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Caramelle & Carmilla
Two vampire stories, two authors, two striking meditations on dependency and desire.
For readers of Octavia E. Butler, Tananarive Due, and Gwendolyn Christie, comes Caramelle, Jewelle Gomez’s latest addition to the universe of The Gilda Stories. This short story offers a supernatural alternate history where vampires seek love, laughter, and blood in 1860s slavery America.
Inspired by a glimpse of affection in Joseph Le Fanu’s 1872 classic vampire novella Carmilla, Caramelle follows two vampires who arrive at a way station on the Underground Railroad not to stalk their prey but to seek sanctuary, intertwining the haunting legacy of American slavery with gothic horror and the resilience of Black women.
In Carmilla, included here alongside Caramelle, Le Fanu serves the sensual, sapphic, and spooky packaged into the experience of girlhood in 19th Century Austria. This original vampire story predates Dracula and introduces the genre as reliant on themes of gender, sexuality, and race.
Gomez’s foreword deftly links the two works by exploring the historical and cultural contexts that surround these two powerful iterations of the vampire genre.
For readers of Octavia E. Butler, Tananarive Due, and Gwendolyn Christie, comes Caramelle, Jewelle Gomez’s latest addition to the universe of The Gilda Stories. This short story offers a supernatural alternate history where vampires seek love, laughter, and blood in 1860s slavery America.
Inspired by a glimpse of affection in Joseph Le Fanu’s 1872 classic vampire novella Carmilla, Caramelle follows two vampires who arrive at a way station on the Underground Railroad not to stalk their prey but to seek sanctuary, intertwining the haunting legacy of American slavery with gothic horror and the resilience of Black women.
In Carmilla, included here alongside Caramelle, Le Fanu serves the sensual, sapphic, and spooky packaged into the experience of girlhood in 19th Century Austria. This original vampire story predates Dracula and introduces the genre as reliant on themes of gender, sexuality, and race.
Gomez’s foreword deftly links the two works by exploring the historical and cultural contexts that surround these two powerful iterations of the vampire genre.
170 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Jewelle Gomez
51 books276 followersJewelle Gomez (b. 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American writer and cultural worker.
Gomez was raised by her great grandmother, Grace, who was born on Indian land in Iowa to an African American mother and Ioway father. Grace returned to New England before she was 14 when her father died and was married to John E. Morandus, a Wampanoag and descendent of Massasoit, the sachem for whom Massachusetts was named.
Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s she was shaped socially and politically by the close family ties with her great grandmother, Grace and grandmother Lydia. Their history of independence as well as marginalization in an African American community are threaded throughout her work. Her high school and college years were ripe with Black political and social movements which is reflected in much of her writing. Subsequent years in New York City placed her at the heart of Black theatre including work with the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop and many years as a stage manager for off Broadway productions.
There she became involved in lesbian feminist activism and magazine publication. She was a member of the Conditions (magazine) Collective, a lesbian feminist literary magazine. More recent writing has begun to reflect her Native American (Ioway, Wampanoag) heritage. Her work lives at the intersection of these multiple ethnicities, the ideals of lesbian/feminism and class.
Gomez is the author of seven books, but is most known for the double Lambda Literary Award winning novel The Gilda Stories (Firebrand Books, 1991). This novel, which reframes the traditional vampire mythology, taking a lesbian feminist perspective, is an adventure about an escaped slave who comes of age over two hundred years. According to scholar, Elyce Rae Helford, "Each stage of Gilda's personal voyage is also a study of life as part of multiple communities, all at the margins of mainstream white middle-class America." (UTOPIAN STUDIES, 3.22.01)
She also authored the theatrical adaptation of the novel Bones and Ash which toured 13 U.S. cities performed by the Urban Bush Women Company (1996). The book, which remains in print, was also issued by the Quality Paperback Book Club in an edition including the play.
Her other books include Don't Explain , a collection of short fiction; 43 Septembers , a collection of personal/political essays; Oral Tradition , poems collected and new.
Her fiction and poetry is included in over one hundred anthologies including the first anthology of Black speculative fiction, Dark Matter: A Century of African American Speculative Fiction , from Warner Books, edited by Sheree R. Thomas; Home Girls: a Black feminist Anthology from Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press and Best American Poetry of 2001 edited by Robert Haas.
Gomez has written literary and film criticism for numerous publications including The Village Voice, The San Francisco Chronicle, Ms. Magazine and Black Scholar.
