Review: Carmilla

Title: Carmilla
Author: Kim Turrisi
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An adaptation of Shaftesbury’s award-winning, groundbreaking queer vampire web series of the same name, Carmilla mixes the camp of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the snark of Veronica Mars, and the mysterious atmosphere of Welcome to Nightvale. Newly escaped from the stifling boredom of a small town, college freshman Laura is ready to make the most of her first year at Silas University. But when her roommate, Betty, vanishes and a sarcastic, nocturnal philosophy student named Carmilla moves into Betty’s side of the room, Laura decides to play detective. Turns out Betty isn’t the first girl to go missing ? she’s just the first girl not to come back. All over campus, girls have been vanishing, and they are completely changed when (or if) they return. Even more disturbing are the strange dreams they recount: smothering darkness, and a strange pale figure haunting their rooms. Dreams that Laura is starting to have herself. As Laura closes in on the answers, tensions rise with Carmilla. Is this just a roommate relationship that isn’t working out, or does Carmilla know more than she’s letting on about the disappearances? What will Laura do if it turns out her roommate isn’t just selfish and insensitive, but completely inhuman? And what will she do with the feelings she’s starting to have for Carmilla? Produced by Shaftesbury, and available on the YouTube channel KindaTV, Carmilla is a global sensation. A scripted transmedia series that puts a modern spin on the cult-classic gothic vampire novella by Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, Carmilla has generated over 71 million views and 245 million minutes of watch time across three seasons since its launch in 2014. It has been translated into more than 20 languages and also been made into a feature film. Author Kim Turrisi brings her trademark humor and sensitivity to an adaptation that offers a deep dive for existing fans and a portal for new fans around the world. 

Review:

I read Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu years ago when I was in university. I loved the book! I was always fascinated with it because it is a vampire story that came out years before Dracula. Carmilla was the original vampire story.

This story was a fun adaptation. I haven’t read a vampire story in years! There were some serious parts, but many things were quite funny. In particular, the frat boys were funny. They insisted on “protecting” the girls from whoever was kidnapping the other students, but they always showed up when they weren’t wanted.

This story is also an adaptation of a Canadian movie. It didn’t read like an adaptation of a movie. I’ve read other books that were written after a movie, and they weren’t as well written. They often sound like the closed captions that would go with the movie. This book was like an original story.

I really enjoyed this story. I’m going to watch the movie version next!

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Have you read Carmilla? What did you think of it?