Tag Archives: gothic

Dec26

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

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The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Poston, Ashley. The Dead Romantics. Berkley, 2022. 368 pp. ISBN 9780593336489 $17.00

*****

Ghost writer Florence is beyond deadline for the last of four contracted books, and has a new editor to content with; she has to explain to Benji Andor that she cannot write a romance novel when she no longer believes in romance. Her ex, also a writer, horribly betrayed her by taking stories she told him and loosely fictionalizing them into his next bestseller-and she’s getting zero credit. The stories are about the ghosts she sees. Like her father, a mortician, they appear and often want her help, though she’s mostly been ignoring them since leaving home. The new editor shows up at an open mic night, and so does Florence’s ex–and she kisses Benji, then abandons him when she get a call from home to come home–her father has died. Imagine her surprise when Benjo shows up the next day at her door at the Day family funeral home: as a ghost.

There is so much to love about this delightful novel, and it’s one of the best books I read this year. I don’t want to give away the brilliant plot twists. My favorite books balance angst, awkwardness, and the stars aligning. The Dead Romantics has all that and is gothy and still sweet, atmospheric, and unique. It’s about coming home, resolving relationships, and finding love.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TheDeadRomantics from #NetGalley, and loved it so much I bought my own copy which I made my kids wrap up and put under our Christmas tree (happy Hanukkah/Merry Christmas to me!).

Nov11

Darling Jim by Christian Mork

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Darling Jim by Christian Mork

Mork, Christian. Darling Jim. Henry Holt & Co, 2009. ISBN 978-0805089479 320 pp. $25

***

A Dublin postman makes the unfortunate discovery that someone on his route is deceased, but signs of a struggle and two other bodies discovered within the house indicate there is much more than meets the eye going on. His colleague is intrigued by story, and begins investigating the triple homicide of a maiden aunt and her two nieces.

I thought the language was beautiful, but didn’t like that we had to dig though so many layers to get to the story–we have the weird postman, then Niall, then the story delivered through the journals, and then within the journals, Jim’s allegoric storytelling. For all those points of view, there weren’t a lot of distinct voices, to me. Maybe for this reason, I found the pacing slow and the characters, uncompelling. Institutionalized racism gives the novel an old-timey tone, despite its present day setting.

The novel blends a strong sense of the gothic with fairytale elements, and when you add love for a bad boy, revenge, sex, and murder to the menu, it seems like all the right ingredients for an unputdownable book, and I really had to push to get through it. I did like how neatly the ending wrapped up, and thought that was cleverly done.

Dec16

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe

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The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe

Poe, Edgar Allen, illus. by Bill Fountain The Tell Tale Heart. Mojo Press, 1995. ISBN 978-1885418036 pp. $

*****

This slim volume reinvents Poe through illustration, most strikingly when the artist interprets the narrator of The Tell Tale Heart as a female servant revealing herself through dialogue, and the voice rings eerily true. Also included in this graphic novel version are favorites such as the Bells and Annabel Lee, illustrated with dark gothic flair. A must have for any graphic novel collection, and a fine compliment to other Poe collections–but good luck finding it!