Further Reading
Do you like the story so far? Are you curious about gaining further context? Do you want to see my sick-ass Pinterest board? Then you're on the right page!
Links
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- Carmilla on Project Gutenberg
An ebook of Carmilla by J.Sheridan le Fanu, in its entirety
- Carmilla read by Elizabeth Klett, on Librivox.org
My personal favorite Carmilla audiobook! Public domain, available completely for free.
- Carmilla Readthrough by Maven of the Eventide
Essentially an annotated audiobook, providing historical context and sharp literary analysis.
Other Media
Media that influenced I'm not Ophelia besides Carmilla
- Lesbian Vampire Film Masterlist
I watched a bunch of these, they all kind of ended up as a blended mush, in my mind. That being said, I do recommend the mush.
- The Black Parade (2006) by My Chemical Romance
I will put my cards on the table right now– I was not an MCR kid. I only listened to them outside of AMVs and cultural osmosis once I started this project. This album was on loop constantly while drafting. And I can say without bias: it’s very good. Your thirteen-year-old self was right, and if you haven’t checked it out in a while (or ever) you should!
- My Immortal (2006-07) by “Tara””Gilesbie” aka XXXbloodyrists666XXX
The original idea for the story was “My Immortal meets Carmilla”. That aspect was lost, somewhat, once I decided on a 2010s vs a 2000s setting, but I will not let legends be forgotten, in the off chance anyone here has not read this work of Great Literature.
My Immortal is an infamous Harry Potter fanfiction that has gone down in history as, supposedly, the worst piece of writing in existence. Anyone who has spent as much time lurking on Wattpad as I have knows that’s not even close to true, but it’s a powerful legacy!
In particular the work is concerned with goth/emo subculture, a powerful time capsule of teenage sensibilities of its era. My Immortal is shrouded in mystery, and debates about its dubious authorship and sincerity has allowed it to slip from a place of ridicule to a place of folklore.
The entire story can be read on its dedicated wiki
- Suspiria (1977) dir. Dario Argento
A beautiful film with such a brave message: women? Evil. Bad. Fuck them witches. I thought a lot about this film when writing the nightmare scenes. Fucked up and horrible candy colored nightmare world - and the score is so good!
Available on Tubi
- Jennifer’s Body (2009) dir. Karyn Kusama
I wasn’t as into this film as I expected, but I was really interested in the aspect of how it portrays the pageantry of grief: the way the town responds to the first murders vs. the last, the memorials giving way to an exhausted spirit, nothing left to care, nothing left to give a shit about.
- The Little Girl Who Conquered Time (1983) dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi
I’ll be honest I barely remember this movie and I watched it like a year ago. But I watched when I was still conceptualizing I’m not Ophelia, and the opening scene of all our mains in the snow I pulled straight from this story and into mine. If you want to watch an Obayashi film watch House ❤
- Lady Snowblood (1973) dir. Toshiya Fujita
I am going to write a flashback that is so recursive…
Also, blood ❤
- Rebecca (1938) by Daphne du Marier / Rebecca (1940) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Idk how much of this one actually ended up in InO's DNA. I read it after the second draft at the behest of a dear friend who compared the two works. Take this one as a “If you liked my story, try this one too!” It’s masterful. It’s way too good for me to actually be invoking. I only like trash.
The movie is on Youtube and Archive.org
- Black Ambrosia (1988) by Elizabeth Engstrom
Again, the concrete influence is pretty flimsy, but this one is worth reading for the Paperbacks from Hell foreword alone. These guys get it.
When the world has no room for you because you’re gay, or you’re a woman, or you’re poor, you can either give up, or dream a new world into existence. You can double down on your identity, or you can invent a new one. And sometimes that new identity has fangs that tear apart everyone who ever hurt you, and everyone who tries to get too close.
- Twilight (2005) by Stephenie Meyer / Twilight (2008) dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I was obligated, this book contains multitudes this book contains nothing this book is hanging by a thread, a hair trigger away from intense sex and violence at every moment– a tension that never bursts, a promise never fulfilled, Bella knows what she wants (her head torn clean from its stump). Blood, blood, blood ❤
Watch the movie, it’s the better version.
Critical Analysis
Analysis of works influenced by Carmilla, or that influenced I’m not Ophelia
- Vlad Love is a Disaster by hazel
Though ostensibly about a particular anime, it’s truly a wonderfully passionate look into lesbian vampire tropes, and wlw media in general.
- Why Did We Like Elfen Lied? by hazel
Only very, very tangentially related. But watch it. I know it's two hours long. Watch it anyways.
- The Shrieking Shack Reads Twilight
This is my favorite podcast, there’s no comfort listening like some people tearing Harry Potter a new asshole! I was so excited when they started reading the bestworst-est book in the whole wide world. I read Midnight Sun to keep up with the episodes week by week, and oh boy, was that book a waste of time!
Other
- nathaxnne (Letterboxd User)
As I was writing these mini-reviews I realized I was totally cribbing her style, so I must put credit where credit is due.
- Sadgrl.online
This website would not be possible without the layout builder, and all the other webmaster resources Sadness provides! Thank you!
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Carmilla
What's a carmilla?
Carmilla is a Gothic novella written by J. Sheridan le Fanu in 1872. It follows a young sheltered ingenue, Laura, who desperately wishes for a friend– which she finds, in the form of a mysterious young woman named Carmilla, who soon ends up with an indefinite stay in Laura’s home. But is her new friend really all that she seems? (no)
While the novella has gone on to greatly influence vampire lore, it is often overshadowed by later stories (like Dracula, a book you might have heard of).
It’s most marked influence is on that of the niche subgenre: the lesbian vampire. It is a story that inextricably pairs predation (vampirism) and homosexuality, as is the case for most early queer fiction. It exists to feed cultural fears, to keep the presumed male readership on edge and always aware of the potential fiend that might sweep away their innocent daughters.
Most retellings focus on the relationship between Carmilla and Laura–recontextualizing the story into one about a consensual, loving relationship that is torn apart by the forces of straight society. I wanted to try and approach it from a different angle–to retell Carmilla with the “vampire-as-sexual-predator” angle intact but, like, not homophobic this time.
Carmilla is an important piece of queer literature, and is critically underrated. You should totally read it. Here’s some ways you can!