I’ve recommended gothic reads in the past, and I stand by those recommendations. But since it’s my favourite genre, and autumn/winter is the perfect time to indulge in some unsettling, atmospheric, and immersive reads, I thought I’d recommend a few more. In case any catch your eye, I’ve linked to each book on Book Depository. And as always, I encourage you all to share your own recommendations in return!
The Corset by Laura Purcell
Described as a Victorian chiller, The Corset follows two young women in very different circumstances. Ruth is a teenage seamstress awaiting trial for murder. Dorothea is a wealthy socialite, whose fascination with phrenology leads her to Oakgate Prison, where she hopes to uncover the truth behind Ruth’s case. An air of mystery and threat bubbles throughout, with the book exploring notions of female autonomy, the horror of poverty, and the psychological impact of trauma. Flirtations with the possibility of something supernatural are handled incredibly well, elevating this gothic gem to the heights of subtle literary horror.
A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
Written in sumptuous, evocative prose, A Spell of Winter is a strangely beguiling tale that explores forbidden love, the burden of secrets, and the struggle to escape the cloying inheritance of family. Set largely in the build up to WWI, we have many hallmarks of the gothic genre, including an imposing manor home, a family cutting themselves off from the outside world, and dangerous secrets that threaten to tear them all apart. Tense and quietly eerie without ever boiling over, I was utterly enthralled.
House of Glass by Susan Fletcher
Clara, a young woman with a rare brittle bone condition and a passion for botany, is invited to establish a glasshouse at Shadowbrook, an infamous country home. Upon arrival, she finds an owner conspicuous by absence, and residents terrified of a supposed haunting. Clara soon sets her practical mind to solving the crumbling manor’s mysteries. In many ways, this is a book of opposites; of truth versus lies, logic versus faith, and reality versus the supernatural, as we follow the unravelling of long-held secrets, and examine the devastating ways women’s lives were ruled by scandal, rumour, and reputation. This is gothic historic fiction at its best, and is easily one of my books of the year so far.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
There’s no one reading this who hasn’t heard of Dracula. It’s one of those books that is so iconic, we tend to think we know all about if before we even read it, leaving us to wonder if it’s worth the time and effort. Having finally picked it up for myself last year, I can confidently say that it absolutely is. So much more nuanced than I expected, I loved its fascinating take on gender roles, the Victorian fixation with bodily and sexual corruption, and the timeless fear of the unknown. As a lover of gothic and horror fiction, it was really fun to see many of the foundations upon which those genres would flourish being set down. There is some very interesting use of queer coding to examine too, but above all else, it remains a gripping, atmospheric page turner.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
It’s worth pointing out that this is very, very different from the recent Netflix adaptation, which only shares the book’s name and generally creepy nature. Jackson’s novel is a masterclass in the less is more approach to horror, completely forgoing gore or jump scares. Far more psychological than its screen counterpart, it creeps beneath your skin, forcing you to question what is real and which characters can be trusted. A rumination on the invasive influence of storytelling and fear, and the dangerous power of the imagination, themes of suppression, sisterhood, and belonging simmer to reach a breathless fever pitch. Intelligent, understated, and downright unsettling, this take on the classic haunted house narrative is all the better for its ambiguity.
Have you read any of these? What gothic reads would you recommend?
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I need to read more gothic fiction, especially more Shirley Jackson.
Wise Blood is a great one. Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin and Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh are good contemporary novels inspired by gothic fiction.
Jackson is wonderful. I’m excited to keep exploring her work.
Ooh, Fever Dream and Eileen have both been on my radar for a while! Glad to hear you enjoyed them.
I’ve only read Hill House and the collection Dark Tales by Jackson (which has an introduction by Moshfegh!) I can’t say I liked Eileen as much as Moshfegh’s other work, but it’s still very solid.
Schweblin is amazing, couldn’t recommend her more. Her short story collection Mouthful of Birds is also fantastic. I’m frothing at the mouth for the translations of her other novel and story collection to be published.
They’re both excellent gothic reads! We Have Always Lived in the Castle is my favourite Jackson so far.
I’m excited about Schweblin’s work. I’ve heard such good things, and feel like I could really enjoy her style (here’s hoping, anyway!) 😊
We Have Always Lived in the Castle is the next one of hers I’m going to read, and very soon too.
I’m sure you will appreciate her, and I look forward to reading your thoughts!
A great list of recommendations! I am tempted to read House of Glass, as well as The Silent Companions, which you recommended previously. I also loved The Essex Serpent, which I thought had some great elements of the mysterious gothic atmosphere.
I hope you enjoy them if you decide to give them a go! Oh, I’ve had The Essex Serpent sitting on my shelves for ages, I really must give it a go. Thanks for the reminder! 😊
House of Glass is on my TBR, but I hadn’t realised it was creepy – excellent!
I was surprised by what fun Dracula was when I first read it more than 10 years ago – possibly time for a re-read?
I enjoyed Purcell’s The Silent Companions but found The Corset quite forgettable – trying to decide whether to read her third book or not.
Oh, absolutely! House of Glass has some very chilling moments.
Same here with Dracula. I picked it up largely as a bucket list sort of read, but I ended up loving it!
That’s a pity you didn’t gel with The Corset much. I enjoyed both of Purcell’s novels and am very keen to try her new offering!
Great choices Callum – I loved A Spell of Winter and The Haunting of Hill House. We Have Always Lived at the Castle is also amazing!
Thanks, Cathy! They’re both fab, aren’t they? And yes, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one of my favourites – Jackson is a master of the gothic genre.
Just a needed spooky list for this month!!! Thank you!!
My pleasure! 😊
Dracula is one of my gothic favourites. I studied it at university but I still like it?!
Also like The Haunting of Hill House a lot. A Spell of Winter sounds interesting, I will check it out.
That’s definitely the sign of a great book! 😋 I hope you enjoy A Spell of Winter if you decide to give it a go.
Great post! I really should read more gothic fiction- it really fits my preference of creepy and/or bizarre perfectly. From your list, I’ve only read Spell and Haunting of Hill House so far (and really liked both!), but I’ve got a Purcell novel (The Silent Companions) on my TBR for the month, and I’ve been meaning to read Dracula for AGES. House of Glass looks tempting as well!
Thank you! Ooh, I’m excited to see what you make of Purcell’s work. Most people seem to prefer The Silent Companions to The Corset so that’s a great place to start. (I loved both, but rated The Corset higher.) And I was the same with Dracula for so long, but I’m really glad I finally made the time for it. I hope it proves to be worth the wait for you as well!
Thanks, I’m definitely looking forward to both! And I’m sure I’ll be keen to pick up The Corset if I get on well with The Silent Companions, especially knowing it worked so well for you!
I’m not sure if it counts as gothic but did you ever read Burial Rites by Hannah Kent? I feel like it could hold its own amongst this recommendations.
Ooh, yes! It’s an excellent book and it certainly has a gothic tone. And this reminds me that I really must read The Good People, Kent’s second novel. Have you read it?
I have! It could also be included under gothic titles; it definitely has a creepy undertone. I liked Burial Rites a little better but both are excellent.
Glad to hear it!