The Absolute BEST Gothic Classic Books I’ve Ever Read (And Some I Need to Read) 🕯️📚

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Jane Austen was reputed to find Gothic Tales really funny and technically, she wrote Gothic Fan Fiction. I love her. She loved Pop Culture unabashedly.

[@jcristina42]

and i am here for it

[@jamielynn1724]

If you haven’t already read them, I also highly recommend “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” 🤗

[@FaeryLaume]

Oh yes, those are great short spooky reads.

[@rocknregalia]

Yes, I agree with both of these recommendations. Go into Sleepy Hollow knowing that it is more atmospheric than plot based. There are many lush descriptions.

[@jenny_readss]

I second Sleepy Hollow!

[@williamerickson520]

@@rocknregalia Yes, much of gothic literature, and classic lit in general, is more atmospheric and character based rather than plot driven. But I guess that's what makes it literary.🙂

[@ТатьянаГубина-и1и]

"The Legend of Sleeping Valley" is rsther humorous story than gothic.

[@rocknregalia]

The Vampyre by John William Polidori is from 1819 and Carmilla is from 1872. I have heard many people mistakenly call Carmilla the oldest story, but I do not usually correct it. However, since you asked.

[@studogable]

The Vampyre is a short story - maybe 5,000 words at the outside. Carmilla is a novella, much shorter than Dracula, but much longer than The Vampyre. There are books with Carmilla alone, but it was originally published as one of three stories in Le Fanu's *In a Glass Darkly*, and it is commonly included in collections of vampire short stories.

[@haleylquinton]

Six months of Christmas and six months of Halloween is literally the best idea I've ever heard in my life.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

2 Things: - Of course we want a Fan FIC from you on ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. - Oscar Wilde may have written about the precursor to Social Media.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

‘Carmilla’ as a Vampire Story with Sapphic undertones is quite a cool premise for a novel in any generation. P.S. Historians will say they were just best friends.

[@EudaemonicGirl]

Is it really sapphic when sexuality is used to ensnare a victim, rather than protraying lesbian love and relationships?

[@mieshocked1450]

No. It's homophobic and anti-lesbian. But yes we can change it into a sapphic romantic adaptation, but the original novel is anti-lesbian.

[@yin-sin]

@@mieshocked1450 check mate, we can make it gay

[@yin-sin]

“We made it gay”

[@lily-ophelia-grey]

I super super recommend The Turn of the Screw and Rebecca, they’re wonderful! As far as modern gothic goes, The Whistling and Mexican Gothic are also great. I also really really recommend The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova for your Dracula kick - it’s one of my favourite books ever and it’s very much a Dracula story but really different from the others I’ve read

[@brandyhickman9787]

I LOVE Rebecca

[@jl5749]

wuthering heights is my favourite book in the entire world...just don't go into it expecting a pretty story or else you'll be incredibly disappointed also, Rebecca is one of my favourite gothic classics and I think it'd be a great follow up after you read the Brontë collection since Daphne Du Maurier was very clearly inspired by their work

[@GavinReadsItAll]

Ahh I enjoyed Rebecca a lot when I read it. I didn’t include it here as I didn’t include anything that came out over the last 100 years, but if I had, I’d have included Rebecca 😊

[@williamerickson520]

I think going into any gothic expecting a pretty story would be disappointing. But that's what's great about it: it's not afraid to be dark and dirty.

[@jaysams1608]

I just finished Wuthering Heights, and can not get it out of my head!

[@solangelicag]

This is fueling my need to read more gothic litterature!! I made a whole evening out of reading Carmilla, with candles, red wine, and dark chocolate. It was an amazing combo, highly recommend 😁

[@bethmw28]

Ooh I need to try Carmilla again after I couldn't get into it earlier this year... this might be the way to go! 👌

[@solangelicag]

@@bethmw28 Yeees, do it 😁 Honestly, it's not the best book ever. But with the whole vibe I put together the experience was a 5 star 👌🏻 10/10, would do again

[@bethmw28]

@@solangelicag amazing! I'm on board to get the *vibes* 😂🧛‍♀️❤

[@lizzie2722]

Jane Eyre is one of my absolute favorite classics. there's something so timeless about the writing. it's slow but an amazing story.

