Carmilla/YMMV


 * Alternative Character Interpretation: Carmilla - decadent, parasitic serial killer ... or epitome of female empowerment and independence in a male-dominated society?
 * Evil Is Sexy: Essential to the genre.
 * High Octane Nightmare Fuel: The horror is usually kept at a pretty subtle level and Le Fanu relies more on building tension than on moments of outright shock, but there are some genuine "don't read this when you're alone at night" moments, most of them involving Carmilla's visits to Laura's room at night. -- Also, the perfidy, brashness and manipulative skill with which the vampires gain the trust of their unsuspecting victims instills not a little horror.
 * It Was His Sled: Pop-cultural osmosis is the reason that most readers know The Reveal already when they start reading Carmilla.