A review by zabeishumanish
Carmilla: A Vampyre Tale by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.5

I am unsure why this book became such a classic. There are fun elements, big ~weird girl~ vibes in a lesbian vampire tale. While I typically love weird girl vampire shit, this reads like a straight man’s gothic style fantasy of those elements. And the pious narrator’s rejection of and disgust towards all of Carmilla’s advances feels icky with a modern lens. If I had read this when it was written I probably would have loved it, and I can absolutely see how this may have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. My modern sensibilities and socially conscious mind however would not allow me to enjoy this book as intended. The deeply unnecessary racism towards Carmilla’s servants was especially gross to read. The story does contain elements of thrill that would like be incredibly engaging in its original newspaper serial form, but as a book I found it underwhelming.