Carmilla

By Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and Jodie Harris

In Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic novella “Carmilla” (1872), a lonely young woman named Laura befriends a strange woman who is staying at her father’s Castle while she recovers from a carriage accident. In time, the strange woman named Carmilla begins to make romantic advances toward Laura while refusing to share any details about her life. When Laura begins to have nightmares about a black cat entering her room, her suspicion is aroused that Carmilla may have evil intentions. One of the early works of vampire fiction, Carmilla predated Dracula by 26 years and strongly influenced Bram Stoker.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media
• Release date: Jan 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781974939336

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic horror. Born in Dublin, Le Fanu was raised in a literary family. His mother, a biographer, and his father, a clergyman, encouraged his intellectual development from a young age. He began writing poetry at fifteen and went on to excel at Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied law and served as Auditor of the College Historical Society. In 1838, shortly before he was called to the bar, he began contributing ghost stories to Dublin University Magazine, of which he later became editor and proprietor. He embarked on a career as a writer and journalist, using his role at the magazine as a means of publishing his own fictional work. Le Fanu made a name for himself as a pioneer of mystery and Gothic horror with such novels as The House by the Churchyard (1863) and Uncle Silas (1864). Carmilla (1872), a novella, is considered an early work of vampire fiction and an important influence for Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897).

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Upon a paper attached to the Narrative which follows, Doctor Hesselius has written a rather elaborate note, which he accompanies with a reference to his Essay on the strange subject which the MS. illuminates. 

This mysterious subject he treats, in that Essay, with his usual learning and acumen, and with remarkable directness and condensation. It will form but one volume of the series of that extraordinary man's collected papers. 

As I publish the case, in this volume, simply to interest the laity, I shall forestall the intelligent lady, who relates it, in nothing; and after due consideration, I have determined, therefore, to abstain from presenting any précis of the learned Doctor's reasoning, or extract from his statement on a subject which he describes as involving, not improbably, some of the profoundest arcana of our dual existence, and its intermediates. 

I was anxious on discovering this paper, to reopen the correspondence commenced by Doctor Hesselius, so many years before, with a person so clever and careful as his informant seems to have been. Much to my regret, however, I found that she had died in the interval. 

She, probably, could have added little to the Narrative which she communicates in the following pages, with, so far as I can pronounce, such conscientious particularity.

I.

An Early Fright

In Styria, we, though by no means magnificent people, inhabit a castle, or schloss. A small income, in that part of the world, goes a great way. Eight or nine hundred a year does wonders. Scantily enough ours would have answered among wealthy people at home. My father is English, and I bear an English name, although I never saw England. But here, in this lonely and primitive place, where everything is so marvelously cheap, I really don't see how ever so much more money would at all materially add to our comforts, or even luxuries.

My father was in the Austrian service, and retired upon a pension and his patrimony, and purchased this feudal residence, and the small estate on which it stands, a bargain.

Nothing can be more picturesque or solitary. It stands on a slight eminence in a forest. The road, very old and narrow, passes in front of its drawbridge, never raised in my time, and its moat, stocked with perch, and sailed over by many swans, and floating on its surface white fleets of water lilies.

Over all this the schloss shows its many-windowed front; its towers, and its Gothic chapel.

The forest opens in an irregular and very picturesque glade before its gate, and at the right a steep Gothic bridge carries the road over a stream that winds in deep shadow through the wood. I have said that this is a very lonely place. Judge whether I say truth. Looking from the hall door towards the road, the forest in which our castle stands extends fifteen miles to the right, and twelve to the left. The nearest inhabited village is about seven of your English miles to the left. The nearest inhabited schloss of any historic associations, is that of old General Spielsdorf, nearly twenty miles away to the right.

I have said "the nearest inhabited village," because there is, only three miles westward, that is to say in the direction of General Spielsdorf's schloss, a ruined village, with its quaint little church, now roofless, in the aisle of which are the moldering tombs of the proud family of Karnstein, now extinct, who once owned the equally desolate chateau which, in the thick of the forest, overlooks the silent ruins of the town.

