CARMILLA By Sheridan le Fanu

Written in 1872, Carmilla is one of the classics of the Vampire genre. The novella is one of five tales of the supernatural that is published under the name of “In a Glass Darkly”. Carmilla is the only vampire story in the collection. Carmilla has elements of traditional Gothic fiction as well as drawing on Irish folklore too (Sheridan Le Fanu was Irish.) Carmilla has something of the Irish ban si (banshee)about her. The banshee is an Irish spirit who haunts a family and foretells or announces the deaths of family members. Like the banshee, she is attracted to Laura’s family and is her distant ancestress. She is also beautiful, wears white garments and has nocturnal habits. In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest – the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion.