We’d love your help. It … To this my teacher, Mrs Graham, responded: "Why do you always read the same type of book David [sic]? Utter rubbish. Dracula’s Guest is just a short story, with an interesting history – I believe that it’s a sort of missing chapter, which was originally supposed to be part of the original manuscript and which helps to set the scene for Stoker’s notorious novel. T. So, I think I'm the only one here who thought this book was laugh-out-loud hysterically funny. The story is terrible, the characters not well fleshed out. by Deodand Publishing. "Lady of the Shroud" habría funcionado como relato breve, pero Stoker le pone tanta paja que resulta mortalmente aburrida. It's also disturbingly racist, even for the era. P.U. Quite appalling by today's standards. J. Sheridan LeFanu. I love Dracula, but I found Lair of the White Worm to be boring, muddled, and extremely racist. ― Bram Stoker, Lair of the White Worm. DIRECTOR. They’re baaaaaaack! Though written by Bram Stoker, this is no Dracula. This is not the masterpiece that is "Dracula," nor even the well-put-together read of "Jewel of Seven Stars." When I started to read this I thought it was a parody of gothic books but I soon realised it's just badly conceived. It was about a snake, a white one, that is intelligent. This was easily enough explained. Eek! This is essentially a "penny dreadful" ... fun at the time to read, but lacking in a great deal of common sense. Russell provides you with your money’s worth. Start by marking “The Lair of the White Worm / The Lady of the Shroud” as Want to Read: Error rating book. More Books. Reading this, I came to understand why the Hugh Grant movie based on this book was a total flop. Sometimes you come across a lesser known work by a famous author (especially if they're famous for one work only) and it's astonishing just how different it is from their crowning achievement. Except it made me laugh--A LOT--and I really like to laugh, so I bumped it a star. The spine-chilling The Lair of the White Worm features a monstrous worm secreted for thousands of years in a bottomless well and able to metamorphose into a seductive woman of a reptilian beauty who survives on her victim's life blood. He was born Abraham Stoker in 1847 at 15 Marino Crescent – then as now called "The Crescent" – in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The circumstances were too grotesque, the contrast too violent, for subdued mirth" in one of the most offensive scenes of the book. His parents were Abraham Stoker and the feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely. When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull in foreign land, the residents of a near-by town begin to disappear, leading to further inexplicable occurrences. The only good thing about the film adaption of this classic is that Amanda Donohue was in it. But the worm got fat an' grewed an' grewed, An' grewed an aaful size; He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob, An greet big goggly eyes. Read this book if you're a fan of: almost no action or suspense in what's supposed to be a horror novel; people sneaking around following other people; long, boring conversations in which wild conjecture is instantly taken to be fact; awkward staring contests; conversation breaks for a nap, which then immediately resume; and racism. 1 Biography 1.1 Novel 1.2 Film 2 Gallery In the book of the same name by Bram Stoker, the titular White Worm has taken the form of a noblewoman named Lady Arabella March. 1 hr 33 min. There is a very, very clear hatred for black people that comes through in this novel. Here a new gravity clouded Adam's face, though Mimi saw no cause for fresh concern. Stoker could have used a good copy editor on this book. There is tons of speculative explaining in the narrative throughout the entire novella type story, which for some may bore, but I found them entriguing nonetheless as long as I was in the “mood” for drawn out descriptions and banter. The central character of the book is Adam Salton, an Australian at the outset living there, who in 1860 is contacted by his elderly great-uncle, Richard Salton, a landed gentleman of Lesser Hill, Derbyshire, England, who has no other family and wants to establish a relationship with the only other living member of the Salton family. You expect problematic attitudes in stories of this vintage but even by the standards of the day Stoker is appalling. Decadent, hallucinatory and kitsch - you can see why it appealed to Ken Russell who put his own spin on it in the movie of the same name. . Deus ex Machina stories always derail me. show more The Lair of the White Worm was a re-read for me, is decent at best, and riddled with horrifyingly racist bullshit. Stoker could have used a good copy editor on this book. It reads like a badly developed first draft of a preposterous idea. The introduction to the two books discusses