Respecting the cause of the desertion of this striking and melancholy spot, there is a legend which I shall relate to you another time.

I must tell you now, how very small is the party who constitute the inhabitants of our castle. I don't include servants, or those dependents who occupy rooms in the buildings attached to the schloss. Listen, and wonder! My father, who is the kindest man on earth, but growing old; and I, at the date of my story, only nineteen. Eight years have passed since then.

I and my father constituted the family at the schloss. My mother, a Styrian lady, died in my infancy, but I had a good-natured governess, who had been with me from, I might almost say, my infancy. I could not remember the time when her fat, benignant face was not a familiar picture in my memory.

This was Madame Perrodon, a native of Berne, whose care and good nature now in part supplied to me the loss of my mother, whom I do not even remember, so early I lost her. She made a third at our little dinner party. There was a fourth, Mademoiselle De Lafontaine, a lady such as you term, I believe, a finishing governess. She spoke French and German, Madame Perrodon French and broken English, to which my father and I added English, which, partly to prevent its becoming a lost language among us, and partly from patriotic motives, we spoke every day. The consequence was a Babel, at which strangers used to laugh, and which I shall make no attempt to reproduce in this narrative. And there were two or three young lady friends besides, pretty nearly of my own age, who were occasional visitors, for longer or shorter terms; and these visits I sometimes returned.

These were our regular social resources; but of course there were chance visits from neighbors of only five or six leagues distance. My life was, notwithstanding, rather a solitary one, I can assure you.

My gouvernantes had just so much control over me as you might conjecture such sage persons would have in the case of a rather spoiled girl, whose only parent allowed her pretty nearly her own way in everything.

The first occurrence in my existence, which produced a terrible impression upon my mind, which, in fact, never has been effaced, was one of the very earliest incidents of my life which I can recollect. Some people will think it so trifling that it should not be recorded here. You will see, however, by-and-by, why I mention it. The nursery, as it was called, though I had it all to myself, was a large room in the upper story of the castle, with a steep oak roof. I can't have been more than six years old, when one night I awoke, and looking round the room from my bed, failed to see the nursery maid. Neither was my nurse there; and I thought myself alone. I was not frightened, for I was one of those happy children who are studiously kept in ignorance of ghost stories, of fairy tales, and of all such lore as makes us cover up our heads when the door cracks suddenly, or the flicker of an expiring candle makes the shadow of a bedpost dance upon the wall, nearer to our faces. I was vexed and insulted at finding myself, as I conceived, neglected, and I began to whimper, preparatory to a hearty bout of roaring; when to my surprise, I saw a solemn, but very pretty face looking at me from the side of the bed. It was that of a young lady who was kneeling, with her hands under the coverlet. I looked at her with a kind of pleased wonder, and ceased whimpering. She caressed me with her hands, and lay down beside me on the bed, and drew me towards her, smiling; I felt immediately delightfully soothed, and fell asleep again. I was wakened by a sensation as if two needles ran into my breast very deep at the same moment, and I cried loudly. The lady started back, with her eyes fixed on me, and then slipped down upon the floor, and, as I thought, hid herself under the bed.

I was now for the first time frightened, and I yelled with all my might and main. Nurse, nursery maid, housekeeper, all came running in, and hearing my story, they made light of it, soothing me all they could meanwhile. But, child as I was, I could perceive that their faces were pale with an unwonted look of anxiety, and I saw them look under the bed, and about the room, and peep under tables and pluck open cupboards; and the housekeeper whispered to the nurse: "Lay your hand along that hollow in the

Reviews for Carmilla

[charrlygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After my re-read of this classic, I would give Carmilla 3.5 stars.

I loved the atmosphere and the language, even if I thought it was a bit too flowery at times.

I know that it's wrong to judge a work of this age by today's standards, but man, everyone in this book seemed stupid and too naive to be believable. The whole time, I was thinking "My God, man, wake up!"

