A review by livlamentloathe
Carmilla: The First Vampire, by Amy Chu

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

4.0

I enjoyed Carmilla more because of the beautiful art than for the story. This book was luxuriously drawn and colored. I loved the imagery and the lore. Violet was a glowing beacon throughout.

The writing, however, wasn’t amazing. There wasn’t much emotion to the book. I didn’t feel anything from Athena. She seemed to be on rote for the whole book—moving from client to client, researching the case then Carmilla, lapping up Violet’s attention. And a lot of the plot threads were overly complicated. I liked Mai Tai and her scenes, and was disappointed in her lackluster death. It felt like the book lacked a beating heart—but maybe that was purposeful. I mean, a vampire’s heart does not beat. 

I am curious about where it’s going and I’ll continue it. I hope that with the next story will come more complex emotions and a better connection to Athena. She can be more than she is, I know it.
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