Reviews with content warning for Blood - Carmilla - Audible Performance

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Carmilla - Audible Performance by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

299 reviews

nenaveenstra's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Finally, I read Carmilla! A legendary book among all lovers of gothic horror & women. I knew it would be sapphic - it even says so on the cover - but I didn't expect it to be so explicitly so! This was a pleasant surprise.

I really wonder how this story fared in its own time, because to me it was pretty obvious how the story would end - I wonder if people in the 19th century were horrified and surprised.

It is said that this was the inspiration for Dracula, and I can totally see it. It kind of has the same structure, on top of the whole, you know, vampire thing. It was good!

It was a bit slow to get through, though, but considering how short it is, that can be overcome.

Content Warnings

lawphenix's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

qveerinthenight's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Twisting and crawling through the recess of the mind, Carmilla proves it’s stance in horror fiction even in 2025. A truly gothic tale in its existence that expands through dark crevices of the brain, the words latching on to neurons and sucking the attention span for anything else, transporting the reader into a spell binding masquerade ball, as parasitic as the creatures it tells its tale of.

This was a constant page turner and I had to physically force myself to leave the book in my living room so that I could sleep through the night and finish this in the morning as opposed to staying up all night to finish reading. It’s short prose are stylish, leading the reader throw a fast paced waltz through the castle as described, eyes hungry and devouring for the next paragraph. The sensuality of the book stands out, innate and simply there, but impossible to overlook and miss, however, contrasts with the slow menacing arching marching as the book slowly turns and turns.

A masterpiece in gothic horror, and deserves as much praise as media such as Dracula, the Bloodthirsty movie collection and more. Simply a feast for the brain, a beautiful page turner that enthralls and chills with the same words.

Content Warnings

lucindanicole's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious fast-paced

Diverse cast of characters: No

Content Warnings

jackiepreston's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional 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

mxine_'s review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious relaxing sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

just did 20 lines of vampire yuri cocaine

Content Warnings

lucywestenra's review against another edition

1.0

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Very interesting…besides the fact that I did not enjoy this novella very much. I gave it one star because I didn’t enjoy it not because I think it’s a bad novella. Now I truly understand the reason people associate the vampire with lesbianism. Yes I put homophobia in the trigger warnings because of this…it’s triggering as hell. This was downright cruel if we are to assume that this is how the author felt about lesbians. I can say whatever I want about this author because he has been dead as a door nail for a loooong time and he’ll never know. I think he’s a lil b!tch. I prefer Bram Stoker, all day every day. I was hoping I would enjoy this but it just fell so flat— not simply for the ‘symbolic upset’ but for the storytelling and language being very unimpressive. I’ll never see the word “languid” and not think of this novella though. Here’s a few notes I wrote while reading it: -WHY ARE WE DEMONIZING SUICIDE (literally DEMONIZING HAHAHA)-THE IRISHMEN AND THEIR VAMPIRE HIJINKS???? -NOT FEELING AS MUCH DREAD OR WONDER AS I FELT WHILE READING DRACULA -FAV SCENE IS BLOOD IS DESCRIBED AS BEING ON CARMILLA FROM HER CHIN TO HER TOE (chapter 13, i think?) -VERY QUOTABLE BUT VERY ONE DIMENSIONAL-“I HAVE NEVER HAD A FRIEND, SHALL I HAVE ONE NOW?” AW!! -(chapter 3,I think)

Content Warnings