Synopses & Reviews
THE BOOK OF RENFIELD is a portrait of R.M. Renfield, the insectivorous lunatic who acts as a haunted harbinger of Dracula's arrival in England in Bram Stoker's classic novel Dracula. In the original Dracula, we meet Renfield in his decline. Renfield lives in an asylum under the supervision of Dr. Seward, where he ingests spiders and other small creatures in order to absorb their life force. He prepares for the coming of his Master. He quotes Scripture, rants and raves and has moments of chilling clarity while Dr. Seward interviews him and tries to solve the mystery of his particular dementia. But it is not until Count Dracula's arrival in England, and the unfolding of the novel's climax, that we learn that Renfield has been in psychic communication with Dracula himself all along. In fact, Dracula has specifically chosen this strange man as his trusted, tortured, pawn. Their relationship is touched on only briefly, but the horror of the unspoken details lingers in the reader's mind throughout the novel. THE BOOK OF RENFIELD brings those details to light.
Synopsis
When we first meet Renfield in
Dracula, he is a tortured soul in decline, a fly-gobbling, Scripture-quoting lunatic who acts as a haunted harbinger of Dracula's arrival in England. At the novel's climax, readers discover that Renfield, under restraint in the asylum of Dr. John Seward, has been in psychic communication with Dracula all along, acting as his eyes and ears in expectation of unspeakable rewards.
Now, in an ingenious work of fiction, author Tim Lucas at last brings Renfield's own story to light. The Book of Renfield is a collection of the long-lost private diaries, professional journals, and wax-cylinder recordings that comprise Dr. Seward's obsessive study of Renfield. Featuring appearances by many of the characters from the original Dracula, Lucas's novel takes on the frighteningly realistic tone of a textual documentary as it illuminates the warped consciousness of Renfield and reveals, through a series of stories from his childhood, how this poor unfortunate was predisposed to become the ideal portal for evil.
About the Author
Tim Lucas is the author of the acclaimed novel Throat Sprockets and the mammoth critical biography Mario Bava -- All the Colors of the Dark. The editor and copublisher of Video Watchdog, the award-winning monthly review of fantastic cinema, he lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide 1. Have you read Bram Stoker's Dracula? If so, do you think reading The Book of Renfield has enriched your appreciation and understanding of that novel? If not, were you able to follow the story and appreciate the novel on its own?
2. Throughout the story, Jack begins to notice parallels between himself and Renfield. What do they have in common? How do Renfield and Jack begin to reflect and influence each other? What significance does this growing connection have for the novel?
3. Jack's life is punctuated by the abuse of morphine. What makes him turn to "the arms of Morpheus" and how do you think his periodic addiction affects his perception? Do you think Jack is a reliable narrator?
4. Renfield tells of events that are at once sad, horrifying and fantastical. Are you able to draw a line between those things he truly believes, and those lies he tells Jack purposefully?
5. Jack is at turns disgusted with and sympathetic to Renfield. How do you feel about Renfield? How responsible is he for the direction his life takes? What events or people shaped him into the kind of person that Dracula would turn to for help in executing his diabolical plans?
6. Though we at first believe that Renfield exists only to do the bidding of his "Master," we come to realize that Renfield has, in fact, struggled with his allegiance to Dracula all his life. Why does Renfield continually betray Dracula and, ultimately, reject him? Do you think Renfield is able to redeem himself before his death?
7. Though the main characters of this novel are men, the female characters seem far more powerful. Who are some of these powerful women, and what kinds of power do they wield? Why do you think the author chooses to portray such a dynamic between the sexes?
8. The Book of Renfield is a snapshot of a time period and culture as much as it is about universal human experiences. What did you learn about Victorian England that you didn't previously know?
9. Jack's great-grandson, Martin Seward, tells the reader that he wants to publish The Book of Renfield because "the appetites that defined Dracula live on." How do you feel about his relating the events of this novel and of Dracula to the September 11th attacks? What reasons does he have for doing so?
10. The Book of Renfield is presented as a collection of transcriptions and diary entries so as to give the effect of its being a "historical document." Why do you think the author chose this form for his novel?
11. Martin Seward's Afterword explains that The Book of Renfield is a warning to modern readers who, in their comfort and complacency, have forgotten that Evil once walked the earth and can return at any time -- in fact, that it may never really have gone away. Do you think this warning transcends the fictional context of the novel? Does the message resonate for you? What might have prompted the author to use his novel in this way?
12. The final entry of the novel is of a conversation between Jack and Lucy, seemingly after her death. How does this entry fit into the story? What significance do Jack's final words, "Oh yes, Milady," have?