Gothic Horror | Book Recommendations

[@wedprez]

As a professor of literature, specializing in horror fiction and the gothic, I wish to applaud the thoroughness of your list. I particularly like how you took those origins of the gothic and revealed modernized neo-gothic classics. If I may suggest two authors/books not on your list they would be Ann Radcliffe’s Romance of the Forest and Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland. The latter especially resonates with me since it is an American take on the gothic and plays with the concept of ventriloquism as a supernatural power. The ending is unexpected and stunning. Great channel and you are quite wise despite your youth. Stay safe and keep reading. We need the next gen of professors to carry the torch.

[@RGsDevilship]

Thank you for such a kind comment. I'll be putting your book recommendations on my to read list.

[@williamerickson520]

I'm reading Weiland currently, and I recently read Radcliffe's Mysteries of Udolpho and The Italian, both great reads. I am looking for Brown's other works Edgar Huntley and Arthur Mervyn.

[@duckeggbookshelf]

There's actually a novella called Carmilla which predated Dracula by 26 years. It's another early work of vampire fiction. I've had it on my shelf for ages but haven't picked it up yet, you should check it out! :)

[@RGsDevilship]

Yes that's by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, another Irish author I've been meaning to read.

[@cybernightzero5891]

Just read it a few weeks ago. Loved it, even more so than Dracula.

[@williamerickson520]

The prototype for Dracula was a story simply called The Vampire by John Polidori, who finished a fragment by Lord Byron during the contest that produced Frankenstein. It is the first time we get an aristocratic vampire.

[@deanwurm7655]

Jackson's "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" and Shelley's "Frankenstein" are also AWESOME !

[@linn1414]

I love Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and Dracula, and I've been meaning to dive even deeper into the gothic horror genre. So thank you for all these great recommendations! :)

[@RGsDevilship]

You're so welcome, hope you found something you'll love

[@christinacampbellbooks]

I definitely want to read The Picture of Dorian Gray and Rebecca. They both sound wonderful!

[@RGsDevilship]

Those two are definitely good picks to check out, hope you enjoy them

[@booksbyleynes]

I might pick up The Haunting of Hill House. I really enjoyed some of her other books.

[@dumbyoutuber278]

Great list, I love how your descriptions of books aren't just the generic "it's really good!" but you actually give some nice details to hook us in without spoiling too much. Thank you.

[@RGsDevilship]

Ah thank you so much, I appreciate that.

[@musiquemacabre]

Seriously happy to learn that my homegirl Shirley Jackson falls in the gothic horror category! Great recs!

[@mentatphilosopher]

Everyone always forgets Le Fanu’s Uncle Silas. If you are looking for another October topic you might consider “my favorite villains”. I would include Count Fosco from A Woman in White and Harold Skimpole from Bleak House.

[@RGsDevilship]

I didn't forget, I just haven't read any of his work yet so I can't recommend it 😭 Thank you for the idea!

[@mentatphilosopher]

@@RGsDevilship The remark was not directed at you personally. People might include his Carmilla as another commenter did but I have never seen anyone mention Uncle Silas in a Gothic Horror list considering how popular a novel it originally was. Sometimes Ann Radcliffe gets a mention, usually based on Austen’s Northanger Abbey references, but Uncle Silas, no.

[@emilypark1674]

Love love love most of those books, particularly Dracula, and the Picture of Dorian Gray, the gothic genre is just amazing!

[@RGsDevilship]

I'm glad you love just as much as I do 🥰

[@thedarkpoet2077]

My favorite Poe story was Berenice.

[@ТатьянаГубина-и1и]

The most horrible stories ara" The vampire" and"The family of a vampire" by A.K. Tolstoy and " Viy" and " Ivan Koopala's eve" by N. V. Gogol.

[@aaronedgell9426]

Great list. I loved the Ray Russell book. I would suggest adding some H. P. Lovecraft to your list.

