Tag Archives: gothic

REVIEW: THE CUTTING SEASON by Attica Locke

by mwgerard Posted on October 8, 2012


Caren Gray has returned to her knotted, complicated roots ont he plantation of Belle Vie.    Generations of her family have lived on this land, some under the heavy oppression of slavery.  Now Caren is the caretaker and manager of the estate that is no loner inhabited. It is rented for parties and weddings and other events — a ghost of its former self.  The neighboring farm still grows and harvests sugarcane, but now migrant labor works the farm.  Early one chilly morning Caren finds a female body half-buried along the fence line.  Caren begins to conduct her own investigation, alongside the official one, to uncover even more secrets hidden by Belle Vie.

The novel deftly wanders through Caren’s past — her childhood at Belle Vie, her broken heart — present — her precocious daughter, her fierce commitment to the plantation — and future — what will become of the place she has fought to preserve.  Embedded into this background is a Southern murder mystery.

Author Attica Locke

Locke lays out a well-paced, complex and layered story without it feeling forced.  Racism and slavery are not glossed over but neither do they overwhelm the story.  Instead they act as a filter that sometimes blurs the edges of the truth.  Locke’s prose is at once accessible and beautiful:

A reminder, really , that Belle Vie, its beauty, was not to be trusted.

That beneath its loamy topsoil, the manicured grounds and gardens, two centuries of breathtaking wealth and spectacle — a stark beauty both irrepressible and utterly incapable of even the smallest nod of contrition — lay a land both black and bitter, soft to the touch, but pressing in its power.  She should have known that one day it would spit out what it no longer has use for, the secrets it would no longer keep.  ~Pg. 4

She also has an occasional zing of wicked humor.

The guest chairs in his office matched the carpet, which matched the buttered-beige color of the walls.  The décor was attractive and strong, but blander than she would have thought his wealth and position afforded him.  Caren couldn’t see the point of having that much money if all of it led to beige.  ~Pg. 133

I look forward to reading more by Attica Locke.  She seems like an author who still has a great deal to say.  And she says it well.  She has an uncanny ability to point out inequity without pointing fingers.  The blame is obvious within the context and her wisdom is enough to make her point clear.

Readers who enjoy modern murder mysteries, with a hint of history, should certainly check out The Cutting Season.

Many thanks to the folks at Harper for the review copy.
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ISBN: 9780061802058
ISBN10: 0061802050
Imprint: Harper
On Sale: 9/18/2012
Format: Hardcover
Trimsize: 6 x 9
Pages: 384
$25.99; Ages: 18 and Up

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 6

by mwgerard Posted on October 6, 2012

I am a great lover of the Victorian Gothic.  Crumbling castles, secret inheritances, madness, and ghosts are things I never get tired of reading about.  I even wrote my Masters thesis on the use of these genre elements in film.

The Southern Gothic is something that I have always felt like I couldn’t quite grasp, like I was always a step behind.  But I am trying again since I made the realization that in order for the Gothic to exist there must be some sort of “greatness lost.”  In England, it could be as widespread as the Dissolution of the Monasteries, or as simple as an estate that has seen better days.  But in all cases there must be some sort of longing for the past amongst the remnants of what used to be.  

via “Shantybellum”

In the American South, it is the antebellum era.  Business and industry were strong, cities and towns were thriving.  Plantations were grand palaces in a New World.  Yet, there was an undercurrent of angst — all of this was possible for a few, by building on the backs of many.  That planation owners lived in mansion like royalty while just a few steps away were slaves lived in hovels was a tension that could only last so long.

The Southern Gothic draws on this and the uneasiness of modern generations whose background lies in a time, in a lifestyle, that no longer exists.  These once gorgeous estates have fallen into disrepair, and in some cases, so has the sanity of their inhabitants.

via “Shantybellum”

So I think I might take another crack at reading some Southern Gothic literature.  And I think I may start with 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey, recommended by The Paris Review, to understand more of the history, the groundwork for this very specific genre.

What do you think of the Southern Gothic?  Do you think there are other regional “gothics”?  What stories or novels represent them?

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN – Day 2

by mwgerard Posted on October 2, 2012

I’m sure this won’t be the only post in 31 Days of Halloween to feature that great American writer of the Gothic, Edgar Allan Poe.  But did you know he also wrote a The Balloon Hoax of 1844?  It was a very complicated and technical story about two men who  successfully flew across the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon.  You can read the full text here.

It may sound silly to us now, but when news could only travel as fast as a letter or a newspaper, and when the ordinary person didn’t understand complex science, it would have been plausible that such a feat had been accomplished.  For its time, it was one of the ultimate trick-or-treats!

