Tag Archives: Gothic

Just An Ordinary Day by Shirley Jackson

American Literature December 24, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A collection of unpublished and previously uncollected short stories by the reigning queen of gothic Americana. Review: Short stories are not usually my cup of tea, because they’re over far too quickly. But I’ll read anything that Shirley Jackson writes, and I really enjoyed the stories found in Just An Ordinary Day, which I’ve been reading in fits and starts for several months. Oddly enough, my favorites were among the unpublished pieces. In particular, I greatly enjoyed “My Recollections of S.B. Fairchild,” about a…

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

British Literature November 6, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: His true love thwarted by unfeeling family and Cathy’s callow thoughtlessness, foundling Heathcliff wreaks havoc on all who fall under his sway. Review: Wow, I had no idea what I was in for when I started Wuthering Heights! I knew it was a classic of Gothic romanticism, but I was expecting a florid love story of the kind I don’t usually enjoy. Instead I got a pile-on of selfish people behaving very, very badly and I loved every minute of it. What i liked…

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

American Literature August 25, 2009 Superfast Reader 3 Comments

Synopsis: Five teenagers at an elite Manhattan private school game the system–because they’ve sold their souls to the devil. Review: When I picked up Another Faust, my expectations were low. I figured it was going to be yet another first in a series capitalizing on Gossip Girls and Twilight. Don’t get me wrong–I figured I would like it–but I didn’t expect anything more than light entertainment. So I was thrilled to realize that Another Faust was a spiritual and literary heir to the Gothic tradition…

The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff

American Literature June 8, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Reeling from a betrayal by her fiance, a psychologist finds herself fascinated by Duke University’s research into the paranormal from the early 20th century, and decides to replicate one such experiment that ended in tragedy and closed down the department for good. Review: I’m so glad Superfast Toddler took a loooooong nap today because I don’t think I could’ve taken another night trying to read The Unseen in a dark bedroom with only a tiny booklight. I finished in the bright June sunshine and…

The Glass of Time by Michael Cox

British Literature April 19, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Upon arriving at Evenwood as a lady’s maid, young Esperanza Gorst discovers that she is in the center of a plot to topple her mistress. Review: The Glass of Time is Michael Cox’s follow up to The Meaning of Night, continuing his Wilkie Collins-esque tale of intrigue and revenge with a Bronte-inspired suspense melodrama. I devoured it like a madwoman in an attic. Raised a lady in France, Miss Gorst is an unlikely choice for a lady’s maid. Her breeding and manners make it…

Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

British Literature April 11, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Titus Groan, the 77th Earl of Gormenghast, heir to a decidedly odd fortune, is born amidst violence and intrigue of a most peculiar time. Review: I was captivated by the prose in Titus Groan, the first book in Mervyn Peake’s decidedly unique Gormenghast trilogy. Peake was also an illustrator, and his writing is exceptionally visual in the way that he describes his characters. He comes up with the most idiosyncratic quirks I’ve ever encountered, for characters named things like Prunesquallor and Sourdust and Steerpike.…

Blue Bloods and Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz

American Literature March 5, 2009 Superfast Reader 5 Comments

I recently reviewed Revelations, Book 3 in Melissa De La Cruz’s Blue Bloods trilogy. I finally got a chance to check out books 1 and 2 in the series and would recommend them to anyone who wishes Gossip Girl had vampires. There’s scads of name-dropping and swanky NYC night clubs along with a really well thought out mythology that goes back to Puritan New England. I’m glad I got a chance to check these books out!

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox

British Literature March 2, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: Robbed of his fortune by a rival from his school days, Edward Glyver seeks vengeance and restoration under an assumed name. Review: The Meaning of Night is a cunningly plotted piece of faux-Victoriana, conjuring up Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins with a soupcon of sex that doesn’t feel anachronistic at all. Edward Glyver’s nesting-doll tale gives every character a chance to tell his or her own life story, and Cox makes each one fascinating in its own right. Despite the near-constant digressions, Cox never…

Shelter Me by Alex McAulay

American Literature January 6, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: Sent to a convent on the Welsh Coast during the Blitz, a teenage girl finds herself on the run and afraid for her life–from the scarred, terrifying Mother Superior. Review: I am hoping that Alex McAulay is planning a follow-up to Shelter Me, because while he wrapped up the plot quite well, I certainly did not feel I was done with Maggie’s story. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that where she winds up at the end is just as…

Button, Button by Richard Matheson

American Literature July 28, 2008 Superfast Reader 6 Comments

Synopsis: A collection of short stories by a preeminent contributor to “The Twilight Zone.” Review: Button, Button is an uneven bit of business, purporting to highlight the very best of Richard Matheson’s “Uncanny Stories.” Some are good, one is spectacular, but others have not aged well. First, the good: “Button, Button” exhibits a flawless “Twilight Zone” concept and execution. Apparently a Cameron Diaz movie based on it is coming soon. Seems like a bad idea to me. The genius of the story demands a smallness…

reading is my superpower

i read all the books