[@naboolicious6283]

Bram Stoker's Dracula is an allegory for sexual promiscuity and the spread of syphilis which was a scourge in Europe ay the time. Stoker had also contracted syphilis and the symptoms of the disease resembles vampirism.

[@mikellecallahan516]

If you liked Dracula I would recommend Dracul. Loved the Gothic recs. Thank you.

[@RGsDevilship]

I feel like I saw someone talk about Dracul recently so I'll definitely look into it, thanks!

[@stephaniedunham4104]

Oh, I second Dracul! Such a good book!

[@_DarkEmperor]

Drinking game, every time she say AND, You drink.

[@jimdoyel5044]

Carmilla is a great story. The author is J.S. Le Fanu

[@kylebalmer3396]

Melmoth was written by a protestant not a Catholic priest - an important distinction with the amount of anti-Catholic content in the novel

[@danielsweet858]

Wish Ray Russell had been more prolific.🎃

[@benharris5210]

Melmoth The Wanderer is such a great concept, no idea why it isn't better known. I will be picking a copy up soon.

[@scorpionic-night]

crimson peak dir. del toro meets all the stereotypes

[@nunyabidness4220]

Great list! I wouldn't say "Turn of the Screw" is easy to read, though. Henry James' prose is interminable! Dude could not let go of a sentence until he'd throttled every bit of life out of it. I've got two degrees in English and I still think his writing is terrible. If you can get around that, though, it's a great story. Anyone who doesn't like Shirley Jackson can fight me. :)

[@rageagainstmyhairline5574]

Your voice is like liquid gold. You are so relaxing to listen to, and I really enjoy the subjects you decide to talk about. You and Juan from Plagued By Visions are so eloquent and cerebral in your reviews and analysis, your enthusiasm and love of literature are so evident, and you always manage to imbue your videos with all of these attributes, which is amazing. I feel genuinely lucky to have found your channel as - very much like a lot of booktubers - you don't seem to get promoted as often as your content deserves. Awesome stuff :) It would be great to see more videos structured like a deep dive into a single book more often, but I'm definitely not criticising. Keep up the good work! I'll check out your patreon if you have one a bit later and sign up when I get paid.

[@chrissybooksandberries]

I look forward to your horror book recos all the time because it's the most wonderful part of the year for me.

[@RGsDevilship]

Thank you, I'm so glad you do. I'm going to get some more filmed this weekend, I've just had a few deadlines in college recently 😞

[@girlplease3217]

For anyone who likes Dracula I would highly recommend Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla! Its one of those books that you can’t but down which does such an amazing job at capturing the enchantment that Laura ( the protagonist ) is feeing

[@mynameissiddharth]

Edgar Allan Poe wrote stories mostly in trend of the Dark Romanticism of those times which stood rather opposite of the Romanticism of the early 19th century England. He did not see Nature as something which is beautiful and loving but also as something which is mysterious as well as menacing. His poem "The Raven" is one of the best works in this genre. As for his stories, I have truly loved only two - "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat".

[@kgnoth1]

Have you read anything by Michael McDowell? He wrote southern gothic horror novels.

[@RGsDevilship]

I haven't, there's so many southern gothic authors that I still need to check out

[@InformWill]

Some great recommendations! I picked up Dracula on sale at a bookstore and I now want to delve more into the gothic horror genre, I'll definitely be picking some of these up.

[@Wolfhailstorm]

I loved the break down of what gothic horror actually is :) Since reading Melmoth by Sarah Perry a few years ago, I keep meaning to go back to the earlier sources. Looking forward to getting to Melmoth the Wanderer one day! I love Poe... I feel like I've read most of his works but whenever I read or aquire another "complete collection" I always find another story I hadn't read.... all the 3 you recommended I really liked. I did a review of a massive collection in a few parts a couple of years ago, but I can't find my review book to finish that mini series up haha. I read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde this month for the first time and it was okay for me... I think I would have liked it more if Jekyll had narrated it Also I really like your eyeshadow in this video! Very fitting for the video, with the greys and silver's:D I recently received a lovely edition of Dracula... it's one of those books that I thought I'd read but maybe it's all the different tv and movie adaptations I've watched. I also have Dracul, which I think I'll read after Dracula I've just finished the Netflix version of haunting on hill house and found it so emotional.. would love to give the book a go, I hear they're pretty different Ah man, the house of leaves sounds epic, the layout, the story... I remember your review! I'm not sure if I'll ever read it, but I think I'd like to Sorry for the long comment, I was watching periodically and just adding to it haha

