A review by lovelymisanthrope
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

I had found out that this book inspired the classic "Dracula", and days later I found a beautiful hardback edition in a local indie bookshop, so I knew it was fate! I read "Dracula" last October as part of my spooky season reading, so I saved "Carmilla" for this year. I thought "Dracula" was fine, but it was really long and very dense to get through. 
"Carmilla" follows a teenage girl named Laura. She lives alone and isolated in a castle with her father. Their quiet life is disrupted when a young girl named Carmilla enters their lives and Laura's father decides to take her in. Strange things begin to happen, and everyone begins to question who Carmilla truly is. 
I enjoyed this story ten times more than "Dracula". The writing is gothic and beautiful, but it is not super dense to get through. The story itself does not drag on and I think it is the perfect novella length. I loved Laura and Carmilla as characters and their beautiful friendship and budding romance was so wholesome to read about. 
If you are looking for an approachable classic to get you into the vampire and Halloween spirit, I highly recommend this novella.
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