REVIEW: Carmilla (Sheridan Le Fanu)

Book: Carmilla

Author: Sheridan Le Fanu

Premise: Deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one night, a horse-drawn carriage arrives, carrying an unexpected guest – Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day.

This is a gothic vampire novel that predates Dracula. It's a short novel but still manages to create that dark atmosphere and provide mystery. The story is told by Laura and so we get vivid details of her sufferings as a result of vampiric attention. I like how the author brings in a passionate, lustful element to the vampire affection - who doesn't love a sprinkle of the sapphic! My only complaint is how short the story was. I'd have happily devoured another 100 or so pages of this.