(For more Halloween fun, print out the Poe picture and use as a jack-0-lantern pattern).

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REVIEW: CHARLOTTE MARKHAM AND THE HOUSE OF DARKLING by Michael Boccacino

by mwgerard Posted on August 7, 2012

Charlotte Markham has been a victim of Fate.  She lost her husband to a fire and was forced to take a job as governess in the Darrow house.  When Nanny Prum is brutally murdered in the middle of the night, Charlote is required to take on those duties as well.

She shares one thing with her charges — they’ve both lost someone dear all too soon.  Their mother died recently and the children, understandably are still not themselves.  In an attempt to help them decompress, she invites them to draw something from their dreams.  Paul, the elder brother, creates a detailed map of the grounds, with one important difference — a house where his mother waits for them.

The book is somewhat reminiscent of The Turn of the Screw.  The narrator is a very conscientious, if sometimes naive, guardian of the children.  With her, their health and happiness is paramount.  At the same time, she is also precocious and is determined to satisfy her curiosity.

A squat, muted chandelier hung low from the ceiling, casting the room in dim amber light.  I sat on the edge of a thick leather armchair, determined not to sink back so far as to be rendered incapacitated should the strange situation spiral any further out of my control, even as I promised myself that it would not.  To my bewilderment the cushions expanded as if the chair were fighting against me so that I might be more comfortable.  Was it possible for furniture to become offended?  I firmly kicked the leg behind my right foot, and the chair regained its former shape.  ~ Pg. 62

Despite her in-the-moment mentality, there is much she still has to learn.  The “rules” of the House of Darkling are unknown, as are the opponents.  Her own memories haunt her just as she tries to relieve the strain on the children.  But something she cannot resist lies just beyond the misty orchard.

Charlotte Markham poses philosophical questions about life and death, and how we would the choices given to her.  It’s also a dark tale of literary adventure where a spunky young woman tries to outsmart Death.  I didn’t find it to be life-altering, but it is a very enjoyable read.  It is well-crafted storytelling.  The “rules” are a bit convoluted and it feels somewhat rushed near the end, but it hardly matters.  The imagery and atmosphere are dark and rich.

Many thanks to the kind folks at William Morrow for the review copy.

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ISBN: 9780062122612
ISBN10: 0062122614
Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks
On Sale: 7/24/2012
Format: Trade PB
Trimsize: 5 5/16 x 8
Pages: 320; $14.99
Ages: 18 and Up

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REVIEW: THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012)

by mwgerard Posted on February 6, 2012


A crumbling manor, a mysterious curse, a sea mist and creepy deaths.  How could I (of all people) resist?  I am completely unfamiliar with the book (of the same name) by Susan Hill, which is rather unlike me.  And I was unable to see the staged version while in London this summer.  So I came to the film knowing nothing about the story, which was quite an unusual treat for me.

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) is a London solicitor still struggling with the death of his wife.  He is now raising his young son Joseph with the help of a no-nonsense and efficient nanny.  His boss gives him one more assignment to prove his worth to the firm and sends him to a non-descript village in England’s East coast.  His task is to settle the estate of Alice Drablow, formerly of Eel Marsh House.  Fans of Dracula will recognize similarities in these opening scenes.  The villagers are painfully tight-lipped and Arthur finds just one person who will drive him across the tidal and misty marshes to the entrance of the Drablow estate.  Once there, he is abandoned until the tides break once more.

Ensconced in the home and determined to prove himself worthy, he begins his quest through tattered and tanned documents, looking for anything that may shed light on Mrs. Drablow’s final requests.  But Arthur gets precious little done as he is continuously interrupted by the sounds of footsteps and a vision of a veiled lady.  Confused but unperturbed he returns to the village to ask questions.  He is once again told to return to London and leave their town.  Only one villager is welcoming – Sam Daily (Ciaran Hinds).  He is quick to dismiss the superstitions and ghostly tales of the common townfolk, despite having lost his own son years before… and having a wife who claims to be a medium.

Ciaran Hinds as Sam Daily

The story pulls from many gothic elements and therefore allows the viewer to fill in the details with their own expectations.  At the same time, the filmmakers treated the genre with respect.  The set of Eel Marsh House is incredibly lush.  Wallpaper patterns, antique toys, and window latches all work to create the atmosphere.  At times I wished for a touch more lighting so those details could be better enjoyed.

Still, a hint more of realism would have served the film well.  For example, the small family cemetery on the estate looks to be made of foam and borrowed from a Disney ride.  And the rusty front gate is propped open almost too perfectly askew.

The sound design is delightful.  There is some use of typical creaks and moans, but a great deal of it was original.  The scream of the Woman in Black is horrifying and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they mixed a recording of nails on a chalkboard in there.