[@sorenkrane]

Thank you for putting Ann Radcliffe on my radar. I'm always looking for new Gothic novels to devour 🧛

[@williamisley1880]

Thank you for the video. I'd recommend the 1939 film version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It is really quite good, although with some modifications from the novel. Also, the young Maureen O'Hara is beautiful as Esmeralda, and Charles Laughton very touchingly plays the hunchback.

[@krisprepolec5616]

In 12th grade English class we had to each read a novel from the list (same number as students), and then do an oral report as one of the characters. I really wanted to do Dune, but unfortunately I was at the dentist on the day we picked, and I was left with the only unpicked book: Jane Eyre. I was miffed. And then I read it. It has become one of my favourite books. Cheers for all the Literature teachers 📚❤️

[@jessclemas4704]

Some great recs! I think you'd really enjoy some Wilkie Collins, he did some great gothic mysteries. 'The Woman in White' was my favourite. Also 'The Woman in Black' by Susan Hill is a must read gothic horror! Really short but packs a punch and the atmosphere is fantastic 🙂

[@PokhrajRoy.]

It took me so long to realise that ‘Frankenstein’ was written with a female gaze while also being a Gothic Classic.

[@carmenrawls5117]

Don't forget Polidori's The Vampyre. The first literary vampire with Byron as inspiration.

[@MichaeleJohnston]

My first time here! What a delight! I have subscribed because I love books and your delivery made me smile- you are very fun!

[@whispers3661]

I'm so excited for you to read Jane Eyre! I read it earlier this year and I feel in love with it

[@whereayellthereayell4878]

This couldn't have come at a better time, I literally JUST finished Carmilla and now I need ALL the Gothic books.

[@bookwitchlair2817]

The literary vampire first appeared in 18th-century poetry, before becoming one of the stock figures of gothic fiction with the publication of Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), which was inspired by the life and legend of Lord Byron.

[@Painocus]

The Vampyre is a short story tho. The first vampire novel was probably Varney the Vampire.

[@bookwitchlair2817]

@@Painocus I just went on google and asked and this is what they gave me.

[@williamerickson520]

Not only that, but it was started by Byron during the contest that gave us Frankenstein. Polidori just finished it.

[@williamerickson520]

@@Painocus Novels in those days were often quite short. Most are fewer than 100 pages. Varney's more like an anthology collection.

[@Painocus]

@@williamerickson520 Varney is 876 pages... and a fix-up novel, not an anthology.

[@williamerickson520]

I have read the Italian. I found a book on the history of the gothic genre called Gothic: Four Hundred Years of Excess, Horror, Evil and Ruin and am now running through the literary canon, starting with Castle of Otranto. I had a copy of Italian for years before reading it, though. I also read Mysteries of Udolpho and am working on Weiland by Charles Brockden Brown. Of course I've read Frankenstein and Dracula, as well as Wuthering Heights and Phantom of the Opera. I read The Monk recently and loved it. Another good one Is Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Robert Maturin.

[@brieroanna]

I felt that comment about Halloween and Christmas being crammed together in my SOUL

[@evajanczaruk8790]

I just ordered the two Ann Radcliffe books you mentioned, even though i do NOT need to add to my TBR. Your enthusiasm for that author is so engaging, I absolutely MUST read.

[@cakt1991]

There’s also a shorter work called The Vampyre by John Polidori, published in 1819, while Carmilla was published in the 1870s. I get the impression vampire lore was around for a while in folklore before any of the authors wrote anything in print, though. Fun fact about Polidori: he was friends with Mary Shelley, her husband Percy (poet Percy Shelley), and their other friend Lord Byron. Both The Vampyre and Frankenstein are products of the same contest between friends to write spooky stories inspired by ones they’d been reading.

