Top 5 Gothic Novels

By being an English Literature major, I come into contact with a lot of different genres of books. One in particular that took me by surprise is the Gothic Novel.

Terror, Suspense, Romance, and Monks? What is a Gothic Novel? Are they good? In this post, I will talk about my 5 favorite Gothic Novels and why you should love them too.

When I signed up for a Gothic Novel course at my university, I had no idea what I was in for. I saw that we would be reading Frankenstein and thought, “Well that’s cool, I have never read that before.” I was not aware of how vast the Gothic Novel genre was. So what is a Gothic Novel anyway?

A Gothic Novel is an English genre of fiction popular in the 18th to early 19th centuries, characterized by an atmosphere of mystery and horror.

This may seem scary for the faint of heart readers out there, but I promise it is far more interesting than scary. My first favorite book shows just that.

1.  The Italian by Ann Radcliffe

This book was definitely my favorite of the ones we read in class. The Italian starts off with a romantic encounter that sets the plot of the book in motion. This novel is full of adventure, supernatural characters, and suspense. I think this is the best novel to start with if you are dipping your toes into the Gothic Novel genre and also if you love a good romance story.

2.  The Monk by Matthew Lewis

The Monk is a very different novel than The Italian. This novel takes you into the stereotypes of the genre with rape, incest, and murder. Although that might not seem pleasant (it’s not), this novel is still very interesting. This novel seems very advanced for its time, and the writing is excellent. This novel is more suited for fans of horror and suspense, and less romance.

“An author, whether good or bad, or between both, is an animal whom everybody is privileged to attack: for though all are not able to write books, all conceive themselves able to judge them.” ― Matthew Lewis, The Monk

3.  Edgar Huntly, or Memoirs of a Sleepwalker by Charles Brockden Brown

This novel is completely different than the previous two. Edgar Huntly is set in America just around when the Constitution was written while the previous two were set in Europe. This novel is also told in a narrative form, with Edgar relaying the story of his experiences. This form of the novel is incredibly interesting and explores the ideas of the impact that a narrative can have on characters while also throwing in some murder, mystery, and conflict along the way.

4.  Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

This novel is one of my favorites for the fact that it makes fun of the traditional Gothic Novel conventions. Throughout the entire beginning of the novel, it makes sure to poke fun at the fact that there is no danger, no murders, no dead parents, and no magical romances. Everything is portrayed in a realistic manner. I absolutely love how this novel is written, and I think it is one that everyone should read.

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” ―Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

5.  The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

This novel is the first Gothic Novel I ever read. It has all your typical conventions with dopplegangers, incest, murder, and supernatural mysteries. It is a short read and is rather fascinating. There is a giant floating head, how can that not be interesting? I definitely think this is a good place to start in the Gothic Novel genre for someone looking for a lighter read.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the Gothic Novel genre. These books, although filled with some very large words and older references, still hold up to be incredible works of writing today. I plan on reading many more soon. If you’re looking for an interesting new type of book to read, check a few of these out!

Image Sources:

Header, Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5

• books to read
• reading list
• suspense
• Winona