen, so publishing ruined that twist! As obvious as it is anyway. I mean, look at the title, and the three girls on the cover.
Buffy and Bella end up being more interesting than the POV protagonist, Mina, who it turns out isn't as "tomboyish", sly, scrappy and self-confident as she appears to be on the cover. In fact, she is arguably the most useless of the vampire
In such an empowering, girl powerhouse book, with a huge emphasis on sisterhood and other female familial bonds, while I appreciate the obligatory boy character, Varney, being a helpless damsel in distress and, in fact, barely in the book (the reader doesn't actually get to meet him properly)... by the end it is heavily implied at least two of our girls have a crush on him. Ugh! Why?!
Slight spoiler here, but there is a scene, in the middle of 'Dracula & Daughters', where Mina, Buffy and Bella say goodbye to their mothers, and it is nowhere near as heartfelt, nor heartbreakingly written, as it should have been for the dire situation surrounding it. I have to keep reminding myself that these girls are children - the youngest, Buffy, is ten, and Mina and Bella are at least thirteen. They should be devastated to be separated from their beloved, protective, caring mothers, and left alone in a hostile town preparing for a vampire outbreak, but it hardly fazes them. I guess their mothers don't care that much about them, too, and they are kind of cowardly, idiotic and shortsighted.
Finally, there is a minor character named Carmilla Blakelock, named after the most famous lesbian vampire in all of fiction, not only in literature, in 'Carmilla', which predates 'Dracula'. It is implied the Carmilla in 'Dracula & Daughters' had been romantically involved with another woman, Elsie Irving, who has turned into a vampire. It isn't explicit, sadly - they are always referred to as "friends", despite the evidence to the contrary - and it is sort of 'Bury Your Gays', so... yay representation in children's lit???
But as flawed as 'Dracula & Daughters' is, I can't stop thinking about it. Its writing is breezy and addictive, and I could have read it in one day if I had complete free time. It contains an abundance of beautiful things I love.
For its (mostly) good writing, characters, vampires, vampire lore, gothic Victorian town worldbuilding, some good twists, ethics, and messages, told to children, I recommend 'Dracula & Daughters'.
What can I say, I love vampires, redhaired heroines, ravens (there's a talking pet raven named Poe in this), and feminism. Drive a hawthorn stake through my heart, because it is weak at the sight of 'Dracula & Daughters'. It is cute, jelly-filled Halloween candy. It is a guilty, red-blooded-and-redheaded pleasure for moi.
Happy Halloween! Spooky scary Samhain! Awestruck autumn! Frightful feminist fall! Wicked women's winter!
In 2025 children's literature!
Final Score: 3/5
