What do you think?
Rate this book
Young Gothic #1
Young Gothic
Filled with deadly secrets and the monsters you thought only existed in your mind ...
You've heard of Frankenstein's monster, you've heard of Dracula, but have you heard of the Villa Diodati? Eve, Griffin, Hal and Ren embark on a summer they'll never forget at the birthplace of all things Gothic.
The summer is beset by mysterious happenings, as the monsters they create begin to clamber out of their minds. Events rise to a horrible climax when, on a dark and stormy night, one of the villa's guests is found dead and each of our foursome becomes a suspect in a gruesome murder.
It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime. But when the stuff of nightmares becomes their reality, will they make it out alive?
You've heard of Frankenstein's monster, you've heard of Dracula, but have you heard of the Villa Diodati? Eve, Griffin, Hal and Ren embark on a summer they'll never forget at the birthplace of all things Gothic.
The summer is beset by mysterious happenings, as the monsters they create begin to clamber out of their minds. Events rise to a horrible climax when, on a dark and stormy night, one of the villa's guests is found dead and each of our foursome becomes a suspect in a gruesome murder.
It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime. But when the stuff of nightmares becomes their reality, will they make it out alive?
438 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2024
45 people are currently reading
1485 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Bennett
17 books303 followersM. A. Bennett is half Venetian and was born in Manchester, England, and raised in the Yorkshire Dales. She is a history graduate of Oxford University and the University of Venice, where she specialized in the study of Shakespeare’s plays as a historical source. After university she studied art and has since worked as an illustrator, an actress, and a film reviewer. She also designed tour visuals for rock bands, including U2 and the Rolling Stones. She was married on the Grand Canal in Venice and lives in north London with her husband, son, and daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
July 11, 2024
Horror lovers (book or film) will lose their minds over the plot and structure of this novel, which is based around the Kermode Newman rules for a good horror story. Gothic references spatter the pages, too, and twists run rampant in almost every chapter. There’s a haunted estate, a ghost-like child, creepy dolls, tongueless servants, secret societies and a locked room in the cellar. In the words of protagonist Eve, how gothic is that?
I know I’ll be thinking about this book for ages. It’s so incredibly clever and well-researched, successfully experimenting with formats and quotes and absolutely soaked in wordplay. It all feels real despite the supernatural aspects, which is hard to do in fantasy horror. I love the four main POVs, each a different horror archetype – nerd, jester, jock, virgin/final girl – and each with a different haunting backstory, all laced with guilt and a love for the macabre. If you’re fond of mysteries, literature, film, poetry, or good old ghost stories, run to pick this up.
As you’d expect, this is dark for YA, so check the trigger warnings before reading. It explores how our most persistent demons are often aspects of ourselves, and how friendship and honest confidence can help us to channel our fears towards creative ends.
The only reason this is not five stars is that just for once I’d love to read a horror book that doesn’t have the worst kinds of humans quoting from the Bible to excuse acts of abuse. While I fully realise some terrible people really do act like this, misusing scripture strikes me as sad and horrible, not scary, and for me this detracts from the overall incredibly spooky vibes.
However, that being said, this is still the best YA horror I’ve read for a long time. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from the author, and I’m incredibly grateful to @teambkmrk and @mabennettauthor for my copy.
I know I’ll be thinking about this book for ages. It’s so incredibly clever and well-researched, successfully experimenting with formats and quotes and absolutely soaked in wordplay. It all feels real despite the supernatural aspects, which is hard to do in fantasy horror. I love the four main POVs, each a different horror archetype – nerd, jester, jock, virgin/final girl – and each with a different haunting backstory, all laced with guilt and a love for the macabre. If you’re fond of mysteries, literature, film, poetry, or good old ghost stories, run to pick this up.
As you’d expect, this is dark for YA, so check the trigger warnings before reading. It explores how our most persistent demons are often aspects of ourselves, and how friendship and honest confidence can help us to channel our fears towards creative ends.
The only reason this is not five stars is that just for once I’d love to read a horror book that doesn’t have the worst kinds of humans quoting from the Bible to excuse acts of abuse. While I fully realise some terrible people really do act like this, misusing scripture strikes me as sad and horrible, not scary, and for me this detracts from the overall incredibly spooky vibes.
However, that being said, this is still the best YA horror I’ve read for a long time. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from the author, and I’m incredibly grateful to @teambkmrk and @mabennettauthor for my copy.
September 7, 2024
OK, fair warning - this is one of my Books of the Year. I finished it and could not stop gushing all over my socials. It may be hard to write this review, because I really am just 'EXCITED NOISES’ about it overall!
I shall, however, do my best dramatic goth pose and try to explain just why you need to pick this book up.
Most horror fans know that one of the key dates in horror history was the summer Mary Shelley and her poet husband, plus Lord Byron and his friend/doctor holidayed at the Villa Diodati. From that fateful meeting came the novel Frankenstein, but the experiences of those gothic dilettantes became almost a fairytale in itself.
Imagine if the mysterious owner of the Villa sought four young people to recreate that inspiration in the modern world. Those with a love of the gothic, certainly, but also with genuine sparks of creativity, utilising modern technology to combine vlogs and grimoires into an entirely new set of monsters.
I went into this with only the most basic idea of the story, and when I saw that it was a ‘found footage’-style narrative, I was intrigued. As ‘Dracula’ was told in letters and diaries, so is this, cleverly combining modern tropes with classic storytelling to convey the hope and excitement of the Chosen Guests embarking on their adventure - and bringing all their unique baggage with them.
As I read on, I realised how incredibly cunning this book is. Using the language of young adults in the 2020s, it’s easy to be wrong-footed and think we’re in for an quick slasher tale. Instead, each chapter unfolds to reveal more detail, about our characters and their difficult histories as well as the intricate game that they’re caught up in. This may be the opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s also a trap…
Each of our protagonists is well-written and sympathetic, and I was rooting for every one of them as the net started to pull tight. They may be a self-described modern ‘Scooby Gang’, with the ‘Cabin in the Woods’ tropes also being clearly lamp-shaded, but there are no caricatures here. I cared for them with their fears, pain and genuine humanity when faced with frankly impossible circumstances.
If you know your gothic literature (or horror in general), there’s Easter Eggs galore, but even though I had an idea of where things might go, there is absolutely no way that I could have foreseen how events would unfold.
As brilliantly plotted as Agatha Christie in her prime, this book is sheer brilliance and deserves all of the attention from horror fans, as a true love-letter to the genre. From its origins to present day (and I hear rumours of a sequel!), I’ll continue to recommend this everywhere I can.
This is an adventure that will stay with you, and that I’ll be gladly revisiting to see what I missed!
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
I shall, however, do my best dramatic goth pose and try to explain just why you need to pick this book up.
Most horror fans know that one of the key dates in horror history was the summer Mary Shelley and her poet husband, plus Lord Byron and his friend/doctor holidayed at the Villa Diodati. From that fateful meeting came the novel Frankenstein, but the experiences of those gothic dilettantes became almost a fairytale in itself.
Imagine if the mysterious owner of the Villa sought four young people to recreate that inspiration in the modern world. Those with a love of the gothic, certainly, but also with genuine sparks of creativity, utilising modern technology to combine vlogs and grimoires into an entirely new set of monsters.
I went into this with only the most basic idea of the story, and when I saw that it was a ‘found footage’-style narrative, I was intrigued. As ‘Dracula’ was told in letters and diaries, so is this, cleverly combining modern tropes with classic storytelling to convey the hope and excitement of the Chosen Guests embarking on their adventure - and bringing all their unique baggage with them.
As I read on, I realised how incredibly cunning this book is. Using the language of young adults in the 2020s, it’s easy to be wrong-footed and think we’re in for an quick slasher tale. Instead, each chapter unfolds to reveal more detail, about our characters and their difficult histories as well as the intricate game that they’re caught up in. This may be the opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s also a trap…
Each of our protagonists is well-written and sympathetic, and I was rooting for every one of them as the net started to pull tight. They may be a self-described modern ‘Scooby Gang’, with the ‘Cabin in the Woods’ tropes also being clearly lamp-shaded, but there are no caricatures here. I cared for them with their fears, pain and genuine humanity when faced with frankly impossible circumstances.
If you know your gothic literature (or horror in general), there’s Easter Eggs galore, but even though I had an idea of where things might go, there is absolutely no way that I could have foreseen how events would unfold.
As brilliantly plotted as Agatha Christie in her prime, this book is sheer brilliance and deserves all of the attention from horror fans, as a true love-letter to the genre. From its origins to present day (and I hear rumours of a sequel!), I’ll continue to recommend this everywhere I can.
This is an adventure that will stay with you, and that I’ll be gladly revisiting to see what I missed!
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
October 18, 2025
Una storia avvincente, da leggere tutta d'un fiato.
Nel 1816, quattro grandi figure si ritrovarono a Villa Diodati, in Svizzera, per trascorrere l'estate insieme. Durante quel soggiorno nacquero alcune delle più celebri opere della letteratura gotica, come "Frankenstein" e "Il Vampiro". Duecento anni dopo, quattro giovani vincono un concorso che li porta a soggiornare nella stessa villa ispiratrice di quelle opere. Tuttavia, strani eventi iniziano ad accadere, legati ai quattro Poeti Estinti e alle loro misteriose morti.
Imperdibile per gli amanti del gotico, con un'infinità di citazioni letterarie e cinematografiche che danno nuova vita a mostri antichi e dimenticati.
Nel 1816, quattro grandi figure si ritrovarono a Villa Diodati, in Svizzera, per trascorrere l'estate insieme. Durante quel soggiorno nacquero alcune delle più celebri opere della letteratura gotica, come "Frankenstein" e "Il Vampiro". Duecento anni dopo, quattro giovani vincono un concorso che li porta a soggiornare nella stessa villa ispiratrice di quelle opere. Tuttavia, strani eventi iniziano ad accadere, legati ai quattro Poeti Estinti e alle loro misteriose morti.
Imperdibile per gli amanti del gotico, con un'infinità di citazioni letterarie e cinematografiche che danno nuova vita a mostri antichi e dimenticati.
July 6, 2024
“Why can’t she be every woman like Chaka Khan says? They don’t make good songs out of bad ideas.”
If you like horror of any kind—Gothic, slasher, even J-horror—you will love this book. Following Eve, Hal, Griffin, and Ren as they win the chance to summer in the same Swiss villa as Mary Shelley and her peers, this book soon spirals into all out madness without ever losing its initial heart. As strange occurrences dig up buried secrets from their past, each of our narrators must face their own monsters. None of them ever felt like a weak link: not Eve, with her morbid fascination with death after a close brush with it; nor Griffin, the rapper with a gruesome past wishing he could just disappear; nor Ren, my favourite gender-defying, ex-churchgoing Yorkshireman; nor even Hal, whose typical male-film-student attitude I hated with a passion at the start but grew on me as he grew as a character. The big twist is pretty obvious from the start, but instead of spoiling the surprise, the foreshadowing only made it even more enjoyable to follow along the trail of breadcrumbs to the classic Gothic novels that inspired it. In short, this book combined all the best elements of contemporary mystery with everything I adore about the Gothic genre, and I can only hope the sequel hook pays off soon.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
If you like horror of any kind—Gothic, slasher, even J-horror—you will love this book. Following Eve, Hal, Griffin, and Ren as they win the chance to summer in the same Swiss villa as Mary Shelley and her peers, this book soon spirals into all out madness without ever losing its initial heart. As strange occurrences dig up buried secrets from their past, each of our narrators must face their own monsters. None of them ever felt like a weak link: not Eve, with her morbid fascination with death after a close brush with it; nor Griffin, the rapper with a gruesome past wishing he could just disappear; nor Ren, my favourite gender-defying, ex-churchgoing Yorkshireman; nor even Hal, whose typical male-film-student attitude I hated with a passion at the start but grew on me as he grew as a character. The big twist is pretty obvious from the start, but instead of spoiling the surprise, the foreshadowing only made it even more enjoyable to follow along the trail of breadcrumbs to the classic Gothic novels that inspired it. In short, this book combined all the best elements of contemporary mystery with everything I adore about the Gothic genre, and I can only hope the sequel hook pays off soon.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
February 19, 2025
This multi-POV story follows 4 young adults meeting in a mansion during the Summer in order to let their creativity flow. This mansion, situated in Switzerland, was part of the birth of the famous Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. It has all the gothic and eerie vibes needed to isolate oneself and make something incredible.
During this Summer, our 4 protagonists are expected to find the inspiration to create a new song, or story, or even movie thanks to a generous foundation that wants to let young creators a chance to show their talent to the world.
Expect things aren't as they seem and reality might start to shift very quickly mixing it up with fiction.
The story was okay, it is clearly aimed to YA lovers, which it not being my case, made it hard to stay focused after a few chapters. It's on me, I admit it. It was still an easy read and did not need to force myself to finish.
There was a lot of gothic references but too surface level for my taste and the atmosphere in itself did not feel gothic at all. Again, it being a YA story, the descriptions aren't as long and complex as I'd expect in an actual gothic story. It's more of a mystery vibe, which is perfectly alright, so if that's your thing, give it a try but do check the trigger warnings, some themes can be heavy.
The relationships between the different characters made me cringe a lot, I really did not enjoy their dynamics and they did not flow in my eyes, it felt super forced.
I did like the fact that the story followed a horror movie trope and used the different elements. It wasn't groundbreaking, but it made it a bit more fun.
Finally, I would like to point out some details that irked me a bit as someone living in Switzerland and knowing that doing research for this kind of thing isn't too complicated.
> Firstly the lake is not called Geneva Lake or Lake Geneva but the Léman Lake.
> Secondly the currency aren't Euros, but Swiss Francs, it makes no sense that british people coming to Switzerland get Euros instead of Swiss Francs.
> And lastly, the emergency number isn't 115, that is no emergency number whatsoever in Switzerland, it's either 144, 117, 118 or even 112.
During this Summer, our 4 protagonists are expected to find the inspiration to create a new song, or story, or even movie thanks to a generous foundation that wants to let young creators a chance to show their talent to the world.
Expect things aren't as they seem and reality might start to shift very quickly mixing it up with fiction.
The story was okay, it is clearly aimed to YA lovers, which it not being my case, made it hard to stay focused after a few chapters. It's on me, I admit it. It was still an easy read and did not need to force myself to finish.
There was a lot of gothic references but too surface level for my taste and the atmosphere in itself did not feel gothic at all. Again, it being a YA story, the descriptions aren't as long and complex as I'd expect in an actual gothic story. It's more of a mystery vibe, which is perfectly alright, so if that's your thing, give it a try but do check the trigger warnings, some themes can be heavy.
The relationships between the different characters made me cringe a lot, I really did not enjoy their dynamics and they did not flow in my eyes, it felt super forced.
I did like the fact that the story followed a horror movie trope and used the different elements. It wasn't groundbreaking, but it made it a bit more fun.
Finally, I would like to point out some details that irked me a bit as someone living in Switzerland and knowing that doing research for this kind of thing isn't too complicated.
> Firstly the lake is not called Geneva Lake or Lake Geneva but the Léman Lake.
> Secondly the currency aren't Euros, but Swiss Francs, it makes no sense that british people coming to Switzerland get Euros instead of Swiss Francs.
> And lastly, the emergency number isn't 115, that is no emergency number whatsoever in Switzerland, it's either 144, 117, 118 or even 112.
November 6, 2024
3.75 rounded up
Loved all the horror tropes and the overall story and characters were very fun!
Lots of trigger warnings for this book though (rape, abortion, homophobia) and this along with how pretentious I did find the characters at times (I love you the most Ren, but I do often HATE reading your parts of the book) meant I felt pretty mixed about my feelings with this one. Might check out the sequel though particularly if we get more character development (plus Transylvania!)
Loved all the horror tropes and the overall story and characters were very fun!
Lots of trigger warnings for this book though (rape, abortion, homophobia) and this along with how pretentious I did find the characters at times (I love you the most Ren, but I do often HATE reading your parts of the book) meant I felt pretty mixed about my feelings with this one. Might check out the sequel though particularly if we get more character development (plus Transylvania!)
September 20, 2024
Call this book kesha cause holy shit IT TOOK ME FOR A JOYRIDE!!! In all honesty though it was a toss up between this and two other novels to buy and I’m SO happy I picked this one because oh my god was it the fun story I needed!
I know this book is going to turn some people off because it has first person pov for multiple characters, but if I’m being honest? This is one of the best examples of the portrayal of such a writing style. Each of the character’s voices is were so distinct and let me figure out so much about their personalities right from the jump. I truly believe that this book could not exist without swapping between our core four because so much of what makes this story click is dependent on the drip-feeding of information we get that’s done in an incredible way. I was honestly shocked to realise this cuz I hated him at the start of the book, but I definitely think Hal is probably my favourite of the main cast. His redemption arc was really well done for sure, and while I thought his relationship with Eve was a little rushed it was still super cute! (To be honest I kinda feel the same about Ren and Griffin’s romance as well, I definitely think the romance is probably the weakest part of the book but it’s really only a minor part of it!)
If it wasn’t obvious already, this is a book that very much uses its characters very actively in the story, which is something that I absolutely adore. The plot of this book is both shocking and yet SUPER meticulously crafted, though it’s definitely a bit of a slow burn at first. I’d say if you’re coming in only for the scares to tough it out till the 200 page mark, because that’s when things get really crazy and really freaky really fast. I adore the hallucination sequences in this book, they’re so wild and crazy and creative. My god, the horror influences are so clear in this one and it makes me happy. I’m actually astonished that this book managed to accurately pay homage to horror literature, film AND drama all while understanding how horror fan culture works. I’m used to seeing books talk about horror films and the slasher genre, but it’s very much usually only surface level shit. It’s just really nice to see this level of appreciation and care going into this story, particularly when you get to the end of the book and realise where it’s going. I felt like such an active participant in this story, constantly flipping pages back and forth to solve potential mysteries and theories about what was happening. It was fun, really fun.
I do feel the need to warn people though that while I truly loved this book I definitely don’t believe the trigger warnings accurately summarised the sensitive content in this book and I was shocked at how little they actively warned you about. Usually this wouldn’t be an issue but I think the fact that a warning was included but not for more obvious triggers was just. A little strange to me? So please proceed with caution while reading this! It’s actually quite dark for a YA novel, I was surprised by it. The subject matter is handled with a lot of respect, but still.
Anyways, this is an absolute gem. I love being able to read fun, insightful stories like this, and I hope y’all will consider giving this a chance too and adding it to your shelf!
I know this book is going to turn some people off because it has first person pov for multiple characters, but if I’m being honest? This is one of the best examples of the portrayal of such a writing style. Each of the character’s voices is were so distinct and let me figure out so much about their personalities right from the jump. I truly believe that this book could not exist without swapping between our core four because so much of what makes this story click is dependent on the drip-feeding of information we get that’s done in an incredible way. I was honestly shocked to realise this cuz I hated him at the start of the book, but I definitely think Hal is probably my favourite of the main cast. His redemption arc was really well done for sure, and while I thought his relationship with Eve was a little rushed it was still super cute! (To be honest I kinda feel the same about Ren and Griffin’s romance as well, I definitely think the romance is probably the weakest part of the book but it’s really only a minor part of it!)
If it wasn’t obvious already, this is a book that very much uses its characters very actively in the story, which is something that I absolutely adore. The plot of this book is both shocking and yet SUPER meticulously crafted, though it’s definitely a bit of a slow burn at first. I’d say if you’re coming in only for the scares to tough it out till the 200 page mark, because that’s when things get really crazy and really freaky really fast. I adore the hallucination sequences in this book, they’re so wild and crazy and creative. My god, the horror influences are so clear in this one and it makes me happy. I’m actually astonished that this book managed to accurately pay homage to horror literature, film AND drama all while understanding how horror fan culture works. I’m used to seeing books talk about horror films and the slasher genre, but it’s very much usually only surface level shit. It’s just really nice to see this level of appreciation and care going into this story, particularly when you get to the end of the book and realise where it’s going. I felt like such an active participant in this story, constantly flipping pages back and forth to solve potential mysteries and theories about what was happening. It was fun, really fun.
I do feel the need to warn people though that while I truly loved this book I definitely don’t believe the trigger warnings accurately summarised the sensitive content in this book and I was shocked at how little they actively warned you about. Usually this wouldn’t be an issue but I think the fact that a warning was included but not for more obvious triggers was just. A little strange to me? So please proceed with caution while reading this! It’s actually quite dark for a YA novel, I was surprised by it. The subject matter is handled with a lot of respect, but still.
Anyways, this is an absolute gem. I love being able to read fun, insightful stories like this, and I hope y’all will consider giving this a chance too and adding it to your shelf!
October 8, 2024
Hell yes! This was such a good reading experience. Young Gothic was displayed on one of the many bookshelves at my local bookstore, so I found it by accident. I hadn't read/heard anything about it before I saw the cover. And I'm so happy that I bought it! This is also the first book in a LONG time which I started reading immediately after buying it (sorry books who've been waiting on my shelf since 2021 I promise I'll get to you).
Young Gothic is an incredibly fun adventure with lots of clever twists and turns. Four teenagers who are into gothic literature/film apply to stay at the house in which Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) and her three friends wrote classic horror stories we all know. They don't know each other, but soon they'll grow closer.
Each of the four teens is also a narrator through which we experience the story. This kept things moving very nicely! Each of them had their own unique way of speaking. Their backstories were also complete and had their own form of "horror" in them. I think the author just executed it very well. I've seen stories get lost in the sauce because of multiple narrators.
There are also a lot of references to beloved horror stories (books and film). Some fun and interesting facts were shared about the creation process for example (although I'm not entirely sure if they all are 100% true). The philosophy behind the stages of horror stories was also very interesting! I loved it when I found out that each black page in the book (the title pages for the different parts) were named after those stages. It was just another clever little thing that made this experience very fun.
I don't think I could have predicted what was going to happen, but there were some hints scattered throughout the story now that I've completed it and looking back on it. Maybe someone else will pick up on those quicker than I did, but there's only one way to find out.
Oooh!! I also loved how the book dealt with religion and queerness, subtly yet very clear (idk how to describe it? It just felt like it took up the right amount of space and in the right form for this story)
A great October read!!
Young Gothic is an incredibly fun adventure with lots of clever twists and turns. Four teenagers who are into gothic literature/film apply to stay at the house in which Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) and her three friends wrote classic horror stories we all know. They don't know each other, but soon they'll grow closer.
Each of the four teens is also a narrator through which we experience the story. This kept things moving very nicely! Each of them had their own unique way of speaking. Their backstories were also complete and had their own form of "horror" in them. I think the author just executed it very well. I've seen stories get lost in the sauce because of multiple narrators.
There are also a lot of references to beloved horror stories (books and film). Some fun and interesting facts were shared about the creation process for example (although I'm not entirely sure if they all are 100% true). The philosophy behind the stages of horror stories was also very interesting! I loved it when I found out that each black page in the book (the title pages for the different parts) were named after those stages. It was just another clever little thing that made this experience very fun.
I don't think I could have predicted what was going to happen, but there were some hints scattered throughout the story now that I've completed it and looking back on it. Maybe someone else will pick up on those quicker than I did, but there's only one way to find out.
Oooh!! I also loved how the book dealt with religion and queerness, subtly yet very clear (idk how to describe it? It just felt like it took up the right amount of space and in the right form for this story)
A great October read!!
November 19, 2024
2.5 stars? Loved the concept, couldn't stand a single character.
July 24, 2024
What are you afraid of?
The Villa Diodata, beautiful and isolated is home for the summer for four young adults, Eve, the You Tuber, Griffin, the musician, Hal, the aspiring actor and Ren, the vampire obsessive. Brought together from an advert for a summer of inspiration and creativity.
But as their fears become reality and a murder is committed, will they survive?
A YA mystery horror thriller told in alternate chapters by each character and with multi media aspects, this is so good! I was instantly captivated by the location, the characters and the story, it was hard to put down. There are some heavy themes here but they are handled so well it never feels forced.
The four main characters are so different yet each as a darkness inside them that the villa exploits for its own ends. If you love gothic literature like Dracula and Frankenstein you will love this, the reason for their stay and the link to a similar event 200yrs before is thrilling!
October 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5/5
Letto insieme al gruppo di lettura L’Ora del Gotico, Young Gothic è stata una piacevole sorpresa: un romanzo che rende omaggio all’eredità di Villa Diodati e ai suoi illustri ospiti, ma con un tocco moderno e accattivante.
L’atmosfera è quella che ogni amante del gotico spera di trovare: notti tempestose, segreti tramandati, e un cast di personaggi che sembrano emergere da un sogno febbrile di Mary Shelley. L’autrice riesce a intrecciare mito, letteratura e mistero con uno stile scorrevole e ricco di suggestioni, perfetto per chi ama le storie che mescolano ombre e poesia.
L’unico appunto, per me, riguarda il finale: un po’ troppo affrettato rispetto alla ricchezza delle premesse e all’intensità dell’intreccio. Avrei voluto più spazio per respirare le ultime rivelazioni.
Nonostante ciò, Young Gothic rimane una lettura affascinante, ideale per chi sente il richiamo dei lampi su Ginevra e delle parole che, in una notte del 1816, diedero vita al mito del gotico moderno. Vogliamo parlare dell’edizione curata poi da Alessia Amati? Vale tutto 🧡
Letto insieme al gruppo di lettura L’Ora del Gotico, Young Gothic è stata una piacevole sorpresa: un romanzo che rende omaggio all’eredità di Villa Diodati e ai suoi illustri ospiti, ma con un tocco moderno e accattivante.
L’atmosfera è quella che ogni amante del gotico spera di trovare: notti tempestose, segreti tramandati, e un cast di personaggi che sembrano emergere da un sogno febbrile di Mary Shelley. L’autrice riesce a intrecciare mito, letteratura e mistero con uno stile scorrevole e ricco di suggestioni, perfetto per chi ama le storie che mescolano ombre e poesia.
L’unico appunto, per me, riguarda il finale: un po’ troppo affrettato rispetto alla ricchezza delle premesse e all’intensità dell’intreccio. Avrei voluto più spazio per respirare le ultime rivelazioni.
Nonostante ciò, Young Gothic rimane una lettura affascinante, ideale per chi sente il richiamo dei lampi su Ginevra e delle parole che, in una notte del 1816, diedero vita al mito del gotico moderno. Vogliamo parlare dell’edizione curata poi da Alessia Amati? Vale tutto 🧡
October 15, 2025
È in una notte buia e tempestosa del 1816 che sono state create opere letterarie immortali; duecento anni dopo, quattro giovani arrivano a Villa Diodati grazie al programma benefico Young Gothic.
Eve, Hal, Griffin e Ren sembrano essere destinati a rivivere le stesse esperienze dei Poeti Estinti - Mary e Percy Shelley, George Byron e John Polidori 🪶 Le loro paure e i loro segreti prendono vita, portandoli ad affrontare i propri mostri personali e i traumi passati, e ad abbracciare la loro vera natura, legata inesorabilmente alla letteratura gotica. Villa Diodati è come un’entità viva e oscura, che inganna la tua mente e ti cambia per sempre 🕯️
Il romanzo presenta tutti gli elementi perfetti per gli amanti del genere. Tra gotico, horror, mistero, psicologia e scienza, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 trasmette quella sensazione di inquietudine che resta cucita addosso anche dopo la lettura, grazie ad una scrittura magnetica e vivida. Inoltre vengono affrontate diverse tematiche forti capaci di toccare il cuore e turbare🫀Allo stesso tempo non manca il fascino dei richiami ai Poeti Estinti di Villa Diodati, riaccendendo una connessione profonda, familiare e nostalgica con gli scrittori passati a cui noi amanti del gotico siamo affezionati 🪶
Ci si affeziona anche ai protagonisti contemporanei, tanto complessi e sfaccettati da rendere i loro segreti parte stessa del mistero 🕯️ Ho apprezzato tanto il loro avvicinamento: la found family nasce non solo per svelare il motivo per cui sono stati scelti, ma si trasforma in un rifugio sicuro, un sostegno reciproco per l’elaborazione delle esperienze passate grazie alla possibilità di accettazione, di perdonare sé stessi e di fronteggiare insieme il futuro nefasto che li attende.
«Ma sento che siamo vicini come mai prima d'ora. Una famiglia. Una famiglia assurda e incasinata, ma comunque una famiglia. Sappiamo tutto quello che c'è da sapere l'uno dell'altro. E anche se questa sarà la nostra ultima notte qui, l'ultima notte insieme, sento che i membri di Young Gothic saranno sempre legati, ovunque andranno nel mondo, qualunque cosa faranno.»