I'm glad I re-read this one but I think that shall be it for me with Carmilla.

[purpledog-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to this on audible and loved the performance. I give that 5 stars. I loved that the narrator works hard to portray the emotions in the character(s). The story was just OK for me. I know this is a novella, but there was no character development at all and I missed that. I give the story 3 stars. Therefore, when both scores are averaged together the total is 4 stars. I did feel that the narration improved the story. I don't know if I could have finished this book in physical format.

[mrnattania72 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Perfect for Halloween telling!!

[lydia1879 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book!

It's a beautiful, 17th century tale about a lesbian vampire.

WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

No, but seriously, I really enjoyed this book. It's creepy, it's thrilling, it's dark, it's well-written. It's sort of like what would happen if Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (sans the ultimate entitled prick of scientist, Victor Frankenstein) and Daphne du Maurier got together and made a gay horror baby.

I love seeing LGTIQA representation in this book. And it's really there, believe me, it's not just implied. I like that the whole environment is a character and it's quite a romantic, short little novella. The character of Carmilla is an incredible one, and this will be a firm favourite for a while to come.

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, I take my hat off to you. Thank you, sir.

[sumisbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Before Dracula there was Carmilla!Originally published in 1872, Dracula in 1897, this chronicles the story of a young woman's susceptibility to another seemingly young woman's (Carmilla) affections. But something is very wrong and has been wrong ever since Carmilla came into the picture. Can they stop this evil before it goes too far?This is complete and utter speculation but I just want to put it out there... this could very well be the novel that Bram Stoker read that indeed inspired him to write the novel Dracula. This novel together with Bram Stoker's Irish heritage and folklore would indeed come together beautifully to create the novel that we all know and love.But enough about Dracula. Let's talk about Carmilla! I think it's absolutely fabulous that the very first vampire ever to grace the publishing world was indeed a female. Personally I found her word usage and talk of everlasting love to be so seductive that I damn near threw my arms around her in submittance. I always find it very interesting when the author of a certain sex decides to write from the point of view of the opposite sex. We find that here as the author who wrote the novel was a man and is writing from the point of view of Laura who was the victim in this tragic tale of vampirism. Nevertheless, Le Fanu pulls it off with flying colors! You really do feel as if you are reading the words of a distraught woman penning the details of a horrific occurrence.Although this novel held no secrets or mystery for me (the ever-faithful horror fanatic) it is indeed nothing less than a heart pounding page turner. This one had my heart racing and me reading through the pages as fast as I could to find out what happens next. This is a very well done novel and I can't quite understand why it hasn't gotten the praise that it deserves over the years... or should I say decades now?This is one that every true horror fan should read! Most definitely recommend! ❤️

[caanderson-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great short story detailing the beginnings of vampires.

[bohemima · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An influential classic of the horror/vampire genre, Carmilla tells the story of a female vampire (but wait...what about the mother and the really pale servant) who preys solely on young women. There’s certainly a lesbian erotica undertone here. Nothing tediously overt, but you really can’t miss it. The narrator, Laura, is Carmilla’s main target, and her seduction of Laura is well-done and fairly compelling. Other young women in the area are falling ill and more or less wasting away, and finally Laura becomes ill.This is an early vampire tale, pre-dating the great Dracula. Many of the ideas and themes will occur again and again in later works by other authors.It was hard to rate this because so many vampire books have been written since this one. I’d give it three stars just on its own merits, but I’m jumping it up to four because of its long, long shadow in horror literature.

[diana_long_thomas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I decided to listen to this because:1. I wanted to listen/read to at least one "scary" book in October. 2. It was suggested by my friend Giselle Bradley. 3. I hadn't read this book in years and wanted to see if I still liked the book as much as I did when I was younger.I still liked it but not as much as I did the first time. I picked up on the parts that make people claim it's the first book with a lesbian love affair, I believe I had read an abridged version when I was younger. It was a good book, I'm glad I took Giselle's advice to re-read it. I did drop it from a 5-star to a 4-star but I think that's because I'm a bit pickier when it comes to star ratings. I probably would have given it a 3 or a 3.5 if it wasn't for the narrator. I was lucky to find an audiobook that was narrated by Megan Follows, an actress who I love, so the rating got a bump because of that. It's a great spooky read for this time of year and something lovers of Gothic classics should read.

