Last week, we lost one of the strongest literary voices of our era. Toni Morrison passed away on August 5, following an impressive career that spanned half a century. She is celebrated for her unflinching portrayals of the African-American experience and for works that center the voices of black women. She was also one of the leading figures of the modern Gothic. Continue reading Toni Morrison and the Gothic
It’s in the Blood: Family Legacies in Gothic Authorship
Lots of things can be passed down through the family. Maybe you’ve inherited your grandmother’s eyes, your aunt’s madness, or the fatal curse that has plagued your family’s male line for generations. But what about inheriting an affinity for writing Gothic literature? As I research deeper and deeper into the genre, I’ve noticed a few family names that recur throughout different eras. Many of the authors that we love best today built on the legacy of their ancestors, or else passed their love of the genre down to their progeny. Here are a few examples of Gothic authors who kept their literary legacy in the family: Continue reading It’s in the Blood: Family Legacies in Gothic Authorship
Harry Potter and the Gothic: Plot Tropes
Around this time last year, in honor of Harry’s birthday, I wrote a blog post on “Gothic Elements in Harry Potter.” Earlier this month, I expanded on that post to do a full panel about “Gothic Influences on Harry Potter” for a convention called MISTI-Con. I’ve found working on this topic to be so much fun that I wanted to share with you a bit more of what I’ve learned. This post may even become part of a series as I continue to explore the connections between my favorite genre and the books that kicked off my early love for literature.
Last time, I touched on some of the Gothic settings, themes, and motifs in J.K. Rowling’s books. Now I want to examine in more depth a few specific plot tropes that Harry Potter borrows from the Gothic. Continue reading Harry Potter and the Gothic: Plot Tropes
The Sisters of the Winter Wood Review
“Come buy! Come buy!” While I don’t recommend that you hearken to the call of goblin men, I do highly encourage you to come and buy a copy of the debut YA fantasy novel The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner. Set in an Eastern European shtetl, Rossner’s story is a particularly clever retelling of one of my favorite poems, Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market,” that blends in Slavic folklore, Jewish traditions, and historical elements. I always love a good fairy tale retelling, but this is one of the most creative examples I’ve ever encountered that both truly honors the source material and also uses it to say something new. Continue reading The Sisters of the Winter Wood Review
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue Review
Ah, the Grand Tour of Europe—that most exciting part of coming of age for any young Victorian gentleman. Monty’s Grand Tour, however, gets a bit too exciting in The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee—a queer YA historical novel that my friends have been ranting and raving to me about for well over a year. Apparently, July is the month for me to finally catch up on all the great reads from the last few years that I somehow missed. I actually met Mackenzi Lee back in 2015 at the Brooklyn Book Festival and reviewed her debut novel, This Monstrous Thing. And yet I still managed to be the last one to hop on the Gentleman’s Guide bandwagon. Oh well, better late than never! Continue reading The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue Review
Review of The Cruel Prince
I just can’t resist those evil fairy princes! Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince, the first book in her new Folk of the Air series, has been out for well over a year now, but I just recently hopped on the bandwagon. Now I wish I hadn’t waited so long! As I learned from reading her Modern Faerie Tales series over a decade ago, you can always count on Holly Black to create some delightfully degenerate Fair Folk. Continue reading Review of The Cruel Prince
Steampunk Con 2019: A Rundown
Now that I’ve had a chance to recover, it’s time to go over my impressions of the very first steampunk event hosted by VampireFreaks, Steampunk Con. A few weeks ago, I wrote up a preview of what we could expect from this new convention, which took place in Piscataway, New Jersey, on June 21–23. As a first-year event, Steampunk Con was modestly attended and somewhat mellow, but its small size had the advantage of creating a feeling of intimacy and a close-knit community of attendees. This convention’s other great strength lay in the way it found a unique area of overlap between steampunk and goth. Read on for a few highlights from the weekend: Continue reading Steampunk Con 2019: A Rundown
Review of Death by Suggestion–A Hypnotic Anthology
You are getting very, very sleepy … and also a bit murderous. Mesmerism, also called animal magnetism and later hypnosis, spread in popularity throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries as doctors, hobbyists, and stage performers demonstrated their ability to control the actions of others through mere suggestion. The Victorians and Edwardians were fascinated by this new discipline, but also, understandably, quite anxious. Without knowing what the limitations were of this power, they imagined scenarios in which one could be mesmerized to commit crimes, betray loved ones, and even kill. Death by Suggestion: An Anthology of 19th and Early 20th-Century Tales of Hypnotically Induced Murder, Suicide, and Accidental Death edited by Donald K. Hartman brings together twenty-two tales by authors both well-known and obscure that explore the darker side of suggestion. Continue reading Review of Death by Suggestion–A Hypnotic Anthology
Preview of Steampunk Con
The organizers of Dark Side of the Con are bringing us a brand-new steampunk convention! The aptly named Steampunk Con will take place this weekend, June 21–23, at the Radisson hotel in Piscataway, New Jersey. This debut convention represents a branching out for VampireFreaks, who have been bringing us the goth convention Dark Side for three successful years! Steampunk Con brings out the best of both worlds by showcasing the darker side of steampunk and highlighting the ways in which the goth and steampunk communities overlap. You can purchase tickets and find out more about the event at the Steampunk Con website.
Grief: The Raven and The Babadook
What does Poe’s most famous poem have to do with an Australian horror film from a few years back? More than you might think. “The Raven” and The Babadook utilize similar plot lines to explore the inescapable nature of grief after the loss of a loved one. (Warning: This post contains spoilers for the movie The Babadook.)
Most of you are likely familiar with “The Raven,” Poe’s 1845 poem that first skyrocketed him into literary fame. The poem is told from the perspective of an unnamed speaker who mourns for his lost love, Lenore. One night, a raven comes in through his window and answers all of the speaker’s questions with one word: “Nevermore.” At the end of the poem, the speaker acknowledges that the raven is still sitting above his door, and his soul will be under its shadow forever. If you’d like to refresh yourself on the details, you can read the full text of “The Raven” here.
Somewhat more niche is The Babadook, a debut horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent, which made waves among horror fans when it was first released in 2014. The story features a single mother named Amelia, whose husband died the same night she gave birth to her son Sam. Years later, Amelia and Sam discover a mysterious pop-up book that features a terrifying creature called the Babadook. Though Amelia initially dismisses the Babadook as fictional, it soon begins to take over her mind, showing her visions of violence and causing her to act erratically. Amelia finally confronts the Babadook, and the end of the movie shows the monster now somewhat docile, living in her basement. Amelia visits occasionally to feed it. Continue reading Grief: The Raven and The Babadook