[@angelaholmes8888]

I'm planning on reading Dracula in October

[@literallyricky]

This was so great! Love Gothic novels and Carmilla is my favorite! I am planning on reading all the Bronte novels as well so I can not wait for that video! Such a cool idea! You have amazing concepts for your content and you're such an entertaining and engaging creator. You're killing it, Gavin!

[@chaosintheenchantedforest]

you got me in to gothic fiction and im absolutely obsessed since last year :) frankenstein is my favourite ! im planning to read more poe this year and hp lovecraft for the first time this year.

[@williamerickson520]

Poe and Lovecraft do have some gothic stories but only a few fall into that category. Both are still very good reads, however.

[@chaosintheenchantedforest]

@@williamerickson520 yeah and im not sure if I already have tried als poe his gothic horror

[@NorthStar3922]

I just finished reading Carmilla after watching your Dracula vlog and started Dracula today.

[@Bookchara]

I really appreciate your themed videos, Gav! Looking forward to the Brontë sisters one!

[@littlemissgemreads]

Jane Eyre is one of my favourite books of all time. There's a brilliant audiobook narrated by Juliet Stevenson which I highly recommend. Also, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favourite gothic stories ever.

[@patriciapendlbury2603]

And....it's just a frolicking good time! I love that!

[@kirstie8344]

Carmillaaaa!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻 I will be rereading it every October, read it last year and loved it! And Jane Eyre!!! Loved that, but need a reread!

[@shuwei9420]

Oh my lord I just found your channel and now you're one of my favourite people ever 💖

[@lindsayarmstrong7130]

Your enthusiasm for Dracula makes me want to re-download it so I can finally read it. Love books with Vampires!

[@roguebookwoman_sara]

Gothic horror is my favorite genre!!! I loved this video so much and it just reminded me of all the great gothic classics out there-and made me want to immediately start reading and rereading those classics! (And if you want to do a buddy read or gothic book club I’m all for it and literally always down to read gothic horror! 💖) This was such a fun video! Thanks for sharing! 💖

[@Kate-ni2ds]

Great video Gavin. I'm loving these classic themed videos. Keep them coming!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

2 videos in one week and some regular uploads? Thank you, Gavin! ♥️

[@GavinReadsItAll]

Hehe I do try 🥰

[@libbyandbrianbundrick3270]

Those hard cover editions are so gorgeous 😍

[@anasousa3264]

I read Notre-Dame de Paris and I was shocked how different it is from the Disney movie.

[@ТатьянаГубина-и1и]

And much better , deeper and cleverer!

[@isaidwhatisaid12]

found your videos from Emma’s page, she recommended you. im glad she did.

[@mieshocked1450]

The Phantom of The Opera is my favorite book ever! And it's much better than the musical, i felt in love with Leroux's Erik even more 😍

[@ReadingNymph]

I picked up The Italian because of your recommendation! Gothic Lit is hands down the best. Carmilla is 100% sapphic, a great book. Ooh Wuthering Heights is great, loved Part 1

[@michaelsbooinbooks]

Your look and lighting were on point! 🖤 I’ll be reading Frankenstein and Picture of Dorian Gray this month and really looking forward to them.

[@ILoveJahangeer]

Gavy, you are bloody HILARIOUS! Absolutely LOVED the video!

[@MadelynKontis]

After reading "Carmilla" you should watch the webseries of the same name. When doing the Disney one, make sure you read the version of each story that the movie is based on. The only one I can think of off the top of my head that people get wrong is Cinderella; people go to the German story ("Aschenputtel") as the inspiration, but Disney used the French story ("La Cedrillion"). Some of the older stories have versions in many cultures. Or you could read multiple versions of each; they are short stories. All in all, you have good taste in books.

[@carrieicanhasbooks]

The Monk is one of my all time favourite gothic classics!!! So many favourite books are in this video 😍

[@laura93xxxx]

6 months of autumn/Halloween vibes and the 6 months of Christmas vibes I agree 😂🍂🎃🎄

[@TheDraculaPapers]

I love the book Dracula, (Not surprising) And I also was amazed and delighted when I read the book the first time, how much fun it was, and how you almost feel like a detective yourself! I first read the 18th century Gotheic novels because the of list of ''perfectly horrid'' novels that was shared in ''Northanger Abbey''. Awesome video, thank you for sharing!