[lgandt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Before Dracula there was Carmilla. An excellent way to spend a rainy evening if you want horror without gore.It was the first book to get under my skin so bad it actually gave me nightmares.

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

CarmillaBy: Joseph Sheridan Le FanuNarrated by: Phoebe Fox, Rose Leslie, David Tennant, David Horovitch, James Wilby, Susan Wooldridge, Hannah GenesiusThis was like listening to a great play with narration! Terrific narration, great suspense, characters, a bit of lust, supernatural creepiness, all combined with a wonderful plot.

[virago77 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Excellent performance; okay story. The performance by the voice actors is what kept me listening; they were excellent. I love the time period and the subject material, but the story just didn't do it for me. There were places where it grabbed my attention, but mostly I couldn't really get into it. This may be one of those stories that requires a re-listen at a later date.

[krau0098 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I got this Audible Original audiobook for free with my Audible membership. This was a decently done full dramatization audiobook. I actually liked the way the dramatization was done here, normally I am not a huge fan of this.Laura is a sheltered and loved young lady but she is lonely. When a carriage has an accident near their castle, Laura and her father take in a young girl named Carmilla while Carmilla’s mother goes for help. This is the start of a fast friendship between Laura and Carmilla. Only then things start to get a bit weird. The story was fairly short and was a very typical vampire story done in classic "Dracula" fashion. There are some small twists to the story but it is very similar to the original “Dracula” story.This story is advertised as being an erotic horror...I wouldn't really call it erotic...there are some vaguely sensual scenes in here but nothing explicit or more detailed than kisses.Overall I thought this was fine but didn't love it. It's very Gothic Victorian horror, if you enjoyed the original “Dracula” book you might enjoy this as well.

[philsyphe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found this interesting rather than exciting, and eerie rather than scary. The tone is a little bland for the most part, which does nothing to build suspense.Although not devoid of drama, it is in short supply, owing to the passive narrative. Without giving anything away, the ending suffers because it’s written very dryly. In other words, it’s anti-climatic.I like the narrating character, though she lacks sparkle. Carmilla is my favourite character. Quite a good read, though I feel it had potential to be much better.

[alanteder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classic Vampire TaleReview of the Audible Audio dramatization (2015) of the 1872 originalThis was a sensationalized action-driven adaptation of the Sheridan Le Fanu story, but was still quite faithful to the original. The vocal performances were excellent, especially those of Rose Leslie as Laura and Phoebe Fox as Carmilla. Top-billed David Tennant performed the relatively minor Dr. Hesselius role.Carmilla was one of the free Audible Original audiobooks for members in October 2019.TriviaThe original Carmilla is part of the occult detective Dr. Hesselius casebook anthology In a Glass Darkly (1892) which is one of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

[moniquesnyman-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent! I loved every minute of this vampire classic. Certainly one of my favorite vampire reads of all time.

[pwaites_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

For those unfamiliar with it, Carmilla is a short vampire story published in 1871 which influenced the writing of Dracula and the vampire sub-genera as a whole. It is also notable for its significant lesbian undertones.I really liked Carmilla and found it easily accessible for the modern reader. The only issue I had with the writing was the over usage of certain words, “languid” in particular.At the time it was written, Carmilla’s eventual unveiling as a vampire was supposed to be a surprise. There wasn’t the breadth of vampire material that there is today, and it hadn’t yet become known as a classic vampire story. I was worried about this coming in – how much of the story depends on the slow build up of Carmilla as a vampire? While it was obvious to the modern reader, I didn’t think that it took away from the story.Carmilla isn’t exactly the type of vampire everyone’s familiar with – she can go out in the sun, usually only the late afternoon however. She’s beguiling and attractive and all who meet her tend to fall under her spell. She feeds upon young woman, killing most almost immediately, but with a few, she develops a relationship and drains slowly.Carmilla is a must read for anyone interested in vampire literature or depictions of lesbian themes in classic literature, and I’d highly recommend it to everyone else too. It’s short, but there’s a real haunting depth to it.This is a shortened version of my full review. To read it in it's entirety, visit my book review blog.

