Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Carmilla

ayoni

"I am sure, Carmilla, you have been in love; that there is, at this moment, an affair of the heart going on."

"I have been in love with no one, and never shall," she whispered, "unless it should be with you."

Girls are caterpillars while they live in the world, to be finally butterflies when the summer comes; but in the meantime there are grubs and larvae, don't you see—each with their peculiar propensities, necessities and structure.

"You will think me cruel, very selfish, but love is always selfish; the more ardent the more selfish. How jealous I am you cannot know. You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me and still come with me, and hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature."

"But to die as lovers may—to die together, so that they may live together."

mari

Sabrina D. 

It was long before the terror of recent events subsided; and to this hour the image of Carmilla returns to memory with ambiguous alternations--sometimes the playful, languid, beautiful girl; sometimes the writhing fiend I saw in the ruined church; and often from a reverie I have started, fancying I heard the light step of Carmilla at the drawing room door. 

But dreams come through stone walls, light up dark rooms, or darken light ones, and their persons make their exits and their entrances as they please, and laugh at locksmiths. I had a dream that night that was the beginning of a very strange agony.

Sarah Wood

Dearest, your little heart is wounded; think me not cruel because I obey the irresistible law of my strength and weakness; if your dear heart is wounded, my wild heart bleeds with yours. In the rapture of my enormous humiliation I live in your warm life, and you shall die—die, sweetly die—into mine. I cannot help it; as I draw near to you, you, in your turn, will draw near to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit.

Deepika ratwani 

Joseph Sheridan Lefanu

Isolated in a remote mansion in a central European forest, Laura longs for companionship-until a carriage accident brings the secretive and sometimes erratic Carmilla into her life. Le Fanu's compelling vampire tale was a source of influence for Bram Stoker's Dracula. The Lanternfish Press edition includes notes and a new introduction by award-winning author Carmen Maria Machado.

Sara Keppel

Isolated in a picturesque but remote castle deep in a Styrian forest, Laura spends her days with her family, longing for a companion her age. Her wish is granted when a carriage accident outside her home brings a girl her age into the family's care, and the two - recognising each other from dreams seen years before - become fast friends. Though they get along well at first, the stranger’s eccentricities slowly become cause for concern, as do the murders that begin to plague the towns around them…

Elena M.

Andrea Morales

que homofóbico que una vampira y una humana no terminen juntas y felices … so what if she’s the devil ???

Victoria 

tori 👻

“You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever.” 

Before Dracula there was Carmilla.

I liked it a lot. There’s something in 19th century gothic fiction (homoeroticism) that’s my shit. 

Romy

arwen

3.5/5
"Dearest, your little heart is wounded; think me not cruel because I obey the irresistible law of my strength and weakness; if your dear heart is wounded, my wild heart bleeds with yours. In the rapture of my enormous humiliation I live in your warm life, and you shall die--die, sweetly die--into mine. I cannot help it; as I draw near to you, you, in your turn, will draw near to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit."

Clara Gauthier

So much better because Carmen Maria Machado edits it 

Greta Keller

Danny

Okay, first of all I did listen to the dramatised version on Audible which was PHENOMENAL AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU LISTEN TO IT. But this novel gave me everything I needed in such an easy and short read. Like, lesbians, vampires, gothic victorian era atmosphere and language? What more could you need???? I truly wish this was more well known as the first novel of Vampires and what inspired the future ones to come, INCLUDING DRACULA (yes dracula's prologue was inspired by Carmilla). I truthfully could not put into words how much I loved this novel and it is definitely now one of my top reads of all time.

i live for carmilla's passionate declarations of "love" to laura 

You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever. One of the most hugely influential vampire stories of all time, Le Fanu's Carmilla was written before Bram Stoker's Dracula. A true gothic novel, it is eery, rich in character and place and bathed in blood and moonlight. When a mysterious carriage crashes outside their castle home in Styria, Austria, Laura and her father agree to take in its injured passenger, a young woman named Carmilla. Delighted to have some company of her own age, Laura is instantly drawn to Carmilla. But as their friendship grows, Carmilla's character changes and she becomes increasingly secretive and volatile. As Carmilla's moods shift and change, Laura starts to become ill, experiencing fiendish nightmares, her health deteriorating night after night. It is not until she and her father, increasingly concerned for Laura's well-being, set out on a trip to discover more about the mysterious Carmilla that the terrifying truth reveals itself...

I wish we had spent more time on developing Carmilla and Laura's relationship. And regardless, the novella is still entirelly captivating.

the fact it came before dracula and the queer community really overhyped it i fear

envie,

beautiful book, love lesbians AND vampires (even more lesbian vampires), beautiful writing and plot. it got me bored towards the end when the character whose name i have already forgotten started revealing Carmilla was a vampire. Thought it was too stretched out, other than it would have been a 5/5. 

A deluxe gift edition of the cult classic female vampire story that predated and greatly influenced Dracula and much vampire literature that followed, including Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, teenaged Laura leads a solitary life with only her father, attendant and tutor 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 entrancing new companion, one defined by mysterious happenings and infused with an implicit but undeniable eroticism. As Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day... Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.