[@ABookFiendNamedMel]

I love your editions, so pretty! Planning my own gothic reading vlog now!

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Ooo that copy of Frankenstein is fun!

[@carrieorsel1340]

Ny workplace has both a pit and a pendulum. This cool fact is lost on my co workers.

[@louisgreen4883]

Thank you for the recommendations! 😘

[@mistynight123]

Hey fellow North-Easter! I'm reading The Monk ATM and love it. Great video! Thank you for the info. Amy, Co. Durham. 😊

[@evilredcaboose]

LOVE Phantom of the Opera in all forms. I've collected different books and movies since I was 9 and have the the musical in multiple languages

[@watermoonbb]

I'm so glad I came across this video!! and also YES thank you so much for mentioning the queen, Ann Radcliffe!! Also, Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time.

[@tawnyachristensen7310]

Great video Gavin, you are so hilarious! Love Gothic fiction as well. Jane Eyre and Dracula are on my favorite books of all time, and the opening scenes of Frankenstein are some of the most stirring writing I've ever experienced!

[@jemsilver]

Yes, Carmilla! I adore that book! My favourite vampire story (and yes, it's sapphic) 🦇🐈‍⬛

[@GavinReadsItAll]

Phew I’m glad I got the sapphic part right haha I’m excited

[@krisprepolec5616]

I believe it is a psychic vampire as well (see Things We Do In The Shadows).

[@_jo-jo_]

Northanger Abbey, is my favourite Jane Austen and has been since I was a teen. Watching this and your last vlog I feel a gothic readathon coming on for October. I shall see what my local library stocks.

[@FaeryLaume]

I read Jane Eyre in my teens and called it my favorite book for decades. I tried to give it a second read a few years ago and got restless and set it aside. Meanwhile, I read Wuthering Heights back in my younger years as well and thought is was ... well, my younger self would have said something amazingly articulate like "What the f**k did I just read?!" I am toying with the idea of rereading it this year because I have a sneaking suspicion I might actually like it now.

[@cleg78]

It was thanks to your Whitby vlog I finally brought a stunning copy of Dracula, it was seen in one of the book shops that you went in and I had to have that copy, I will tag you when it arrives 🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@BananaGeekLord]

Hunchback is easily one of my favorite books of all time. It is amazing. The beginning is EXTREMELY slow for the first bit, but once the story actually starts it gets so good. I will warn you though, as you can probably guess, it's not like the Disney movie. Almost at all. There general story line is there. So are most of the characters. But the book is so much more graphic and adult, and some of the character relationships are different. Phantom is also really good, and I feel like this might be blasphemy... but I personally preferred the musical. Which isn't to discourage you from reading it. It's still amazing, and the musical is fairly close to the book. I just feel like it plays out better as a musical than in book form. Adding the Italian to my TBR. Will probably go through that soon.

[@zerowitch]

Dickens' A Christmas Carol is gothic and Christmas in one! Two great tastes that taste great together!

[@EudaemonicGirl]

Hellfire is such a bop! Honestly, the entire soundtrack is great. It takes a lot from classical music based on the Book of Revelation, so the hell/fire/sinning/doom theme runs throughout much of the score. The book the Hunchback of Notre Dame is quite different from Disney's version. For one, Claude Frollo is both the priest in the cathedral and the man who adopts Quasimodo/falls in love with Esmeralda. Disney made Frollo into an archetypal bad guy, divorced from any supposed holy profession.

[@anikamercier2651]

Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyer are amazing!!! Both are a little slow but omg soooo good! WH is one of my favorite classics soooo good!

[@BecxReadz]

Love the whole vibe of this video.

