Carl V.’s Autumn R.I.P. challenge is drawing readers from all over the blog world. The challenge is to read at least five books before October 31 that are “gothic, scary, moody, atmospheric stories.” I’m choosing five from The List and from my reading for the American Literature class that I’m teaching at our homeschool co-op.
1. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I read the first chapter of this book, and it’s already moody, gothic and atmospheric. I’m not too scared yet, though.
2. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. I’ll be reading this story for American Literature. Yes, I’ve read it before, but it’s a classic.
3. Never Let Me Go by Kashuo Ishiguro. The reviewers at Amaszon call it “atmospheric” and “gothic”. I suppose I’ll see since I have this book checked out of the library already and in the queue.
4. The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. I’m already reading this literary mystery set in post-Civil War Boston. It’s definitely weird; I’ll let you know how I liked it when I finish.
5. I’m taking suggestions for number five. Is Possession by A.S. Byatt, gothic or scary? The reviews don’t really sound very atmospheric, but they do sound interesting. If not Possession, then what book from The List would you suggest that also fits the criteria for R.I.P.? Or what book that’s not already on my list?
I’m excited that you are joining in. Looks like a great list and Possession sounds like a good pick for number 5!
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Try House of Fear by Russell Kirk. Please tell about Possession if you read it. I tried twice to get into it, but couldn’t, although the movie was okay. I don’t know that I found it (the movie) gothic or scary. Or how about The Castle of Otranto, by Horace Walpole. I remember that as a good gothic story, and House of Fear was weird and scary – and yes, by the same Russell Kirk who wrote The Conservative Mind and The Roots of American Order. He also liked to write scary stories.
Dear Sherry,
With your interests, I might recommend The House with the Clock in its Walls a semi-end-time thriller by John Bellairs, and perhaps the best of that particular series. Of course there is always Northanger Abbey or the truly wonderful Mysteries of Udolfo (which Austen was mocking with N.A. Also truly interesting and marvelously macabre is Matthew Lewis’s The Monk. Elizabeth Hand’s Waking the Moon is magnificent and almost anything by Robert Holdstock would suit the bill quite nicely.
Overwhelming, yes. But fun, oh fun. (Don’t forget Bradbury’s The October Game or Something Wicked this Way Comes–both American Gothic.
(In case you can’t tell, the Gothic is something of a passion with me.) On the Christian Front you might look for Karen Valentine’s The Haunted Rectory–think a Catholic Jan Karon.
shalom,
Steven
Dear Sherry,
One thing I forgot to mention; you might try visiting The Literary Gothic for additional suggestions–M.R. James and E.F. Benson come to mind readily. Oh, don’t let me start again. . . .
shalom,
Steven
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