Horror Subgenre Challenge! - hosted by dexlud

Gothic Horror
The origins of gothic horror date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Early writers like Mary Shelley and E.T.A. Hoffman helped usher in an age of dark fiction that is still going strong. The early gothic novels usually offered a mix of romance and horror, with a little death on the side. These were deep and complex stories, often infused with heavy social overtones.

Interesting books in this subgenre: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. The Devil’s Elixirs, by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson. The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill. The Silent Companions, by Laura Purcell.
All books added
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley Jackson

182 pages • first pub 1959 (editions)

fiction classics horror literary dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

Carmilla

J. Sheridan Le Fanu

2 hours, 22 minutes • first pub 1872 (editions)

fiction classics horror lgbtqia+ dark mysterious fast-paced
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein: The 1818 Text

Mary Shelley

288 pages • first pub 1818 (editions)

fiction classics horror literary science fiction dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

What Moves the Dead

Sworn Soldier #1

T. Kingfisher

165 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction horror lgbtqia+ dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Patrick Süskind

263 pages • first pub 1985 (editions)

fiction classics historical literary dark mysterious medium-paced
Classic Starts: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Classic Starts: Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

160 pages • first pub 2006 (editions)

fiction classics horror middle grade dark emotional reflective slow-paced
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Woman in Black

Susan Hill

200 pages • first pub 1983 (editions)

fiction classics horror mystery dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
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