[@jeaneritemon347]

i hear the ending to the hunchback of notre dam is different and much darker. ive been collecting and wanting to read gothic horror novels for a while bc i just recently awakened my love for horror novels. the first one im planning on reading is carmilla. hopefully thats soon. LOVE YOU GAVINNNNN

[@dawnnicholson9675]

I love Wuthering Heights.. It's such a dark tale of love and obsession. I'm really going to take your word for it, Gavin and read The Italian... 😏😏

[@butzichen]

Those editions are sooooooo gorgeous😍

[@PokhrajRoy.]

As a companion piece to ‘Jane Eyre’, you should read ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys.

[@averymello437]

I absolutely adore gothic classics and you've listed some absolute bangers. I hope you'll enjoy Phantom and Carmilla, which are 2 of my favorites of the genre. 2 other pre-Dracula vampire books I think came before Carmilla are The Vampyr by John Polidori and is kind of famous for being written in the same writing competition had by a bunch of authors that Frankenstein was written during. Also Varney the Vampire, which I haven't read yet, but it was a series of penny dreadfuls buy the same author as the original Sweeney Todd stories.

[@avsambart]

Love Dorian, Dracula, and Frankenstein. Drop the Dorian fanfic! 🤣 Shirt looks good on you 👍

[@catalinaspiridon9025]

Highly recommend another often overlooked gothic classic „Melmoth the Wanderer”, written by a (distant) relative of Oscar Wilde (a big influence on Oscar's own Portrait as well). We also follow a monk for a big part of the story and it gives off strong The Monk vibes. Beware of its size tho, it's quite the doorstopper.

[@GavinReadsItAll]

Ooo I read Melmoth the Wanderer last year and wasn't a huge fan of it, but I went into it expecting a totally different story than I got, so I feel like I may need to give it another try now I know what to expect in it

[@williamerickson520]

@@GavinReadsItAll Yes, do it. I had to put it down the first time I tried reading it but I went back and read it through. It was a little hard to follow, but enjoyable.

[@MissGemmaAnn]

I currently have Frankenstein on my TBR and I’m excited to read it. A reading vlog of the Brontë sisters novels sounds fantastic and I can’t wait for that!! I’d recommend Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier for you as well 💕

[@martha7157]

I LOVE The Monk so much!!

[@caleba9648]

I love gothic fiction so I’m glad to see it getting some love and attention! Also, where do we start a petition to get you to wear that shirt more often? 10/10 perfect vibes here.

[@astarreads4214]

I read The Mysteries of Udolpho last year and really ended up enjoying it. So, I definitely need to read The Italian.

[@bluemoon5766]

I loved phantom of the opera 😍

[@andieland1923]

Darn it, Gavin. I already have a copy of Dracula but then I saw your version and just had to go and buy it, it's too beautiful. I haven't read the others books on this list other than Northanger Abbey and Jane Eyre so I need to get on that.

[@nonfictionfeminist]

Daphne Du Maurier is probably my favorite gothic author, Dracula is my favorite gothic book

[@LaurenAlex31195]

A Bronte video with the most popular book from each of the sisters, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant Of Wildfell hall would be so cool! Would be curious to see which is your favourite Bronte

[@jennyking1773]

Want to see you read some Wilkie Collins and some of the other “sensation” novels!

[@redblaquegolden]

Okay, that top is incredible!!!

[@arryn1993]

this is making me want to read and reread all the gothic books. but oh my god The Monk. That book was wild. i had to read it for a university class ( also read northanger and frankenstein for that class and loved them ) but oh boy the class discussions on The Monk

[@jamielynn1724]

Also: “The Vampyre” by John William Polidori - inspired Bram Stoker 🙃

[@_frijol]

I've also been in the mood to read gothic classics. I finally bought Phantom (the translation by Mireille Ribiére) so I hope to read it this October. :)

[@autumnritchie1473]

I really want to read Phantom of the Opera too! I have a prequel book to his life that I got at a bookstore a long time ago so I really need to read them both. 🥰🥰🥰

[@MoJordanReads]

I started reading Wuthering Heights recently but had to shift to some other things. I was very intrigued by it so I hope to get back soon. I will say it was very confusing, though, haha, I actually had to start creating a character map. But I think it'll be fine once I get a bit further into it. Super into the idea of you doing a Bronte sisters vlog & the Disney inspo vlog!