how Dracula eclipsed his later (and earlier) writings and he goes on at length about Stoker's merits as a writer. In a tale of ancient evil, Bram Stoker creates a world of lurking horrors and bizarre denizens: a demented mesmerist, hellbent on mentally crushing the girl he loves; a gigantic kite raised to rid the land of an unnatural infestation of birds, and which receives strange commands along its string; and all the while, the great white worm slithers below, seeking its next vict. Refresh and try again. Sadly, a disappointment. This is indeed one strange little book, but I agree with no less a critic than H.P.Lovecraft when he says that the central idea--that of an ancient serpent who survives into the "modern" 19th century and exerts a malign influence on the living--is a good one. As expected from Bram Stoker it's an accomplished horror story but it is woefully racist which relegates it to a 1 star review from me and is clear why it is a largely ignored and has never been faithfully adapted to a film (Ken Russell's interesting adaptation thankfully doesn't include any of that). Sadly, a disappointment. I just can't :( It hurts me to DNF this book, but I am afraid that's the only option i have. Although it had its moments of suspense and one liners that make you pause and go “uh huh...” it was a glorious read despite its format of “telling” rather than “showing.” It is a period piece. Though written by Bram Stoker, this is no Dracula. It was weird and disappointing. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published He also used terms that are are considered unacceptable today (although they may not have been considered derogatory when he was writing the book of course). and witch doctors, and you get some genuine conflict. The Lair of the White Worm is a horror novel by the Irish writer Bram Stoker.It was first published by Rider and Son of London in 1911 – the year before Stoker's death – with colour illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith.The story is based on the legend of the Lambton Worm.It has also been issued as The Garden of Evil..In 1925 a highly abridged and rewritten form was published by Foulsham. A stone tower/castle, a flying kite with electricity, Diana’s Grove and the wrym hole deep in the earth. Scream N Terror Movie Reviews is a No holds barred movie review channel! He must have been hard up for cash and in a hurry. His parents were Abraham Stoker and the feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely. But probably not, in some ways, as crazy as the book! Avoid. How did I get here, and why is there a bag over my head? The reason it caught my attention was that it happens to star a young Peter Capaldi and a young Hugh Grant, who are both very hot in this movie. The plot is so haphazard and nonsensical that I wondered if Stoker was stoned the entire time he wrote this. Page 4 of 8. The Lair of the White Worm was the last published novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, best known for his earlier novel and stage play, Dracula. At times, parts of the story and the ways they interconnect are almost incomprehensible. Fifteen years after Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight took the world by storm, we’re seeing a... To see what your friends thought of this book, The Lair of the White Worm / The Lady of the Shroud, The Lair of the White Worm turned out to be more of a gothic mystery more than anything. I will not comp. Really, truly, horribly bad. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Since I really don't feel that way I found myself getting more and more irate until the "savage", intrinsically "primitive" "nigger" got killed off whilst attempting murder. Updated September 17, 2018. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Both stories really enjoyable in the Bram Stoker fashion. I only read The Lair of the White Worm, and NOT The Lady of the Shroud, as I am researching The Lambton Worm for a piece of work that I am doing. I also had a hard time keeping some of the characters straight at times, because they (especially the honky dudes) seemed indistinguishable fro. Let me make clear, this is a 1 star novel. Typically Victorians used a lot of words. This is not the masterpiece that is "Dracula," nor even the well-put-together read of "Jewel of Seven Stars." The way the story ended seemed unfinished, for it stopped ubruptly and left me saying to myself “uh-huh”. … I'm feeling like the odd duck on goodreads this morning. Find books like Lair of the White Worm from the world’s largest community of readers. El segundo peor libro que leí este año. I am not being facetious about that. “She had been to a tea-party with an antediluvian monster, and that they had been waited on by up-to-date men-servants.”