Reviews

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

weronikab's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

oat_snail's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

kind of mid, I expected more crom my lesbian vampire

poetica's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

fromthesummerof17's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Frankly… A phrase to summarise this book is: Holy fucking shit. My eyes were wide at the end as the tale unfolded to a conclusion and I am left unsettled, set on edge, by the words I have just read. 

At 62p the book is not a long one, but it certainly took me two days to finish it. The writing style is eloquent and beautiful, as older books that could be classics tend to be. At some points the long sentences are overwhelming but the plot was surprising. A mystery, certainly. From the beginning pages the narrator, who narrates her story to a doctor who is studying the subject of that story, makes it clear that the incident spoken about has unsettled and haunted her through her years. It begins with a mysterious but beautiful guest that arrived to her in a mysterious way. Her name is Carmilla. I do not regret reading this book in the slightest and am pleased to add it to my shelves. I will be thinking about it often.

And there is, of course, sapphic undertones. I am left wanting more goddamnit! If there were an anthology of these tales, about Carmilla and our narrator, I would gladly read them. 

cait22's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

sarahbass's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

didn’t really enjoy the writing style or care much for the story

yogurtwater's review against another edition

Go to review page

Not me highlighting every instance of affection between the two women like some lovestruck gay disaster.

samanthatice's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

3.75

winlei's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

3.0

Slow, and reads sometimes almost like a textbook instead of a captivating story, but you can see how it started the vampire craze because the ideas here are so unique. 

runefiction's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings