Podcasts to Check Out If You Love This Blog!

Looking for more content like what I post here on The Gothic Library? There are plenty of knowledgeable folks sharing their love for the darker side of literature—especially in the podcasting space! Podcasts are one of my favorite ways to get book recommendations or study up on a new genre. Here are just a few of the podcasts I love that I feel like have a similar vibe to what I’m trying to do with this blog:

If you like my Gothic Tropes posts, check out Be the Serpent

This Hugo Award-nominated podcast was started by “three redheaded fantasy authors” (Freya Marske, Jennifer Mace, and Alexandra Rowland) in 2018. Each episode of the podcast explores a different trope, primarily from the fantasy genre, and highlights three different works—whether published books, fanfiction, or even movies or television shows—as tentpole examples. The tropes explored include everything from heists to Machiavellian rulers and fealty relationships. After reaching 100 episodes, the show went on indefinite hiatus in 2021, but Freya, Macey, and Alex have promised to pop back in occasionally for bonus episodes. 

If you like deep dives into historical texts and genre continuity, check out The Apocalist Book Club

Started in 2018, the Apocalist Book Club podcast is an ambitious attempt by hosts Nella and Raven to read every published work of apocalyptic fiction in chronological order. They begin in 1805 with the first modern apocalypse novel, Jean-Baptiste François Xavier Cousin De Grainville’s Le Dernier Homme (The Last Man). In subsequent episodes, they slog through obscure 18th-century philosophical novels as well as cover classics like H. G. Wells’s War of the Worlds. Each episode walks the listener through a particular work, giving a recap, comparing it to previous works, and recommending whether or not to read it. By approaching the genre chronologically, Nella and Raven are able to trace the development of apocalyptic fiction over time, note how changes in the genre reflect historical context, and identify where particular tropes originate. The show is ongoing, with one episode releasing each month.

If you like learning about a genre through its foundational authors and the development of various subgenres, check out Clued In Mystery

This is the most recent podcast I’ve started listening to. Clued In Mystery was launched earlier this year (2022) by mystery writers Brook Peterson and Sarah M. Stephen. In many of their short, weekly episodes, Brook and Sarah tackle the big names of the genre (such as Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Wilke Collins), going over their influence and their works. In other episodes, they invite expert guests to join them in discussions of the various subgenres under the mystery umbrella, such as cozies, domestic thrillers, noir, and hardboiled. These discussions are particularly enlightening coming from women who are both readers and fans of the genre as well as writers in it. With 21 episodes already out, the podcast is currently on a short hiatus for the summer, so now is the perfect time to jump in and catch up. Brook and Sarah plan to return in the fall with new episodes.

Have you listened to any of these? What other literature-related podcasts do you love? Let me know in the comments!