The Gothic has always been a place where marginalized gender expressions and sexualities could be explored—though in the past, this was often either done through deeply buried subtext or in a way that punished transgression and reasserted the prevailing societal norms. Today, however, queer Gothic is one of the most lively and prolific areas of the genre, and many authors are writing stories where queer identities are overt, accepted, and even celebrated. Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic Anthology, edited by Celine Frohn, collects a whole set of stories that do just that. The anthology came out back in February from Nyx Publishing after raising money through a successful Kickstarter campaign. Continue reading Review of Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic Anthology
Month: May 2020
Gothic Tropes: The Snake Lady
Monstrous women are found throughout Gothic literature. They represent fears and anxieties around female bodies and women’s role in society. But there is one type of monstrous woman we see over and over again, whose symbolism goes back centuries: the snake lady. Part woman and part snake, the snake lady might physically be half and half—like a land-bound mermaid—or she might transform between the two forms. Either way, she inspires both desire and fear—the paradox at the heart of the Gothic.
Review of Robbergirl—A Snow Queen Retelling
How about a little queer romance to warm the icy chill of isolation? Robbergirl by S. T. Gibson, which came out last year, is a YA retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairy tale “The Snow Queen.” While the original tale centers a young girl’s quest to save her loved one from the embodiment of winter, Robbergirl approaches the story from the perspective of the young thief who aids the other girl with her adventure and along the way learns the difference between loving someone and possessing them. Continue reading Review of Robbergirl—A Snow Queen Retelling
Review of Haunted Voices—Scottish Gothic
We’ve talked about American Gothic, French and German Gothic, and even Irish Gothic. But what about Scottish Gothic? Cultures with a strong oral storytelling tradition tend to also have a very rich tradition of horror stories, and Scotland is no exception. A recent anthology by the independent press Haunt Publishing seeks to capitalize on that connection. Haunted Voices: An Anthology of Gothic Storytelling from Scotland, edited by Rebecca Wojturska, blends traditional Scottish oral tales with dark stories from newer voices that reflect the diversity of the country. Check it out for an informative and entertaining take on Highland horror! Continue reading Review of Haunted Voices—Scottish Gothic
The Gothic Library is a Bookshop.org Affiliate!
There’s a brand new way to buy your books online and support independent bookstores in the process—Bookshop.org! Indie bookstores are the backbone of the book world, but they’ve long been fighting an uphill battle against Amazon and large corporate chains. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic slowing sales, indie bookstores need our support more than ever. Bookshop.org has recently emerged as the ethical alternative to Amazon.
Continue reading The Gothic Library is a Bookshop.org Affiliate!