Gothic
Gothic fiction blends horror and romance, often set in mysterious, decaying settings with dark emotional undertones.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
by Oscar Wilde
This Victorian Gothic novel tells the story of a beautiful young man who trades his soul for eternal youth while his portrait ages and grows increasingly hideous with each of his sins. As Dorian pursues a life of hedonism and corruption, the novel explores themes of art, beauty, morality, and the nature of the soul.
Picnic at Hanging Rock
by Joan Lindsay
Joan Lindsay's Picnic at Hanging Rock is a haunting novel set in 1900 Australia, where a group of schoolgirls from Appleyard College embark on a Valentine's Day picnic to the enigmatic Hanging Rock. During the outing, several girls and a teacher mysteriously vanish without a trace, sending shockwaves through the community. The narrative delves into the ensuing hysteria, the unraveling of the school's facade, and the lingering questions surrounding the disappearances. Lindsay's atmospheric prose and open-ended mystery invite readers to ponder themes of repression, the unknown, and the thin veneer of civilization.
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca is a psychological gothic novel centered on a young, unnamed narrator who marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter. Upon moving to his estate, Manderley, she finds herself haunted by the memory of his charismatic first wife, Rebecca. As secrets unravel, themes of identity, obsession, and deception emerge. With suspenseful pacing and atmospheric writing, the novel explores the power dynamics in relationships and the lingering grip of the past. It remains a masterwork of romantic suspense.
Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte
Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is a dark, gothic tale of passion and revenge set on the Yorkshire moors. It tells the turbulent story of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose intense but doomed love leads to generational conflict and psychological torment. Narrated through nested perspectives, the novel explores themes of obsession, class, nature, and the supernatural. Despite its initial criticism, it has since become a literary classic known for its emotional intensity, atmospheric setting, and unorthodox structure.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
by Victor Hugo
An emotionally stirring story, Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is rightfully considered to be one of the finest novels ever written. Rejected by fifteenth-century Parisian society, the bell-ringer Quasimodo believes he is safe under the watchful eye of his master, the Archdeacon Claude Frollo. But after Quasimodo saves the beautiful Romani girl Esmeralda from the gallows and brings her to sanctuary in the cathedral, he and Frollo's mutual desire for her puts them increasingly at odds, before compassion and cruelty clash with tragic results.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Shirley Jackson's 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' is a haunting tale of the reclusive Blackwood sisters, Merricat and Constance, who live isolated in their grand family home after a tragic event. Delving into themes of family, isolation, and the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of small communities, Jackson weaves a chilling narrative filled with suspense and psychological intrigue. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, the novel grips readers with its eerie atmosphere and unrelenting sense of unease. A gothic masterpiece that lingers long after the final page is turned.
Beloved
It is the mid-1800s and as slavery looks to be coming to an end, Sethe is haunted by the violent trauma it wrought on her former enslaved life at Sweet Home, Kentucky. Her dead baby daughter, whose tombstone bears the single word, Beloved, returns as a spectre to punish her mother, but also to elicit her love. Told with heart-stopping clarity, melding horror and beauty, Beloved is Toni Morrison's enduring masterpiece.
The Woman in White
The Woman in White opens with Walter Hartright’s chilling moonlit encounter with a mysterious woman dressed entirely in white. Hired as a drawing master for the lovely Laura Fairlie, Walter is soon entangled in a web of deception spun by the sinister Sir Percival Glyde and his enigmatic ally, Count Fosco—a man with a fondness for white mice, sweets, and poison. As secrets unravel across country estates and asylums, the novel delves into themes of identity, madness, and justice. Wilkie Collins’s groundbreaking work launched the Victorian sensation genre, blending Gothic suspense with psychological depth and social critique. A true classic.
Dracula
by Bram Stoker
Dracula by Bram Stoker is a classic gothic horror novel that introduced Count Dracula, the iconic vampire. Told through letters, diaries, and newspaper clippings, the story follows Jonathan Harker, a young solicitor who travels to Transylvania and encounters the mysterious Count. As Dracula travels to England, he begins to prey on innocent victims, including Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker. A group of friends, led by Professor Van Helsing, bands together to stop the vampire’s reign of terror. Blending suspense, horror, and Victorian anxieties about science and sexuality, Dracula remains one of the most influential and enduring works in horror literature.
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a gothic novel about Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sentient creature through an unorthodox scientific experiment. Horrified by what he has made, Victor abandons the creature, who is left to face a hostile world alone. Rejected and misunderstood, the creature becomes increasingly bitter and vengeful, leading to a tragic cycle of destruction. The novel explores themes of ambition, responsibility, isolation, and the dangers of playing God. First published in 1818, Frankenstein is considered one of the earliest works of science fiction and remains a powerful meditation on humanity and creation.
Mexican Gothic
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic is a chilling gothic horror novel set in 1950s Mexico. Socialite Noemí Taboada is sent to a crumbling countryside estate to check on her cousin, who has sent a disturbing letter. There, Noemí discovers a decaying mansion, a mysterious family, and dark secrets tied to the land itself. As the house begins to haunt her dreams, she uncovers horrifying truths. Combining Lovecraftian horror with feminist themes and colonial critique, Mexican Gothic delivers an atmospheric and unsettling tale of resistance, rot, and reclaiming power.
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre follows an orphaned girl who overcomes hardship and repression to find independence and love. As a governess at Thornfield Hall, Jane falls for the brooding Mr. Rochester, only to discover he harbors a dark secret. The novel explores themes of morality, autonomy, gender roles, and spiritual integrity. Noted for its strong, principled heroine and gothic atmosphere, Jane Eyre blends romance with social critique, cementing its place as a foundational feminist and literary classic.