Bekka BlackKirja-arvosteluja

This was a really interesting take on the Dracula story. It takes place in current times and the story is told entirely through e-mails, text messaging and web browser screen shots. There is also an app you can download for the iphone to listen to voice mails. Unfortunately I have an android phone so I didn't get to listen to the voice mails but the other stuff holds the story together nicely, you don't need the voice mails. The format makes it a quick read and there was one part of the story that if I remember correctly veers a bit from the original Dracula. All in all I liked it and I think it's a great way to update a classic for people who are intimidated by the original.

This was a really interesting take on the Dracula story. It takes place in current times and the story is told entirely through e-mails, text messaging and web browser screen shots. There is also an app you can download for the iphone to listen to voice mails. Unfortunately I have an android phone so I didn't get to listen to the voice mails but the other stuff holds the story together nicely, you don't need the voice mails. The format makes it a quick read and there was one part of the story that if I remember correctly veers a bit from the original Dracula. All in all I liked it and I think it's a great way to update a classic for people who are intimidated by the original.

This was a really interesting take on the Dracula story. It takes place in current times and the story is told entirely through e-mails, text messaging and web browser screen shots. There is also an app you can download for the iphone to listen to voice mails. Unfortunately I have an android phone so I didn't get to listen to the voice mails but the other stuff holds the story together nicely, you don't need the voice mails. The format makes it a quick read and there was one part of the story that if I remember correctly veers a bit from the original Dracula. All in all I liked it and I think it's a great way to update a classic for people who are intimidated by the original.

This was a really interesting take on the Dracula story. It takes place in current times and the story is told entirely through e-mails, text messaging and web browser screen shots. There is also an app you can download for the iphone to listen to voice mails. Unfortunately I have an android phone so I didn't get to listen to the voice mails but the other stuff holds the story together nicely, you don't need the voice mails. The format makes it a quick read and there was one part of the story that if I remember correctly veers a bit from the original Dracula. All in all I liked it and I think it's a great way to update a classic for people who are intimidated by the original.

This is just bloody awful.

Dracula, with a twist: instead of being told through letters and diary entries and telegrams, Bekka Black's iDrakula is told through instant messages and emails and browser histories.

I borrowed this from my library because, honestly, it looked HILARIOUS. What is this, a new version of the "...and Zombies!" trend?

It's entertaining enough as a novelty, but because almost all of the modes of communication used in this version of the story are brief bursts of text, it feels very superficial. The reader doesn't get to know the characters beyond a few broad strokes, the feeling of dread that Dracula-proper brings on never really shows up in iDrakula (although the bounced emails are a nice touch), and once the action picks up, it's kind of hard to follow.

For a quick lolzy read, iDrakula is decent. It might even work as a CliffsNotes version of Dracula, but if this is the only version of Dracula you read, you're missing out on a lot of spooky goodness.

After reading, iDracula, I knew this book I had to read. If you love a good progressive story, entirely in emails, text, chats.

I loved that this book is so easy to get into. All text, chats, emails are short yet filled with so much info. All information flows well, guiding the reader to a fast paced plot. I like that the plot of Frankenstein is so different yet up to date with modern times. I was anxious to see what exactly the Frankenstein will be, so when it came up, I thought it was clever and impressive.

There is a love interest that starts off as first of a friendship. I like that their love is developing in front of the reader. Of course, it always takes the guy longer to find out that he is in love with his girl...guys SMH!
Still, their love forms slowly and allows the reader to enjoy seeing them come together.

iFrankenstein is great fast-paced story that is so easy to read and get into. Once in the story, the unique modern twist of Frankenstein lures the reader deeper into the story. iFrankentein is all the rave when it comes to a plot that does not falter. iFrankenstein is great!

Every time I think, “Man, I’m so OVER vampires.” I seem to pick up yet another book that features more mythological blood-sucking creatures of the night. Perhaps I’m just not as over them as I imagine myself to be. Perhaps they are my peculiar form of bookish Kryptonite. In any case and for whatever the reason, I’m glad I picked up iDrakula.


