Just like hundreds of other reading bloggers around the web, I’m joining the RIP challenge, which is to read mystery, or suspense or horror books for the fall season.
I’m taking it rather easy with this and joining for just the read one book option.
I really want to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall but I may instead be substituting a Gothic read, since the upcoming Classics Circuit will be pre-1840s Gothic literature. I’m not sure what it will be yet, since the only true Gothic novel from that era that I have read was The Monk and I didn’t like it all that much. Frankenstein? Or maybe Ann Radcliffe of some kind. Also, my classics book club is reading The Woman in White in October. Since I’ve already read it, I didn’t want to count it for this challenge, but then again, I do plan to reread it. If I do get all three of these read, I’ll have almost finished Peril the First!
I also plan on joining the Short Story challenge too. I have an Everyman’s Library edition of Ghost Stories with stories by classic authors from Saki to Maupassant. I hope I’ll write about one a week, but we’ll see how it goes. I’m not a ghost story person, but this collection just looks so classic, I’m thinking I may enjoy it. (There is no Edgar Allan Poe in it, so it looks doubly promising…)
Anyway, which pre-1840s Gothic novel have you loved and could recommend? I’m still working on the intro to the Classics Circuit tour, so I have lots more research to do myself…
Does Northanger Abbey count as a pre 1830s gothic novel? I mean, it’s SORT OF gothic, or at least she was making fun of gothic novels…
I’ve only read four that I know of – Frankenstein, The Monk, Otranto, and half of Udolpho. I never made it through Udolpho and Otranto was boring, but i enjoyed the others. I’m looking forward to what comes up in the Classics Circuit so I can expand my knowledge of that sort of book!
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is well worth it and flies by really fast reading it.
Amanda » I was going to count it. I might read it, but I really did want to try some of the nonparady before I read it. I read it as a teen and liked it, but wasn’t moved by it or anything. And I can’t wait to read WILDFELL HALL now, sounds like fun!
I have The Italian by Ann Radcliffe downloaded onto my Nook so I might actually give that a go for this challenge. Definitely some ghost stories are planned, but I’m thinking more of Edith Wharton’s short stories. Not sure – so many to choose from!
Natalie ~ the Coffee and a Book Chick » there are so many ghost stories to choose from. I think I have a Wharton one in my anthology! Do enjoy your RIP reading, should be so fun to read everyone’s thoughts on great books!
I want to join the Gothic Circuit too, I just have to find the right book. Tenant is a really story. I hope you like it.
My library has a ton of Maupassant audio books but they’re all in French! My high school French isn’t up to it.
I’ve noticed a lot of people participating in this challenge. I hadn’t planned on it, but if I can count The Woman in White when we read it then I might consider joining in….
I also have Frankenstein on my shelf, somewhere…
Suzanne » yep, WOMAN IN WHITE will definitely count! Frankestein I really do want to read, but we have it on the book club schedule for next fall, so maybe I’ll wait…
No Poe? You don’t like Poe? Dead author I would most like to meet besides C.S. Lewis or Tolkien: Edgar Allan Poe.
Sherry » NO! I really don’t like Poe. So sorry, I know so many love him, I just find him… painfully melodramatic. Not a fan. BUT. I have enjoyed a few of his stories in the past, and I even wrote a play version of FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER for my high school that we performed, so I’m not TOTALLY anti-Poe. Just in general these days
I’m excited for the next Classics Circuit as I love gothic themes in literature, but have never read any of the early classic gothic stuff. I’m looking forward to it!
Anbolyn » To be honest, I haven’t really either! I have much to learn as well
I’m reading Udolpho right now and it is VERY wordy. I think it’s going to take quite a while to get through the 600+ pages. Like Amanda, I was not impressed by The Castle of Otranto either. I’ll be interested to see what you finally choose!
Kristen M. » ugh, not thinking I’ll read that one or OTRANTO at any time soon…Maybe someday, just not this year. Wordy 600+ pages just isn’t in my calendar…
I am hoping to finally read The Woman in White this year… Enjoy your books!
Kailana » I loved that book! Only read it once, looking forward to my reread.
I think you might really appreciate Frankenstein (I’m assuming based on your consideration of it here you haven’t read it…). It’s not salacious at all like The Monk, nor is it silly like that. It’s actually pretty much a meditation on inner beauty and human hubris and there’s a lot more reading of Rousseau than one might expect. But still a good story.
Huh, I didn’t do a very good job selling the book, but really, I think you might like it.
Emily » I think you did a wonderful job selling the book! Sounds great, and I do hope I get to it. My classics book club is reading it next fall…not sure I want to wait that long!
Try Frankenstein – a classic, and it is scary, so it qualifies, plus it’s got a Gothic tone to it since she wrote it from a dream she had. I’ve read it several times over the years, and I always find it moving at the end. Very much ahead of it’s time, and unlike anything else really. Otherwise, if you want a fun gothic, try Northanger Abbey, which qualifies as Jane Austen wrote it to make fun of the histrionics gothics were written to induce. It’s a very funny book! Very romantic too.
Susan » I am very tempted by Frankenstein! I’ll have to see what I get to this fall.