She's been interviewed in periodicals and journals over the past 25 years including Advocate, where writer Victoria Brownworth discussed her writing origins and political interests (September 21, 1993). In the Journal of Lesbian Studies (Vol. 5, #3) she was interviewed for an article entitled "Funding Lesbian Activism," which linked her career in philanthropy with her political roots. She's also interviewed in the 1999 film produced for Public Television, After Stonewall, directed by John Scagliotti.
Her newest work includes a forthcoming comic novel, Televised, which recounts the lives of survivors of the Black Nationalist movement and was excerpted in the anthology Gumbo edited by Marita Golden and E. Lyn Harris.
She is also authoring a play about James Baldwin being written in collaboration with Harry Wate
Gomez was raised by her great grandmother, Grace, who was born on Indian land in Iowa to an African American mother and Ioway father. Grace returned to New England before she was 14 when her father died and was married to John E. Morandus, a Wampanoag and descendent of Massasoit, the sachem for whom Massachusetts was named.
Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s she was shaped socially and politically by the close family ties with her great grandmother, Grace and grandmother Lydia. Their history of independence as well as marginalization in an African American community are threaded throughout her work. Her high school and college years were ripe with Black political and social movements which is reflected in much of her writing. Subsequent years in New York City placed her at the heart of Black theatre including work with the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop and many years as a stage manager for off Broadway productions.
There she became involved in lesbian feminist activism and magazine publication. She was a member of the Conditions (magazine) Collective, a lesbian feminist literary magazine. More recent writing has begun to reflect her Native American (Ioway, Wampanoag) heritage. Her work lives at the intersection of these multiple ethnicities, the ideals of lesbian/feminism and class.
Gomez is the author of seven books, but is most known for the double Lambda Literary Award winning novel The Gilda Stories (Firebrand Books, 1991). This novel, which reframes the traditional vampire mythology, taking a lesbian feminist perspective, is an adventure about an escaped slave who comes of age over two hundred years. According to scholar, Elyce Rae Helford, "Each stage of Gilda's personal voyage is also a study of life as part of multiple communities, all at the margins of mainstream white middle-class America." (UTOPIAN STUDIES, 3.22.01)
She also authored the theatrical adaptation of the novel Bones and Ash which toured 13 U.S. cities performed by the Urban Bush Women Company (1996). The book, which remains in print, was also issued by the Quality Paperback Book Club in an edition including the play.
Her other books include Don't Explain , a collection of short fiction; 43 Septembers , a collection of personal/political essays; Oral Tradition , poems collected and new.
Her fiction and poetry is included in over one hundred anthologies including the first anthology of Black speculative fiction, Dark Matter: A Century of African American Speculative Fiction , from Warner Books, edited by Sheree R. Thomas; Home Girls: a Black feminist Anthology from Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press and Best American Poetry of 2001 edited by Robert Haas.
Gomez has written literary and film criticism for numerous publications including The Village Voice, The San Francisco Chronicle, Ms. Magazine and Black Scholar.
She's been interviewed in periodicals and journals over the past 25 years including Advocate, where writer Victoria Brownworth discussed her writing origins and political interests (September 21, 1993). In the Journal of Lesbian Studies (Vol. 5, #3) she was interviewed for an article entitled "Funding Lesbian Activism," which linked her career in philanthropy with her political roots. She's also interviewed in the 1999 film produced for Public Television, After Stonewall, directed by John Scagliotti.
Her newest work includes a forthcoming comic novel, Televised, which recounts the lives of survivors of the Black Nationalist movement and was excerpted in the anthology Gumbo edited by Marita Golden and E. Lyn Harris.
She is also authoring a play about James Baldwin being written in collaboration with Harry Wate
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 16, 2025
Thank you Aunt Lute Books & NetGalley for this eARC!
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I find this idea of uniting Caramelle and Carmilla into one volume, with a short but poignant and comprehensive foreword by the very author of the former, is excellent.
I was not aware that there was such thing as Black lesbian vampires as a subgenre, so finding it out via Caramelle, and the aforementioned foreword, was quite cool. I am determined to read The Gilda Stories now, anf quite curious.
As for Carmilla, I had tried to read it before in a wobbly translation and could not get hooked for the life of me, but the original is much cleverer and it really helped me dive into the mood. I remembered a horror film I watched some years ago that happened in Styria as well, so now there are a lot of connecting dots in my head.
