The Gothic novel did not disappear with the turn of the previous
century, but instead evolved to reflect the increasing globalization, and to give new perspectives to the villains and supernatural beings that abound in the novels. As well, the Gothic tropes became very common in the new Young Adult genre, but that deserves its own post, Therefore, here are some of the best modern Gothic novels to date.
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier (1938)
One of the most famous examples of modern Gothic horror, Rebecca is a tale of obsession,
mistrust, and psychological torture. There are no ghosts or
supernatural horrors in this novel – the only spectre is that of the
eponymous Rebecca, haunting the protagonist through her servant Mrs.
Danvers. With the eerie trappings of Gothic horror and the additions of the modern world, such as automobiles and proper medical inquests, Rebecca
defined how the Gothic novel would evolve in the twentieth century.
The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson (1959)
Shirley Jackson has traumatized
the last three generations with her short story “The Lottery”,
a Gothic in its own right, but her novel The Haunting of
Hill House is a step past Rebecca, and takes the Gothic novel back into the realm of the supernatural, where it spent the turn of the century. The Haunting involves a scientist, two young women, and the owner of Hill House, trying to unravel the mystery involving the ghosts and the horrors of the house, and how they begin to torment one young woman.
Anne Rice’s novel is infamous among Goths of varying types for
its depiction of grotesquely decadent vampires, flouncing through their afterlife with lacy cravats, temper tantrums, and an excess of fire and blood. Rice took the supernatural Gothic novel and focused it on the Byronic characters, as opposed to focusing on the traditional heroine. Interview With a Vampire is one of the most well-known Gothic novels, though it is Miss A’s personal opinion that it isn’t very good.
Most similar to: Dracula,
the entire life of Lord Byron
Although most people know the movie starring Daniel Radcliffe, the original book came out in the 1980s. It centres around a spectre, the ‘Woman in Black’, who haunts an English village heralding the deaths of children. The protagonist is a young barrister who comes to handle the estate of a deceased woman, but begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the Woman in Black and the secret horrors of the village.
Taking place just after the Spanish Civil War, Shadow of the Wind follows the life of Daniel Sempere, who finds a book in the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, a secret library in the heart of Barcelona. This book launches him into a decades-old mystery that includes a mysterious, scarred stranger, a haunted mansion, and the tragic death of a beautiful woman.
Following in the trail of Shadow of the Wind
is The Thirteenth Tale,
which returns the Gothic novel to the moors. A favourite of Miss A’s, it center around Margaret Lea, a biographer with a gaping hole in her heart that she cannot fill, and the famous writer Vida Winter, who is dying, and finally ready to tell the truth of her past. Two stories, both with their own ghosts and trappings, play out in this novel. There is a movie of this book, starring Olivia Coleman, Vanessa Redgrave, and Sophie Turner. The movie leaves out a number of the plot-points, and changes the past of Margaret, but keeps the haunting aesthetic of the book.
Most similar to: Agnes Grey, Jane Eyre, Turn
of the Screw
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