Someone involved in the production design knows their stuff.  There is a wonderful blend of the modern versus tradition at play.  Sam drives a car, which is instrumental in the resolution of the story, while Keckwick (Daniel Cerqueira) drives a horse and carriage.  Telephones exist, but the village doesn’t have one.  And as Arthur rides the train, we see him notice a story on theosophy and mediums, a very popular subject at the time.  It even gives a nod to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, himself a proponent of theosophy in later years.

The story occasionally plods, but it does allow the audience to catch its breath after a scare or two.  I would have liked to see even more detail and background about the Drablow family and ‘what really happened’ through the archival material that is found.  Or perhaps in stories from a townie.  Although we basically piece it together, a bit more detail would have helped fill it out.  Without giving anything away, some motives are less than clear.

Lastly, as an ardent fan of the Grenada version of Sherlock Holmes, I was delighted that David Burke (the earlier of the two Wastons) had a small role as PC Collins.  I desperately tried to find a screenshot of him, but to no avail.  Please send a link if you find one!  (This is he as Watson.)

This is an enjoyable ghost story with plenty of scares for teenagers who want to see Harry all grown up, and plenty of suspense for adults who like to solve  a mystery.

** If you have the option, do see it in 35mm. **

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Rated PG-13. 95 minutes. Hammer Films.  Released Feb 3, 2012 (US)
Official site: http://www.womaninblack.com

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REVIEW: THE UNINNOCENT by Bradford Morrow

by mwgerard Posted on December 5, 2011
I became a fan of Bradford Morrow somewhat late in the game. He’s been writing, teaching and winning awards for sometime now.  Yet I only I read, loved and reviewed The Diviner’s Tale last year, but I could barely wait to read more by him.  I was thrilled when I was sent an advance copy of his book of short stories, The Uninnocent.  
Working in a different format than his last novel, Morrow is freed from structure.  It’s actually quite surprising how his voice changes from tale to tale.  While not really modern Gothic or supernatural, like The Diviner’s Tale, these stories are incredibly dark.  Most are told in the first person, making the psychological insight all the more disturbing.  These are creatures who suffer from an extreme form of desperation, yet remind us how fine that line is for all of us.
From O. Henry’s Full House (1952)


Lush is like a modern version of an O. Henry story. It recalls The Gift of the Magi and The Last Leaf, though in a completely different and dysfunctional way.  My favorite might be the eponymous tale in which a child recalls seeing the ghost of his brother.  The narrator speaks with simplicity.  He captures how a child speaks before he thinks, not restrained by the embarrassments that we acquire as we age.  And it is this naivete that makes his story even more unsettling.  Ellie’s Idea is strangely amusing, but not all of the stories leave one satisfied.  This collection is not for the squeamish, and should probably be read in the daylight hours and in small doses.  But I mean that as a compliment.  Morrow draws you into the characters’ minds, gets you dizzy, then leaves you to find your own way home.  It’s well done and enjoyable; just be sure to drop some breadcrumbs along the way.
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Many thanks to Claiborne at Pegasus Books for the advance copy.

ISBN 978-1-60598-265-6
Size 6 x 9
272 pages
Fiction
December 5, 2011

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REVIEW: THE LANTERN by Deborah Lawrenson

by mwgerard Posted on August 2, 2011
This is yet another recent book that cements my assumption that Provence is enchanting.  Of course, in my fantasy, there is significantly less murder and suspicion than in this book (or Death at Chateau Bremont). Still, I too dream of a run down but livable field stone farmhouse, with an aging orchard and lavender fields, stretching out behind it.  My chief responsibilities would be writing, reading, wandering and gardening.  My ideas don’t vary much from the main narrator.  Eve escapes from a barely rewarding career to a storybook villa in the countryside of France.  But a cloud shadows her sunny outlook when her boyfriend begins acting suspiciously.
An abandoned home in Provence / http://abandonedplaces.livejournal.com/2118536.html
The book switches between two narrators, whose stories slowly meet in the middle.  Firstly, the main, modern-day narrator deals with her growing doubts about her boyfriend’s honesty.  Her efforts to gain any insight from him only drive them apart, so she resorts to her own research — neighbors, newspapers, gossip — and learns that he was married before, to a woman named Rachel.  She struggles between calming her racing imagination and her fears that she might be the next woman in his life to disappear. 
The second narrator, as it quickly becomes clear, is a woman who lived in the same cluster of buildings about 60 or so years previously.  Her family ran the farm as best they were able, despite one daughter’s blindness, a son’s familial betrayal, and a father’s sudden death.  This narrative is rife with vivid descriptions of Provence’s scents and sights — particularly as the sisters embark on a lavender and perfume venture.  
The book is certainly engaging and will make you want to keep reading.  At times the switching between narratives is a bit distracting, especially when it is too frequent.  While it bears certain resemblances to the great Rebecca, I do wish the author had not so blatantly referred to it within the story.   She even calls herself out in the naming of Rachel – another of Du Maurier’s lesser-known characters.  It would have best been addressed (if at all) in an author’s note, explaining her fondness for the Du Maurier’s stories. 
All in all, it is a solid novel and an enjoyable read.  Those who enjoy a modern gothic tale will want to check this one out.
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Thank you to the kind folks at HarperCollins for the review copy. 
Author Deborah Lawrenson’s site. 
ISBN: 9780062049698
ISBN10: 0062049690
Imprint: Harper 
On Sale: 8/9/2011
Format: Hardcover
Trimsize: 6 x 9
Pages: 400, $25.99, Ages: 18 and Up
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REVIEW: DRACULA by Bram Stoker

