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dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Somehow, it took until I read this book for me to realise that my favourite perfume was a reference to this book. (Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs I would sell you my SOUL for Melancholy Fire to become a permanent scent.) That aside, I think for a book with so much racism and all about the horrors of women’s sexuality a 3.5 rating is rather generous.
I enjoyed the characters from as much presence as we got from them. I was super into Carmilla and Laura’s dynamic. I really loved watching them be so taken with each other and how the writing managed to convey the intensity of their passions and affections. I could really buy into them being taken with each other, or at least Laura being taken with Carmilla and Carmilla seeming taken with her. I think that was my favourite part, the ambiguity around the question if Carmilla’s feelings for Laura were true. Personally I believe they were, but given the reveals we get it’s thrown into question. Honestly, I wish that this relationship and Laura’s feelings had been more considered at the end of the book when everything is revealed, because Laura had no reaction. I would have loved to see more of her thoughts and anguish in that moment, her horror, but we got nothing.
I think the issue I noticed most in this book was repetitive writing and echo words. Whenever Carmilla was in a scene it was always mentioning how tiny she was. It came up over and over and over, not only across multiple scenes, but multiple times within those scenes. It also relied very heavily on the world languid to describe Carmilla. It pulled me out of the story and stuck out like a sore thumb.
Unfortunately, the themes are kind of what kill this book for me. While it’s so easy to get swept up in Sapphics and then the later horror of the reveal, at it’s core this book is about the horror of women’s sexuality (and arguably about a Dangerous Sapphic Woman preying on a isolated, pure, young, well-off woman and luring her into danger with her sexuality and affections). You can really see where this book inspired a lot of the inherent sexuality of vampirism and it makes sense that in the modern day that connection has become more appealing and accepted as opposed to a sin. I think this is also why so many people, especially sapphics latch onto this story. Death of the author, this could very easily be a story about Laura exploring her sexuality and that being ripped away from her by men who don’t and won’t understand.
Overall, I really liked this and tbh I would love to see a modern adaptation that isn’t about how women’s sexuality and sapphic/homosexual love is Scary and Evil. I totally get why so many people love this book, I too am now feral for our lovely vampire and her lover.
I enjoyed the characters from as much presence as we got from them. I was super into Carmilla and Laura’s dynamic. I really loved watching them be so taken with each other and how the writing managed to convey the intensity of their passions and affections. I could really buy into them being taken with each other, or at least Laura being taken with Carmilla and Carmilla seeming taken with her. I think that was my favourite part, the ambiguity around the question if Carmilla’s feelings for Laura were true. Personally I believe they were, but given the reveals we get it’s thrown into question. Honestly, I wish that this relationship and Laura’s feelings had been more considered at the end of the book when everything is revealed, because Laura had no reaction. I would have loved to see more of her thoughts and anguish in that moment, her horror, but we got nothing.
I think the issue I noticed most in this book was repetitive writing and echo words. Whenever Carmilla was in a scene it was always mentioning how tiny she was. It came up over and over and over, not only across multiple scenes, but multiple times within those scenes. It also relied very heavily on the world languid to describe Carmilla. It pulled me out of the story and stuck out like a sore thumb.
Unfortunately, the themes are kind of what kill this book for me. While it’s so easy to get swept up in Sapphics and then the later horror of the reveal, at it’s core this book is about the horror of women’s sexuality (and arguably about a Dangerous Sapphic Woman preying on a isolated, pure, young, well-off woman and luring her into danger with her sexuality and affections). You can really see where this book inspired a lot of the inherent sexuality of vampirism and it makes sense that in the modern day that connection has become more appealing and accepted as opposed to a sin. I think this is also why so many people, especially sapphics latch onto this story. Death of the author, this could very easily be a story about Laura exploring her sexuality and that being ripped away from her by men who don’t and won’t understand.
Overall, I really liked this and tbh I would love to see a modern adaptation that isn’t about how women’s sexuality and sapphic/homosexual love is Scary and Evil. I totally get why so many people love this book, I too am now feral for our lovely vampire and her lover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Blood
Moderate: Racism, Murder
Minor: Death
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Toxic friendship
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood
Minor: Suicide
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was just really fun to read and I enjoyed it. A unique telling of vampires in a period setting
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship
emotional
mysterious
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:
No
I absolutely adore this book and have also listened to the audio edition, its so beautifully written and I can't help but have Carmilla up there as one of my favourite vampires.
I understand that there's ambiguity to evoke questions from the reader but I would have loved some definitive answers to questions that come up when reading. I've searched online and interpretations seem to differ from person to person. I'd have also loved to gain more insight into Carmilla's motives and some characters that are mentioned once and never again.
Overall, an amazing book, I only wish it was longer to add even more to the story and characters within it.
I understand that there's ambiguity to evoke questions from the reader but I would have loved some definitive answers to questions that come up when reading. I've searched online and interpretations seem to differ from person to person. I'd have also loved to gain more insight into Carmilla's motives and some characters that are mentioned once and never again.
Overall, an amazing book, I only wish it was longer to add even more to the story and characters within it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Racism, Murder
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Homophobia, Violence, Blood
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death
Minor: Blood
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Classism