The story in one page
Isolated in a lonely Styrian castle, the narrator’s quiet life is disrupted when a carriage accident deposits the beautiful, enigmatic Carmilla on her doorstep. Despite a strange, languid possessiveness and a habit of appearing in the bedroom at odd hours, the two girls become inseparable. As Carmilla’s presence deepens, the narrator suffers from intense, needle-sharp chest pains and vivid, nightmarish visitations. When a grieving general reveals a link between Carmilla and an ancient, extinct noble house of Karnstein, the truth emerges. Faced with the lethargic, supernatural drain on her life, the narrator and her father must track down and decapitate the source of their misery.
Who's who
- The Narrator
Isolated young woman targeted by a centuries-old predatory guest.
- Carmilla
Magnetic houseguest with a vice-like grip and nocturnal tendencies.
- General
Avenging military man hunting the Karnstein family line.
- Doctor Hesselius
Metaphysical specialist who frames the case for the reader.
What it's really about
- Predatory Obsession
- Affection that literally consumes the object of desire.
- Styrian Isolation
- Geography that keeps the victims trapped and vulnerable.
Why it's memorable
- A shadow at the foot of the bed that refuses to breathe.
- A slender hand that closes like a steel vice around a wrist.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
The family performs an orgy of destruction on the tomb, driving a stake through the corpse. Even years later, the narrator still jumps at the sound of a light footstep at her door.
For your book club
- The physical danger of being the object of someone else's fixation.
- Whether the narrator's recurring memory is relief or lingering trauma.