Review of 'Carmilla'

“What Carmilla lacks in sophistication — with a reveal so laughably obvious it’s actually charming — it makes up for with its surprisingly gentle, nonjudgmental depiction of Sapphic longing. Does Carmilla want to drain her tender new young friend? Yes! But she feels bad about it, and it’s that exploration of obsessive first love being both exciting and monstrous that makes this story perfect for Y.A. readers, even if it predates the young adult category by many decades.” -- Kiersten White, the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein and Hide

Steeped in the sexual tension between two young women, this is a beautiful, brand-new edition of the original cult classic which influenced Dracula and all the vampire stories that followed, including Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest – the beautiful Carmilla.

So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day…

Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.

Review

Written in 1872, Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu is considered the original vampire story “steeped in the sexual tension between two young women and gothic romance.” (Puskin Press)

Storytelling

Let me begin by saying how disappointed I am that it took me so long to read this novel. I live for the gothic. I even took a course on it twice! Gothic literature is one of my favorite genres, and, to be frank, I don’t read enough of it.

I loved the storytelling. It begins as a third-person account of everything that happened between Laura and Carmilla, acknowledging that they do not know if their story is true.

Taking readers to the outskirts of Austria, to an isolated castle, the mist and cold weather suck the reader into the story. Le Fanu did an excellent job of creating the atmosphere here. It is the perfect place for a character to meet a vampire. And when Carmilla comes crashing into her life, the story is even more engaging.

There is an immediate attraction between the girls. Although Laura remarks upon her beauty on more than one occasion and Carmilla’s attention to her, the reservations she sometimes shows for being what she is highlights the mutuality of it.

There is also unease in the story—a mystery to be solved. Carmilla’s mother leaves her to feed and goes on ahead. She gives Laura a time and set of rules that Carmilla cannot speak of her past. The unease settles on the reader. Soon the oddities of Carmilla begin to add together to form that o of a dangerous hunter.

Final Thoughts

A short and quick novel, Carmilla is perfect for Dracula fans focusing on a deadly femme fatale.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Character Development : 10/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 10/10
• Intellectual Depth: 9/10
• Originality: 10/10
• Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.