Un gotico da amare, perfetto per la spooky season! Sicuramente una delle letture più belle di ottobre 🍂
Ringrazio di cuore la CE per la copia del romanzo 🤎
Eve, Hal, Griffin e Ren sembrano essere destinati a rivivere le stesse esperienze dei Poeti Estinti - Mary e Percy Shelley, George Byron e John Polidori 🪶 Le loro paure e i loro segreti prendono vita, portandoli ad affrontare i propri mostri personali e i traumi passati, e ad abbracciare la loro vera natura, legata inesorabilmente alla letteratura gotica. Villa Diodati è come un’entità viva e oscura, che inganna la tua mente e ti cambia per sempre 🕯️
Il romanzo presenta tutti gli elementi perfetti per gli amanti del genere. Tra gotico, horror, mistero, psicologia e scienza, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 trasmette quella sensazione di inquietudine che resta cucita addosso anche dopo la lettura, grazie ad una scrittura magnetica e vivida. Inoltre vengono affrontate diverse tematiche forti capaci di toccare il cuore e turbare🫀Allo stesso tempo non manca il fascino dei richiami ai Poeti Estinti di Villa Diodati, riaccendendo una connessione profonda, familiare e nostalgica con gli scrittori passati a cui noi amanti del gotico siamo affezionati 🪶
Ci si affeziona anche ai protagonisti contemporanei, tanto complessi e sfaccettati da rendere i loro segreti parte stessa del mistero 🕯️ Ho apprezzato tanto il loro avvicinamento: la found family nasce non solo per svelare il motivo per cui sono stati scelti, ma si trasforma in un rifugio sicuro, un sostegno reciproco per l’elaborazione delle esperienze passate grazie alla possibilità di accettazione, di perdonare sé stessi e di fronteggiare insieme il futuro nefasto che li attende.
«Ma sento che siamo vicini come mai prima d'ora. Una famiglia. Una famiglia assurda e incasinata, ma comunque una famiglia. Sappiamo tutto quello che c'è da sapere l'uno dell'altro. E anche se questa sarà la nostra ultima notte qui, l'ultima notte insieme, sento che i membri di Young Gothic saranno sempre legati, ovunque andranno nel mondo, qualunque cosa faranno.»
Un gotico da amare, perfetto per la spooky season! Sicuramente una delle letture più belle di ottobre 🍂
Ringrazio di cuore la CE per la copia del romanzo 🤎
November 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
February 2, 2025
3,5 stars
This was quite a good read!
The first half was definitely the strongest bit for me though. I loved the suspense of not knowing what is real and what is not, building theory after theory about what‘s actually going on. Unfortunately, at some point the story took a turn i wasn‘t really a fan of, which is also why i wasn‘t 100% satisfied with the ending. Otherwise this would have been a clear 4-star book.
The characters definitely grew on me over the span of the story. At first i wasn‘t sure what to think about G and especially Ren, since he can be a little over the top, but soon i learned to appreciate them too.
The four main characters in total complemented each other well, and we even got a bit of romance, which i personally really enjoyed.
In conclusion, i would recommend this book to those who enjoy any kind of horror media, or those who‘d like a decent read for in-between.
Be aware that this is a series though! I suppose it can be read as a standalone too, but not all plot points are resolved.
This was quite a good read!
The first half was definitely the strongest bit for me though. I loved the suspense of not knowing what is real and what is not, building theory after theory about what‘s actually going on. Unfortunately, at some point the story took a turn i wasn‘t really a fan of, which is also why i wasn‘t 100% satisfied with the ending. Otherwise this would have been a clear 4-star book.
The characters definitely grew on me over the span of the story. At first i wasn‘t sure what to think about G and especially Ren, since he can be a little over the top, but soon i learned to appreciate them too.
The four main characters in total complemented each other well, and we even got a bit of romance, which i personally really enjoyed.
In conclusion, i would recommend this book to those who enjoy any kind of horror media, or those who‘d like a decent read for in-between.
Be aware that this is a series though! I suppose it can be read as a standalone too, but not all plot points are resolved.
October 28, 2024
“They’ve got no idea about horror,” I say. “That’s horror. There are no monsters worse than men.”
Four young creative souls are given the opportunity to spend the summer at Villa Diodati, the legendary mansion where, in 1816, four authors – Mary and Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori - challenged each other to write horror stories. It's where the gothic classics Frankenstein and The Vampyre were born. When Eve, Griffin, Ren and Hal, all hiding secrets and guilt, arrive, things soon start to escalate from creepy to life threatening as the horror imbedded in the bones of Villa Diodati begins to bleed into their lives and minds.
I picked this book up randomly cause I thought I might like it – I mean, I love gothic literature, I knew the book was queer and because I do like a classic horror novel with creepy mansions and so on – but this book surpassed all my expectations. It is one of my new favorite horror novels and definitely the best YA horror book I have ever read. The writing was great, the characters distinct and loveable, the world beautifully creepy and horrifying, and the whole premise was just amazing. I love how self-aware the book is. The characters know they are in a horror story and the book is filled with references to not just gothic literature but also horror movies, horror conventions and character stereotypes and pretty much every cliche attached to the Gothic genre. It is clear the author is a huge fan of Gothic stories and is having the time of her life playing with the reader's expectations and all the typical tropes – the creepy basement, the old mansion, creaking walls, strange knocks on doors and so on. It's super on the nose and purposeful with its self-awareness and I loved it: it could've easily felt cringe and weird, but Bennett nailed it. I also loved the blend of historical and modern. The lives of the Dead Poets, as they are referred to (the original four authors who spent the summer in Diodati creating monsters), are mirrored in our four central characters, each sharing some quirk or habit or event with one of them. And it's not just that: the kids are now literally following in the footsteps of the poets and artists before them, sleeping in their beds, sitting where they sat and rowing the same boat they did. I loved how these eight lives blended together.
The horror was done exactly in the way I like it. I don't care about horror stories were the threat, the danger, is an outsider, just someone the characters must survive. I want the horror to be personal, intrinsically linked to the characters themselves, and this is exactly what the horror in this book is. Each character is haunted by things specifically linked to their traumas, regrets and lives, and seeing how they all reacted to them was so intriguing, especially since every time someone was haunted or experienced something scary, it revealed more and more about who they are, at their core. Horror is, for me, at its best, a way to understand a character's soul, to get to the very heart of them: it's a mirror, of sorts. The horror is also tied to real-life horrors, such as grooming and sexual abuse, religious violence and trauma, external and internalised homophobia and so on. It's a perfect blend of paranormal and reality (there are paranormal dangers, but there's also the monstrosity of people - the people our characters were hurt by and, on some level, our characters themselves). Because just like horror can offer a mirror for the characters to explore themselves, it can also be a mirror to reveal the monstrosity of the society we live in. I also loved how the author tied so many classic features of Gothic fiction into her characters. I had a blast figuring out who these kids are and I loved how, even though I seemed to realise a lot of things on my own, she managed to surprised me so many times. I felt like a fool at the end when the puzzle pieces finally clicked and the truth revealed. I loved that feeling of awed bafflement that you get when an author sticks their landing perfectly.
