Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

11 reviews

riverofhorton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.75

I loved 95% of this book, and will be coming back to it in the future.

One of the things I especially liked was that the lesbian relationship was incredibly obvious, but none of the characters seemed to have much a problem with it, despite the cultural attitudes of the time this book was published.

I only wish it were longer and gave more detail on the time they spent together, though I do understand this is intended to be read as a letter to the reader.

The only bit I don't like is the implications around the "vision" that starts the book.

Laura, the narrator, is 6 at the time this vision happens, which involves the (by that point) 150+ year old Carmilla being very intimate with her. Carmilla does later say that for her side of the vision, she saw Laura as an 18 year old not a 6 year old, but it still weirded me out to think about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Murder, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Suicide, Cannibalism, Child death, Grief, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault

chanlo1994's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

This book is interesting, considering the time period it was written in. Carmilla is a must read for someone who is looking to understand the history of modern vampire lore. I also like THIS edition because the author adds an informative preface regarding the inspiration for Carmilla. She makes it an easy read for us modern folk.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Gaslighting

dellydoos's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Predating the infamous Dracula and his tale, Carmilla may not be widely recognized, yet its value and significance still should demand your attention. This was a great little novel. Lesbian vampires, set in a historical Germanic/French setting, hello? What a slay. 

The atmospheric narrative, narrated in the first person, drew me into the world of Laura and Carmilla, establishing a captivating dynamic. This book was the embodiment of the old gothic horror, black forests, abandoned churches, remote mansions, it was all so perfectly eerie. 
The unfolding tale masterfully explored the complexities of desire and danger, woven into the fabric of a bygone era. The historical backdrop added an extra layer of intrigue, giving life to the haunting setting. 

However, the brevity of the novella, clocking in at a swift 100 pages, did pose some challenges. The plot unfolded rapidly, occasionally leaving me grappling to fully comprehend the swift and mysterious events. While the sparse yet atmospheric descriptions contributed to the novel's charm, I found myself yearning for more detail to enrich the storytelling. The use of old-timey language, though generally fitting for the setting, at times created a barrier, making it challenging to fully grasp the implied meanings conveyed by the characters.

The setup and interplay between Laura and Carmilla stood out as highlights, but the lack of character development or arcs was noticeable. The narrative remained primarily plot-driven, with the characters serving as instruments to propel the story forward. In the end, Carmilla provided an engaging yet somewhat elusive reading experience, earning it a solid 3/5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault and Stalking

maddramaqueen'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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Suicide

bi_n_large's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, Death, Blood, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

jelliestars's review against another edition

dark fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Medical content, Lesbophobia, and Racism

Minor: Sexual assault, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, and Child death

jojo_'s review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, Ableism, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Lesbophobia, Medical content, Racism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Classism, Incest, and Sexual content

tajosima's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

Loved this! Loved the drama! How dramatic our main character was while being naïve, but not in a way that made her insufferable. She was this way because she was protected by her father and because she was spoiled but also because she was a woman at this time. how everything evolved, the atmosphere around it.. *chefs kiss*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Sexual assault

ingloriousgigi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

This book was so unbelievably gay. I know Fanu was probably wrote it this way as anti-homosexuality morality play but honestly if it wasn't for the last 30 minutes of the book, it very well came off as a romance. But atlas, the ending is tragic but comparing this to Bramstroker's Dracula, I have to say it's better. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Blood

amalyndb's review against another edition

dark

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, and Homophobia

Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

Minor: Racism