October '11 / Gothic Novel Reading Poll

How about The Monk by Matthew Lewis.

They all look good to me, but I've gone for Confessions of an opium eater.

Many of these look interesting to me. I'll wait to cast my vote, though, as usual.

I remember my English teacher telling us about The Castle of Otranto by Walpole. He was laughing at the deux ex machina of an unexplained giant hand falling out of the sky to punish someone. We were all intrigued by that though, and wanted to read it. I still haven't yet. But I will.

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Originally Posted by Paulclem

I remember my English teacher telling us about The Castle of Otranto by Walpole. He was laughing at the deux ex machina of an unexplained giant hand falling out of the sky to punish someone. We were all intrigued by that though, and wanted to read it. I still haven't yet. But I will.

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That's what Stephen King did at the end of The Stand. Was that actually an homage?

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Originally Posted by Calidore

That's what Stephen King did at the end of The Stand. Was that actually an homage?

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Interesting thought. It would definitely make King's lame-as-hell ending to an otherwise wonderful book more palatable, if that's indeed the case.

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Originally Posted by Calidore

That's what Stephen King did at the end of The Stand. Was that actually an homage?

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I read The Stand about 30 yuears ago, so I don't know. I remember a bloke suffering from radiation sickness carting an atomic bomb into the last scene. I think by that time I was just happy to get to the end of the book. Enjoyed it though.

And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.

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Originally Posted by dfloyd

And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.

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I wondered about that, but since I had not actually read the book I was not in a position to question its validity as gothic, but I did not think it was a novel.

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Originally Posted by dfloyd

And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.

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I nominated it purely because it was on the list and I had it. Are you suggesting a controversial 11th hour dismissal? It has tested positive for banned substances.

Just another reason to throw in a vote for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a true novel unlike that poseur by De Quincey. :D

I'll be in France for part of October, so it seems quite apropos, for me at least.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a great novel. I really enjoyed it. The Devils is too.

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Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandi

Interesting thought. It would definitely make King's lame-as-hell ending to an otherwise wonderful book more palatable, if that's indeed the case.

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For some reason, that ending never bothered me. Maybe I just thought it fit the book. It did tick me off me when he used it again at the end of Needful Things. That was lame.

Well, seems like it is going to be The Hunchback.

Ch-chah! Tie!