I fell in love with all the four main characters. They all had such strong voices – Ren's chapters were vibrant and loud and full of exclamation points, echoing his vibrant personality, Hal's were sometimes written like scripts, Eve's were written in a more lush old-fashioned prose that I think aimed to give the reader the same vibe as classic Gothic novels and Griffin's books were more conversational, full of slang and so on – and each of them had a compelling character arc. No one was reduced to a mere supporting character, which is how it should be in a multi-POV book. Everyone was integral to the story. I appreciated how they were all sometimes annoying, as teens on the cusp of adulthood can often be, because, as Hal says to Eve, perfect characters are boring. No one wants to root for someone who can do no wrong. They all have their own scars to carry and piecing together what happened to them to make them this way, why they all ended up at Diodati and who they are underneath the masks and walls, was so satisfying. I appreciated how Bennett explored heavier themes such as internalised homophobia, religious (physical and emotional) trauma and exual coercion and abuse, as well as more common, universally relatable themes such as wanting to feel seen and accepted, finding people you feel at home with and trying to make sense of your identity. I think my favorite character was Ren, even though genuinely every character had a moment that made me think "No, THEY are my favorite". I just loved his flamboyant aura, his killer sense of style and how he was, at the same time, both incredibly confident and barely holding himself together. I love characters like that - ones that you wouldn't think are as broken as they are cause they seem everything but full of vulnerabilities. It also didn't hurt that
I am a huge sucker for stories about unlikely friendships and fire-forged families. Young Gothic is very much a found family story. These four kids from very different kinds of lives and backgrounds are thrust together and even though they clash, argue and some of them even hate each other when they first meet, they become a unit, a team, because they have to, in order to survive. I don't know what it is, but stories about people bonded together by an experience no one else can understand just gets me. There's something about that uniqueness, that comfort of knowing someone went through what you did, that always floors me. Ren and Eve had a really sweet friendship – their vibes immediately matched and they were such cuties – and the two romances that begin to slowly blossom were also both great. We have a fun hate-to-love storyline which develops in a realistic, honest way, and a love story that is hindered by the characters going through some serious personal shit. I love that Bennett does not rush either relationship because it would've felt unrealistic for the characters to go all in on a romance in a situation like this. And also, this is a series, so save the big moments for later books, let the romance cook. As someone who gets very grumpy when romances are rushed, I was so grateful that Bennett didn't do that.
I thought this was a standalone book. I was pumped when I realised it is not – it's a first book in what I think will be a four book series. YAY! The ending of this book left me desperate for the sequel, as did where all the characters ended up. They had satisfying arcs in this book, but no one's story was fully wrapped up – in fact, they only just began. I just know there's some awesome, cool, dark stuff coming up and I cannot wait to read it. I already miss these characters and Bennett's delightful brand of self-aware storytelling and horror.
Four young creative souls are given the opportunity to spend the summer at Villa Diodati, the legendary mansion where, in 1816, four authors – Mary and Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori - challenged each other to write horror stories. It's where the gothic classics Frankenstein and The Vampyre were born. When Eve, Griffin, Ren and Hal, all hiding secrets and guilt, arrive, things soon start to escalate from creepy to life threatening as the horror imbedded in the bones of Villa Diodati begins to bleed into their lives and minds.
I picked this book up randomly cause I thought I might like it – I mean, I love gothic literature, I knew the book was queer and because I do like a classic horror novel with creepy mansions and so on – but this book surpassed all my expectations. It is one of my new favorite horror novels and definitely the best YA horror book I have ever read. The writing was great, the characters distinct and loveable, the world beautifully creepy and horrifying, and the whole premise was just amazing. I love how self-aware the book is. The characters know they are in a horror story and the book is filled with references to not just gothic literature but also horror movies, horror conventions and character stereotypes and pretty much every cliche attached to the Gothic genre. It is clear the author is a huge fan of Gothic stories and is having the time of her life playing with the reader's expectations and all the typical tropes – the creepy basement, the old mansion, creaking walls, strange knocks on doors and so on. It's super on the nose and purposeful with its self-awareness and I loved it: it could've easily felt cringe and weird, but Bennett nailed it. I also loved the blend of historical and modern. The lives of the Dead Poets, as they are referred to (the original four authors who spent the summer in Diodati creating monsters), are mirrored in our four central characters, each sharing some quirk or habit or event with one of them. And it's not just that: the kids are now literally following in the footsteps of the poets and artists before them, sleeping in their beds, sitting where they sat and rowing the same boat they did. I loved how these eight lives blended together.
The horror was done exactly in the way I like it. I don't care about horror stories were the threat, the danger, is an outsider, just someone the characters must survive. I want the horror to be personal, intrinsically linked to the characters themselves, and this is exactly what the horror in this book is. Each character is haunted by things specifically linked to their traumas, regrets and lives, and seeing how they all reacted to them was so intriguing, especially since every time someone was haunted or experienced something scary, it revealed more and more about who they are, at their core. Horror is, for me, at its best, a way to understand a character's soul, to get to the very heart of them: it's a mirror, of sorts. The horror is also tied to real-life horrors, such as grooming and sexual abuse, religious violence and trauma, external and internalised homophobia and so on. It's a perfect blend of paranormal and reality (there are paranormal dangers, but there's also the monstrosity of people - the people our characters were hurt by and, on some level, our characters themselves). Because just like horror can offer a mirror for the characters to explore themselves, it can also be a mirror to reveal the monstrosity of the society we live in. I also loved how the author tied so many classic features of Gothic fiction into her characters. I had a blast figuring out who these kids are and I loved how, even though I seemed to realise a lot of things on my own, she managed to surprised me so many times. I felt like a fool at the end when the puzzle pieces finally clicked and the truth revealed. I loved that feeling of awed bafflement that you get when an author sticks their landing perfectly.
I fell in love with all the four main characters. They all had such strong voices – Ren's chapters were vibrant and loud and full of exclamation points, echoing his vibrant personality, Hal's were sometimes written like scripts, Eve's were written in a more lush old-fashioned prose that I think aimed to give the reader the same vibe as classic Gothic novels and Griffin's books were more conversational, full of slang and so on – and each of them had a compelling character arc. No one was reduced to a mere supporting character, which is how it should be in a multi-POV book. Everyone was integral to the story. I appreciated how they were all sometimes annoying, as teens on the cusp of adulthood can often be, because, as Hal says to Eve, perfect characters are boring. No one wants to root for someone who can do no wrong. They all have their own scars to carry and piecing together what happened to them to make them this way, why they all ended up at Diodati and who they are underneath the masks and walls, was so satisfying. I appreciated how Bennett explored heavier themes such as internalised homophobia, religious (physical and emotional) trauma and exual coercion and abuse, as well as more common, universally relatable themes such as wanting to feel seen and accepted, finding people you feel at home with and trying to make sense of your identity. I think my favorite character was Ren, even though genuinely every character had a moment that made me think "No, THEY are my favorite". I just loved his flamboyant aura, his killer sense of style and how he was, at the same time, both incredibly confident and barely holding himself together. I love characters like that - ones that you wouldn't think are as broken as they are cause they seem everything but full of vulnerabilities. It also didn't hurt that
I am a huge sucker for stories about unlikely friendships and fire-forged families. Young Gothic is very much a found family story. These four kids from very different kinds of lives and backgrounds are thrust together and even though they clash, argue and some of them even hate each other when they first meet, they become a unit, a team, because they have to, in order to survive. I don't know what it is, but stories about people bonded together by an experience no one else can understand just gets me. There's something about that uniqueness, that comfort of knowing someone went through what you did, that always floors me. Ren and Eve had a really sweet friendship – their vibes immediately matched and they were such cuties – and the two romances that begin to slowly blossom were also both great. We have a fun hate-to-love storyline which develops in a realistic, honest way, and a love story that is hindered by the characters going through some serious personal shit. I love that Bennett does not rush either relationship because it would've felt unrealistic for the characters to go all in on a romance in a situation like this. And also, this is a series, so save the big moments for later books, let the romance cook. As someone who gets very grumpy when romances are rushed, I was so grateful that Bennett didn't do that.
