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Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu - Printable Version

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Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu - Elias Grimstone - June 28, 2018

Carmilla

IT'S THE VAMPIRE RENAISSANCE Y'ALL.

From goodreads:

A classic Victorian vampire novella, which influenced Bram Stoker's later treatment of the vampire mythos in Dracula.

Yah, goodreads doesn't have a lot to say. That and "LESBIANS???" was all I kinda knew before reading it.
A bit more, from wikipedia:
Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Irish author, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) by 26 years. First published as a serial in The Dark Blue (1871–72), the story is narrated by a young woman preyed upon by a female vampire named Carmilla [...]

Laura, the teenage protagonist, narrates, beginning with her childhood in a "picturesque and solitary" castle amid an extensive forest in Styria, where she lives with her father, a wealthy English widower retired from service to the Austrian Empire. When she was six, Laura had a vision of a beautiful visitor in her bedchamber. She later claims to have been punctured in her breast, although no wound was found.

Twelve years later [...] a carriage accident outside Laura's home unexpectedly brings a girl of Laura's age into the family's care. Her name is Carmilla. Both girls instantly recognize the other from the "dream" they both had when they were young...


It's a very short read, y'all can do it in no time if you haven't already! In the meantime, a couple of (super optional!) discussion questions:
  • If you have read Dracula, or read/watched/consumed any other vampire or gothic literature, how did this compare re: tropes, style, vampire mythology?
  • What did you make of the plot / characterisation / narrative style?

This is a discussion thread for people who have read or are reading the book in question. With that in mind, there are likely to be spoilers throughout. However, in the event of major twists or “how it ends”, please wrap content in spoiler tags.

Code:
[spoiler]Surprise!content here[/spoiler]



RE: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu - Cassius Lestrange - July 7, 2018

Hi I don't even go here (haven't read it, prolly not doing the classics challenge) but y'all should watch the Carmilla webseries for some modern AU lesbian vampire shenaniganery.

Or at least the first season, I never watched the second season.

k thx bye

RE: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu - Elladora Black - July 7, 2018

This book <3

Firstly I'm going to be That Guy and link this article I wrote years ago partly about this book but primarily about the film that was based on it. Feel free to ignore :P

Secondly, as the above suggests, I am so in love with this book I can't even. More thoughts when I re-read.

RE: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu - Elias Grimstone - July 7, 2018

Ohh I have been meaning to watch that webseries for eons! >D

And I will share my thoughts proper at some unspecified time in the future, buuuuut, my fave line in it, because I love when a bit of imagery or a neat phrase sticks in my head:

Thus fortifed I might take my rest in peace. 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.

dreams laugh at locksmiths gaaaaaah I love it