Twenty-five years before Bram Stoker wrote and published Dracula, the novella Camilla was published by another Irishman, Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu. Like Dracula, Le Fanu’s Carmilla features a vampire. But this one is quite different than Stoker’s famous Count.

Carmilla is the story of Laura, a young girl living in a secluded castle. She recounts her childhood encounter with a mysterious visitor in her bedroom. Years later, a new companion, Carmilla, arrives at the castle and quickly becomes Laura’s best friend. Despite their growing bond, Carmilla’s behavior is increasingly erratic and secretive. As Laura’s health deteriorates, she begins to have nightmares and visions of a terrifying creature. Meanwhile, a series of mysterious deaths occur in nearby villages. To say anymore about the plot would be to give away too much of the story.

Over the years, critics have pointed to Carmilla as a clear influence on Stoker’s Dracula, especially on Stoker’s character of Lucy. Stoker’s short story “Dracula’s Guest,” which may have originally been the preface for his novel, also takes place in the same country as Carmilla, Styria.

Both stories explore the taboo subject of sexuality through fiction in a time of sexual repression. Carmilla is the prototype of the lesbian vampire.

Le Fanu was born in Dublin in 1814. He wrote short stories and novels in a number of genres but is best known for his work in Horror.

Carmilla is in the Public Domain, making it free to anyone who wants to download and read it. I highly recommend it. Here is a link to Carmilla on Project Gutenberg.

Enjoy!