I thought this was a standalone book. I was pumped when I realised it is not – it's a first book in what I think will be a four book series. YAY! The ending of this book left me desperate for the sequel, as did where all the characters ended up. They had satisfying arcs in this book, but no one's story was fully wrapped up – in fact, they only just began. I just know there's some awesome, cool, dark stuff coming up and I cannot wait to read it. I already miss these characters and Bennett's delightful brand of self-aware storytelling and horror.
December 9, 2024
I really enjoyed the references to Gothic Literature throughout this novel but I didn't really connect with the characters or story. It was a good idea and the premise of the novel was strong but I couldn't tell if it was meant to be a fantasy or just Gothic or what was going on really. Might have just been me. I still enjoyed reading it mostly but won't be rushing to recommend it to students.
July 27, 2025
Writing so bad the 18-21 year-old characters read like insufferable tweens, and contains some weirdly conservative and sexist messaging about pregnancy and abortion when you think about the story for longer than one second.
October 5, 2024
This may actually be one of the worst things I've ever read this year
July 5, 2025
L O V E D I T.
Although some parts of the story were quite predictable (that may be because of great foreshadowing), the book was truly awesome. I loved the characters (even you, Hal, I admit) (we hate Ed now), their dynamics and chemistry. It's mysterious, entertaining and properly gothic. Really makes me want to read the main pieces of Gothic literature, come back to Young Gothic again and after that, devour the sequel.
Although some parts of the story were quite predictable (that may be because of great foreshadowing), the book was truly awesome. I loved the characters (even you, Hal, I admit) (we hate Ed now), their dynamics and chemistry. It's mysterious, entertaining and properly gothic. Really makes me want to read the main pieces of Gothic literature, come back to Young Gothic again and after that, devour the sequel.
July 20, 2024
Great book 😊
August 14, 2024
Omg what a book ! The twists and turns? Amazing , they had me hooked from the very beginning and the ending truly had me gripping my seat. The characters are all
Lovable in their own write and the descriptions really allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. 20/10
Lovable in their own write and the descriptions really allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. 20/10
October 23, 2024
GOD!! I wasn’t expecting loving this so much!! 🧛🧟♀️🫥👯♂️
October 6, 2025
True Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Content/Trigger Warnings: Strong language, Mentions of abortion, child loss, sexual coercion, and emotional abuse, Graphic depictions of violence and gore, Nongraphic attempted sexual assault, Discussions of brief death on an operating table, Heavy drinking, Racial and homophobic slurs,
"At least you know where you are with the monsters. They only really want one thing, and that's your destruction. Who the hell knows what God wants?"
I will be the first to admit this was a complete cover and impulse by. It was the last book I picked up on this particular August book shopping trip for autumnal reads. As a fan of Gothic fiction, this piqued my interest. And this GORGEOUS cover helped, as well. I thought it would be a good, spooky read for the last week of October and, after flipping through, caved and bought it.
So, how was it?
Criticism
Eve's Backstory
I'm going to hide the majority of this issue under a spoiler tag, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who's going to have an issue with this.
Romance/Insta-Love
This may possibly be one of the worst cases of insta-love I've ever seen. When everyone first meets, two of our characters literally hate each other and are polar opposites. And not even one day later, they're "drawn" together. I could see them matching because their interests complement each other, but give it TIME. The rapid pace was honestly just for an end goal, and didn't really add much to the story. The author also really didn't handle a character's sexual awakening well, at all. This character has never had a clue who they may be attracted to, and is forced into it and given no time to process, just again instant pull. If all of this had been framed as lust, I'd have been fine. But it's not, and that's where I have an issue. The rapid pace of these things actually, in my opinion, hurt the atmosphere of the novel.
Pacing
This entire novel went just a bit too fast for me, given the content and the plot. I would have really enjoyed everything unravelling more slowly, really seeing everyone come together more slowly and realistically. If that means a duology or 100 more pages, then fine, I would have read it. But there was SO MUCH going on that at times it got confusing. The reader is bombarded with Gothic lit facts, movie facts, historical facts -and that doesn't even mention the other bits of the plot. It's honestly a lot, and one volume definitely didn't do this story justice.
Praise
Writing Voice
I will give the author this: they did a fantastic job of giving a different voice to each character. I honestly didn't need the name at the top of each "chapter" to know which character I was following. Each one was so distinct in either the style of the writing, or the way they spoke and acted. It can be difficult to write multiple characters differently, but the author did it well.
The Central Plot
My issues with the backstories and other minor bits aside, the center plot really did catch my attention. It's part of why I wish the plot could have gone slower and longer; it was just interesting. It was fun to see how the author used certain aspects (historically accurate or not) to build up the characters and their arcs. It was interesting to see how the characters unraveled, how everything built up until the end. The moment when things finally click are just as confusing for the reader as the characters, and the climax (while not perfect) helped.
References and Trivia
Although it did take time away from the story, I have to admit I did really enjoy how the author used horror movie and Gothic literature trivia in the story. How the story is broken into 10 named parts, how small tricks are added from places one wouldn't expect -it was a lot of fun, and I definitely plan on looking certain trivia up to fact-check. Horror and Gothic fans will definitely enjoy this.
Final Thoughts
Was this a good spooky read? More or less. There are a ton of heavy topics, and I HIGHLY recommend everyone look up content/trigger warnings, despite spoilers, because there are so many. But the author is obviously a huge fan of Gothic tales and horror movies, which shows in the book. If you're an older reader (I DO NOT recommend this for younger YA readers, AT ALL), and you're fine with the warnings, then give it a try around October or November.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Strong language, Mentions of abortion, child loss, sexual coercion, and emotional abuse, Graphic depictions of violence and gore, Nongraphic attempted sexual assault, Discussions of brief death on an operating table, Heavy drinking, Racial and homophobic slurs,
"At least you know where you are with the monsters. They only really want one thing, and that's your destruction. Who the hell knows what God wants?"
I will be the first to admit this was a complete cover and impulse by. It was the last book I picked up on this particular August book shopping trip for autumnal reads. As a fan of Gothic fiction, this piqued my interest. And this GORGEOUS cover helped, as well. I thought it would be a good, spooky read for the last week of October and, after flipping through, caved and bought it.
So, how was it?
Criticism
Eve's Backstory
I'm going to hide the majority of this issue under a spoiler tag, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who's going to have an issue with this.
Romance/Insta-Love
This may possibly be one of the worst cases of insta-love I've ever seen. When everyone first meets, two of our characters literally hate each other and are polar opposites. And not even one day later, they're "drawn" together. I could see them matching because their interests complement each other, but give it TIME. The rapid pace was honestly just for an end goal, and didn't really add much to the story. The author also really didn't handle a character's sexual awakening well, at all. This character has never had a clue who they may be attracted to, and is forced into it and given no time to process, just again instant pull. If all of this had been framed as lust, I'd have been fine. But it's not, and that's where I have an issue. The rapid pace of these things actually, in my opinion, hurt the atmosphere of the novel.
