Carmilla
Carmilla is an 1871 sapphic fiction and queer fantasy novella by Sheridan Le Fanu. It takes readers to Gratz and Styria in the 19th century. Characters include Carmilla. Key subjects include lesbians, vampires, Austria and Ireland.
Open Library readers give it an average of 3.9 out of 5 from 66 ratings, and 626 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 571 editions across 6 languages. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 15,403 times in the last 30 days.
It runs to roughly 90 pages — about an hour and a half of reading at an average pace. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free on Project Gutenberg or listen to the 4 h 38 min LibriVox audiobook.
About Carmilla
First published as a serial in The Dark Blue (1871–72), *Carmilla* is narrated by a young woman preyed upon by a female vampire named Carmilla, later revealed to be Mircalla, Countess Karnstein (Carmilla is an anagram of Mircalla). The character is a prototypical example of the lesbian vampire, expressing romantic desires toward the protagonist. The novella notably never acknowledges homosexuality as an antagonistic trait, leaving it subtle and morally ambiguous. The story is often anthologised, and has been adapted many times in film and other media.
Free audiobook
Carmilla — LibriVox recording, 4 h 38 min in 17 sections.
Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.
Quick answers
Who wrote Carmilla?
Carmilla was written by Sheridan Le Fanu and first published in 1871.
What genre is Carmilla?
It is usually shelved as Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction, Queer Fantasy, Gothic Fiction and Vampire Fiction.
How long is Carmilla?
The median edition has 90 pages, about about an hour and a half of reading at 250 words per minute.
Is Carmilla free to read?
Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.
Is there a free audiobook of Carmilla?
Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 4 h 38 min.
What books are similar to Carmilla?
Readers who like it often enjoy Hungerstone, An Education in Malice and A Dowry of Blood.
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