This 1872 novella by Sheridan Le Fanu was ground-breaking in several ways. It is not only one of the first examples of vampire fiction (pre-dating Bran Stoker’s Dracula by 25 years), but also the first to infer a lesbian element to vampiric attraction. This vampire seems to have a taste for blue blood. Peasant victims die quickly, but two young aristocratic women enjoy her seductive company longer. Could Carmilla have something else in mind for these two, such as spending eternity together? Themes: patriarchy, social class, female sexuality, life and death, the supernatural.
A notable feature of the story is that there is very little of the violence that comes with modern vampire stories. The “horror” is created through the Gothic atmosphere, a growing sense of mystery, and descriptions of the shared dreams and turbulent emotions of Carmilla and her prey.