Carmilla: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1872, 27,925 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1872, 27,925 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
27,925 words. Modern gothic and horror often runs 70,000 to 90,000 words, so this is short for the shelf today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 27,925 words, Carmilla is shorter than modern vampire novels but typical for Victorian serialised fiction. It is longer than a novella but shorter than a full novel. The length suits the focused narrative and single location.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1872, 27,925 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The book was originally serialised in The Dark Blue magazine in 1872. Chapter breaks align with serial instalment breaks, each ending with a hook or question. Chapter 2 ends with Carmilla's arrival, chapter 7 with the blood vision, chapter 9 with the General's arrival, chapter 14 with the revelation.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 7, Ch 9, Ch 14
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps include The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. All feature atmospheric Gothic settings, mysterious beautiful women, and slow-burn supernatural horror with romantic elements.
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Today it would be shelved in Gothic horror, paranormal romance, and classic literature sections. It appeals to readers of atmospheric horror, vampire fiction, and historical Gothic. It suits readers who enjoy slow-burn tension and unreliable perception.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: blood and bloodletting, predatory seduction, death of a young woman, implied sexual threat, religious imagery, grave desecration, violence against a corpse.
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 9, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
A young woman befriends a mysterious guest at her castle, only to discover her new companion is a centuries-old vampire draining her life. As her health fails and deaths plague the village, she must uncover the truth before it is too late.
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title is a single name, typical of Gothic novels of the period. It emphasises the vampire as a character rather than a concept. Modern genre titles often use longer, more descriptive phrases, making Carmilla feel elegant and restrained by contemporary standards.
Ask Carmilla a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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