A review by fromthesummerof17
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Frankly… A phrase to summarise this book is: Holy fucking shit. My eyes were wide at the end as the tale unfolded to a conclusion and I am left unsettled, set on edge, by the words I have just read. 

At 62p the book is not a long one, but it certainly took me two days to finish it. The writing style is eloquent and beautiful, as older books that could be classics tend to be. At some points the long sentences are overwhelming but the plot was surprising. A mystery, certainly. From the beginning pages the narrator, who narrates her story to a doctor who is studying the subject of that story, makes it clear that the incident spoken about has unsettled and haunted her through her years. It begins with a mysterious but beautiful guest that arrived to her in a mysterious way. Her name is Carmilla. I do not regret reading this book in the slightest and am pleased to add it to my shelves. I will be thinking about it often.

And there is, of course, sapphic undertones. I am left wanting more goddamnit! If there were an anthology of these tales, about Carmilla and our narrator, I would gladly read them.