Pacing
This entire novel went just a bit too fast for me, given the content and the plot. I would have really enjoyed everything unravelling more slowly, really seeing everyone come together more slowly and realistically. If that means a duology or 100 more pages, then fine, I would have read it. But there was SO MUCH going on that at times it got confusing. The reader is bombarded with Gothic lit facts, movie facts, historical facts -and that doesn't even mention the other bits of the plot. It's honestly a lot, and one volume definitely didn't do this story justice.
Praise
Writing Voice
I will give the author this: they did a fantastic job of giving a different voice to each character. I honestly didn't need the name at the top of each "chapter" to know which character I was following. Each one was so distinct in either the style of the writing, or the way they spoke and acted. It can be difficult to write multiple characters differently, but the author did it well.
The Central Plot
My issues with the backstories and other minor bits aside, the center plot really did catch my attention. It's part of why I wish the plot could have gone slower and longer; it was just interesting. It was fun to see how the author used certain aspects (historically accurate or not) to build up the characters and their arcs. It was interesting to see how the characters unraveled, how everything built up until the end. The moment when things finally click are just as confusing for the reader as the characters, and the climax (while not perfect) helped.
References and Trivia
Although it did take time away from the story, I have to admit I did really enjoy how the author used horror movie and Gothic literature trivia in the story. How the story is broken into 10 named parts, how small tricks are added from places one wouldn't expect -it was a lot of fun, and I definitely plan on looking certain trivia up to fact-check. Horror and Gothic fans will definitely enjoy this.
Final Thoughts
Was this a good spooky read? More or less. There are a ton of heavy topics, and I HIGHLY recommend everyone look up content/trigger warnings, despite spoilers, because there are so many. But the author is obviously a huge fan of Gothic tales and horror movies, which shows in the book. If you're an older reader (I DO NOT recommend this for younger YA readers, AT ALL), and you're fine with the warnings, then give it a try around October or November.
February 1, 2025
Yes I finished this in one sitting. Yes I had to stay up all night to know what happened next. Yes I’m afraid to turn off the lights.
November 1, 2025
⭐️4,5/5⭐️
February 11, 2025
WHAAAAAT
THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!
I LOVE REN SO MUCH!!
THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!
I LOVE REN SO MUCH!!
May 19, 2025
definitely not my age range but I had to finish it
November 14, 2025
⚡📖 Un’estate tempestosa, una villa custode di antichi segreti e quattro ragazzi riuniti per raccogliere un’eredità oscura…
Questo romanzo cattura fin dalle prime pagine con le sue atmosfere inquietanti e misteriose. 🕯️
L'autrice è stata davvero geniale nell’intrecciare mistero, orrore e scienza, evocando le suggestioni di Mary Shelley, Byron e Polidori, e giocando con i miti fondativi del genere gotico per riflettere anche su temi moderni e attuali. ⚗️
Personalmente l’ho trovata una lettura davvero avvincente, in cui pagina dopo pagina mi sono affezionata sempre di più ai personaggi. 💀 La trama ben congeniata, il ritmo incalzante e la tensione calibrata con intelligenza rendono questo romanzo non solo un bel tributo ai maestri del passato, ma anche un gotico contemporaneo brillante e arguto. Perfetto da leggere in una notte buia e tempestosa! 😉
Questo romanzo cattura fin dalle prime pagine con le sue atmosfere inquietanti e misteriose. 🕯️
L'autrice è stata davvero geniale nell’intrecciare mistero, orrore e scienza, evocando le suggestioni di Mary Shelley, Byron e Polidori, e giocando con i miti fondativi del genere gotico per riflettere anche su temi moderni e attuali. ⚗️
Personalmente l’ho trovata una lettura davvero avvincente, in cui pagina dopo pagina mi sono affezionata sempre di più ai personaggi. 💀 La trama ben congeniata, il ritmo incalzante e la tensione calibrata con intelligenza rendono questo romanzo non solo un bel tributo ai maestri del passato, ma anche un gotico contemporaneo brillante e arguto. Perfetto da leggere in una notte buia e tempestosa! 😉
November 26, 2024
For a book that had 4 perspectives, it sure sounded like reading the same thing over and over again, just in different font. Did this book make any goddamn sense? No. Did it compel me, though? Also no, but it was entertaining in some way, so I guess I'll have to give it that.
Finishing thoughts: I hope to never see the word "innards" ever again.
Finishing thoughts: I hope to never see the word "innards" ever again.
October 9, 2025
Voto complessivo: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trama: 👍👍👍👍
Personaggi: 👦👦👦👦
Page turner: 📖📖📖📖
Suspense: 😱😱😱😱
Plot twist: 💡💡💡
Tropes and Vibes: dark academia - gothic vibes - horror
Villa Diodati: c’è forse un nome più evocativo per gli amanti della letteratura gotica?
La villa sulle rive del lago di Ginevra dove una semplice scommessa portò alla creazione di Frankenstein e de Il Vampiro.
Le aspettative a inizio lettura erano quindi alte, ma sono calate alla presentazione dei personaggi: un cantante/poeta di strada, idolo dei giovanissimi, un paio di YouTuber e un patito di Dracula (l’unico, almeno sulla carta, vicino ai miei gusti). Fortunatamente, però, l’horror è arrivato presto e ha risvegliato il mio entusiasmo, tenendomi incollata alla pagina dall’inizio alla fine.
Ed eccoli qui, il finale, appunto. Mi ha sgonfiato? Sì/No/Forse. L’ho trovato molto… pop, e riesce ad essere, allo stesso tempo, stonato e azzeccato.
Sapete cosa vi dico? Ho deciso di optare per le cinque stelle perché questo Young Gothic è un libro perfetto per la spooky season, mi ha intrattenuto come si deve, sollazzato con le citazioni letterarie e cinematografiche, e non posso che sorridere al potenziale aggancio al sequel.
Tropes and Vibes: dark academia - gothic vibes - horror
Villa Diodati: c’è forse un nome più evocativo per gli amanti della letteratura gotica?
La villa sulle rive del lago di Ginevra dove una semplice scommessa portò alla creazione di Frankenstein e de Il Vampiro.
Le aspettative a inizio lettura erano quindi alte, ma sono calate alla presentazione dei personaggi: un cantante/poeta di strada, idolo dei giovanissimi, un paio di YouTuber e un patito di Dracula (l’unico, almeno sulla carta, vicino ai miei gusti). Fortunatamente, però, l’horror è arrivato presto e ha risvegliato il mio entusiasmo, tenendomi incollata alla pagina dall’inizio alla fine.
Ed eccoli qui, il finale, appunto. Mi ha sgonfiato? Sì/No/Forse. L’ho trovato molto… pop, e riesce ad essere, allo stesso tempo, stonato e azzeccato.
Sapete cosa vi dico? Ho deciso di optare per le cinque stelle perché questo Young Gothic è un libro perfetto per la spooky season, mi ha intrattenuto come si deve, sollazzato con le citazioni letterarie e cinematografiche, e non posso che sorridere al potenziale aggancio al sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews