iDrakula

September 1, 2010
Dracula is coming, but he's arriving on the shores of 2010 New York instead of 1897 England, with cell phones and laptops replacing the letters and newspaper clippings of Stoker's era. Forget the modern vampire, who sparkles in the sunlight and struggles with the desire for blood. Black brings Bram into the modern age with e-mails, smart phones and websites, all while preserving the brooding heart and vicious nature of Dracula, the literary ur-vampire. Presuming readers have a familiarity with the classic tale, the plot and characterization are understandably thin, though the restrictive page layout moves the narrative along at a brisk pace--this design-heavy book doesn't satisfy itself with simple IM transcripts; browser "screenshots," "attached" jpegs and smart-phone–framed text conversations (complete with those cute little speech balloons) alternate with more conventional-looking e-mails. There are nods to vampire lore in both URLs and webpage titles, and Mina's heartfelt final e-mail to Lucy blends a traditional goodbye with the ephemeral nature of today's digital technology. While not for the Gothic scholar, this bite-sized retelling of the seminal vampire novel won't drain anyone's attention span. (Horror. YA)

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October 15, 2010
Grades 7-10 At first glance, this take on Bram Stokers Draculatold exclusively through text messages, Web browser screens, e-mails, and various photo and PDF attachmentslooks like shameless pandering. But check out the first text: Renfield had a psychotic break. Carted off to Bellevue. More l8r. Its an opening gambit indicative of Blacks storytelling instinct, which consistently proves itself able to transcend gimmick. The format, with its realistic images of iPhone and iPad screens, actually lends the book a chilling sort of one-shock-per-page pulseand lets not forget that Stoker organized his novel with the letters and diaries of his time, too. Blacks enjoyable modifications turn the plot into a love triangle (well, actually, counting the count, a love pentagon): Mina is a jujitsu-practicing romantic; Jonathan, a womanizing cad; Lucy, his boozy booty call; and Abe Van Helsing, a premed student (Hes old, e-mails Mina, twenty or so). For every in-joke that weakens the otherwise serious mood (Drakipedia), there is an inspired idea (the five pages of bounced e-mails during Jonathans captivity). Fast, inventive, creepy, and sure to be popular.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)