Gothic Novels

Once a year I read a gothic novel.

I have been reading gothic novel since I was a teenager after stumbling upon several collections of them at the local public library in my hometown. The library had a large selection of Madeline Brent and Victoria Holt books left over from the 1960s and 1970s. Later, I ended up purchasing a number of those books when they were withdrawn from the library. In fact, I found out that I by me reading them I had saved them from being removed from circulation for several years.

Although I generally prefer less formalistic fiction I have a special place in my heart for gothic novels.
 
Last year, I read "A Little Stranger" by Sarah Waters.

This year, I read "Lord of the Far Island" by Victoria Holt.

Gothic novels are very formalistic and generally have a lot of the same plot points, so much so that you would think they were all written by the same person, regardless who wrote the novel. I once discovered a (now former) co-worker was a fan of gothic novels and that we had read many of the same ones. We ended up having a lively debate about the formalistic nature of them and how despite that they are enjoyable to read.

A gothic novel has any number of these characteristics:

• Poor relation or other in-between social standing.
• An Inheritance.
• Said inheritance will be received at age 21.
• Guardianship.
• A companion or relative close to the same age as the heroine.
• Mysterious accidents involving boats, cliffs, trains, guns, or cars.
• Mentally unstable relative(s).
• Castle and/or grand family mansion/estate.
• Reoccurring dream starting in childhood that continues into adulthood, but by the end of the book never occurs again.
• Crumbling family fortunes.
• Deception.
• Family secrets.
• Family heirloom jewelry, generally a necklace that has been in a family hundreds of years and has a name.
• Family member locked away in a country home, the home of a trusted family friend, a top floor apartment of a mansion, or the attic of said mansion.
• Someone died before the book started or dies during the course of the book.
• Orphaned heronine.
• Heroine is generally between the age of 17-20.
• By the end of the book the heroine is married.
• Mysterious character, family friend, or family member that is assumed to be evil, but is eventually revealed to good hearted.
• Family member or family friend who assumed to be good hearted, but is eventually revealed to be evil.
• After a brief introduction into the world in which the novel takes place, the heroine recaps her life thus far before the story moves forward.
• The final chapter(s) skips between a few months and a few years and gives a recap of where things now stand.

I tired to compile this list while I was reading the book and typed it up after I finished reading it. Then, look at what Wikipedia had to say about gothic novels and was surprised by how spot on my list was.

Although I wouldn't want to read a gothic novel every week or even every month, they are certainly a fun read every once in a while.