[thereadingmermaid · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Before Dracula there was Carmilla!Originally published in 1872, Dracula in 1897, this chronicles the story of a young woman's susceptibility to another seemingly young woman's (Carmilla) affections. But something is very wrong and has been wrong ever since Carmilla came into the picture. Can they stop this evil before it goes too far?This is complete and utter speculation but I just want to put it out there... this could very well be the novel that Bram Stoker read that indeed inspired him to write the novel Dracula. This novel together with Bram Stoker's Irish heritage and folklore would indeed come together beautifully to create the novel that we all know and love.But enough about Dracula. Let's talk about Carmilla! I think it's absolutely fabulous that the very first vampire ever to grace the publishing world was indeed a female. Personally I found her word usage and talk of everlasting love to be so seductive that I damn near threw my arms around her in submittance. I always find it very interesting when the author of a certain sex decides to write from the point of view of the opposite sex. We find that here as the author who wrote the novel was a man and is writing from the point of view of Laura who was the victim in this tragic tale of vampirism. Nevertheless, Le Fanu pulls it off with flying colors! You really do feel as if you are reading the words of a distraught woman penning the details of a horrific occurrence.Although this novel held no secrets or mystery for me (the ever-faithful horror fanatic) it is indeed nothing less than a heart pounding page turner. This one had my heart racing and me reading through the pages as fast as I could to find out what happens next. This is a very well done novel and I can't quite understand why it hasn't gotten the praise that it deserves over the years... or should I say decades now?This is one that every true horror fan should read! Most definitely recommend! ❤️

[jonfaith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

Carmilla proved to be a delicious detour. Such was a GR group read. I flashed from the gate on a rather warm October evening and finished the novel in a single vault. Unlike the more famous Dracula, Carmilla maintains a sustained focus on the titular creature. Her danger is not being simply a lesbian vampire but rather someone who saddles up to victims, recognizes their insecurities, their vulnerability and pursues and cultivates such to a slow boil and unseemly ends. The Central European milieu affords a pulsating menace whereas the novel's female protagonist proceeds blindly into the wicked endeavor. Her loneliness has been seized by the vampire and she's reluctant to acknowledge her peril. The conclusion is a fitfully bloody affair and worth anyone's time

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Written in 1872, this is a Gothic novella by Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction. It is older than Bram Stoker's Dracula. Laura is a young lady living in a remote schloss or castle in Austria and a young woman named Carmilla stays with the family after a carriage accident. Carmilla and Laura develop a relationship that is both captivating and uncomfortable to Laura. This is a lesbian vampire story. "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 ardour of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet overpowering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, 'You are mine, you shall be mine, and you and I are one for ever'." (Carmilla, Chapter 4). Another quote from the book; "if your dear heart is wounded, my wild heart bleeds with yours" and "I live in your warm life, and you shall die--die, sweetly die--into mine." This novella is an example of literature addressing sexual issues of it's Victorian times and is a Gothic horror story of dangerous temptations.

[john257hopper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a wonderful vampire novella, with a real creepy, fantasy atmosphere, a key influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula a quarter of a century later. Great stuff. 5/5

[missizicks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a gripping short story about the mysterious Carmilla who appears in the lives of Laura and her father and becomes a compelling and almost irresistible force. Full of supernatural suspense, Le Fanu reveals the horrible truth slowly through this tale of ancient horror.

