Gothic fiction makes me feel so cozy, but I just can’t seem to find something that clicks anymore, as all the lists are things that were either written ages ago or set to take place ages ago.
I switched to audiobooks recently because of work so old timey reads are harder for me to follow when I’m walking around or running errands. I would prefer a more simply written novel. My faves include Jane Eyre, The Woman in White, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, I also love the Yellow Wallpaper. Didn’t like Mexican Gothic.
I want the classic gothic feeling in a preferably modern setting. No witchery (so no Bunny by Mona Awad), nothing supernatural. My favorite parts of gothic fiction are the creepy mysterious women and the unsettling feeling that something has gone or might go wrong. Are there any contemporary novels written in a simpler style that meet this even if they’re not classified as fiction per se?
Interested to see what’s out there!!
by reducedandconfused
6 Comments
No creepy woman, but you might like Jack of spades by Joyce Carol Oates. Superb gothic/neonoir story, I read it in one sitting, really blew me away
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn has some pretty dark characters. The book made me feel a little unwell both physically and mentally, so it sounds like you might like it.
I know she’s a frequent recommendation, but I think **Daphne du Maurier** does the ‘gothic’ feeling very well in her novels (I keep searching for similar novelists, I also really like Shirley Jackson’s work). Her plots are pretty straightforward, but never shallow. You can superficially enjoy her works while seeing some hidden layers underneath upon further reflection. I think she is good at writing both male and female narrators. What I’ve noticed in her books is that she often centers her story on two characters; the narrator is (usually) an insecure person, fascinated with a more enigmatic, charming, sometimes devious other character (they are the opposites of one another). Sometimes the other person respresents a love interest, but not necessarily. Mystery is a frequent plot device. I love how atmospheric her work is (I think that’s actually a prerequisite for a good gothic novel!) and I like how she paces her novels.
*Rebecca* and *My Cousin Rachel* are probably considered her best works. These two novels are not my favorites now that I’ve read her other works, but I will grant that they are very well written. It has the ‘classic’ old manor, unreliable narrator, mysterious femme fatale woman, theme of obsession, etc. *The Scapegoat* has a doppelganger trope, paired with an old French manor, dysfunctional family dynamics and ‘finding your true self’. *Jamaica Inn* is an atmospheric, coming of age mystery novel. I really enjoyed *Frenchman’s Creek,* it’s a bit more lighthearted (escapism, romance, action) and was a very fun read. *The King’s General* features a headstrong, disabled main character, an old manor with its mysteries, an unconventional love story. *The House on the Strand* features time travel to medieval times to distract the narrator from boring reality (great pacing, loved loved that one). My favorite novel of hers is *Flight of the Falcon*, which has some great themes on past vs. present, relationship with a sibling you secretly envy and campus politics.
It’s all very subjective, but I’ve also enjoyed Jane Eyre, We Have Always Lived in the Castle and the Yellow Wallpaper, so this might be a good fit for you as well.
Obligatory ‘English is not my first language’ apology. I’ve read all of these novels in English though.
The huge, old house is such a staple of gothic novels, I’m not sure you could entirely do away with it.
Check out The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Not exactly modern, though. Definitely creepy women, though.
Melmoth by Sarah Perry. Whether there is anything supernatural going on is really down to your read on the book. Very gothic, very atmospheric, creepiness abounds. It’s pretty dense though so I’m not sure how it would be as an audio book.
I felt that house of hollow was kinda gothic + scary women