The Gothic

by Blankenship (Editor)

What is the Gothic ? From ghosts to vampires, from ruined castles to steampunk fashion, the Gothic is a term that evokes all things strange, haunted and sinister. This volume offers a new look at the world of the Gothic, from its origins in the eighteenth century to its reemergence today. Each short essay is dedicated to a single text – a novel, a film, a comic book series, a festival – that serves as a lens to explore the genre. Original readings of classics like The Mysteries of Udolpho (Ann Radcliffe) and Picnic at Hanging Rock (Joan Lindsay) are combined with unique insights into contemporary examples like the music of Mexican rock band Caifanes, the novels Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer), Goth (Otsuichi) and The Paying Guests (Sarah Waters), and the films Crimson Peak (Guillermo del Toro) and Ex Machina (Alex Garland). Together the essays provide innovative ways of understanding key texts in terms of their Gothic elements. Invaluable for students, teachers and fans alike, the book’s accessible style allows for an engaging look at the spectral and uncanny nature of the Gothic.

274 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2018

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book with a clear purpose: to discuss a wide variety of Gothic sub-genres via their application to a varied assortment of texts old and new. THE GOTHIC: A READER offers readers a large collection of short essays in which each approach is utilised to offer new readings of both familiar and unfamiliar texts. The sub-genres include the familiar likes of Victorian, postcolonial and American Gothic, while the texts chosen for selection include authors from Machen to Rhys to Bloch, films including PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, and such imaginative topics as the Whitby Goth Weekend and Walpole's Strawberry Hill. There's a lot of fresh insight here, and the brevity of the essays allows for a pleasingly broad overview of current concerns.

[Jack Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a casual read, but definitely an interesting one. I read this collection of articles as fuel for a Gothic Literature module on my BA, as well as increasing my understanding of how Gothic influences culture on more levels than I previously appreciated. If Gothic is of interest to you, you may well enjoy this volume.