It’s the end of an era. Leanna Renee Hieber’s newest release, Miss Violet and the Great War represents both the end of the Victorian era and the conclusion to her debut gaslamp fantasy series, the Strangely Beautiful Saga. Over the years, I’ve reviewed the rereleased versions of Strangely Beautiful and Perilous Prophecy. Now, after much trial and tribulation, the never-before-published final book has arrived. Miss Violet and the Great War comes out tomorrow, February 26. If you’re in the New York City area, be sure to join us at the release party at WORD in Brooklyn on Thursday. Continue reading Review of Miss Violet and the Great War—A Strangely Beautiful Ending
Month: February 2019
Gothic Tropes: Prophecies and Curses
I often say that the core concept at the heart of the Gothic is the idea of the past haunting the present. One common way that this manifests in stories is through an old prophecy or curse. Prophecies serve to explain how the story’s current action is rooted in some event of the past. In many cases, the prophecy addresses a past wrong and how it might be revenged or righted. Generally, some injustice was committed by a member of a previous generation, and now the perpetrator’s descendants suffer the consequences, recalling the biblical notion that “the sins of the father shall be visited upon the children.” The prophecy can come from a divine source, or can be intentionally inflicted as a curse by a character associated with witchcraft. Prophecies may or may not be paired with other supernatural elements, such as literal hauntings by ghosts, revenants, or doppelgangers. Continue reading Gothic Tropes: Prophecies and Curses
Romance in Gothic Fiction
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we’ve all got a bit of romance on the mind. And what could be more romantic than an entire genre that was originally called “Gothic Romance”? Of course, the term “romance” has meant different things over the course of the genre’s history, and each iteration of the Gothic utilizes romantic elements in different ways. Let’s take a brief look at the role romance has played in Gothic fiction.
Haunted Libraries of the Eastern United States
Libraries are wonderful places where people from all backgrounds can access knowledge, entertainment, resources, and community without spending a dime. They’re also, as it turns out, popular homes for the restless dead. Library hauntings don’t always look like that dramatic scene from the Ghostbusters movie, but many librarians and patrons have reported hearing noises, feeling chills, and seeing apparitions. I suppose if I have to come back and haunt a particular location, spending eternity wandering the stacks does have a certain appeal. Below are a few of my favorite stories of haunted libraries up and down the Eastern United States. Why this region, specifically? There were just too many hauntings to choose from, so I decided to limit myself to the area I’m most familiar with for now. Perhaps I’ll turn this post into a series! If you know of other libraries with a resident ghost that you’d like to see featured, feel free to submit suggestions in the comments. Continue reading Haunted Libraries of the Eastern United States