Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales is a compilation novel of horror short stories. The book is compiled by Deborah Noyes.
Contents |
The stories in this book are gothic. The compiler summarized what she thinks of gothic as, "It's probably more accurate to think of gothic as a room within the larger house of horror. Its decor is distinctive. It insists on burden of the past. It also gleefully turns our ideas of good and evil on end." While most of the short stories are gothic, a reviewer for Teen Reads said that there are stories that are both dark and funny. The authors in this novel include Joan Aiken, Vivian Vande Velde, M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Barry Yourgrau, Janni Lee Simmer, Gregory Maguire, Celia Rees, and Garth Nix.[1]
Lungewater is about a ghost that haunts a river in the gloomy countryside. Morgan Roehmar's Boy is about a ghost that haunts a hay ride. Watch and Wake is about a boy that visits a town that doesn't seem normal. Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire is a parody of Gothic literature. The Dead and the Moonstruck is a coming-of-age tale with a gothic twist. Have No Fear, Crumpot Is Here is about a boy that is forced to go on a summer trip to Italy that he will never forget. Stone Tower is a story that is a mix of fairy tale and gothic. The Prank is about two characters that suffer from guilt. One person from an older one, one person from a recent one. Writing on the Wall is about a ghost that haunts a house. Endings is told from the perspective of a vampire.
The book was nominated for a Locus Poll Award in 2005 in the category Best Young Adult Book.[2] The book is An American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults, A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice, A Junior Library Guild Selection, A VOYA Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Title, and A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age.[3]
The novel is listed in Best Books for Young Adults which is from the Young Adult Library Services Association.[4] The book is also listed in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Second Annual Collection by Gardner Dozois.[5] Joseph DeMarco, of Kliatt, said that readers will not be disappointed and that they will have trouble forgetting the horror.[6] Jennifer Mattson, of Booklist, liked the book despite its clichés.[7]