Classic Trash discussion

This topic is for those who wish to discuss the book in progress. No spoilers please.

This book can be found as a stand-alone novel or in many (many) compilations.

I have read this book before, years ago, but will be re-reading it for this group discussion. I was able to find it free on Project Gutenberg.

It will be interesting to see if my opinion of it has changed from the last time I read it. I like Le Fanu, and have also read his gothic novels Uncle Silas and Wylder's Hand, and some of his short stories.

I LOVE Uncle Silas.

Have you seen the film version of Uncle Silas?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039492/?...

Cheryl wrote: "Have you seen the film version of Uncle Silas?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039492/?..."

I found it on You Tube. (It has Greek subtitles, though.)

http://youtu.be/xaCvtVfI414

I have not seen it, which is weird since I love the book and Jean Simmons.

I have started my re-read of Carmilla. It's a bit over the top, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in a gothic novel. I've just gotten to Carmilla's dramatic entrance in the story, via the carriage crash. Carmilla's mother is quite the character, leaving her daughter with strangers she just met. Then it gets interesting as our narrator (as yet unnamed) talks with Carmilla.

I'm about 20% in. Isolated schloss in the woods? Yup. Mysterious childhood visitation? Yup. Evil looking black person? Yup. It's a gothic alright, and definitely a product of it's time. But I love how everyone just accepts the normality of inviting a stranger to spend 3 months.

"But I love how everyone just accepts the normality of inviting a stranger to spend 3 months."

I love that!

Ok, I'm about half way through, and holy crap is Carmilla a creeper. And of course Laura (the narrator) is all "I'm really uncomfortable with this, but whatever."

I'm about where you are. What about Carmilla's displays of affection towards the narrator? Even the narrator at first thinks Carmilla might be a boy in disguise, such is the type of physical affection. I'm surprised this got published back then. I know women in novels of this time showed physical affection toward each other (holding hands, hugs, kiss on the cheek, etc.) but I think Carmilla's actions go way beyond that. Why does the author include this in the novel? Is he just showing that Carmilla is "depraved" (for the standards of that time)? Your thoughts?

I'm still thinking about it, and I want a wait until I finish before I give an opinion. BUT, I think it is an expression of Carmilla's obsession with Laura. (Who is also a distant relation.) And Carmilla has been creeping on her since Laura was a kid, although she has remembered it as just a dream.

OK, I just finished the book. The last chapter has an explanation of Carmilla's intense affection.

I enjoyed this book. It had a very claustrophobic effect on me. I know that Carmilla is supposed to have a homosexual tendency. But I never feel that when I've read it. But maybe I've just how a sheltered life (especially lately).