[the_hibernator · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the oldest vampire books ever written, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years. It is well read, creepy, and strangely modern despite its Victorian setting. I think the parallels between this story and Bram Stoker's Dracula are quite striking. They both have a vampire hunter tracing the movements of the abomination. Both vampires sneak in at night and attack the victim several times before death occurs. Carmilla turned into a large cat instead of a dog, as in Dracula, but both vampires slept in coffins. On the other hand, it's been a while since I've read Dracula, but I'm pretty certain he was unable to withstand sunlight, whereas Carmilla moved freely throughout the day. The parallels are likely due to use of the same primary sources of Slavic vampire folklore.

[empress8411 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Published in 1872, this is considered one of the first vampire tales, predating Stoker's Dracula. The simple, short story is deceptive - it's a chilling tale, suspenseful and well-written. The characters are well-told, in particular the beautiful Carmilla. Haunting! A perfect read of the gothic tale enthusiastic or the vampire lover.

[jldobias · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

This is an old book,a classic. Published around 1872 and about 25 years before Bram Stoker's Dracula. This is a must read for all vampire lovers.

I would consider this to be quite mild compared to many of today's versions of the Genre but there are many elements that still come through to today.

One of these that shows up markedly in Camilla is the lustful sexual nature of vampirism. In this instance it is of particular note in that there are undertones of lesbianism within the writing. Although it is circumspect enough, understandable for the time it was written, that it could be construed as a relationship of very close friends. It could even be considered as a cautionary tale about such friendships leading to no good.

This also chronicles the nature of the vampire stalking its prey with a persistence and a predatory nature that borders on both excessive compulsion to strange desire. It plays into the hypnotic nature of the vampire to the intended victim and the almost helplessness of that victim to recognize the danger they are in.

We also see that little bit about poking fun at itself in that there is an added explanation that when the vampires are among society they look normal and health as opposed to pale cyanic.

In their casket and grave they are still somewhat lifelike faint breathing but are surrounded by a pool of blood.

To be killed, they are staked and beheaded.

The story takes place in Styria a state in Austria. Laura and her father live in a remote castle whose nearest neighbor is an abandoned village where the family of Karnstein once lived.

Laura begins her story by recounting a nightmare she had as a child where a strange but beautiful woman comes to her bed. It starts out as a delightful comforting experience until she feels two needles poke her near her breast.

Fast forward to a young adult and she shows us how isolated and lonely her home is. She is hopeful for a visit from their friend, General Spielsdorf's, niece, Bertha Rheinfeldt. Much to her horror and dismay a letter is received explaining Bertha's untimely death. All of this figures into the story.

As fortune might have it one day while enjoying the evening air and the moonlight. This scene sounds like its straight out of those old black and white movies we loved so much and stayed up late watching on tv. A mist like smoke over the low ground like a transparent veil. Only in the story Laura makes it sound beautiful instead of foreboding. A carriage, almost out of nowhere, arrives in a seeming hurry that causes it to have a near catastrophe.

From the carriage come a stately lady and her, purported, daughter. The lady has some immense secret emergency and she fears taking her injured and sickly daughter too far. This seems to play on Laura's father's sense of chivalry and he offers to take the girl into his home to have Laura's governess take care of her and to afford companionship for Laura.

It is not until later inside the castle home that Laura discovers the face of this woman matches the face in her dream. Despite the horror it gives her Laura is inexplicably drawn to this woman. They become fast friends though many times the liberty that Carmilla takes with that friendship cause Laura uneasy feelings.

Camilla seems to be afflicted with some sort of illness and always seems weak. She is paranoid and has to lock herself in her bedroom at night, alone. She doesn't rise until around noon. She often lapses into moods where she expresses a very deep affection for Laura.

When reports start coming in of some malady killing women in a nearby village and Laura begins to have dreams similar to the one she had so long ago. Laura begins to feel tired and desperate, thinking she may be suffering from the unexplained illness that is going around.

It is not until the General comes back to the area to visit that things begin to unfold and make sense. But, Laura is conflicted by here feelings for Carmilla when she hears what must be the truth.

There is an interesting, perhaps signature aspect in this story. The vampire seems to go by names that are anagrams of her original name. Millarca, Mircalla, and Carmilla.