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I find this idea of uniting Caramelle and Carmilla into one volume, with a short but poignant and comprehensive foreword by the very author of the former, is excellent.
I was not aware that there was such thing as Black lesbian vampires as a subgenre, so finding it out via Caramelle, and the aforementioned foreword, was quite cool. I am determined to read The Gilda Stories now, anf quite curious.
As for Carmilla, I had tried to read it before in a wobbly translation and could not get hooked for the life of me, but the original is much cleverer and it really helped me dive into the mood. I remembered a horror film I watched some years ago that happened in Styria as well, so now there are a lot of connecting dots in my head.
November 16, 2025
”Caramelle” is a short story inspired by the iconic ”Carmilla” which is also included in this edition.
The short story was a quick read and I just wanted it to continue. I think it’s part of a series so I might check that out:)
The foreword is also very insightful!
𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙇𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!
The short story was a quick read and I just wanted it to continue. I think it’s part of a series so I might check that out:)
The foreword is also very insightful!
𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙇𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!
October 21, 2025
Firstly, I want to say I really enjoyed the foreword. The author is clearly an expert in the field of lesbian vampires, which is pretty damn cool actually. I really enjoyed her insights. The Caramelle story itself wasn’t BAD by any means, I still enjoyed it, and think the premise is really intriguing and unique. However, I do think it fell a little flat within the context it’s being presented. It is being set up as, if not a retelling of Carmilla, a short story that takes heavy inspiration. Particularly after such a strong foreword that touched upon issues I had with the original Carmilla, I was looking forward to reading a short story that really played off of it. Again, Caramelle certainly wasn’t bad, but in comparison to the original short story it feels half-baked. There is no build-up of suspense or build-up of romantic tension between Caramelle and Elisabeth. It is very clearly a companion work to the other vampire novel the author has written, which is totally fine, but it doesn’t feel like it has legs on its own. It was kind of disappointing because from how knowledgable the author clearly is and how interesting of a premise she had set up I feel like she could have done so much more even if she didn’t want to expand the story into something longer. I feel like I’m sounding very negative, because it was still an OK short story, it just fails to shine next to Carmilla.
February 1, 2026
A haunting legacy of slavery with gothic horror and the resilience of women. This short story offers a supernatural alternate history where vampires seek love, laughter and blood.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 & 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚
𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐮; 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐳
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 & 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚
𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐮; 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐳
September 23, 2025
This collection starts off with a foreword written by Jewelle Gomez where she explains her feelings about Le Fanu's sapphic vampire novella "Carmilla" and how it partially inspired her to write her own version with the short story "Caramelle." Gomez's insight was very interesting — I especially enjoyed her takes on both the positives and negatives of "Carmilla" — and really helped me see that these two stories are connected by a little more than just lesbian vampires.
The first story you'll read here is Gomez's "Caramelle" (originally published in 2011), which is about a girl and her father who escaped from slavery themselves and now work as part of the Underground Railroad to help other African Americans escape as well. One night their newest refugees are a mother and daughter pair, who seem largely normal aside from the fact that they sleep during the day and only awaken at night.
Although it is a rather short story, "Caramelle" managed to catch my attention quickly and kept hold of it throughout. The prose was smooth and showed you exactly what you needed to know without wasting time on unimportant matters. And even though the relationship between Elisabeth and Caramelle developed very quickly, it still felt natural to the story and didn't really feel rushed. It's also quite tame as far as vampire stories go (dare I say we're treading on wholesome cottagecore vibes with this one?), which was a nice change of pace for me. So even though it is rather short, it's still a satisfying read and I'd definitely recommend it to those who might be looking to get a quick vampire fix in their day!
The other story in this collection is "Carmilla" — a novella that was originally published way back in 1872 that also served as a large inspiration for Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (which was published a whole twenty-five years later in 1897). This is a story about a girl named Laura who lives a rather secluded life with her father and their servants in an old Austrian castle. Due to a carriage accident occurring right outside Laura's home, a girl named Carmilla is rather suddenly left under the care of the family. Amidst strange happenings in the nearby towns involving people unexpectedly dropping dead from an unknown illness, Laura and Carmilla develop a strong friendship that ends up evolving into Carmilla showing romantic advances towards Laura.
