Empire
Kim Newman’s Video Dungeon recommendation (March 2017 issue of Empire magazine):
“Also recommended: James Moran’s YouTube series Mina Murray’s Journal – a witty contemporary Dracula, with Bram Stoker’s characters vlogging meetings with the off-screen (so far) Count.”
SFX
★★★★
“James Moran makes several smart updates to the novel, shuffling characters around so that it’s office junior Mina who travels to Romania to meet the mysterious Count. But don’t worry – the vampires are still definitely vampires, with transmogrification powers very much intact… several episodes will raise goosebumps.
Creepy and clever, it has an irresistibly likeable cast and an admirable commitment to the webcam conceit. This season covers roughly the first 10 chapters of Stoker’s novel, and ends on a cliffhanger that’ll make you wanna dig out the book to pass time until season two.”
Read the full review in SFX’s December 2016 issue 280.
SciFiNow
“Everybody’s got a vlog these days, so why should someone like Mina Murray be any different? Yes, the character has stepped from the pages of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and into the 21st Century in James Moran’s new web-series Mina Murray’s Journal, which has just launched with its very first episode!”
Starburst
8/10
“Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been adapted more times than we care to mention over the hundred-plus years since it was published, and one would think that there would be very little anyone could bring to the story that was new. Well, acclaimed writer James Moran (Doctor Who, Cockneys vs Zombies) has done just that with his web series that turns the focus of the story to the character of Mina.
The cast are all very likable, and Rosie Holt, in particular, is a bubbly and engaging lead.
It’s an interesting way to give the dusty old text a modern twist and certainly a fun use of the web series format. With the story beginning to really kick in, now’s the perfect time to catch up with what could be the hippest retelling of Stoker’s novel yet.”
Kim Newman, author, broadcaster and film critic
“A very contemporary take on Dracula… sweet and witty… the story does eventually darken and there are moments of proper chill. Writer-director James Moran gives it a distinctive, dryly British character.”
Read the full review here – beware spoilers! Make sure you’ve caught up on season 1 first!
Den Of Geek
“This YA adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula swaps out leather-bound journals for YouTube videos, bringing the classic vampire story bang up to date. Here, it’s Mina who sets out to Romania, filming every stage of her journey for her vlog. And she keeps vlogging even when things take a turn for the weird…
Because it’s Dracula, you’ll sort of know what’s going to happen, but watching it play out in this new modern context is thrilling. Since it’s aiming at a younger audience, there’s no blood, gore, or swearing involved, but it’s still scary – not least because all the characters are so likeable you won’t want anything bad to happen to them.”
IndieWire
“…a welcome revision that honors the spirit of its source material… Mina Murray’s Journal, with its simple execution of a high-concept premise, is all professional.”
Read the full article and interview here
TenEighty Magazine
“A unique adaptation of Dracula in vlog format. What makes Mina Murray’s Journal unique is that the characters all have Twitter accounts, which adds a level of interactivity to the story. The audience can react and converse with the characters as the story progresses, and they respond in character, so when a viewer talks to the characters on Twitter they almost become part of the story themselves.”
We The Unicorns
Blogtor Who
The Daily Fandom
FangirlNation
MYM Buzz
VODzilla
Chattering with Nicholas Vince
James Moran does a live Google Hangout with actor Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser) about his writing, horror, and the origins of Mina Murray’s Journal. You can watch an archive of the live chat at the website here.
AfterEllen
Mina Murray’s Journal got a mention on the AfterEllen website here.
Mina Murray's Journal 