. Truly racist, with absolutely no justification for the usual argument that is trotted out that things where different when Stoker was writing. rond 1907). Carmilla. Wordsworth's Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural, Trend Watch: Young Adult Vampires Rise from the Dead. One was called The Lair of the White Worm. The bits and pieces--Caswell's mesmeric attacks on Lilla, his kite obsession descent into madness, the menacing Worm, the pastoral soap opera of Arabella March trying to gold-dig her way into a wealthy spouse, the machinations of Caswell's servant Oolanga--never really talk to each other, and the reader is left to wonder which of these is going to emerge from the Darwinian struggle, [giant primordial worm, but you knew that, [Uhh...spoiler, I guess? Regardless, the book did have its moments, though few. But that’s just it, this story was a super gothic, almost mega. The plot is so haphazard and nonsensical that I wondered if Stoker was stoned the entire time he wrote this. Written one year before Stoker's death and soon after one of his strokes, this one is a weird novel. The Lair of the White Worm Bram Stoker The Breaking Of The Storm. Jeffrey Somers. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The worse element was the Wordsworth edition itself. "The Lair of the White Worm" was Stoker's twelfth and final novel, a horror story based on the "lambton worm" which is a giant worm that can transform into a woman. Adam knew of the explosive works in progress regarding the well-hole, but the matter had been kept from his wife. The plot, if one can call it that, is a maze of myth and pseudo-gothic imagery that, while never the least bit convincing, is somehow irresistible. In a tale of ancient evil, Bram Stoker creates a world of lurking horrors and bizarre denizens: a demented mesmerist, hellbent on mentally crushing the girl he loves; a gigantic kite raised to rid the land of an unnatural infestation of birds, and which receives strange commands along its string; and all the while, the great white worm slithers below, seeking its next victim... To see what your friends thought of this book. Welcome back. Misogynist racists with no literary discernment. “The Lair of the White Worm” is undoubtedly one of the most repulsive books I’ve ever read. I thought people were overanalysing and overreacting over the fact that this book contains a lot of racist and sexist remarks. Terrible. If you find ridiculous things funny then you may get some enjoyment from it as I did but otherwise this will be very disappointing. Over the years, however (and most noticeably with “Into the Lungs of Hell”), God Dethroned began implementing groove and melodic elements into their music. Stoker was the third of seven children. I almost a week of reading, I couldn't even get past pg 70. Lair of the White Worm lives deliciously as a bulbous salutation of folksy eroticism, I love it. One might of course, think that this was the view of the other characters only and it should not be infered that Stoker believed it. That act was horrendous, and I will never purchase material from this publisher again. Stoker was the third of seven children. The lair of the white worm could've been better if it had been longer, I felt the story was a bit disjointed because of the length. When I started to read this I thought it was a parody of gothic books but I soon realised it's just badly conceived. The Lair of the White Worm on Goodreads Read The Lair of the White Worm today: Read classic books in daily bite-sized bits. The bit with the possibly supernatural kite flying from the tower, and the old dude running an Egyptian totem up to it, was sort of interesting but ultimately fell flat. I gave it two stars rather than one because a plot strand which involved mongooses (yes really!) Although Adam has already made his own fortune in Australia, he enthusiastically agrees to meet his uncle, and on his arrival by ship at Southampton the two men quickly become good friends. Edgar Caswall develops a maddening obsession for a kite meant to scare the pigeons in their annual migration from Africa, Adam Salton has a passion for snake-killing mongooses, Mimi Watford and her cousin Lilla, delicate young ladies are endowed wi. The Lair of the White Worm is a horror novel by the Irish writer Bram Stoker. He was born Abraham Stoker in 1847 at 15 Marino Crescent – then as now called "The Crescent" – in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland. Except it made me laugh--A LOT--and I really like to laugh, so I bumped it a star. “The Lair of the White Worm” was where God Dethroned pretty much became a pure melodic death metal act. Directed by Ken Russell. This is the 3rd Penguin Red classic book that I’ve read this month and the 2nd which is filled with racist and sexist messages. Unfortunately, Oolanga is a "nigger" to the narrator, too a. There were also some places where I don't think the plot really made. Es una historia absurda, sin pies ni cabeza, y para colmo, racista y misógina. - C M Leumane, The Lambton Worm (1867) Bram Stoker, Irish author of the immortal classic Dracula, wrote The Lair of the White Worm a year before his death in 1912. also known as The Garden of Evil, it was published in 1911 by Rider and Son in the United Kingdom. Paperback, 120 pages. The film was written and directed by Ken Russell and stars Amanda Donohoe and Hugh Grant . 