[@mariemtaouil2781]

this is so helpful, thank you

[@RGsDevilship]

Brilliant, I'm glad it was helpful 😅

[@evanames5940]

Don't know if you will ever see this, but there is an uncensor version if the Picture of Dorian Grey. It clears up many holes.

[@RGsDevilship]

Thanks for letting me know, I had no idea! 😊

[@cupofkeyshae]

So many great recommendations. Thank you!

[@RGsDevilship]

Hope you found something good to read 🖤

[@apetass123]

Mentions Buffy = instant like.

[@mikerainham]

I’ve read about 80% of these novels, I’ve just started reading The sorrow of Satan by Marie Corelli, a Faust type novel which is out of fashion but was loved by Oscar Wilde who you mention here. It was published in 1895 so is modern English, easily enough to read.

[@RGsDevilship]

Ah brilliant, I'll add it to my to read list. Thank you

[@tiffanyanne7861]

Haunted Castles is amazing! Great choices, I really need to make the time for House of Leaves.

[@RGsDevilship]

Glad you feel the same about Haunted Castles!

[@horrorfan96]

@@RGsDevilship I purchased Haunted Castles on a whim and after reading the stories I was very impressed! Ray Russell definitely nails the Gothic atmosphere

[@Juliana-Bub]

The Monk! I love most of the books on your list (and I'm interested in reading the others) but The Monk is such a wild book.

[@RGsDevilship]

I just got my own copy of it finally since I want to be able to re-read it again at some point because I don't think I truly appreciated it the first time around. And the author was like in his late teens or early twenties when he wrote it which is even more insane

[@Juliana-Bub]

@@RGsDevilship Yeah, he wrote it in like two weeks when he was 19 or something crazy. I have the same Penguin Classics one, and I bought it used from a Bible college, and they had put stickers over the nude guy in the art. It took me forever to clean them off. 😆

[@thatnerdartist142]

All of these were a hit for me, bless this list !!!

[@RGsDevilship]

Delighted you enjoyed the list, hope you found something to read for spooky season 👻

[@seeCHOsmile]

When I'm in need for something dark and moody I shall refer back to this video for gothic recommendations!

[@RGsDevilship]

Yes! So pleased to hear that 😁

[@nicolemarie011]

Always love your recommendations. I have read some of these already and some I have not. I really need to pick up House Of Leaves. I borrowed it from my local library once (never started it) and quickly realized I would be better off purchasing it, so I could take my time with it. Your eye makeup looks beautiful too btw. Happy Reading and Happy New Year!

[@RGsDevilship]

House of Leaves is a tricky one to read from the library unless you're able to renew it online for an additional month or two. Thank you so much and happy new year to you too 🥳

[@Blufox30]

👍

[@ritawilbur6128]

I love The Monk! It's just so lurid and cheesy, and a whole lot of fun because it's so over the top. Melmoth is on my TBR, but there is also a modern retelling of it which I have read. Quite good, and delves into a lot of 20th century real-life horror, like the holocaust and the Armenian Genocide. It really stuck with me long after I read it. Shirley Jackson - I prefer "We Have Always Lived in the Castle." Definitely another great gothic horror read from her. Rebecca - definitely a page turner, so good. Haunted Castles -- FABULOUS!!! Truly creepy and evil. Penguin did a little horror series, including that one, Haunting of Hill House, Frankenstein, several collections of short stories by various authors. The intro was written by Guillermo del Toro. I bought all the books in the series (except Frankenstein, which I already had.) But that series was my introduction to a lot of really great horror. I don't think I'm ready for House of Leaves, but it does keep appearing on many people's lists, so maybe someday I'll get there....

