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Please nominate the "gothic novels" you would like to read in October in this thread.
Please remember that:
- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.
- One nomination per member.
- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.
The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members.
If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from nominating book.
Gothic fiction
Such a surfeit of choice. I'd like to read Peake's Ghormengast, but it's a bit long for the book club. I'd like to read the castle of Otranto, but loads of others too. I enjoyed The Shining, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame is excellent. I'll ave to consider my nomination. Procrastinating again!:)
May as well start with the classic template for the likeable-heroine-stuck-in-a-dark-castle-of-evil-aristocrats-and-strange-noises genre, Ann Radcliffe's Mysteries of Udolpho. I own the Oxford World's Classics paperback but have never gotten around to reading it, so this would be a good excuse.
As a bonus, this can immediately be followed up with Austen's Northanger Abbey, which was written as an affectionate parody.
Since it's sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, a classic, and already mentioned by Paul, I'll nominate The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
I was going to go with Mysteries of Udolpho and since someone else had nominated it I think I will just sit back and wait to vote on that one since I really want to read it.
You could nominate Titus Groan, and people can continue with the other two if they feel like it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Nominations so far:
1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
I'm sorry but I don't want to nominate Titus Groan. Erm - I'll think about it again.
We could nominate and then vote on books for you to nominate, if that would help.
Was expecting this to be a more popular genre... And it is in October as well... Will get us ready for Halloween!Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
:)
I wish to nominate The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mysterious-W...3539863&sr=8-1
Hugely popular gothic writer in the 19th century, now mostly forgotten and completely overlooked female writer.
One of my ex-tutors, the wonderful Dr Karen Morton, was highly influential in getting this published again, indeed it is because of her that the novel is now in print and she edits the novel, so I do have a personal interest in reading this again for such a reason, but this is not without merit on its own right, definitely not as it was also highly influential with the likes of Jane Austen.
I know Karen would love to see this novel read and discussed on such a forum and so I nominate this work.
(This is a very original, early gothic novel and at the time was more popular, and more regarded, than the likes of Ann Radcliffe.)
Thanks.
(Also Karen is one of the leading world experts on Parsons and I could possilbly get in contact with her if there are any insights/questions regarding this work - though I wouldn't want to be too much of a pest.)
That looks pretty entertaining. I recommend distributing autographed copies to help the vote.
Nominations so far:
1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
3. The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons
I'll nominate De Quincy's Confessions of an English Opium Eater. I've just got the book from The Works - a discount chain in the UK. They had a classic collection in the Leamington store with it in - though not in our Coventry one - 3 for £5. Superb.
Nominations so far:
1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
3. The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons
4. Confessions of an English Opium Eater by De Quincy
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.
That's what Stephen King did at the end of The Stand. Was that actually an homage?Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calidore
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calidore
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by dfloyd
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by dfloyd
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandi
Well, seems like it is going to be The Hunchback.
Ch-chah! Tie!
What the **** just happened? You jinxed it, Scher!
Well, I've never! :svengo:
Just a reminder... Votes from those who have less than 50 posts will be disregarded.
So, as of now, it's really 4 Hunchback, 5 Opium Eater.
Going once...
Since there is a tie at the end of the voting period, the poll will remain two more days.
(Please note that votes cast by those with less than 50 posts will be disregarded.)
I tied it up again. Ain't I a stinker?
I'm curious as to why the 2 day delay is necessary. Once the tie is broken, (and I believe it is now) why not go with it?
Actually, it's now 7 Opium Eater, 6 Hunchback, since two who voted Hunchback have less than 50 posts, and one who voted Opium Eater has less than 50.
Agreed. Two more days may just allow another tie, lol. Still, maybe Hunchback can pull it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vonny
I do want Hunchback. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandi
I am not online keeping an eye on the poll round the clock (as much as I would love that to be the case) so I have no way of knowing at which point the tie is broken (if at all).
If we still end up with a tie, I will flip a coin (or pick a book based on my whim) as usual.