Customer Reviews

Carmilla : The Return

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First, the good news: the attention to detail is commendable. The author has clearly made a priority of getting to know the things and places he writes about well enough to be able to incorporate them convincingly into the story.

The bad news: the prose is sophomoric at its best, awful at its worst. In fact, certain sections seem to display every characteristic of bad writing that I can think of, including cliches, excessive use of adjectives and adverbs, mispunctuation and misuse of paragraph breaks. The dialogue is wooden, especially when the author attempts to transcribe colloquial speech to create character. The author's attempts to create eroticism between female characters fall flat; one cannot help but think of the contrived "lesbian" porno fantasies written by heterosexual men. I can't help but believe that in the hands of a different editor, the book could have been much better.

The most interesting (and best written) part of the book is the author's note at the end of the book regarding LeFanu's original novella. The author's insights here are interesting, and well worth reading.

I am left with the impression that the author chose to produce a trashy, marketable novel rather than a good one.

The problem with this novel is one of characterization. Carmilla is not particularly interesting, and comes off as a run-of-the-mill movie vampire out on conquest. She is somewhat juvenile and one-dimensional. The protagonist is even worse, amost like a castmember of "friends."

Horror novels need to be scary. They need moments of dread, tension, and angst. Carmilla: The Return simply fails to create a spooky atmosphere, and instead degenerates into late-night soft-porn. Even the sex is poorly handled.

Please read the original Carmilla by LeFanu -an infinitely better book.

A rather sad story, actually. For two reasons. What happens to the primary characters, including Carmilla herself, is heartbreaking. But also, the author possesses a mediocre command of the English language, and the manuscript is rife with typos and grammatical errors. The author's writing is generally dry and uninspired--except for the last 75 pages or so. Then he seems to suddenly get turned on, or something, and he applies himself 100%. I basically liked all the plot developments, but they were blandly portrayed. I find that to be very sad. There was no fire, no lust, no fascination on the author's part. Until the last portion. So what happened? I can't explain it.

I think another customer reviewer remarked that the book's foundation--Carmilla's very existence--was implausible. I agree. I think you would, too, if you read this book.

The story's girl-girl love scenes brush up against an "R" rating . . . but they're basically prime time. That was sad, too; the first "Carmilla"--from the 19th century!--is widely acclaimed as the cornerstone of the lesbian vampire genre. Surely its "sequel" should do more than merely titillate.

So that's it. A vampire femme who likes girls . . . but her author is afraid to push the envelope. And you know what else? I bet I could write a story like this and it would ROCK.

I had to throw in my two cents because I see a couple of people say they didn't like this novel. I can't imagine why. Would I rank it up there with Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's books? Maybe not, but it's still one of the best modern vampire novels I've ever read, and I challenge anyone to find a sexier horror novel that so successfully titillates and terrifies at the same time.

EXCEPT for the books in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles(which reside in a Holy place and cannot be compared to other books:o),this is THE BEST vampire novel I have EVER read.The title character,Carmilla,is the most seductive,fascinating,bewitching,mysterious, enigmatic,alluring, enchanting,sinsister yet irresistibly charming character I have EVER come across.This book is sensual,gripping,and SOOOO exciting and suspenseful I had to put it down once in a while just to get ahold of myself,it stirred me up so!If you are a fan of this genre,and you HAVEN'T read this book,SHAME ON YOU-read it IMMEDIATELY!

This story stands the test of time. I've always loved vampires, especially the lyric eroticism of the original Carmilla by LeFanu. So of course I grabbed this book when it was first published. I enjoyed the read, and tucked it away in my collection, and only just recently pulled it out again for another look. A friend had seen it on my book shelf and exclaimed that there was a 'sequel' to Carmilla. While I would say this is more a story inspired by the original, as all vampire novels that spring from the base fictional story of Carmilla, Dracula, and the historic ones of Countess Bathory--- than a 'sequel' -- it was one I felt kept true to the theme of the original Carmilla. More sensual than sexy, and erotic in a half veiled way where nothing is truly graphic, but leads to the imagination of the reader.

I should have liked to have seen a continuation of this story. In a time when vampire series are rife and almost tiresome in their prolificness, the further story of what became of the main characters of this book would have been welcome by myself.

Not quite a romance, not quite a horror story, it hovers between the themes like a poignant phantom. I'd recommend it.

(( =^,,^=

What has this world come to!

One of the best Vampire stories ever written has got a sequel!

A sequel by another author and set in modern day!

I cannot believe the publishers allowed this to be published. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was a magnificent horror writer, a British Poe, respected by Stoker, James and many more authors. 'Carmilla', Le Fanu's story, needed no sequel especially not one set in the modern day. Also the way this is writen is not at all good, and the author made no effort to write in a similar style to Le Fanu, notwithstanding, that he is writing a sequel to Le Fanu's story!

I suggest you buy this for cheap in a car boot sale or second hand book shop, if you study Vampires in literature, but don't buy it expecting a lot of entertainment.

If you want good Vampire stories try Le Fanu's 'Carmilla' Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Cristabel', and even Anne Rice's 'Vampire Cronicles', they are a lot better than this.

Thanks for ready my review.

I first read J.Sheridan LeFanu's 1872 novella "Carmilla" when I was in my mid-teens. I was very pleased to read Kyle Marffin's clever sequel in my late thirties. His version of LaFanu's "slender, and wonderfully graceful" undead succubus has atmosphere, interesting characterizations, a couple of love stories (both ... and straight),a nice sense of tension, and a really interesting title fiend who is alternately likable and menacing--just as her first incarnation was. The movies have never really got it right. This version comes closest to the original. I tip my hat to Marffin.

Authors need to stop trying to cash in easy bucks and leave the classics alone.

We dont need prequels, sequels, or 'new adventures' of Dracula and Carmilla. How can you write dribble sequels on books a hundred years old anyway? Its a travesty.

Whats next? A mediocre author writting the continued adventures of Lord of the Rings?

Carmilla The Return is the best Vampire book I have read in a very long time. It is sexy, well written, captivating, seductive, and a great story. I couldn't put it down. If you love vampires or even if you don't, this book is worth reading.