Carmilla/YMMV


  • Alternative Character Interpretation: Carmilla - decadent, parasitic serial killer ... or epitome of female empowerment and independence in a male-dominated society?
  • Common Knowledge: Despite the fact it would not be even possible to commercially publish this book in 1872 with explicit lesbian context, if that was the intent at all, you can't go a full paragraph on descriptions of this novel in newspapers, television and other kinds of media without people describing a female vampire who is only seen drinking blood of other women as lesbian.
  • Draco in Leather Pants: Carmila is undoubtedly a murderous monster, but just because maybe she is a lesbian there is a huge amount of fans of the book eager to defend her.
  • Evil Is Sexy: Essential to the genre.
  • High Octane Nightmare Fuel: The horror is usually kept at a pretty subtle level and Le Fanu relies more on building tension than on moments of outright shock, but there are some genuine "don't read this when you're alone at night" moments, most of them involving Carmilla's visits to Laura's room at night. -- Also, the perfidy, brashness and manipulative skill with which the vampires gain the trust of their unsuspecting victims instills not a little horror.
  • It Was His Sled: Pop-cultural osmosis is the reason that most readers know The Reveal already when they start reading Carmilla.
  • Overshadowed by Controversy: Discussions about the supposed lesbianism of this novel stop any other kind of discussion.
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