Dracula

Until reading this book, my only knowledge of the Dracula story came from the films. While I still love some of the films (huge TCM fan), in them the character of Mina is usually diminished to that of a soft-boiled egg. But in his book, Stoker not only gives her intelligence, courage, and self-respect (as well as grace and beauty of mind), but also opportunities to use them. She is the hero of this story. Perhaps because Stoker's mother was a feminist, he saw no reason not to make Mina an active part of the story. It is well paced (although I could have done with less dialogue from Van Helsing), and he uses the landscape and scenery to evoke a perfectly creepy atmosphere. It makes for a compelling read.