Like most of the old classics, "Carmilla" is filled with rather flowery prose and it may be a bit daunting to people who are not used to that style. I myself am not the biggest fan of this style of prose, but I think this was one that was easier to read overall — although the fact that it was a lesbian vampire story did make it feel more worth the effort! Overall it has an interesting plot and I really enjoyed how we have a dual mystery where the characters are trying to figure out Carmilla's oddities while also wondering about the unexplained deaths going on around them.
If you're interested in sapphic vampire literature, and you've either never read either story before or only have read one of them, then I highly recommend picking "Caramelle & Carmilla" up! And honestly even if you've read both before, and enjoyed them, maybe this would still be worth picking up just for Gomez's rather insightful foreword at the beginning.
(Thank you to Aunt Lute Books for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
The first story you'll read here is Gomez's "Caramelle" (originally published in 2011), which is about a girl and her father who escaped from slavery themselves and now work as part of the Underground Railroad to help other African Americans escape as well. One night their newest refugees are a mother and daughter pair, who seem largely normal aside from the fact that they sleep during the day and only awaken at night.
Although it is a rather short story, "Caramelle" managed to catch my attention quickly and kept hold of it throughout. The prose was smooth and showed you exactly what you needed to know without wasting time on unimportant matters. And even though the relationship between Elisabeth and Caramelle developed very quickly, it still felt natural to the story and didn't really feel rushed. It's also quite tame as far as vampire stories go (dare I say we're treading on wholesome cottagecore vibes with this one?), which was a nice change of pace for me. So even though it is rather short, it's still a satisfying read and I'd definitely recommend it to those who might be looking to get a quick vampire fix in their day!
The other story in this collection is "Carmilla" — a novella that was originally published way back in 1872 that also served as a large inspiration for Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (which was published a whole twenty-five years later in 1897). This is a story about a girl named Laura who lives a rather secluded life with her father and their servants in an old Austrian castle. Due to a carriage accident occurring right outside Laura's home, a girl named Carmilla is rather suddenly left under the care of the family. Amidst strange happenings in the nearby towns involving people unexpectedly dropping dead from an unknown illness, Laura and Carmilla develop a strong friendship that ends up evolving into Carmilla showing romantic advances towards Laura.
Like most of the old classics, "Carmilla" is filled with rather flowery prose and it may be a bit daunting to people who are not used to that style. I myself am not the biggest fan of this style of prose, but I think this was one that was easier to read overall — although the fact that it was a lesbian vampire story did make it feel more worth the effort! Overall it has an interesting plot and I really enjoyed how we have a dual mystery where the characters are trying to figure out Carmilla's oddities while also wondering about the unexplained deaths going on around them.
If you're interested in sapphic vampire literature, and you've either never read either story before or only have read one of them, then I highly recommend picking "Caramelle & Carmilla" up! And honestly even if you've read both before, and enjoyed them, maybe this would still be worth picking up just for Gomez's rather insightful foreword at the beginning.
(Thank you to Aunt Lute Books for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
October 30, 2025
I already loved the story of Carmilla and feel in love with the story Carmelle. If you like vampire stories these are truly two stories you should read. A look at female love as well. I think if your familiar with Carmilla you will find Carmelle equally as intriguing as I did. Carmelle is about a girl and her father helping slaves on the underground railroad. Two women come to stay with them but there's more to them than meets the eye.
December 30, 2025
“Thus fortified I might take my rest in peace. But dreams come through stone walls, light up dark rooms, or darken light ones, and their persons make their exits and their entrances as they please, and laugh at locksmiths.”
October 14, 2025
aaaaand welcome back to the stage sapphic vampires!!!!!!! Carmilla is the iconic OG sapphic vampire and even one of the OG vampires (hello....she was before Dracula.....herstory has its eyes on her) and I loved the short story Caramelle that takes Carmilla and applies it to a story about the underground railroad.
So many cool themes colliding here and I loved how this book (now out today oct 14!!! go read it!!!) combined the two stories and included a foreword by Jewelle Gomez to contextualize both. It made me super intrigued by the author's full length work, The Gilda Stories (whose titular character is featured in Caramelle) and just everything she has to say in general about this subgenre of literature!!!!
Carmilla has been on my TBR forever, and it is honestly a 5 star classic. maybe 4.5. The writing reminds me as a reader that not all prose has to be flowery to be beautiful. Le Fanu writes very concisely but his words are high impact. Caramelle, on the other hand, I gave 3.5 stars because I find it hard to give short stories any higher than 4 stars if they're only 30 or so pages (prob a flaw of mine). But I have to say I would've loved it as a full length story and short stories in general don't perform well with me bc I like to read something over multiple days/weeks to really absorb its content and think about it and a short story usually just goes in one ear and out the other.
anyways I really enjoyed this and I think combining the short story with the original novella was fabulous.