Ashamedly, as much as I read about vampires, I’ve never actually read Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I’ve seen movies, I know the plot and the players, but I’ve never actually picked it up and read the granddaddy of all vampire books. An oversight I hope to rectify soon. So that stated, as far as in depth comparisons go for the purists among you, Dear Reader, I won’t be able to give any. However, based on my knowledge of Stoker’s Dracula, Black has written a smart and innovative homage to this gothic classic. Originally written in an epistolary format (i.e. letters, journal entries, etc.), Black has modernized the story, making it relevant for 21st century teenagers by telling her vampire tale via text messages, emails and occasional iPad web browsing. Not only is the novel cleverly written, but the way the story is presented visually is extremely appealing to my inner wanna-be graphic designer and provides the reader with an aesthetically pleasing reading experience.


Clocking in at 150 pages even, iDrakula is a quick, but intense read. Black keeps the plot moving at a fast clip and the text/email formatting style sucked me right in. It gives off a vibe of the forbidden and taboo, not only from the feeling that I’m snooping in someone’s private correspondence, but also from the sensational events and subject matter of the book. It is creepy, dark and edgy. The twists Black incorporates into the story keep it interesting so that the novel is not merely a predictable, straight retelling. Instead it’s something different while still remaining true to the tone, themes and basic plot of Stoker’s original novel.


The formatting and length of the book had me a little worried that the character development might suffer – I was worried that the stylization and advancement of the plot might take center stage over the characters. Yet, that is not the case. Taking into consideration how easily tone can be misconstrued through electronic forms of communication, Black does an excellent job of bringing her characters to life and giving them individuality and nuance. This is true, especially in the character of Mina who is the main protagonist of this novel. While still an example of goodness and devotion, Black’s Mina subscribes to a bit more girl power. She’s a strong, independent young woman who’s a Jujitsu champion and doesn’t allow herself to become anyone’s doormat. I really enjoyed her character and the direction that Black developed her.


If I had any complaints about this novel it is only that the last third seemed a bit rushed. There is a lot of build up and then the climax just rushes by. I feel like some of the emotional significance got a little lost in the dash to the end. But as I said before, I’m not sure how the original novel was paced since I haven’t read it yet, so it could be mirroring the original in pacing and I’m just not aware of it.


Overall, with a cleverly re-imagined plot, an updated cast of characters, and a gorgeously visual presentation that gives a nod to our 21st century obsession with electronic connection, iDrakula is a wonderfully dark and creative homage to Bram Stoker’s gothic classic.

The story of Dracula was never told quite like this. The gang is all there – Mina, Jonathon, VanHelsing, and the count, himself – but this time they’re teenage college students racing against time to figure out the cause of Jonathon’s strange blood disorder picked up during a visit to the count’s abode. Bekka Black’s retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic plays on the original format (i.e. correspondence through letters, diaries, and news clippings) by constructing the plot through text messages, tweets, and instant messages. Meant to be read on a cell phone, readers have the option of reading it through daily updates that alert the reader when Mina gets a new text or instant message and for those readers who simply can’t wait, there is an option to read the whole thing at the press of a button. But teens will love the format that delivers new plot twists daily and allows them to read anywhere and in short bursts. The ebook is available in print and as an ebook, but those media may lose some of the charm and style Black had originally intended for her story. The interface is fun and blood-stained with marks here and there that look as though the count thought the phone might make for a good snack. Die-harders for the original tale may not appreciate Black’s deviations from the original plot, but the main points and sentiment are still there. Recommended for ages 13-15.

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Mina, Lucy, and Jonathan are in the here and the now. Mina and Jonathan are a couple. Their friend, Renfield, has been admitted to the hospital after attacking animals. The friends are concerned for him, and Jonathan has agreed to attend to a job that Renfield was supposed to do. He's soon off to Romania to help the Count with some matters.

Jonathan and Mina try to stay in touch through messages, but they each realize that none of their messages are reaching the other. Soon, Mina learns that Jonathan is battling a strange illness and flies to Romania with Mr. Harker. In the meantime, Lucy has a new man in her life, Abe, but she too has come down with strange symptoms.

It's only when Mina and Abe start to work together to discover what has happened to Lucy and Jonathan that the true sinister nature of the Count comes to life. The two realize that they are the last hope to cure their remaining friends. Will they be too late to destroy the Count?

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I've never read Bram Stoker's DRACULA. So I can't say if Ms. Black keeps to the general synopsis or not. I do know that some of the characters' names are the same, but other than that, I'm hopeless. But IDRAKULA jumps on the bandwagon of novels written using text messages, emails, and web pages.

