SLIS 5420 - Module 14 - Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales

Bibliography

Noyes, D. (2004). Gothic! : Ten original dark tales (1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.

Summary

Gothic! is a compilation of ten chilling short stories created to provide spine-tingling fear for those foolish enough to read its pages. The stories range from the classic haunted house ghost story to a strangely unique view of our world as the land of the fantastic and the realm of the macabre as the norm. The stories feature authors of great renown, such as Neil Gaiman and Gregory Maguire, as well as several prolific young adult writers. The stories are long enough that the reader has a good feel for the characters and the settings, but short enough to leave the classic cliffhanger in place to really hook the reader and give that satisfying chill after finishing.

Impressions

The stories were very well written and age appropriate for the young adult audience. There was some minor language and sexual innuendo, but honestly no worse than would be found in a PG movie. The stories were varied enough to cover multiple aspects of the gothic genre, but themed well enough so that there was never a doubt that you were very much reading something gothic.

Reviews

“By turns lyrical and bleak and leavened at times with grim, bleak humor or goofiness, the ten stories in this anthology either entertain or terrorize--or both. Although the title conjures up a vision of Victoria Holt-like heroines in peril, Noyes has assembled an exciting variety of dark fantasy and horror stories--all far more sinister and less predictable than formulaic "gothic" tales. After a rather tame start with Joan Aiken's Lungewater--that provides standard gothic fare--terror takes over. Vivian Vande Velde, M.T. Anderson, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, and others offer ghosts and vampires, ghouls and sorcerers, and monstrous family members to quicken the pulse and provide frissons of fear. Consistently well-written, these stories will appeal to many fantasy readers and all horror readers and they will lead to exploration of other writings by the authors. The level of terror, violence, and overt sexual content mark this book for older readers--who will enjoy it mightily.”

(2004). GOTHIC!: Ten Original Dark Tales (Book). Kirkus Reviews, 72(17), 871.

“This uniformly well-written collection features short stories by noted young adult authors such as M. T. Anderson, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Garth Nix, Celia Rees, Janni Lee Simner, and Barry Yourgrau. From Joan Aiken's more traditional tale about a ghost haunting a river in the gloomy countryside to Gregory Maguire's contemporary offering about a teenage delinquent forced to live with an elderly relative who has a secret locked in the attic, almost all of these stories evoke a shivery delight. Vivian Vande Velde's shocking and scary piece features the ghost of a psychopathic serial killer who looks like a teenager and kills an unsuspecting girl posing as a "dead body" at a haunted hayride. Neil Gaiman's selection lampoons the classic gothic scenario of a terrified, nightgown-clad heroine running away from a brooding manor house and will have readers laughing out loud in recognition. These varied tales take place in the distant past and in the high-tech present. Some are humorous while others have surprising twists or are reminiscent of classic fairy tales full of malevolent characters, but all share a love of the surreal or supernatural. Noyes's insightful introduction defines what a gothic tale is and includes information about the authors and the origins of their stories. A sophisticated, thought-provoking, and gripping read.”

Rawlins, S. (2005). Gothic!: Ten Original Dark Tales. School Library Journal, 51(1), 134.

Library Use

This book would be amazing to give to “tweens” during the Halloween season. The stories are just scary enough that they would be chilled by reading them, but not gruesome enough to turn them off.