Any aficionado of Vampires should read this book to delve into the root of the earliest published tales of this type of fiction.

If I have one disappointment from this; it's that there seem to be a group of people aiding this creature in getting ingratiated with their victims who are mentioned and noted in two different instances but we never know what their true role is in all of this.

J.L. Dobias

[pathan.fiza · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SHORT STORY: Carmilla
AUTHOR: Sheridan Le Fanu
This short story penned during the Victorian era by Sheridan Le Fanu is sort of a prelude to all other vampire based stories that are written after it, especially the novel ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker. The story uses many themes of vampirism which were new during the time when it was written which eventually makes the narrative a novel piece of literature at the time when it was published. Needless to say that ‘Carmilla’ is a Gothic horror story; the author has used many Gothic elements in his narrative like ancient castles, ruined chapels etc. The story itself is captivating & remarkable. The lucid descriptions in first person are quite conventional as well as the dialogues which are remarkable for a person living in the latter half of the 19th century. Sheridan Le Fanu surely has produced one of the legendary masterpieces of Vampire fiction. It seems a pity that many readers are unaware of this work of art by Le Fanu, the master of gothic horror.
The story is female centric where both of the main characters in the story are young ladies, one whose name is Laura who is narrating her experience in first person & the other whose name is Carmilla who happens to be a vampire.
The character of Carmilla itself is sort of a mystery & the author has used his literary powers to keep it that way. He reveals nothing about her which adds a lot to the suspense in the narrative. It is not to be misunderstood however that Carmilla has no personality at all…….she certainly does have one which intrigues & shocks the reader as well. She is a vampire who looks like she is only 20 years old. She is sensual like most vampires are but gets emotionally attached to only a few of her victims. She is diabolical but she does not seem so at all & can be a wonderful conversationalist. She indulges in harmless gossip but has certain eccentricities that shock the rustic people with whom she associates with…..in turn to plague them. As a historical character in this work of fiction, Carmilla the seductive vampire is actually the Countess of Karnstein whose real name is Mircalla. She was the victim of a vampire in her life & thus turned into one herself, endangering all who lived in the area. She speaks very little of herself to Laura who she grows emotionally attached to & the eager young girl Laura can simply only gain a few hints from Carmilla:
‘What she did tell me amounted, in my unconscionable estimation—to nothing.
It was all summed up in three very vague disclosures:
First—her name was Carmilla.
Second—her family was very ancient and noble.
Third—her home lay in the direction of the west.
She would not tell me the name of her family, nor their armorial bearings, nor the name of their estate, nor even that of the country they lived in.’
However towards the end of the text, we realize who Carmilla really is but it simply adds to the horror & mystery behind this strange woman created by Le Fanu. Indeed, the less we know of Carmilla, the more she seems to grow upon the mind of the reader.
Taking a cue from Le Fanu’s Irish descent, we can also suppose that Carmilla was some sort of a banshee (a female spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld) who not only heralded the death but also was the cause of the death of the members of her family as well as of the people she associated with. Le Fanu however took one step further & turned Carmilla into a horrid but graceful killer.
Being written during the Victorian age, it is obvious to the reader that the author has tried to curb the extent to which he describes Carmilla’s sensuality. However, all readers are well aware that vampires are definitely sensual creatures & seduce their victims to perfection. In this short story, there are many hidden undertones of Lesbian love which if brought out in the open would have greatly shocked the reader of its day. The author has taken precautions to dilute his vampire’s seductive nature to a great degree yet in some cases, the obvious train of thought that is wished to be produced by the author is quite visible:
‘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 ardour 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 travelled 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 has thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling.’
Carmilla shows great affection towards the young & vulnerable Laura who finds her new friend’s embraces & kisses rather disturbing. Laura is at once appalled & disgusted by Carmilla’s advances but at the same time, also feels the same sort of ecstasy that her companion feels. Le Fanu brings also to the focus the great fear on the part of many people of his day & age about homosexual relationships. Carmilla seems however only to plague female victims. She kills many in a few days’ time, but serenades the ones who she falls in love with like Laura:
‘In these mysterious moods I did not like her. I experienced a strange tumultuous excitement that was pleasurable, ever and anon, mingled with a vague sense of fear and disgust.’
Although Laura tries to make some sense out her friend’s passionate actions, she ultimately is drained of most of her blood by Carmilla in the form of a giant black cat during the night. It is only with timely action by certain individuals in the story like General Spielsdorf, Laura’s father & Baron Vordenburg that Laura is saved from a fate worse than death.
Although Carmilla’s remains are burned & thrown into the waters of a nearby flowing river, Laura even nine to ten years after her last meeting with Carmilla seems to still be haunted by her. This psychological aspect to the narrative adds a vague tinge of terror towards the end of the text.
For an ardent reader of the Gothic horror literature, Le Fanu’s story immediately brings to mind a lot of scenes & incidences from the classic horror novel ‘Dracula’. Many themes & ideas from ‘Carmilla’ seem to have influenced the writer of ‘Dracula’. For instance both works are set in first person intending the reader to come to a logical conclusion about events that follow in both narratives. In both the stories the main vampire is able to either transform into a gigantic hound (Dracula) or a gigantic black cat (Carmilla). Both stories end in the ultimate defeat of the vampire by persons who delve into folklore like Van Helsing (Dracula) & Baron Vordenburg (Carmilla). There are other many such instances to prove that the author of ‘Dracula’ was definitely influenced by Le Fanu’s work.
Rapt in bold intense love scenes, Carmilla the female vampire seems to surpass her successors in evil & even in pathos. One simply at times finds Carmilla to be but a pathetic piece of fine feminine grace who is more a victim than her own blood drained young victims. Her sleep walking at nights & languid disposition adds to our thinking that Carmilla is but a sad woman in need of love.

