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A review by oofym
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
mysterious
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
4.0
Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this; considering I went into it just wanting a quick short read to pass the time, I ended up not wanting it to end. The pacing is pretty perfect for an 80-page novella, the characters play their parts well, and the setting plus atmosphere makes for a spooky fun read.
I genuinely have no clue however as to how this is regarded as an LGBT+ story??? The "Lesbian icon" (as others have put it), is a centuries old monster spawned by the pits of hell which spends its time murdering young women. Yeah, I think Fanu (The son of a clergyman mind you) was simply combining the myth of the vampire with some succubus adjacent themes to create an interesting story, I don't think his goal was gay representation in the 1870's. I'm not sure why readers are obsessed with reading very old books through an incredibly modern Lense, all you end up with is anachronistic readings of the text.
I genuinely have no clue however as to how this is regarded as an LGBT+ story??? The "Lesbian icon" (as others have put it), is a centuries old monster spawned by the pits of hell which spends its time murdering young women. Yeah, I think Fanu (The son of a clergyman mind you) was simply combining the myth of the vampire with some succubus adjacent themes to create an interesting story, I don't think his goal was gay representation in the 1870's. I'm not sure why readers are obsessed with reading very old books through an incredibly modern Lense, all you end up with is anachronistic readings of the text.