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A review by directorpurry
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
5.0
Camilla is a novel that predates Dracula by over 25 years, about a lesbian vampire. Or, at least a queer vampire, who preys primarily on women. (I don't count my review as spoilers because this book is over 100 yrs old but, uh, this is your warning I guess?)
I LOVE this book. I listened to it on a not-so-great audio book, but who can argue with the price of free?? And I still loved it.
It's very short, but in the rambling style of gothic/dark romanticism it certainly could have been shorter. (Or could have been comfortably longer with a more solidified plot if it had been written 20 years later.)
I'm not going to get too deep into the antagonistic symbolism of queerness from the time period, but suffice to say that while, at the time, Carmilla would have been seen as terrible and villainous, read now, it's kind of lovely to see an open depiction of queerness in this style of literature and without the necessity of the deep defamation of characters. (Oh god can you tell I need to go back to college?!? I want to turn this into an essay!!!)
Anyway, what I mean to say is that Camilla is gay and I love her. She's friendly and pretty and anti-christian in an endearing way now that would have shocked contemporary readers. And Laura, our protagonist, isn't exactly so straight herself. She never seemed to be upset by Carmilla's advances and clearly cared quite a bit for her, despite the ending. And I mean, you can't blame her for the ending? Who wouldn't be upset if you found out the girl you had a crush on was secretly a vampire stealing your life force. (Wait hold on. It's me. I wouldn't be upset about the vampire part.) Laura is 100% bi and no one can tell me otherwise.
So this novella is really a study in symbolism. What was terrible at the time period (lesbian vampires) is literally cheered from the rooftops now (LESBIAN VAMPIRES!). So remember, if some woman drops her daughter off at your house and says she has to run on a very important task and won't return for three months and also please don't ask her daughter any questions, don't worry she's not insane or anything she's perfectly healthy, you should sit down with said daughter and have a frank talk about consent.
I LOVE this book. I listened to it on a not-so-great audio book, but who can argue with the price of free?? And I still loved it.
It's very short, but in the rambling style of gothic/dark romanticism it certainly could have been shorter. (Or could have been comfortably longer with a more solidified plot if it had been written 20 years later.)
I'm not going to get too deep into the antagonistic symbolism of queerness from the time period, but suffice to say that while, at the time, Carmilla would have been seen as terrible and villainous, read now, it's kind of lovely to see an open depiction of queerness in this style of literature and without the necessity of the deep defamation of characters. (Oh god can you tell I need to go back to college?!? I want to turn this into an essay!!!)
Anyway, what I mean to say is that Camilla is gay and I love her. She's friendly and pretty and anti-christian in an endearing way now that would have shocked contemporary readers. And Laura, our protagonist, isn't exactly so straight herself. She never seemed to be upset by Carmilla's advances and clearly cared quite a bit for her, despite the ending. And I mean, you can't blame her for the ending? Who wouldn't be upset if you found out the girl you had a crush on was secretly a vampire stealing your life force. (Wait hold on. It's me. I wouldn't be upset about the vampire part.) Laura is 100% bi and no one can tell me otherwise.
So this novella is really a study in symbolism. What was terrible at the time period (lesbian vampires) is literally cheered from the rooftops now (LESBIAN VAMPIRES!). So remember, if some woman drops her daughter off at your house and says she has to run on a very important task and won't return for three months and also please don't ask her daughter any questions, don't worry she's not insane or anything she's perfectly healthy, you should sit down with said daughter and have a frank talk about consent.