Hi! I’ll be your guide! I’ll be your G-U-I-D-E to the Bookstagram side! If you peeped the Beetlejuice reference, you’re awesome—if not, click here! It’s officially time for us to introduce you to a new Bookstagrammer of the Week! And today, we’re traveling down under to talk with Danielle of @draculelle! If you ever wanted to see a fresh take on a timeless classic, Danielle is breathing new life into the dark academia aesthetic that bookish people gravitate toward!
Danielle
Bookstagram | Victober Bookclub | Pinterest | BookTok
If you aren’t familiar with our Bookstagrammer of the Week, I’m here to help you through the process. Every week, our outreach team works tirelessly to bring you the best and brightest Bookstagram offers. And week after week, we talk with these accounts and bring them to your attention because they deserve that and SO much more! Sometimes we follow a theme like Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month or Romance Awareness Month. However, we always bring your attention to accounts we can’t get out of our heads. This week, we’re taking a trip to Melbourne, Australia to meet with our latest Bookstagrammer of the Week–Danielle of @draculelle!
If you aren’t familiar with Danielle’s account, feel free to take a short gander at her feed because it is JUST gorgeous. Dark academia is a common theme with our favorite Bookstagrammers, but each account has a unique approach to the aesthetic that breathes new life into the dark pictures!
For Danielle specifically, her account—@draculelle—is full of vintage and beautiful pieces of art and decor. What do you love about these period pieces?
I love how timeless they are and also the craftsmanship, as I really do believe a lot of things aren’t made like they used to be. I also enjoy thinking about the journey, picturing how someone else’s items may have fallen into my hands.
Appreciating the journey is definitely a bookish trait, if you ask me! We’re here for the ending, but the fun part is the road to the resolution and the beginning of the journey. Speaking of origins, let’s talk about your reader origins.
It’s obvious reading is a passion of yours, and we’re curious—when did you first get into reading?
I can’t really remember a time when I wasn’t into reading, but I started seriously getting into it by myself when I was around 10 years old. I grew up in a small coastal town where there wasn’t much to do, so as I got older I found myself turning to books. I ended up working in a bookstore in high school, and now I work in marketing for another bookstore, so it’s something that’s always been very prominent in my life.
I’m going to be honest, living in a coastal town and working at a bookstore is kind of like my absolute dream. But growing up in an environment where you’re surrounded by books allows you to develop a very curated taste in books.
In your case, you’ve found a home in the classics! What do you love about classic and gothic literature?
I love reading classics because I love history. Classics were actually what influenced me to start my Bookstagram. I wanted to start reading more as I was intrigued by the stigma surrounding them that they’re difficult or boring to read. I love analyzing books, and I find that due to classics being so well studied there is a lot of material available to really understand them.
I love gothic literature in particular because of its archetypes, settings, and characteristics; villains, castles, and foreign places with elements of the supernatural. It also relates to my own personal preference for reading books that are a bit darker and eerie.
I’m not going to not promote reading books out of spite of stigma or controversy, but I’m also not going to say I haven’t done it! Now despite this, I’m always open to other recommendations from our Bookstagrammers because they’re always TOP TIER.
What is one book you would recommend everyone read?
Most people are going to expect me to say Dracula (which I of course do recommend), but the book I actually end up recommending the most is The Secret History. Not only is Donna Tartt an incredibly talented author, but there is also so much meaning behind the story, and I believe it can be read in several different ways.
Now, we are coming to our final few questions for Danielle. Never fret because Danielle is very active on her Bookstagram, and her Pinterest, and in her Discord bookclub…I mean you really should just follow Danielle’s account—@draculelle—to get the latest updates to her fantastical bookish journey!
We’re fans of Donna Tartt here at Bookstr! Her stories are as complex as her characters. To me, it’s like reading The Dead Poet’s Society! Relating to characters is such a unique experience because everyone interprets and receives them differently!
Which fictional character do you feel most connected to, and why?
That’s a tough question, but if I had to choose one I think it would be Eowyn (from The Lord of the Rings). I relate to her passion, her determination to do things her own way, and I find her courage inspiring. I even have a tattoo dedicated to her.
I feel like I might know the answer to my next question just based on your general vibe, but if you could choose any time period to live in, which would you choose, and why?
I’ve always had a fascination with the Victorian era. The clothing and the decor of that time have had a huge influence on me, not to mention the incredible books that were written! There was also something so mysterious and macabre about this period which I find really interesting. However, I do tend to romanticize it quite a bit, and although I’d definitely love to experience living in this era, I think perhaps just for a short period of time only.
This is my final question for Danielle, and it’s one that we have a habit of asking our Bookstagrammers in some form or fashion. Being on Bookstagram and having a platform to talk about your love of books allows you a new sense of community that we’re all searching for.
What is one thing your Bookstagram has taught you?
My Bookstagram has taught me a lot, but the biggest and most important lesson I’ve learnt is how to have confidence in myself and in my interests. I’ve always been introverted and a bit shy when it comes to sharing things I like, but seeing that others appreciate the same things as I do has taught me to be comfortable being genuinely myself.
Cut the check—another reference; please click here to join my obsession! I sure hope that you’ve enjoyed the bookish journey of Danielle of @draculelle, our latest Bookstagrammer of the Week! Make sure that you drop a follow on her profile. And be sure that you’re on the lookout for our graphic feature for Danielle that we’ll post on our Instagram account—@bookstrofficial! Our Bookstagrammer specialist—Karly Kolehouse—has created something that you just have to see to believe!
For more Bookstagrammer content from me, click here!
