Carmilla (Legend Classics)

(Paperback)

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Description

You will think me cruel, very selfish, but love is always selfish; the more ardent the more selfish.

Noted as the first vampire novel, this late 19th century Gothic romance takes place in Austria, following a girl who lives in solitude but is visited by a beautiful, unexpected guest. Imbued with sexual tension, Carmilla blurs the lines between love and death. The book touches on common issues during the Victorian era, including the rise of the middle class and social and industrial reform. The novel was inspired by the poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci, which tells the tale of a fairy who seduces men into a life of misery and passion. Carmilla is best known as being the inspiration for Bram Stokers Dracula.

Author Bio

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was born in Dublin in 1814 and died in 1873. He went to Trinity College and became a lawyer in 1839 before pursuing journalism. Le Fanu was born into a family of playwrights and authors. He wrote The Purcell Papers as a student and became known for gothic fiction. Le Fanu published 14 novels throughout the mid- and became the publisher and owner of multiple newspapers and magazines. His best-known work, Carmilla, was published in 1872 and popularized vampires.