[@alexorpen3382]

Just found your channel. :)

[@RGsDevilship]

Heya and welcome! Hope you enjoyed the video 🖤

[@SteveR57]

Excellent channel. First time of viewing. May I recommend the stories of Welsh author Arthur Machen (1863-1947) who represents the transition from the Gothic to modern horror. Especially, "The Great God Pan"(1894) and "The White People" (1904) both horrified late Victorian readers with the references to occult horror and evil creatures from a primeval past. Thank You.

[@jorgelopez-pr6dr]

Have you read The House and the Brain by Bulwer Lytton ( this time the spooks are terryfingly real)?

[@neveensadoun5123]

Does anybody knows a book that talks gothic literature?? As every time I look up a book about this genre, it only gives me novels to read, and I don't want that, I want an academic book explains this literature for my university project, like at least I need one book to but in my reference page.

[@ClassPunkOnRumbleAndSubstack]

I wrote a Gothic novel about the friendship that develops between two teenage girls-- a normie with anxiety and depression, and a goth who is afraid of the dark-- as Wonderland-like events surround them in a small town's permanent night, under a black sky drenched in colorful clouds: flying bat-dogs, a monster made of garbage, a jumping Victorian house on massive springs, the farmers' market on the moon, hidden passageways in the mirrors of a department store, shadowy machines that can turn one into a mannequin, the secret of the dragon Abbadon who sleeps on a baseball field, the man with red and blue hair who hunts him, one couple's quest for a Haunted Cheese Party, Thee Chaotician's chaos magic and the talking egg that he creates and Mr. Dreary-Gravy's quest for breakfast, the lost youths of Lawn and Garden, the floating technological tentacles, a tower of pink hats and an ever-sprinting gargoyle, the children of Greyface, a talking skeleton who ruminates on the future of humanity's happiness, the evil witch who stole the skeleton's ribs for her dress and can turn into a flock of birds, the LARPer's battle against the spamurai, the marble-headed man who would have no business eating chicken at a seafood restaurant, a gang of unsupervised children committing vandalism, and a furry stranger named Herbert who offers advice steeped in madness to a mentally ill teenager. It is called Vibrant Night by Okami Carroll.

[@thelestrangelair]

*gasps* You did not just call something else the first Gothic horror that wasn't Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. Bellatrix

[@williamerickson520]

Interestingly enough, The Castle of Otranto was written as a burlesque parody. Poe is interesting because he wrote in all sorts of genres. Usher and Masque are great gothic tales, though his quintessential gothic is Metzengerstein, which echoes CoT. William Wilson and The Oval portrait are also great examples. I love Melmoth and The Monk. Melmoth can be challenging because the narrative weaves between interconnected stories, but it is well worth it.

[@SlowpokeReads]

Yay new video from my favorite book youtuber ❤️

[@RGsDevilship]

You're too kind, that means the world to me 🥰

[@grannysgonerabid7425]

I agree that The Shining, in my humble opinion King's best work, is a great modern Gothic novel. I love the rest of your list, as well. Am curious if you've read Peter Straub's "Ghost Story" and if so what your thoughts are.

[@lindaisyoutubing]

I loved Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, thought House of Leaves was interesting, and I found Rebecca a bit boring and frustrating for about 3/4 but by then end thought it was okay.

[@tumblyhomecarolinep7121]

Brilliant video as always. What was your interpretation of turn of the screw? I have read Dracula about 10 times but now want to read it again. I enjoyed being reminded about all these books and you gave a really good list and review. I haven’t read House of Leaves. It sounds excellent.

[@H3nry488]

Great video! I have put some of your suggestions on my reading list. I would also recommend "The Woman In Black" by Susan Hill. It's very Gothic.

