Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla
The First Female Vampire
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- €8.99
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- €8.99
Publisher Description
In a chilling world of dark seduction and supernatural terror, this classic gothic novella is an early work of vampire fiction and a haunting feminist romance.
Laura is a young and naïve girl, living alone with her father in an isolated yet beautiful castle. Surrounded by woodland, Laura's home is a lonely, almost impenetrable fortress, but when a carriage crashes outside its walls, she and her father offer their hospitality to the injured Carmilla. Mysterious and alluring, Carmilla tells Laura nothing of her life, but the two girls are inexplicably drawn to each other. As their relationship blossoms, Laura begins to experience unsettling dreams and her health rapidly declines.
First published in 1872, Carmilla explores themes of forbidden desire and female sexuality, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. A masterpiece of gothic literature, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's eerie novella is a must-read for fans of horror and the supernatural.
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.
