Carmilla

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

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! ❤️

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

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.

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

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.

Wow, how did I never read this story before? I was surprised by how sophisticated and intoxicating it was, despite being one of the first vampire stories. Although, I have to say it seems that vampires must have been fairly well-known even before the publication of this story, as the author seems to assume among his readership a fair degree of familiarity with the concept.

Before I even read Stoker’s “Dracula”, I read the introduction that came in my version. In it there were references to a lot of books Stoker took inspiration from when making his own vampire novel (which wasn’t all that original, after all). Reading through the descriptions, I knew before I even started Dracula that I wanted to read these books, as well! One of those books mentioned—in fact the only one I have gotten around to reading—was “Carmilla”. It starts off when a girl and her father find themselves with an unexpected, mysterious guest at their home—named Carmilla. Carmilla and the girl become friends, but eventually it becomes known by Carmilla’s strangeness that she is, in fact, a vampire. And, of course, what can you do with vampires but seek to kill them?To sum up the novel, I guess you could say it’s kind of like Stoker’s Dracula, only shorter and more to the point, while still retaining most, if not all of, the suspense and mystery. The novel has been described as a “lesbian vampire novel” because both vampire and potential victim are female, but the characters only seemed to slightly lean towards being “lesbian”, at best (and all in my opinion, of course).I don’t think there was anything I disliked about the novel; the atmosphere, the writing, etc, was everything I had expected it to be!

Great short story detailing the beginnings of vampires.

I listened to this story as an audiobook, narrated by Megan Follows, so my review is based on that version.This vampire tale was originally published in 1872. I always try to give a bit of leeway when I am reading or listening to something that is written over 100 years ago. The Victorian wording and the swooning always amuse me and this story had that and lots of other interesting things going on. I think it was probably quite shocking for its day.While listening to this story, you know something is up with the Carmilla as she comes to like (love, adore, desire) the lady of the house, 19 year old Laura. Laura is oblivious to Carmilla’s desire to be more than just a friend. Living a rather isolated life and having never had the attentions of a male suitor, Laura doesn’t realize that Carmilla is trying to seduce her. All of Carmilla’s strangeness is just accepted because young ladies have strange thoughts and secret ways and you dodn’t pry any further because that would be rude.Even though I am one to dread classics and literature like I would dread the burning of a chocolate forest, I liked this little story. It came before all the big named vampire stories and should be listened to by anyone who loves to glimpse into the past, find out what is in old creeky coffins, and delve into the ancient vampire ways.The Narration ReviewThis book was narrated by Megan Follows and she was able to produce a nice sounding Victorian voice. She read the story like she was reading her diary. The story was supposed to be the memoir of Laura, so maybe that is why she read it the way she did. The reading seemed emotionally flat and kind of like a closet reading. She was very clear and enunciated well. There was some very interesting wording used in the story and Megan handled it like a trooper.** Note **I received this audiobook free from the nice folks over at AudioGo as a Halloween Treat! There was no exchange of chocolate of any kind (even though it was Halloween) for the audiobook. Thanks!

laura cannot believe that her strange night visitor is her friend Carmilla. but why is she so repelled? is there a horror concealed behind Carmilla's charming appearence? eceuile?