Great novella, great reading, censored text

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, but with a caveat: the text has been censored. The prologue, reported by "Dr. Hesselius" -- an occult scholar, a kind of proto-psychoanalyst ("Carmilla" lends itself well to a psychoanalytic reading) -- is missing; and an unpleasantly racist passage from chapter 3, a throwaway remark about a hideous companion of the mysterious women (unnecessary for the story, but necessary for an unabridged edition) has been cut.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Carmilla: A Vampyre Tale?

"Your mother warns you to beware of the assassin!" Mothers lurk on the edges of this tale, all of them vampires. Roger Vadim's take on this dream scene in his adaptation "Blood and Roses" is unforgettable (you can find the sequence online).

Which scene was your favorite?

Laura's first, childhood dream: creepy as hell. And of course, every scene where Carmilla is being languorous.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The very end, after the silly "alliance of fathers" (the weakest part of the novella) has done its job: "The following Spring my father took me a tour through Italy..." It is wonderfully ambivalent: "often from a reverie I have started, fancying I heard the light step of Carmilla at the drawing room door."

Any additional comments?

Megan Follows is the perfect reader for this, it's just sad that the text has been altered: minus one star overall for this.

10 people found this helpful

Very Old, Very Dark, Very Good

Ok, So you have to remember, this story was written a long time BEFORE Bram Stoker, ever penned his now famous "Dracula". Which in my humble opinion, makes the tale even more intriguing.

Being in that "Carmilla" A Vampyre Tale" was written many, many, years ago. I found that, just like many stories written that era, used a dialect that says alot, without really being direct. In this tone, we find a faint lesbian undertone. Making the charater, Carmilla, that much more creepy.
If you love vampires, this is a must read.

7 people found this helpful

Kept me listening right to the end.

The story rattles along with all the finesse of a bouncy coach ride through Transylvania. I was a little disappointed by the awkward ending -- a somewhat overblown "TA DA!" moment that was a foregone conclusion ten minutes in, but I suppose it may have something to do with when it was written. Still, not a bad addition to the genre for it's day, and the narrator did a nice job -- and sounded the right age -- which was very important to the tale.

5 people found this helpful

Classic Vampire Story with Good Narration!

If you like classic ghost/horror stories, then Carmilla by J.S. Le Fanu is for you! The story is excellently narrated by Megan Follows, whose voice really brings the characters to life. At around 3 hours, it doesn't take long to get through, but it's well worth the money. Check it out!

2 people found this helpful

The Real Thing!

I simply loved Carmilla, from the moment you begin listening you feel attracted to this story and you need to know how it unravels and then leaves you impressed.
You know the character "Carmilla" has to be something wicked but you can't stop the recording, is addictive and entertaining! A must listen for any vampire story lovers out there!

1 person found this helpful

simple and chilling.

I can see how the stories have evolved from this story. The mix of folklore and investigation really make the idea of vampires in that time realistic. Very good story. Buy it while it is on sale!

1 person found this helpful

Boring

it was just a boring droning in the background. I listened to half of it and not once did anything in the book catch my attention in the slightest way. this is unusual for me because I usually love vampire books.

so good

so so so good. better than dracula, which was conceived from this book. do yourself a favor and listen to this.

Couldn’t get passed the monotonous narration.

I accidentally purchased this and since I’m not a premium member I have to jump thru hoops to return it so I figured I’d give it a listen. Megan Follows, whom I enjoyed as Anne of Green Gables a million years ago, gives a very stilted and monotonous reading. I had to turn it off in the first five minutes because I found it so annoying. I wasn’t going to bother calling to get a refund but now I think I might. I definitely want to hear a good performance of this novella but this is definitely not it. I gave the story 4 stars without actually reading it. This is just based on how much I enjoyed Uncle Silas (which I read myself). I couldn’t post this review without giving stars in every category.

Excellent performance~

I LOVED the way Megan Follows performed this story. Her voice drew me into the story and atmosphere and I think this is my favorite Audible book yet. Such a gem!