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gothic

28 books.

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

by: Shirley Jackson
Ave. Rating: 3.98
Pages: 146
Year Published: 2006 (1962)
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"I chose to read this because of when it was published, its classification as a "gothic classic" and the cover. I love to read stuff out of the norm for me and this certainly fit the bill.

Despite the gothic-style cover, the writing was absolutely lovely. The narrator is so interesting and imaginative! I was endeared to her. I loved all of the beautiful descriptions of their home and their daily life and relationships. In a lot of ways, their life was idyllic.

Of course, everything is tinged with a certain darkness, a mystery and tragedy. It left me upset and frustrated in the end, which is why I dropped it down to 4 stars. I don't mind tragedy and darkness if something good can come of it - some greater meaning. It just seemed gratuitous.

I flew through this book and would love the chance to discuss it in a book club setting. Really, really great!"
- katelynn
01/27/2018
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The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)

by: Melissa Albert
Ave. Rating: 3.59
Pages: 359
Year Published: 2018
Date Read: 01/08/2020
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The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (The Physick Book, #1)

by: Katherine Howe
Ave. Rating: 3.72
Pages: 371
Year Published: 2009
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The Clockmaker's Daughter

by: Kate Morton
Ave. Rating: 3.73
Pages: 485
Year Published: 2018
Date Read: 11/29/2018
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Wuthering Heights

by: Emily Brontë
Ave. Rating: 3.87
Pages: 464
Year Published: 2002 (1847)
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Bellman & Black

by: Diane Setterfield
Ave. Rating: 3.13
Pages: 328
Year Published: 2013
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Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger, #1)

by: V.C. Andrews
Ave. Rating: 3.83
Pages: 389
Year Published: 1979
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Picnic at Hanging Rock

by: Joan Lindsay
Ave. Rating: 3.69
Pages: 189
Year Published: 1998 (1967)
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"I was disappointed here. I had high hopes of an interesting psychological mystery. I suppose the author accomplished what she set out to do, which is chronicle the unraveling of all the people surrounding a tragic event. I just felt like it was all... pointless? There was nothing to make it all worth it as a reader - no resolution or interesting development at the end.

I give it 3 stars for the amount of creepy atmosphere and the feel of the Australian countryside. Both of which I loved."
- katelynn
10/07/2019

The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, #1)

by: Caleb Carr
Ave. Rating: 4.05
Pages: 498
Year Published: 2006 (1994)
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Jane Steele

by: Lyndsay Faye
Ave. Rating: 3.88
Pages: 432
Year Published: 2016
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The Lake House

by: Kate Morton
Ave. Rating: 4.05
Pages: 495
Year Published: 2015
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"This book was perfect until the very end. There was one detail that I would have left out - it was too kitschy. But I still give it 5 stars for the reading experience and for having such a well-crafted story. So many interesting twists and secrets - I was guessing until the end. One facet that I didn't appreciate that's also been in some of her other books is the way she manipulates your emotions to be absolutely fine with infidelity. It's not something that's beautiful and tragic - it's never good in any way.

Overall, fantastic book that I'm sure I'll read again and recommend to all!"
- katelynn
11/06/2015
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Jane Eyre

by: Charlotte Brontë
Ave. Rating: 4.13
Pages: 532
Year Published: 2003 (1846)
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The Phantom of the Opera

by: Gaston Leroux
Ave. Rating: 3.96
Pages: 360
Year Published: 1987 (1910)
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The House on Vesper Sands

by: Paraic O'Donnell
Ave. Rating: 3.48
Pages: 408
Year Published: 2021 (2018)
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The Orphan of Salt Winds

by: Elizabeth Brooks
Ave. Rating: 3.66
Pages: 293
Year Published: 2019 (2018)
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"What I was hoping for was gothic, not child-molester creepy. Those two things are not the same. I had the heeby-jeebies for most of this book.

There were certain things I liked, so it wasn't a total loss."
- katelynn
06/29/2020

The Lottery

by: Shirley Jackson
Ave. Rating: 4.08
Pages: 30
Year Published: 1990 (1948)
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The Forgotten Garden

by: Kate Morton
Ave. Rating: 4.13
Pages: 648
Year Published: 2008
Date Read: 11/11/2012
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The Distant Hours

by: Kate Morton
Ave. Rating: 3.88
Pages: 562
Year Published: 2010
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"Unlike other reviewers, I liked this book just as much if not more than Morton's other novels. One of the best books I've read in a long time. Such a great mystery - so many great reveals! I had no idea how it would end which is rare and refreshing."
- katelynn
11/30/2013

House of Salt and Sorrows

by: Erin A. Craig
Ave. Rating: 3.93
Pages: 403
Year Published: 2019
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One Foot in Eden

by: Ron Rash
Ave. Rating: 4.13
Pages: 214
Year Published: 2004 (2002)
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The Scarlet Letter

by: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ave. Rating: 3.42
Pages: 279
Year Published: 2003 (1850)
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The House at Riverton

by: Kate Morton
Ave. Rating: 3.93
Pages: 599
Year Published: 2007 (2006)
Date Read: 12/31/2012
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The Bone Houses

by: Emily Lloyd-Jones
Ave. Rating: 4.02
Pages: 352
Year Published: 2019
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The Death of Jane Lawrence

by: Caitlin Starling
Ave. Rating: 3.53
Pages: 368
Year Published: 2021
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The Widow of Rose House

by: Diana Biller
Ave. Rating: 3.83
Pages: 352
Year Published: 2019
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Rebecca

by: Daphne du Maurier
Ave. Rating: 4.23
Pages: 449
Year Published: 2013 (1938)
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"The atmosphere of this book is so thick I was in a constant state of suspense. I had no idea what I was in suspense over which made it even better. Thoroughly spooked me! "
- katelynn
01/27/2013
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The Secret History

by: Donna Tartt
Ave. Rating: 4.11
Pages: 559
Year Published: 2004 (1992)
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"I can tell this book is good literature. And I was certainly engrossed for a good portion. But it was such an unpleasant read! The characters were just horrible people. I don't say the characters were "terrible" because they were incredibly well-written, well-developed and complex. But they had basically no redeeming qualities. I understand the narrator and his flaws. I followed his chain of thought and his actions, however unfortunate. But I didn't like him. I didn't root for him.

There was no justice and I found hard to swallow. Obviously there was torment, there was tragedy and broken relationships - but these stupid kids needed to be held accountable.

I give three stars because it truly is great writing. "
- katelynn
11/22/2019
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The Thirteenth Tale

by: Diane Setterfield
Ave. Rating: 3.96
Pages: 406
Year Published: 2006
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"What a fantastic gothic mystery in the vein of Jane Eyre, The Woman in White, and anything at all by Kate Morton. The language was beautiful, causing me to think for a while that it was either written in the more distant past or else set in the past. But no! It’s just incredible writing weaving a thick atmosphere and crafting complex and really unique characters.

There was one moment, right in the middle of this serious, heavy novel, where the author makes a self-aware joke that made me laugh out loud!

Surprises: this was much darker than I expected. On a scale from 0-10 of how twisted a plot is, this was about a 2.5 where I usually read at 0-1. But it didn’t ruin it for me."
- katelynn
10/30/2019