So many cool themes colliding here and I loved how this book (now out today oct 14!!! go read it!!!) combined the two stories and included a foreword by Jewelle Gomez to contextualize both. It made me super intrigued by the author's full length work, The Gilda Stories (whose titular character is featured in Caramelle) and just everything she has to say in general about this subgenre of literature!!!!
Carmilla has been on my TBR forever, and it is honestly a 5 star classic. maybe 4.5. The writing reminds me as a reader that not all prose has to be flowery to be beautiful. Le Fanu writes very concisely but his words are high impact. Caramelle, on the other hand, I gave 3.5 stars because I find it hard to give short stories any higher than 4 stars if they're only 30 or so pages (prob a flaw of mine). But I have to say I would've loved it as a full length story and short stories in general don't perform well with me bc I like to read something over multiple days/weeks to really absorb its content and think about it and a short story usually just goes in one ear and out the other.
anyways I really enjoyed this and I think combining the short story with the original novella was fabulous.
November 13, 2025
Thank you to Aunt Lute Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Carmilla is a classic of vampire fiction, and it is refreshing to see it paired in one volume with the short story Caramelle. Both stories are queer, and where Carmilla is set in 19th Century Austria, Caramelle is set in the USA, at a time when slavery existed, and features two female vampires arriving at a way station on the Underground Railroad.
The volume also features a well researched and considered foreword by the author of Caramelle which was interesting.
I love the gothic atmosphere in Carmilla and it was well complemented by a different kind of lesbian vampire story in Caramelle.
Carmilla is a classic of vampire fiction, and it is refreshing to see it paired in one volume with the short story Caramelle. Both stories are queer, and where Carmilla is set in 19th Century Austria, Caramelle is set in the USA, at a time when slavery existed, and features two female vampires arriving at a way station on the Underground Railroad.
The volume also features a well researched and considered foreword by the author of Caramelle which was interesting.
I love the gothic atmosphere in Carmilla and it was well complemented by a different kind of lesbian vampire story in Caramelle.
October 11, 2025
I really enjoyed this pairing of stories. This work combines two previously published stories. First is Jewelle Gomez’s short story "Caramelle," which was sharp and engaging. It left me curious to explore more of her work, especially The Gilda Stories (Gilda makes a minor but intriguing appearance here). It is followed by Sheridan Le Fanu’s "Carmilla" before, which I had never read before, so it was a treat to finally dive into this classic vampire tale. It’s fascinating to see how it still resonates and how modern writers like Gomez play with and expand on its themes.
I’d also recommend Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, another excellent retelling of Carmilla, which I read awhile back and loved. Together, these stories show just how much life there still is in this gothic, vampiric lineage.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’d also recommend Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, another excellent retelling of Carmilla, which I read awhile back and loved. Together, these stories show just how much life there still is in this gothic, vampiric lineage.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ // Caramelle & Carmilla
A gothic remix with bite. Le Fanu brings the classic velvet-draped doom, and Jewelle Gomez injects it with fresh queer glamour and a sharper pulse. Sometimes the century-hopping tone shift is a little jarring, but honestly? The mash-up works. It’s dark, campy, seductive—and smart enough to know exactly what it’s reawakening. A fun, fangy treat.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced ARC copy
A gothic remix with bite. Le Fanu brings the classic velvet-draped doom, and Jewelle Gomez injects it with fresh queer glamour and a sharper pulse. Sometimes the century-hopping tone shift is a little jarring, but honestly? The mash-up works. It’s dark, campy, seductive—and smart enough to know exactly what it’s reawakening. A fun, fangy treat.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced ARC copy
November 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
3.5
Carmilla is an oft-reviewed text that has existed for a long time, so I will focus this review on Jewelle Gomez’s story “Caramelle”, and the presentation of this anthology.
Firstly, I should note that I absolutely adored her novel The Gilda Stories, which I was extremely excited to see rereleased last year. The novel is at once an excellent piece of historical fiction, a coming-of-age story, a supernatural gothic and an important work of Afrofuturism. When I read it, I remember observing the accuracy of historical detail and the vampire canon, which Gomez’s introduction to the anthology makes clear.