1988, Horror, 1h 33m. Numerous other inconsistencies abound, the net effect being one of almost non sequitur, dreamlike surrealism, which is perhaps Stoker's intent but is seemingly sloppy writing nonetheless. It's not that they were the worst books I had ever read but there wasn't anything noteworthy about them and truly it took me far longer to plod through them than I would have liked. More by this Author. Edgar Caswall develops a maddening obsession for a kite meant to scare the pigeons in their annual migration from Africa, Adam Salton has a passion for snake-killing mongooses, Mimi Watford and her cousin Lilla, delicate young ladies are endowed with mesmeric powers and the traditional afternoon tea between neighbors ends up in hypnotic battles. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Author (s): Bram Stoker. No scripts, No bribes or pay-offs! Ruim 15 jaar geleden heb ik voor het laatst Dracula gelezen, en ik vond het (toen) steeds een erg goed boek. But the worm got fat an' grewed an' grewed, An' grewed an aaful size; He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob, An greet big goggly eyes. Stoker was the third of seven children. But the execution IS rather poorly done. Lair of the White Worm (Paperback) Published October 1st 2002 by Deodand Publishing. Bram Stoker's name is nearly synonymous with vampire because of Dracula but that was not the only book that he wrote. A rare treat indeed.’. We’d love your help. There's no saving any movie based on this pap, not even if you put James McAvoy, Henry Cavill, Anthony Hopkins, Ros. February 5th 2010 Another Halloween treat for you this week as we visit the campy British horror/comedy, The Lair of the White Worm. Comedy. This is a bizarre, ugly, incoherent, frequently dull book reading sometimes like Stoker amalgamated two or three fragments from more interesting Gothic novels, and sometimes like he had a very specific end destination in mind and was going to hammer to fit in order to get there. The Lair of the White Worm. 12 issues. It made me laugh (in fact) the way that Lady Arabella laughed: "Lady Arabella was not usually a humorous person, but no man or woman of the white race could have checked the laughter which rose spontaneously to her lips. “She had been to a tea-party with an antediluvian monster, and that they had been waited on by up-to-date men-servants.”, http://www.bramstoker.org/novels/12worm.html, The best gothic novels, ghost stories and early horror 1764-1937, Trend Watch: Young Adult Vampires Rise from the Dead. The plot, if one can call it that, is a maze of myth and pseudo-gothic imagery that, while never the least bit convincing, is somehow irresistible. In 2010 heeft Wordsworth twee andere werken van Bram Stoker opnieuw uitgegeven met een introductie door David Stuart Davies. But the worm got fat an' grewed an' grewed, An' grewed an aaful size; He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob, An greet big goggly eyes. The plot focuses on Adam Salton, originally from Australia, who is contacted by his great-uncle, Richard Salton, in 1860 Derbyshire for the purpose of establishing a relationship between these last two members of the family. Regardless, the book did have its moments, though few. I love Dracula, but I found Lair of the White Worm to be boring, muddled, and extremely racist. If I'm honest, I preferred the movie, which greatly simplified and clarified the plot while adding a dash of eccentricity. [Who are are all of you people, and where am I? C hristianity and paganism clash in Ken Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm, a campy account of the horrors that beset a small England town when the mysterious Lady Sylvia Marsh (Catherine Oxenberg) decides to conjure up the ghosts of worms from long ago. Written one year before Stoker's death and soon after one of his strokes, this one is a weird novel. In 2010 heeft Wordsworth twee andere werken van Bram Stoker opnieuw uitgegeven met een introductie door David Stuart Davies. TheWhite Worm is the titular primary antagonist in the 1988 movie The Lair of the White Worm, based on the book of the same name by Bram Stoker. This melodramatic romance borderlined between romantic fantasies and bizarre love triangles. The first story is far too short to develop any narrative interest and the supernatural elements were overdone and ridiculous. You might like this book if you believe in the intrinsic superiority of the white peoples over other races, particularly black folks. 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