[@braddtatum]

I love your videos! Just found your channel. I will be watching through your playlist now :) Dracula is my favorite book of all time. 10/10 masterpiece! I was hoping Frankenstein would feel the same for me but it fell a bit short. The overdose of description about Victor’s insanity and unhappiness was a bit much, but it was still a great classic. Still glad I read it. Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hide was great. I like it more than I thought I would! Pet Semetary + the Shining are the best of Stephen King in my opinion. Carmilla was a really nice vampire novel surprise that I discovered which I had never heard of. Have you read Carmilla? Check it out!

[@LiteraryStoner]

I've started reading Edgar Allan Poe but haven't read much yet, though I have his entire collection on kindle and definitely want to make my way through his stuff. I've read Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde but it was years ago. I did enjoy it but I need to give it a reread. I might have read The Picture of Dorian Gray in the wrong mood, I ended up bored by it. I enjoyed the message and saw why people love it, I just got bored. Dracula...I think I definitely read that at the wrong time and was expecting it to be something it wasn't, even though I had seen the 1992 movie and loved it. I need to reread it. I loved Rebecca! I haven't read The Haunting of Hill House but have read (and loved) We have always lived in the castle! I started House of Leaves awhile ago but recognized it wasn't the right time for me but I was liking it so I plan to try again when i'm up to it. The rest I definitely want to read just haven't yet! Buffy🧡 Great video! I need to read more gothic stories.

[@arlem525]

Dracula is my most read novel of all time. I read it 26 times between the ages of 10 and 16 and have read it many more times in the 40 years since then. My favorite ridiculous character in the novel is poor Lucy .

[@tresojos]

Very nice list! Thank you, I am greatly looking forward to be reading Melmoth the Wanderer

[@michellestribe7231]

Yeeess!!! I'm so glad you love Ray Russell as much as I do! Not enough people talk about his amazing work. 🖤

[@JLynnEchelon]

I read The Monk for my senior year in university and it's still one of the moat insane things I have read.

[@danielsweet858]

A perfect introduction!😀🎃

[@Spookytooth-zb5up]

Love Poe I have everything he's ever written and two or three different styles of books

[@jamesmitchell2114]

Excellent list. Thank you.

[@LiteraryLightweight]

Great recommendations!! There were a few that were completely new to me. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson is one of my all-time favorite gothic novels. Highly recommended! Have you read the Icelandic version of Dracula? It's called Powers of Darkness and it was a serialized version that is a variant on the original story. It was written with Stoker's approval but was only recently translated back into English. It differs from Stoker's story in some parts and reads a bit more concise than the original text. Would be interested to hear your opinion on it if you pick it up.

[@parlabaneisback]

I read "Powers of Darkness" earlier this year, and I thought it was awful (worst read of the year for me). "A bit more concise" is a generous way of describing it's biggest flaw; I reckon that everyone lost interest half way through, after the leaving of Transylvania the writing is little more than bullet points of what was originally intended to be written. Such a disappointment!

[@bibliophilereads]

I’m reading Dracula at the moment and really loving it. I’m very curious about Melmoth the Wanderer! Also, I haven’t read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde so it might be time to...

[@RGsDevilship]

I'm so happy to hear you're loving Dracula!

[@Strongbad251]

I love Gothic Horror.

[@vanessalaughtland4417]

I remember getting about a third of the way through The Monk and never continued for some reason - thanks for reminding me that I need to get back to it! The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is so fantastic, I read it in my last year of school and just loved the writing. So pleased it's a Scottish classic too! Also read Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Gray (LOVE) and The Turn of the Screw (meh - uni ruins books sometimes haha). Also envious of that Poe edition, I only have the collected short stories but not the poetry! :'( I NEED to re-read Rebecca, maybe I will after I watch the new remake that's coming to Netflix next week! As for Shirley Jackson... I wish she worked for me, but there's something about her writing that doesn't click with me :( Maybe my expectations were too high going into The Haunting of Hill House! Everyone told me it was the scariest book they'd ever read -_- THE SHINING THOUGH - one of my favourite King books ever, and one of the few I've actually got round to re-reading!

