Favourite Book Review Winner

Congratulations to Alisha Wall who has won our 2015 Favourite Book Competition for her review "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fenu.  She won a £10 Amazon voucher for this great piece of writing:

"To say that 'life and death are mysterious states' is to say that the little comprehension we have of both can lead to our downfall. In the case of Le Fanu's 'Carmilla', the idea that 'love will have its sacrifices' is an understatement. Pre-dating Stoker's 'Dracula', the short novella explores the lures of female attraction and confronts gothic archetypes, setting a bookmark for the subversive gothic breakthrough novel. The characteristically heterosexual male is relatively non-existent as 'Carmilla' delves into a study of not only female sexuality, but also the strength of women and the lures of the supernatural. From the legend of Nosferatu, tales of the vampire have been told for centuries, but none so fluid or subversive as that of Carmilla, the female vampire seductress, whose meek and mild appearance is thoroughly juxtaposed by her thirst for blood and habitual murder of innocent women. Upon searching deeper, however, you find that Carmilla is the antithesis of what is expected of her, and under her hardened exterior, lies a creature searching for love and a sense of self-worth that no life of immortality can sustain. In a society still dominated by the patriarchy, Le Fanu's controversial tale empowers women and girls through an era when women are becoming stronger and gaining power nationally. Such a powerful read can't help but evoke such a feeling of nostalgia and raw emotion that if I were to recommend someone to read any one book, it would have to be 'Carmilla'. There really is nothing like the rush of emotion that keeps a reader so captivated and enthralled by such a perfect blend of fantasy and reality, not only is 'Carmilla' a classic piece of literature, but also a ground breaking novella, easily one of the best of its time"

And well done to our two runner-ups: Emily Rayson who wrote about Rainbow Powell's "Eleanor and Park" and Carmen Walbyoff who reviewed "Fullmetal Alchemist" by Hiromu Arakawa.  I'll print their reviews shortly.