The concept works for this story, and the reader is quickly transported into a nightmare of vampires and intrigue and mysterious illnesses. IDRAKULA is a good choice for the reluctant reader, as well as those who are into the paranormal genre. It won't disappoint.

This book was a great and fun read. I enjoy looking at the different pictures and it is truly a unique read.

We meet Jonathon who is from the very beginning a player. I knew there was something off about him that made me dislike him right away. And yes, I was right. He was a low down cheating scumbag!

After taking a trip to Romania, one wild night later he woke up with blood on his neck. Not sure what to make of it, he calls his girlfriend Mina, for help. He gets sick and is later hospitalized. Realizing he had no time left, he confesses his antics leaving Mina heartbroken. She sets off to find the source of the disease.

I love Mina. Even after everything with her boyfriend and friend, she still tries to search for a cure. She teams up with another man, who later becomes something more. I was glad that she found happiness.

The way the whole story was set up, was great. I love the way the story progressed in test messages, e-mails, and so forth. It only took me thirty minutes to read this book, but I enjoyed it.

A completely different twist on Dracula, this book is a completely idea and is pulled off in such a creative way you can't help but enjoy it.
Jonathan, Mina, Lucy, and Van Helsing all use text and email from their iphones, and use the ipad to research different websites. It's really clever, and I loved looking at Mina's search bar to see what she was looking up and why. It was like a mini-mystery inside the book, and was a lot of fun.
If you have read the original, trust me, it is very different. If you think you know how it's going to end, think again. For example: Van Helsing is a cute boy who begins a relationship with Lucy, Renfield is a boy who dated Lucy before and just wants to help with the mystery, and Jonathan and Mina see each other maybe twice the entire book!
The Count is never truly there as well, I never really got to know him or the vampires at all. He doesn't even court Mina. But when he is there the creep factor sank in and I loved it.
Love the new premise or hate it, this book is a lot of fun. It's creative, very entertaining, and a great one-sitting read. Have a good time with it, I know I did!

While a unique idea as it is written through text messages, emails, webpages, etc.) it fell flat. It was too short for me to actually like it, understand the characters, or storyline at all. In the end, I didn't care much of what happened in the story or the characters. It could have been better in my opinion. Although, it was a quick read that you can finish in an hour, or less than that.

While I've sort of been put off paranormal lately, iDrakula called to me, with it's unique way of storytelling and I'm so glad I picked it up! Not having read the original of even seen a movie version of Dracula (which I did so afterward and of the two iDrakula wins) it was fun to experience the story in one of my favorite ways, through emails, text messages, web pages etc. I've heard that the original is told in letters and diaries, so I think it's really fun to see how that was modernized in this book too!

It really sucked me in and I finished it in about 2 sittings which never happens for me. I definitely thought it was creepy and mysterious. But at the same time I felt sort of removed from the situation, but I think that is just the case with this story because of the way it's told, even the original. One thing I would have liked was just more, the story moves at such a quick pace it's over like THAT. So maybe a little bit more detail would have been nice!

Reading iDrakula has opened me up to exploring other versions of the story and that I'm definitely excited about!½

iDrakula is essentially Dracula for teenagers. Meant to connect with them on their technological level, much of the original story is pared down to its barest essentials and then presented through different communication mediums.

I liked the idea of the text messages and emails. It really put the reader right in the present state of the characters. Most of Mina's web browser images seemed to showcase random useless information though. Why did we have to see the class schedule for her martial arts class? The story comes across well, but I was left wondering - who really emails their friends and boyfriend that much? Why doesn't anyone actually call each other if they're on the phone text messaging anyway? Perhaps I'm missing the point being older than the intended audience, but as a heavy user of all of these technologies I have to wonder if this is really an accurate portrayal of how this would have played out with teens. Some of the more internal thoughts and feelings were lost as there was no text other than what was conveyed by text, email and browser.

Jonathan is a complete tool is this version. While he's always been far less than perfect in other versions, he's beyond all reason and comprehension here. There is absolutely no possibility of sympathy for him in iDrakula. It's seriously so bad that Mina has to worry if the anemia is caused by an STD he gave her.

This book is a very, very quick, short, easily read book. I completed it in about an hour. This updated version of Dracula will likely appeal to teens that don't read much. Avidly reading teens and adults will find themselves wanting more substance.