Reviews

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

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heddas_bookgems's review against another edition

4.0

“For some nights I slept profoundly; but still every morning I felt the same lassitude, and a languor weighed upon me all day. I felt myself a changed girl. A strange melancholy was stealing over me, a melancholy that I would not have interrupted. Dim thoughts of death began to open, and an idea that I was slowly sinking took gentle, and, somehow, not unwelcome possession of me.”

When Laura is young she has a very vivid nightmare about a woman that clung to her chest and bit her. When she and her father, some time later, witnesses an accident with a carriage from their window, they come to the rescue. They decide to take in the daughter, Carmilla, to come back to strength. But then Carmilla begins to behave strangely and inflammable.

Carmilla, a gothic novella about the upir, better known under the name vampires, that predates the most known novel about vampires, Dracula. It’s been said that Bram Stoker was inspired by this novel by the Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu that was published between 1871-72. And this is without a doubt recognizable.
Beginning of this year, in my vampire month, I read Dracula for the first time. Although I enjoyed reading this classic, it was kind of sexist and drawn out. This short novella by Le Fanu is ten times smaller but also ten times more enjoyable. It’s revolutionary for it’s time period as it’s about sapphic love and suppressed sexual desire. While all the time it’s covered in a warm blanket of philosophical melancholy prose. I really enjoyed this book and would consider this the real founder of vampire fiction from now on.

fyodorholmez's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The book deffinitly wasnt unreadabe, the issue I had was having high hopes for it. The book was extremely plain and dull, it was nothing I expected from a vampire tale that was known and loved. The cast of characters were the only reason for me to like the book. Instead of a romantic vampire tale what I read felt like listening to a story being told by someone who lacks knowlage about vampire and gothic tales. It clearly lacked romantism and horror that is commonly awaited from stories and didnt feel like a literature piece. The potrayals were pretty much plain too. Nothing about The book was "intense" it was just a basic vampire tale anyone can read anywhere.

cmleo91's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

teriodvarkova88's review against another edition

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dark mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

j_spaceshuttle's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

yuricloud's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I enjoyed to read about the first novel bringing vampires into the vastness of books.

Quote:

But dreams come through stone walls, light up dark rooms, or darken light ones, and their persons make their exist and their entrance as they please, and laugh at locksmiths.

It was not such a change as grief alone usually induces , and angrier passions seemed to have their share in bringing it about.

Content Warnings