[@absentehhh8263]

If I remember I think because the 2nd chapter was 80 pages ,and not necessary to the plot.

[@annakarlien1952]

I only recently read Dracula, and it was just so good! I had previously tried to read it and loved the first section, but put it down cause I couldn't get through a slow part that I thought would continue for a long time - turns out I was probably two pages away from the boat action, cause I put it down during the newspaper article. Only the ending really let me down, haha. I think you might also really like The Woman in Black! It's just SO creepy and gothic; atmosphere-wise it's up there with the Haunting of Hill House, I think, though the atmosphere is even scarier. From what I've heard, it's also different from the film (not that I'd know cause horror films are just too much for me).

[@RGsDevilship]

I have The Woman in Black ordered at the library, I just don't know when they'll get it in, so it might be early November I end up reading it. Very excited for it!

[@frogyvox]

Excellent video. Thanks for the starter tips. I recently discovered that I may like Gothic novels after reading "Bitter Orange" by Claire Fuller and "The Doll Factory" by Elizabeth Macneal. I loved them both. I will need to overcome a little intimidation of classics and fear of horror before reading some of these.

[@RGsDevilship]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for the recommendations! The intimidation goes away with the more you read

[@laracroft1829]

Hi Roya. This was a wonderful list. I’m curious about Melmonth the Wanderer but I got to say I’m a little intimidated by the size. The fact that you recommend it helps me put it on a soon to read list. The Monk was such a good read. Dr Jackell and Mr Hyde is so short that I’ll definitely pick it up before the end of the month. Thanks for the video. You look gorgeous as always.

[@RGsDevilship]

Well you could read Melmoth in sections, take some notes while reading part one so that after you have a break you can got back to it without feeling like you need to start it from the beginning again. Thank you so much!

[@chipbuttytime3396]

This video keeps jumping, can't enjoy it like that

[@RGsDevilship]

You can just listen instead if you can't stand jumpcuts

[@brighida100]

You left out Jane Eyre and Wuthering heights

[@RGsDevilship]

They're definitely gothic in setting and theme but I wouldn't categorise them as horror novels which is why I didn't mention them

[@brees3]

What are your feelings on the Brontes? I noticed none of them made your list.

[@RGsDevilship]

That's because they're not gothic horror in my opinion, they're just gothic. I did really enjoy Wuthering Heights when I read it though

[@caffeinatedbooks]

Hey! I love this video 😍❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@RGsDevilship]

That's wonderful, I'm so happy you do 😊

[@arkeologokur]

Why are you saying " yo ho ho" ? What's that mean? I'm asking because i don't know.

[@RGsDevilship]

It's just my way of saying hello, like a pirate

[@arkeologokur]

@@RGsDevilshipThank you for answer.

[@dylanwolf]

Fantastic! What a brilliant video introduction to Gothic horror literature from its beginnings to the present day. A small gripe however - the inclusion of Stephen King, who is a vastly over-hyped author in popular culture; in reality he is just a pulp hack (The superb film adaption of the Shining by Stanley Kubrick greatly surpasses the novel; no wonder King hated it, the film showed him what his novel could have been had he been a writer of talent, which he isn't),

[@RGsDevilship]

King for me is really hit or miss and funnily enough The Shining was my least favourite out of everything I've read from him so far, I believe I gave it a 1 star. It's certainly a case of the film being far superior to the book

[@СергейКомаров-м4г]

You're a wonderful person, you always have great material, but why are you acting like a robot? Maybe you should make a reading vlog for a change, show that you're a living person. ;)

[@RGsDevilship]

I sometimes get really anxious when filming, you can tell as I repeat myself a lot and talk quite fast at certain points. I want to be as informative as possible and sometimes I'm so focused on that, that I forget to just be myself and relax. Also I was filming for three hours here, I kept being interrupted because of my noisy neighbours which put me more on edge.

[@KimchiYeo]

Good video, you explained every book in it's core very well and i opened my local bookstore website ready to order a few from your recomendations. Especially Castle or otronto and Rebecca peaked my interrest.