by mwgerard Posted on June 28, 2011
Novelist Bram Stoker
It was absolutely fascinating to look back and see where this whole Vampire obsession started.  And as with any original, I wanted to see how modern interpretations reflected their predecessors.  I was surprised at how very close and certainly recognizable many of the main characters were: Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing, Renfield and Lucy Westerna.  It was also a revelation to see just how little of the action takes place in Transylvania.  Although it certainly sets the mood with the vivid descriptions  mountain passes, castles, and frightened peasants at the outset of the novel, the bulk of it transpires in England.
Rather unexpected too was the characterization of Count Dracula himself.  Though it seems easy to snicker at anyone introducing themselves as such, I had to remember that the name “Dracula” had absolutely no connotation to the readers of 1897.  It was just a foreign-sounding name.  Yes, he is hospitable to his solicitor, but he is hardly the charmer some films portray.  The women in the book are only susceptible to him when hypnotized and sleep-walking (Interestingly, Dr. Seward and Van Helsing have an exchange about hypnotism and Dr. Charcot — the main focus of MEDICAL MUSES, which I reviewed recently).  Most striking, to me at least, was that this Count was not clean-shaven.  He wears a distinctive moustache  — something not seen in Nosferatu (1922) or Bela Lugosi’s Dracula (1931).  
Murnau’s Count Orlok in Nosferatu
Furthermore, I was a bit stunned at how “trashy” some of the scenes were.  I’m used to the understated nature of Victorian literature, even when it is Gothic in style.  Stoker hides nothing in his graphic descriptions of decapitations, stabbings, and exsanguinations.  The author finds a very modern voice for his numerous characters — the story is related through diary entries, telegrams, newspaper clippings, etc.  While each is distinct (Stoker even recreated dialects and accents), they all seem to be ahead of their time.  All are intelligent and none are useless.  In fact, Mina Harker  is very clearly one of the strongest characters throughout.  There are no whining teenagers here.
Yet the blatant violence, danger and social implications are raw.  It truly must have been shocking and yet alluring at its publication.  A great read during a summer thunderstorm…
My book photo uses a backdrop from Edward Gorey’s Dracula play set (yes, I am a nerd).  Enjoy.

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QUICK REVIEW: JOHANNES CABAL THE NECROMANCER by Jonathan Howard

by mwgerard Posted on February 3, 2011
Faustian in nature, the first in the Cabal series is witty, wry and in general, hysterical.  The title character attempts to win back his soul from the Devil (traded for scientific secrets).  He is given a second chance and one year to collect one-hundred souls.  Aided by his bitter and vampiric brother, the two manage a sinister carnival of the rails, tempting the line-walkers to the dark side.  The Cabal Brothers Carnival is manned by the reanimated remains of idiots and freaks, brought back to (semi) life by Johannes.  As the hourglass nears empty, Johannes becomes more and more desperate to fulfill his quota with his ghoulish ways.
The story seems to live outside of a particular place or time.  While the style seems British, the names are German.  The feel is a medieval, Gothic morality play yet the carnival travels by train and there is mention of electric lights.  The existence of this netherworld works and allows for the belief in the magical acts to follow.  
Each chapter is decorated with a pen & ink drawing by Linda “Snugbat” Smith, like so (right) and a title description which hints at things to come, a la Boris Akunin.  The adventure is great fun and I was thrilled to discover there is already a sequel published, and a third on the way.  Long live (soulless or not) Cabal. 
For more fun: http://www.johannescabal.com/necromancerflash.html
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Reviewer did not receive a review copy of this book. 
Random House
Format: Trade Paperback, 304 pages
On Sale: June 1, 2010
Price: $15.00
ISBN: 978-0-7679-3076-5 (0-7679-3076-2)
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