Carmilla
-
-
4.1 • 167 Ratings
-
Publisher Description
The classic vampire story by the best writer of supernatural fiction ever. Made into innumerable movies. The erotic imagery and lesbian undertones ensure that it has never been out of print.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
HGenerally acknowledged as a major influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula, this novel, originally published in 1872, is the very first vampire thriller. Le Fanu, often compared to Poe, was a Victorian writer whose tales of the occult have inspired horror writers for more than a century. Seemingly by happenstance, the mysterious and beautiful Carmilla comes to stay with the young and virtuous Laura. Laura, who has been living a lonely existence with her father in an isolated castle, finds herself enchanted with her exotic visitor. As the two become close friends, however, Laura dreams of nocturnal visitations and begins to lose her physical strength. Through much investigation, the gruesome truth about Carmilla and her family is revealed. Though the basic premise of the story, that of evil targeting pure innocence, is familiar to anyone who is vampire savvy, this haunting tale is surprisingly fresh, avoids clich and builds well to its climax. Particularly interesting are the sexual overtones that develop between the two women. Follows's reading is flawless. In particular, her ability to capture Laura's na vet so convincingly will have listeners feeling almost as shocked as Laura as the unwholesome truth unravels.
Customer Reviews
Too short + anticlimactic
A well written beginning to a good story, however it falls flat just as it gets to the meat of the plot.
Entrancing, but of its time
Certainly an interesting book, and it went by very fast. It has the classic conversational and almost rambling tone of many Gothic style books, but it works in the case of the story. I read it largely because of the web-series Carmilla, and a desire to see how Sapphic women were portrayed in media at the time — I was not surprised by the negative stance the author took. I found that, while the character of Carmilla was somewhat unlikeable at first, she became almost tragic towards the end. The tone certainly seemed melancholic, and it appears that the main character Laura does not totally see her as the monster she is portrayed to be...
All in all, it is a interesting, suspenseful book, which leaves you with many questions once the story is done. It is a little uncomfortable to read a story with so much subtle homophobia, not to mention the flair of racism in the beginning (in the description of Matska) however it is worth the read as it embodies so much of the time — both the beautiful gothic writing, as well as the unfortunate attitudes.
In all honesty, I prefer the web series, but this story has been remembered for good reason.