The Cult Classic That Inspired Dracula

Carmilla, Deluxe Edition

anastasia

If it was me I would simply allow her to suck me dry like a caprisun

this is a masterpiece! i didn't expect it to be sapphic AND vampire themed, imagine my surprise! the writing is gorgeous. i just feel like there is not enough details about carmilla and their "love" for each other, i wanted more intimacy. overall a really great read. 

Kendall McClain

19th century lesbian vampire story?? Ahead of its time! Love it, miss Carmilla did nothing wrong in my eyes. Also anything Carmen Maria Machado works on is automatically perfect she has not a singular flaw

Apart from it delivering the vampiric plot, which was the main reason why I started the book, I wasn't aware it was a classic, and it wasn't what I was looking for, so for some parts I was a bit bored (massive description of the landscape, for example). That said, It still did well what it was supposed to, so It is a good book all in all.

anna

yaya

esperanza 

I have been captivated since my initial encounter with it. I never tire of rereading it, and when I feel fatigued, I seek out new articles about the book! It is impossible to distance oneself from the magnetism of the narrative; I will always carry a piece of it with me. :)

remiel

Before Dracula, there was Carmilla—the first seductive vampire to haunt readers’ imaginations This classic of Gothic horror follows Laura, a woman haunted by a girlhood dream of a beautiful visitor to her bedroom. Now, a decade later, Laura finds Carmilla, who appears to be her own age, on the side of the road after a carriage accident. The two recognize each other from the same childhood dream and become fast friends. Soon after, Laura begins to experience mysterious feelings and is once again haunted by nightmares. She finds Carmilla strangely irresistible and longs to be with her. But as the two friends grow closer, Laura’s health begins to fail. It becomes apparent that her enchanting companion is harboring a sinister secret. To free herself from Carmilla’s grasp, Laura and her family must fight for their lives. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

lili🎐

Very gay, easy to read and entertaining. It’s a must read if you consider yourself a vampire enthusiast. It’s one of the stories that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula !!

A core text in the Sapphic AND vampire universes.

Kiersten Hepditch

*A classic Gothic Horror story that deserves more attention*

, a sapphic vampire Gothic Romance. It has perhaps fallen out of the public’s eye, but it’s still worth digging up this little gem.

The plot was straightforward. A young woman named Laura relates her encounter with a mysterious, beautiful stranger and the fevered relationship between them. I find it fascinating that Le Fanu got around censorship by claiming that since vampires were not human, it didn’t technically count as lesbianism. It truly is a shame that tactic couldn’t have worked for Oscar Wilde. I guess that shows the power of the male gaze. Anyway, on the one hand, this novella was groundbreaking. On the other hand, it does ultimately show homosexuality as something villainous and unnatural.

The story certainly has the classic Gothic atmosphere. Set in a remote castle in the Austrian forest and full of drama and tension,

There were times when the story was perhaps 

 dramatic. That was certainly fitting of the style of the time. There was lots of swooning, florid language, and dramatic declarations. And speaking of the times, as usual, there were things that have not aged well. There was casual racism and sexism that were commonly seen in stories of that time period.

While I didn’t love the story overall, this definitely deserves to be read.

Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars

Colleen

3.5 Stars

*A classic Gothic Horror story that deserves more attention*


Decades before there was Dracula, there was Carmilla, a sapphic vampire Gothic Romance. It has perhaps fallen out of the public’s eye, but it’s still worth digging up this little gem.

The plot was straightforward. A young woman named Laura relates her encounter with a mysterious, beautiful stranger and the fevered relationship between them. I find it fascinating that Le Fanu got around censorship by claiming that since vampires were not human, it didn’t technically count as lesbianism. It truly is a shame that tactic couldn’t have worked for Oscar Wilde. I guess that shows the power of the male gaze. Anyway, on the one hand, this novella was groundbreaking. On the other hand, it does ultimately show homosexuality as something villainous and unnatural.

The story certainly has the classic Gothic atmosphere. Set in a remote castle in the Austrian forest and full of drama and tension,


Sometimes after an hour of apathy, my strange and beautiful companion would take my hand and hold it with a fond pressure, renewed again and again; blushing softly, gazing in my face with languid and burning eyes, and breathing so fast that her dress rose and fell with the tumultuous respiration. It was like the ardor of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet over-powering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, "You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever." Then she had thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling.


There were times when the story was perhaps too dramatic. That was certainly fitting of the style of the time. There was lots of swooning, florid language, and dramatic declarations. And speaking of the times, as usual, there were things that have not aged well. There was casual racism and sexism that were commonly seen in stories of that time period.


You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me and still come with me, and hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature.


While I didn’t love the story overall, this definitely deserves to be read.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars

Geoffrey Froggatt

Before there was Dracula, there was Carmilla. This book is a very important piece of vampire fiction. It is also a pioneer in lesbian literature. I think the writing holds up but it is definitely a work of its time. The writing may be hard to follow for some at times but it is a short novella so it should not take much time to finish. The clues to Carmilla’s true nature are all but obvious to people familiar with other vampire stories. The only trouble with Carmilla is that the central mystery is that Carmilla is a vampire, and the story itself is now already infamous for being a vampire story. That being said, it’s still a classic vampire story that should be appreciated as a work of its time.

Emma Daniels

This is a good short read about Carmilla the lovely vampire. I tried my best not to compare it to Dracula while reading it, but it was hard as they tend to be closely tied together. I felt this was a good book and if you like vampires check it out. :)

Carmilla

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