[@kayelanipalacios]

The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my favorite books of all time!

[@laurah2404]

Me too! I've recently just bought the uncensored version and can't wait to read it.

[@captainnolan5062]

You should read Stoker's short story "Dracula's Guest." It is excellent.

[@books-on-a-wire]

I gave myself a Gothic Horror challenge this year and have checked off quite a few of these. Dorian Gray had me shocked and wondering why it took me this long to read it. It joined Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, Jane Eyre, and Dracula as all-time favorites. Susan Hill is a writer I was shocked to realize she's a contemporary author. I read a few of hers and loved. I want to read Wilkie Collins The Woman in White but it's size is intimidating, sounds like I should add Ann Radcliffe to my list as well.

[@GilbertHorn1]

In as much as you are so into gothic literature, maybe you'd find the following of interest: The Seven Horrid Novels: This renown Gothic Novels list is quite famous in the Jane Austen community. Austen herself enjoyed Gothic fiction, especially the work of Ann Radcliffe. Also mentioned: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (1794) The Italian by Ann Radcliffee (1796) List of the Seven "Horrid Novels" Gothic Reads from Northanger Abbey The Castle of Wolfenbach: A German Story by Eliza Parsons (1793) Clermont by Regina Maria Roche (1798) The Mysterious Warning, a German Tale by Eliza Parsons (1796) The Necromancer, or The Tale of the Black Forest by Karl Friedrich Kahlert (1794) The Midnight Bell by Francis Lathom (1798) The Orphan of the Rhine by Eleanor Sleath (1798) The Horrid Mysteries: A Story From the German Of The Marquis Of Grosse by Carl Grosse (1796)

[@bethmw28]

Catherine Morland is my gal ❤ Gothic novels are the best! So many of my faves on this list 😍 (although Wuthering Heights is my least favourite book I've ever finished 😂) I actually started re-reading Dracula at the weekend after your vlog because I'm going to Whitby next week!! I tried Carmilla a couple of months ago and couldn't get into it... but I'm trying again now it's spooky season!

[@hstevens44]

Oh I'm curious to see what you think of Carmilla. Alexandre Dumas wrote a vampire story called The Pale Lady that was published about 23 years before Carmilla.

[@EmmaLiz1984]

I am late to the comments since I am watching all your old horror videos. But if you haven't yet read Wuthering Heights... please consider making a vlog trip to Haworth in Yorkshire where the Brontes stayed and based this book. Take your hiking boots to get up onto the moors 😅... the first time I read this book I hated it. But now I live abroad and miss my home of Yorkshrire so much I'm reading it again and Loving it!!!! So definitely being in the area and soaking the atmosphere will help.

[@meljstephan]

Dracula is underrated as much as any classic can be underrated

[@cynthialovesbooks]

Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre are two of my favorites. I have not yet read The Italian but it is on my TBR, as is Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I'm weary of The Phantom of the Opera because I love the musical so much, but it is also on my TBR.

[@isabellavalentine7268]

I had wondered if you were still doing the Disney thing! Good to know

[@becwrites]

I bought and read “Carmilla” a few days ago. 100% worth it!!!!!

[@OliviasCatastrophe]

I love dracula so much!! I will try ann radcliffe at some point. Can't believe I still need to read the picture of dorian grey. A crime as a gothic lover, I know D: ADORE Frankenstein. Probably love it as much as dracula. Agree northanger abbey does it so well :3 I love vampire books and I need to read carmilla to be part of the canon. I liked jane eyre a lot, but it was the first adult classic I read when I was 12. The phantom of the opera is really good as well ^.^

[@istefania2153]

Hi, Gavin! Great video! Besides Jane Eyre, the best gothic book I read was The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. He was a modern day gothic author, and his books are just… pure gold. Have a great day!

[@EmmaLiz1984]

Yes! Shadow of the Wind is AMAZING!!!