The story “Caramelle” takes place in the Gilda universe, acting somewhat as a prequel—however, I think this can be enjoyed just fine without having read the latter. Elisabeth, the narrator, lives with her father in a northern state during the American Civil War, acting as a stop along the underground railroad for escaping slaves. The similarity to Carmilla comes as they invite Caramelle and her mother into their home, and a closeness develops between the two young women.
Gomez states in her introduction that, while Carmilla was extremely influential to inventing the world of Gilda, she wanted to break away from the violence that descends in the original story. Carmilla the vampire comes off as predatory and duplicitous, at least in the eyes of men: Caramelle, like Gilda, takes blood respectfully and does not kill, and subsequently is not killed off in the resolution. She tells of other vampires who use their power for evil, which she hopes to break away from, as does Gilda. I certainly hope that anyone who enjoyed “Caramelle” is urged to pick up the masterpiece that is The Gilda Stories.
It feels remiss to say this about a short story, but I do wish it had been longer. The central relationship, robbed of time and space on the page, accelerates quickly: while I definitely enjoyed reading it, it was a shame not to experience more of a developing process. There is also something teased at the end that I would love to see continued into another work of fiction. But despite that, I still think this was good, and is a great taster of Gomez’s amazing prose.
Lastly, I think the anthology might have read better if Carmilla was presented first, rather than second. Putting “Caramelle” first sort of assumes the reader has already read Carmilla, which I actually hadn’t. This meant that the influences in the first story weren’t clear to me until I’d read the second. I also think that because the ending of “Caramelle” is so much more hopeful, it would’ve been a better note to end on. Presenting them like this together, though, is still a very good idea.
3.5
Carmilla is an oft-reviewed text that has existed for a long time, so I will focus this review on Jewelle Gomez’s story “Caramelle”, and the presentation of this anthology.
Firstly, I should note that I absolutely adored her novel The Gilda Stories, which I was extremely excited to see rereleased last year. The novel is at once an excellent piece of historical fiction, a coming-of-age story, a supernatural gothic and an important work of Afrofuturism. When I read it, I remember observing the accuracy of historical detail and the vampire canon, which Gomez’s introduction to the anthology makes clear.
The story “Caramelle” takes place in the Gilda universe, acting somewhat as a prequel—however, I think this can be enjoyed just fine without having read the latter. Elisabeth, the narrator, lives with her father in a northern state during the American Civil War, acting as a stop along the underground railroad for escaping slaves. The similarity to Carmilla comes as they invite Caramelle and her mother into their home, and a closeness develops between the two young women.
Gomez states in her introduction that, while Carmilla was extremely influential to inventing the world of Gilda, she wanted to break away from the violence that descends in the original story. Carmilla the vampire comes off as predatory and duplicitous, at least in the eyes of men: Caramelle, like Gilda, takes blood respectfully and does not kill, and subsequently is not killed off in the resolution. She tells of other vampires who use their power for evil, which she hopes to break away from, as does Gilda. I certainly hope that anyone who enjoyed “Caramelle” is urged to pick up the masterpiece that is The Gilda Stories.
It feels remiss to say this about a short story, but I do wish it had been longer. The central relationship, robbed of time and space on the page, accelerates quickly: while I definitely enjoyed reading it, it was a shame not to experience more of a developing process. There is also something teased at the end that I would love to see continued into another work of fiction. But despite that, I still think this was good, and is a great taster of Gomez’s amazing prose.
Lastly, I think the anthology might have read better if Carmilla was presented first, rather than second. Putting “Caramelle” first sort of assumes the reader has already read Carmilla, which I actually hadn’t. This meant that the influences in the first story weren’t clear to me until I’d read the second. I also think that because the ending of “Caramelle” is so much more hopeful, it would’ve been a better note to end on. Presenting them like this together, though, is still a very good idea.
November 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Revisiting Carmilla was a treat; it still holds up all these years later. It’s a bit creepy and lovely in a strange way, with this quiet tension that runs through the whole story.
The relationship between Laura and Carmilla is intense and a little confusing; you’re never totally sure if it’s affection, danger, or something in between. That weird mix of feelings really captures how complicated relationships between women can be, especially in a world that tries to control them.
