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Carmilla and Laura
- Narrated by: Lois Ridge
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
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Carmilla and Laura
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Summary
In the late 19th century, Laura lives a lonely life in a schloss by the forest, Styria, with only her doting father and two governesses for company. A chance accident brings a new companion, however - the eccentric and beautiful Carmilla.
With charm unparalleled and habits as mysterious as her history, Carmilla’s allure is undeniable, drawing Laura closer with every affectionate touch and word. Attraction blossoms into a temptation Laura fears to name, a tantalizing passion burning brighter than the fires of hell. But when a mysterious plague begins stealing the lives of young women in her home and the village beyond, Laura wrestles to reconcile the truth - that the gentle, fragile woman she loves may be a monster cast out of heaven.
Carmilla, the classic vampire novella written by J Sheridan LeFanu, receives new life in this gorgeous retelling, centered on the provocative, controversial leads of the original, Carmilla and Laura.
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Critic reviews
"The writing is gorgeous, the story is enthralling, and the characters are lovable.... I would recommend this story to anyone who loves vampires, adores sweet historical romance, and/or who wants a delicious little snack of a book to while away an afternoon." (Evie Drae, author of Beauregard and the Beast)
"This is a beautiful retelling...perfect for anyone who likes darker-themed romance, horror stories, or plain ol’ lesbian vampires." (The Lesbian 52)
What listeners say about Carmilla and Laura
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Magnus
- 21-09-23
The gloriously uplifting conclusion for which readers of 'Carmilla' have yearned for a century and a half.
To appropriate Coppola's tagline for his 1992 movie 'Bram Stoker's Dracula', "LOVE NEVER DIES".
In fact, in both his film - and in this marvellous new retelling of Le Fanu's novella by S. D. Simper - love not only refuses to die, but ultimately becomes the means of redemption for the 'irredeemable' title characters.
For Dracula, it is a final release and a welcome back into the good graces of his rather fickle Christian god. For Carmilla, it is the transcendence of first death and then undeath - through the unflinching sacrifice of the woman who has come to love her unconditionally.
'Love' has always been an absurdly easy word to bandy around - but only by intimately knowing someone's darkest facet, and yet still yearn for them to the point of courting damnation yourself?
That is the definition of true love and that is the mutual adulation, tenderness and intimacy which is crafted so beautifully in 'Carmilla and Laura',
Naturally, the audio version is not without some quirks; the otherwise excellent narrator renders Carmella voice as a tad whiny rather than melodious. Also, the prose itself has its own hiccups whilst trying too hard to stay in period. For example, Carmilla 'steals' Laura's hands so often she sounds rather more like the grave robbing Baron Frankenstein than a vampire. And the word 'pastel' appears more than is absolutely necessary when describing Laura's dresses.
These minor quibbles aside, this is still the most innovative and exciting piece of vampire literature to emerge in a long, long time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- N.I.A.
- 29-04-21
Great audiobook of Carmilla and Laura!
Such a great adaptation of the novella.
I love classic vampire romance and the romantic setting.
I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook because the Narrator did a great job with all the emotions in the voices of Carmilla and Laura.
The desperate sound in her voice was perfect for this story!
The voice of a narrator is essential for an audiobook and this was really a good one!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jude
- 03-05-21
A sexier, faster-paced retelling of Carmilla
Carmilla & Laura is a sexier, faster-paced retelling of Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu.
In her isolated castle, Laura isn’t unhappy, but she’s lonely. When a carriage accident brings a young woman to the schloss, Laura is immediately entranced by her new companion. Carmilla is beautiful and full of wit, despite the strange disease she suffers from. The attraction between them grows every day, undeterred by the plague that seems to be killing young women around them.
S.D. Simper’s version is pretty close to the original, with two main exceptions: the relationship between Carmilla and Laura is explicitly physical and Simper’s ending goes further than Le Fanu’s. The tone is different too, Le Fanu’s novella a cautionary tale, Simper’s a celebration.
While I would have loved it even more if Simper had drawn further away from the original, added more of her own imagination, she created a delightfully eerie atmosphere, which Lois Ridge carries seamlessly into her narration. Her Carmilla is charming and seductive, Laura couldn’t have resisted even if she had wanted to. I enjoyed Laura’s discovery of her desires, her journey to acceptance, and all the angst and yearning and longing…
Carmilla & Laura is a rather short listen, which readers of dark fantasy and lovers of lesbian vampires should enjoy.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Anthony D. Bateman
- 26-01-24
re-vamp
pun intended, of an original classic which led to the bram stoker tale.
can a vampire find love, or a witch turned vampire predict the future 🤔
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Vilkas
- 23-04-21
Absolutely amazing sapphic retelling.
VERY GAY and very Great. I loved every second of it. Definitely recommend getting it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- beth
- 03-09-24
beautiful
this story was so beautiful i cried. the writing is so beautiful i have to listen again soon
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