Everytime I read about a vampire book that was written before Dracula, I wonder why it isn't as famous as Dracula. This is the case for Carmilla, she is the first female vampire in literature, the story has hints to a sapphic loves, there is bloodshed, mystery, a gothic setting, innocent beautiful young girls... it has all the elements that should make a spectacular book, but it's not quite it. Le Fanu shied a bit, he didn't give Carmilla the great evil dimension she deserved, I wished he included her point of view in the story telling. But it's quite a revolutionary work, it's so rare to find a female villain in literature, though a further psychological development of the character would have been great. It's also rare to read about obvious mentions of a lesbian love, especially in that era. But after I said all this, I enjoyed reading Carmilla, I have a thing for 18th C gothic literature, and badass female heroines.