Caramelle, by Jewelle Gomez, was entirely new for me, and I’m so glad I read it. It’s set during the era of slavery in the American South and offers a distinctly different spin on the vampire story. It incorporates Black and queer perspectives in a way that feels authentic and grounded. The vampires in this story aren’t out to harm anyone; they’re looking for safety, connection, and a place to belong. It’s not just a supernatural story; it’s also about survival, love, and finding strength in a really harsh world.
Both stories explore identity, desire, and the complexities of connecting with someone when the world makes that feel dangerous or forbidden. I liked how the book brings these two stories together. But they are very different, but they speak to a lot of the same themes.
This was also my first time reading Jewelle Gomez, and I’m definitely interested in reading more of their work now.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m looking forward to checking out more from their catalogue.
The relationship between Laura and Carmilla is intense and a little confusing; you’re never totally sure if it’s affection, danger, or something in between. That weird mix of feelings really captures how complicated relationships between women can be, especially in a world that tries to control them.
Caramelle, by Jewelle Gomez, was entirely new for me, and I’m so glad I read it. It’s set during the era of slavery in the American South and offers a distinctly different spin on the vampire story. It incorporates Black and queer perspectives in a way that feels authentic and grounded. The vampires in this story aren’t out to harm anyone; they’re looking for safety, connection, and a place to belong. It’s not just a supernatural story; it’s also about survival, love, and finding strength in a really harsh world.
Both stories explore identity, desire, and the complexities of connecting with someone when the world makes that feel dangerous or forbidden. I liked how the book brings these two stories together. But they are very different, but they speak to a lot of the same themes.
This was also my first time reading Jewelle Gomez, and I’m definitely interested in reading more of their work now.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m looking forward to checking out more from their catalogue.
November 6, 2025
This work begins with an essay written by the author about the history and cultural background of Carmilla, as well as some of its themes and interpretations. I really enjoyed this portion and the analysis of Le Fanu’s work. The next section is a short story written by the author, and the following section is Carmilla.
The author’s short story titled “Carmelle” is set during the time of the Underground Railroad in the U.S. I loved the setting and that the characters (vampires included) weren’t white. I did want a bit more from this story, though. With the strong analysis in the essay, I expected more buildup of romantic tension or suspense, and a more in-depth exploration of some of the themes. I think a longer ending would have benefitted the tale greatly, making it stronger and giving it more of classic vampire tale with a reunion or something of that nature. But I guess in this form it more closely mirrors Le Fanu’s work, so maybe that was the intent.
This was a fine work. Folks who are fans of Carmilla or who have been meaning to read it but haven’t may enjoy this companion work. My thanks to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The author’s short story titled “Carmelle” is set during the time of the Underground Railroad in the U.S. I loved the setting and that the characters (vampires included) weren’t white. I did want a bit more from this story, though. With the strong analysis in the essay, I expected more buildup of romantic tension or suspense, and a more in-depth exploration of some of the themes. I think a longer ending would have benefitted the tale greatly, making it stronger and giving it more of classic vampire tale with a reunion or something of that nature. But I guess in this form it more closely mirrors Le Fanu’s work, so maybe that was the intent.
This was a fine work. Folks who are fans of Carmilla or who have been meaning to read it but haven’t may enjoy this companion work. My thanks to NetGalley and Aunt Lute Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 6, 2025
I loved this, a companion two well written novellas side by side speaking volumes and sharing paralleled themes but with opposite intentions. Caramelle shows development of race at time when slavery was abolished and black people were trying to find safety out in the world seeking refuge amongst their travels to safer land. In this time similarly the sexuality of both girls and women would have been frowned upon but one story chose to share their vulnerability, intimacy and strength where as the other story saw the weakness and desire as a monstrous act depicting a beast. I really enjoyed the different contrasts the two stories had and they clearly where very different Vampire stories which also created a nicely made contrast.
December 30, 2025
🩸 Caramelle & Carmilla
By Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu & Jewelle Gomez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Caramelle & Carmilla is a fascinating blend of gothic classic and modern reinterpretation. Le Fanu’s original vampiric allure meets Jewelle Gomez’s fresh, vibrant voice, creating a story that’s both eerie and empowering. I loved the way it reimagines Carmilla’s world with nuance and depth, making it resonate for today’s readers while honoring the gothic roots. A captivating read for fans of horror, queer narratives, and literary reinvention.
