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calimie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A classic Gothic horror with all its best elements: an isolated castle, an endangered young woman, an incomprehensible horror. The mystery of Carmilla is by far the best part of the book: how alluring she is and how atracted to Laura she becomes, and Laura to her.
Quite short, I recommend it to anyone interested in classic horror.
Quite short, I recommend it to anyone interested in classic horror.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Abandonment
Minor: Death and Death of parent
melancholymegs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Racism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
torismazarine's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
danajoy's review against another edition
4.5
I didn't expect to find this book accessible but I really did.
It was fun and atmospheric. It felt very sapphic and characters weren't punished for it. Even though one was a vampiric monster that was the problem, not that she's a girl but that she's feeding.
There are some slurs and ablist statement that are uncomfortable, especially for a modern reader but overall this story was a fantastic piece of short literature filled with fantastic spooky atmosphere and heavy wlw tones.
It was fun and atmospheric. It felt very sapphic and characters weren't punished for it. Even though one was a vampiric monster that was the problem, not that she's a girl but that she's feeding.
There are some slurs and ablist statement that are uncomfortable, especially for a modern reader but overall this story was a fantastic piece of short literature filled with fantastic spooky atmosphere and heavy wlw tones.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Blood, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
filipa_maia's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
How come I had never heard of this book before?
I have this book for so long in my shelves and never looked at it twice... how? I know why... is this horrible cover, this cover is ugly. Anyway, I really loved this book. Who would thought that the predecessor of Dracula was a lady vampire...
This is a very short book with a great story in it. Very raw, very cruel, very tough. The way Carmilla manipulates people around her is very creepy and, at the same time, appealing. There is this constant sexual innuendo between the two (aparent) little girls that for todays standarts would be completly canceled. And there's also this thing with Carmilla choosing little girls... Maybe because they are virgins? Probably is from here that the myth around virgins and pure blood emerged... who knows? Maybe was just the author trying (and succeeding) to scandalize society back then.
The point it that this is a awesome book that every horror/vampire lovers should know about.
I have this book for so long in my shelves and never looked at it twice... how? I know why... is this horrible cover, this cover is ugly. Anyway, I really loved this book. Who would thought that the predecessor of Dracula was a lady vampire...
This is a very short book with a great story in it. Very raw, very cruel, very tough. The way Carmilla manipulates people around her is very creepy and, at the same time, appealing. There is this constant sexual innuendo between the two (aparent) little girls that for todays standarts would be completly canceled. And there's also this thing with Carmilla choosing little girls... Maybe because they are virgins? Probably is from here that the myth around virgins and pure blood emerged... who knows? Maybe was just the author trying (and succeeding) to scandalize society back then.
The point it that this is a awesome book that every horror/vampire lovers should know about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual harassment
maeverose's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
I guess I’m eating my words about not liking the writing style of classics, huh?
I loved the writing style of this book. It was atmospheric and gothic, I loved the setting of the castle and the grassy hills and the ruins of the old town. I just pictured fog over everything anytime they were outside. Now I just wanna have a picnic at old castle ruins in the fog with a pretty vampire. (Sadly that doesn’t happen in this book but it could’ve). This might be my favorite classic I’ve read so far… it’s at least tied with Dracula, but I think it tops it. It actually got pretty creepy at times.
Was also a little surprised how explicitly sapphic it was, given when it was written. I was expecting it to just be homoerotic in the way that classics sometimes are, or overtly homophobic. I think it’s safe to assume that the combination of sapphic elements and vampirism was very intentional.. automatically villainizing lesbianism by portraying it as a ‘virus’ that you can ‘catch’, something that’s evil and scary… But reading it it isn’t actually explicitly homophobic. It’s all subtext. It could easily be read through a more modern lens, removing that subtext.
I loved the writing style of this book. It was atmospheric and gothic, I loved the setting of the castle and the grassy hills and the ruins of the old town. I just pictured fog over everything anytime they were outside. Now I just wanna have a picnic at old castle ruins in the fog with a pretty vampire. (Sadly that doesn’t happen in this book but it could’ve). This might be my favorite classic I’ve read so far… it’s at least tied with Dracula, but I think it tops it. It actually got pretty creepy at times.
Was also a little surprised how explicitly sapphic it was, given when it was written. I was expecting it to just be homoerotic in the way that classics sometimes are, or overtly homophobic. I think it’s safe to assume that the combination of sapphic elements and vampirism was very intentional.. automatically villainizing lesbianism by portraying it as a ‘virus’ that you can ‘catch’, something that’s evil and scary… But reading it it isn’t actually explicitly homophobic. It’s all subtext. It could easily be read through a more modern lens, removing that subtext.
My only complaints:
•The racism. It’s only in one or two scenes, but it’s pretty bad in one scene especially.
•How naive Laura was, especially at the very end. She was supposed to be 19, right? How did she not connect the dots after the general’s story??? 😆
•It ended a bit abruptly, I felt.
•And lastly, I just wish we got more pretty atmospheric descriptions of the ruins. I was waiting the whole book for them to go there and when they did we didn’t get much :/ I would’ve liked more atmospheric descriptions in general, but at least we got some.
Overall, I’m really happy I liked this! I was starting to worry that classics just weren’t for me. Hopefully there are still more out there that I’ll love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Death of parent
Religious themes, beheading, cremation, sleep paralysis (not really but the descriptions are similar)honeyvoiced's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Racism and Death of parent
thenerdybookwitch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
This pleasantly surprised me! I was expecting it to treat Carmilla and Laura’s relationship negatively but it’s not at all. Their romantic relationship is not judged by anyone. I can see why so many Lesbian bookworms absolutely adore this book. It is a vampire classic that has set a huge standard especially in the Lesbian vampire genre. It is a very good read and I highly recommend it.
Note: This is a book from 1872 so problematic themes are still going to be present. Especially outdated terms that are Ableist today. It also has such a negative view on Suicide at the end. Just keep that in mind when reading.
Note: This is a book from 1872 so problematic themes are still going to be present. Especially outdated terms that are Ableist today. It also has such a negative view on Suicide at the end. Just keep that in mind when reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Medical content, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Suicide, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Alcohol
cattheteawitchfairy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Lesbian vampires - need I say more?!
Having read and loved Dracula, I’m so glad someone made me aware of this book and then lent me it so I could enjoy! I loved the writing style and the simplicity of the plot.
I found myself understanding why the protagonist was falling for the vampire, the character was so easy to like, which only made her character all the more evil!
An easy, classical read that I devoured in one sitting.
Having read and loved Dracula, I’m so glad someone made me aware of this book and then lent me it so I could enjoy! I loved the writing style and the simplicity of the plot.
I found myself understanding why the protagonist was falling for the vampire, the character was so easy to like, which only made her character all the more evil!
An easy, classical read that I devoured in one sitting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, and Classism
chloebethx_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was everything I expected it to be before reading, a classic tale of the supernatural but with a feminine twist! This book drew me in and I finished it all in one sitting… truly a mesmerising piece of art!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism