Carmilla [Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Author), Megan Follows (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 13, 2000

When an accident occurs on a road near their castle, Laura and her father take in the stranded survivor. Carmilla and Laura both appear young, beautiful, and innocent. But one is an ageless vampire; the other, an unsuspecting victim. True to vampire rituals involving blood, fear of dying, and obsessive eroticism, Carmilla herself falls victim to the "rapture of cruelty that is love."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

HGenerally acknowledged as a major influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula, this novel, originally published in 1872, is the very first vampire thriller. Le Fanu, often compared to Poe, was a Victorian writer whose tales of the occult have inspired horror writers for more than a century. Seemingly by happenstance, the mysterious and beautiful Carmilla comes to stay with the young and virtuous Laura. Laura, who has been living a lonely existence with her father in an isolated castle, finds herself enchanted with her exotic visitor. As the two become close friends, however, Laura dreams of nocturnal visitations and begins to lose her physical strength. Through much investigation, the gruesome truth about Carmilla and her family is revealed. Though the basic premise of the story, that of evil targeting pure innocence, is familiar to anyone who is vampire savvy, this haunting tale is surprisingly fresh, avoids clich? and builds well to its climax. Particularly interesting are the sexual overtones that develop between the two women. Follows's reading is flawless. In particular, her ability to capture Laura's na?vet? so convincingly will have listeners feeling almost as shocked as Laura as the unwholesome truth unravels. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile

The appearance of a young and beautiful houseguest jolts young Laura into remembering what may or may not have been a childhood nightmare. Strangely, her visitor, Carmilla, has exactly the same recollection. As Laura's health wanes throughout the visit, Carmilla's vivacity grows. Who would guess she's been dead for over 150 years? Megan Follows's dark and dramatic reading of this vampire classic complements the text perfectly. Refraining from characterization, she recounts Le Fanu's tale from Laura's horrified perspective, vividly illuminating her early relationship with Carmilla, colored by the clarity of retrospection, as the story is recalled later in Laura's life. Follows's voice shudders with disgust at Carmilla's evil, as do her listeners. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audio Partners; Unabridged edition (September 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572701706
• ISBN-13: 978-1572701700
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,875,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting version of this classic, July 2, 2008

By 

Mr. Tony Leach "book lover" (sheffield, south yorkshire England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carmilla (Audio Cassette)

A very beautiful version of this classic. The lady speaker is wonderfully talented at describing scenes and images from the book and makes one's spine creep with her stylish performance of Sheridan's vampire. The entire recording which spans two full length tapes consisting of around 3 hours of audio recording left me spellbound and wishing that there was much more. The only failing in this otherwise excellant production was that there was no background music at certain points of the story which could have heightened the experience. Not that it spoiled the overall superb recording but that it would have added an extra diemension if handled carefully to the spooky effects.

Would recomend this recording to anyone who enjoys a shiver or two late at night and to anyone who appreciates a classic story performed in a highly professional but unique style.