[laurochka-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A concise gothic horror. Interesting to have a female character as the villain. Enjoyable.

[aront-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Read" this by listening to B.J. Harrison's rendition on the Classic Tales Podcast - which I highly recommend. This is my first exposure to Le Fanu and I was impressed. I was surprised at his frank exploration of the lesbian themes, and at least until the end I felt he was using vampirism as a way to explore the psychological and social aspects of sexual "perversion" as it was seen in his time and culture. However the ending was a huge let down. It was as if a different author took over. The rich, dark and moody story morphed into a silly docudrama on vampires. I was waiting for one last dramatic confrontation with Carmilla but instead got a moralistic monotonic reporting of events which disengaged me from the story and its protagonists. Knowing how to end a good story is what differentiates the masters from the merely good. Le Fanu falls into the latter category, at least based on this. But it does inspire me to read Uncle Silas and to watch all the camp versions of Carmilla on film.

[mmoj_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author of this story is an unnamed woman, a young lady at the time she writes the narrative who lives a relatively isolated life with her father. This father and daughter receive a charming pair of visitors, a mother and daughter. The mother must leave on urgent business but her daughter has been quite ill and the mother fears for her daughter's life so she makes an unusual request to the father who is a stranger to her - she asks if he will take her daughter and she will return in about a month's time. Surprisingly the father says yes mostly because his daughter is so taken with the girl. This book is considered a gothic novel and was ahead if it's time for talking about female vampires.

Considering how old this story is the language flowed smoothly and making it easy to get into the story. It's hard to believe in these modern times that this gothic story was considered scary or scandalous. Enjoyable, quick read.

[madam_razz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I very much enjoyed this book. I read it in eBook form, but I think I might buy a print version just to have on my shelf. The book was first published in the 1800's and it shows in the writing style, but not so much as to be difficult to read or understand. I found it an easy, fast, entertaining and enthralling read from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it. I also absolutely loved the ending, which reminded me of the first few pages and had me really thinking even after I finished it. Definitely glad that my friend recommended me this book and I would absolutely recommend it to others.

[birdo82 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A rare Victorian read that is short, crisp, and genuinely creepy.