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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
kubrick2899's review against another edition
4.0
Despite all its shortcomings, inconsistencies, and incomplete storylines, J. M. Rymer' s VARNEY, THE VAMPIRE is a fun, immersive experience. There are times when the titular character seemingly disappears altogether, but fear not...he is never far away! Published as a series of penny dreadfuls, the first third of the story concerns Varney's effects on the Bannerworth family. After that, the story moves in to other adventures in the life of Varney, culminating in a fast-paced series of misadventures that paint Varney in a sympathetic light. Many of today's stereotypical vampire tropes fins their origin here, so it's worth reading from an historical viewpoint. Rymer's literative style is much easier to follow than other writers of the era, which helps the reader when tackling this massive volume. To date, this is the longest single book I have ever read, and well worth the experience.
riglibroad88's review against another edition
5.0
A lengthy tale, hard going, and at times incredibly repetitive. It has taken, with a break in between, over the course of two years to read this tyrannosaurian vampire novel; and yet, it has been worth every moment.
As an avid fan of nineteenth century vampire fiction, this penny dreadful encapsulates many of the modern myths of the contemporary vampire. Carmilla and Dracula owe much of their content to Varney: a vampire who is more human than monster, more monster than myth. Truly a great read with a tragic hero worthy of Oedipus or Othello. If you want a challenge, or a long term project, or even something different, I cannot recommend this enough. After all, any lover of Victorian/modern vampire culture owes a debt to Rymer. Read on.
As an avid fan of nineteenth century vampire fiction, this penny dreadful encapsulates many of the modern myths of the contemporary vampire. Carmilla and Dracula owe much of their content to Varney: a vampire who is more human than monster, more monster than myth. Truly a great read with a tragic hero worthy of Oedipus or Othello. If you want a challenge, or a long term project, or even something different, I cannot recommend this enough. After all, any lover of Victorian/modern vampire culture owes a debt to Rymer. Read on.
mari_elwood's review against another edition
3.0
Varney the Vampire is extremely entertaining. I read this over two years ago and I can still picture the beginning scenes. I loved how after Flora screams, the household just stands outside her bedroom, having a panicked conversation, while Varney is inside "slurping" up her lifeblood. In a sparkly vampire obsessed world, this type of quirky vampire story is refreshing.
I don't recommend any extended reading of this book. The sentences/lines go straight across the page, which can get frustrating after a while. Mostly because it's hard to keep track of which line you're on and you can go a bit cross-eyed.
I don't recommend any extended reading of this book. The sentences/lines go straight across the page, which can get frustrating after a while. Mostly because it's hard to keep track of which line you're on and you can go a bit cross-eyed.
ajunejane's review against another edition
4.0
There’s nothing I love more that spending 800+ pages with a philosophical ding dong.
graylodge_library's review against another edition
1.0
Evokes gothic atmosphere maybe with three sentences overall (the first chapter is alright). Varney's interesting in theory, as he's a sympathetic vampire and by far the only character who actually has a soul (ha!). The others are like cardboard cutouts. Not that there seems to be any logic to the story itself, anyway. Rymer either forgot every once in a while what his book was about, or he was so broke that he absolutely had to bloat the text by every means necessary, including ministories here and there that have no bearing on the story whatsoever. A hack writer if there ever was one. Or maybe he just stopped giving a flying fuck.
Would I pay a penny for each installment? Hell no. I knew this would be bad, being a penny dreadful and all, but I didn't expect an exhausting bore. So much so, that it wasn't even funny anymore.
Would I pay a penny for each installment? Hell no. I knew this would be bad, being a penny dreadful and all, but I didn't expect an exhausting bore. So much so, that it wasn't even funny anymore.
gofftree's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
babygirl69's review against another edition
4.0
Clocking in at 809 pages this is no quick read. However, this was the first real vampire story that was more than just a short story. It is a penny dreadful so it has the problems of inconsistency, typesetting problems, and so on, but it is worth the effort. There is some redundancy, but the last 100 or so pages are well worth the effort. Plus, this edition includes scholarly articles about Varney and other penny dreadfulls that was quite interesting.
littlelarks's review against another edition
2.0
The girl has swooned, and the vampyre is at his hideous repast!
Alright, at 325 pages, I am admitting defeat. This behemoth has beaten me.
The most infamous of all penny dreadfuls, the grandaddy of all Vampire fiction, Varney starts as a genuinely creepy atmospheric tale, descends into hilarious madcap adventures... and then just keeps going... and going... and going.
I mean, god bless, cause a boy's gotta get paid, and James Rymer knew how to keep that wordflow going. But around the time he casually changes a character's name with no explanation, and gives up on having this narrative make any sort of sense, I decided to give up too.
Alright, at 325 pages, I am admitting defeat. This behemoth has beaten me.
The most infamous of all penny dreadfuls, the grandaddy of all Vampire fiction, Varney starts as a genuinely creepy atmospheric tale, descends into hilarious madcap adventures... and then just keeps going... and going... and going.
I mean, god bless, cause a boy's gotta get paid, and James Rymer knew how to keep that wordflow going. But around the time he casually changes a character's name with no explanation, and gives up on having this narrative make any sort of sense, I decided to give up too.
the_fang_kid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Complicated
3.75
This book reads like a tv show; I'd recommend pacing it out rather than reading it all at once like I did. As a classic it is accessible and easy to read, despite its length