Thank you Netgalley, Publisher and Authors for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
IG: Archives of Armina
By Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu & Jewelle Gomez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Caramelle & Carmilla is a fascinating blend of gothic classic and modern reinterpretation. Le Fanu’s original vampiric allure meets Jewelle Gomez’s fresh, vibrant voice, creating a story that’s both eerie and empowering. I loved the way it reimagines Carmilla’s world with nuance and depth, making it resonate for today’s readers while honoring the gothic roots. A captivating read for fans of horror, queer narratives, and literary reinvention.
Thank you Netgalley, Publisher and Authors for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
IG: Archives of Armina
January 29, 2026
This new book by Jewelle Gomez was a very interesting read. Her story of lesbian love is set in slavery times and connects with her Gilda Stories. The power of black women and women overall is explored in Le Fanu’s vampire piece.
The introductory essay by Jewelle Gomez discusses the drive to suppress women and their voices in industrial times— a linchpin of capitalism. This is where we still are today. But there was always some form of rebellion.
The introductory essay by Jewelle Gomez discusses the drive to suppress women and their voices in industrial times— a linchpin of capitalism. This is where we still are today. But there was always some form of rebellion.
November 22, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Caramelle is a short story inspired by Le Fanu's novella Carmilla, which is also included in this edition. And reading them one after the other really does not put Caramelle in the spotlight. Though it is a sweet and intriguing short story, I feel like it lacks context and stands weakly on its own.
Caramelle is a short story inspired by Le Fanu's novella Carmilla, which is also included in this edition. And reading them one after the other really does not put Caramelle in the spotlight. Though it is a sweet and intriguing short story, I feel like it lacks context and stands weakly on its own.
November 23, 2025
I loved the concept of this book and look forward to others in this series.
I had not read Carmilla before and it is so good. Hard to believe it was written so long ago.
My only complaint about Caramelle, is that it is far too short. We were just getting going, so I do hope the author revisits this tale to continue it.
I appreciated Gomez's forward and will be seeking out her Gilda series.
I had not read Carmilla before and it is so good. Hard to believe it was written so long ago.
My only complaint about Caramelle, is that it is far too short. We were just getting going, so I do hope the author revisits this tale to continue it.
I appreciated Gomez's forward and will be seeking out her Gilda series.
February 13, 2026
EDIT: Fuck what I previously wrote Carmilla is about emotional abuse and is (in my opinion) a much better story when thinking about it through that lens.
Caramelle is fine, but IMO it’s best understood within the context of Carmilla and The Gilda Stories. Idk if someone unfamiliar with either or both would enjoy it. But as someone who has read both, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Caramelle is fine, but IMO it’s best understood within the context of Carmilla and The Gilda Stories. Idk if someone unfamiliar with either or both would enjoy it. But as someone who has read both, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Want to read
October 4, 2025I love Jewelle Gomez so much this is going to be SPECTACULAR
December 20, 2025
Short and quick. I knew I was going to like it but I kept getting distracted by other things. I think I’m through with vampire stories for now gang, see y’all in 10 years.
February 12, 2026
gay gay gay
I much preferred Caramelle to Carmilla. Carmilla was just a bit boring,, like cool story but the ending was lame. I'm sure if i read it in the 1800s i wouldve been shit scared tho
I much preferred Caramelle to Carmilla. Carmilla was just a bit boring,, like cool story but the ending was lame. I'm sure if i read it in the 1800s i wouldve been shit scared tho
January 29, 2026
Carmilla is one of my favorite classic horror tales, and Caramelle, Gomez's novella in this publication is a new story very loosely based on Carmilla was an interesting read. Gomez's foreword on Carmilla and how it inspired her story was honestly the most compelling part of this publication to me.
In Caramelle, a young girl named Elizabeth, and her father escaped slavery some years ago and now are part of the underground railroad, helping others find their way to freedom. When Elizabeth becomes close to one young girl while she and her mother stay at their home, she learns there is more to her new friend Caramelle than meets the eye. This story is very short but manages to pack all the necessary components into the story. It's not really a re-telling of Carmilla but more uses the vague basis of Carmilla to tell its own tale.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
In Caramelle, a young girl named Elizabeth, and her father escaped slavery some years ago and now are part of the underground railroad, helping others find their way to freedom. When Elizabeth becomes close to one young girl while she and her mother stay at their home, she learns there is more to her new friend Caramelle than meets the eye. This story is very short but manages to pack all the necessary components into the story. It's not really a re-telling of Carmilla but more uses the vague basis of Carmilla to tell its own tale.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
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