Staying put

[AliceChell]

This may sound a bit peculiar, but I only know one other gothic reader besides myself to ask. In a gothic story, I much prefer the heroine to arrive at a location and stay there throughout the book. I like it when the author concentrates upon one particular locale, family, neighboring families and village or town. Does this matter to anyone else?

[gothicromancereader]

Why is getting onto this website to respond to a post like trying to get into a top-secret spy web-site? lol

Anyway, I do love gothics that "stay put". I think the getting to know the location and the heroine's psychological response to the location is a hallmark of a true gothic.

Alice Chell, as soon as I saw your name, I said to myself, "I have a book that has Alice Chell as its heroine. I can't think of which one, but I know I'll find it." "The Master of Aysgarth" by Margaret Mayhew!! I think we have the same taste in gothics.

Welcome to the forum, you've posted some great questions!

[Charybdis]

I love gothics where you could describe the house/castle/mansion/etc. as a character by itself. All through the book it reveals more of its secrets, just like the live characters do. The setting is a vital part of the story.

[AliceChell]

I agree, gothicromancereader. Very well stated. The heroine' s response to the location is essential to the story. The way that she experiences it (hopefully in first person!) is the way that we will. It makes or breaks the thrill of the story.

And when the dwelling itself pulsates with life, you have the makings of a fine gothic indeed, Charybdis!

[Penfeather]

Yes! In fact, this has been a peeve of mine with Victoria Holt. In several of her books, the locale changes. Just when I've settled into an appropriate Gothic setting on the moors or somewhere similar, I'm uprooted as the entire story moves to some decidedly un-Gothic place like a tropical island or South Africa or sunny Australia. I don't know if Victoria saw herself as a "Gothic" writer so much as a writer of romantic suspense.

I most definitely prefer stories that establish a pleasantly sinister environment, then compound the atmosphere as the story unfolds within it.

[AliceChell]

It's good to know that I'm not alone!
I have to admit that Victoria Holt lost me as a reader as she went on in her writing career. The books of her earlier days I enjoyed immensely. But she seemed to change to a less gothic style of writing, something that fit the changing times and market, I suppose. But in her gothic heyday , she wrote some true winners.

[Penfeather]

It's good to know that I'm not alone!
I have to admit that Victoria Holt lost me as a reader as she went on in her writing career. The books of her earlier days I enjoyed immensely. But she seemed to change to a less gothic style of writing, something that fit the changing times and market, I suppose. But in her gothic heyday , she wrote some true winners.

The first of hers that I read was Bride of Pendorric. That, in fact, was the first Gothic I read and what started me on my way through the genre. Then I read On the Night of the Seventh Moon, The Secret Woman, Kirkland Revels and Mistress of Mellyn. Most recently, I started reading Pride of the Peacock and gave up halfway through when the setting changed from England to Australia. There was a little too much romance and not enough Gothic for my taste. (In fact, the romance part is practically incidental for me; I'm much more interested in the suspense plot and the atmosphere.)

Can you recommend any other Victoria Holt books that are Gothics as we would use the term?

[AliceChell]

Menfreya in the Morning and The Shivering Sands come to mind. I also remember really liking The Curse of the Kings. Part of it takes place on an archaeological dig in Egypt, but it was quite eerie.

[Monique Devereaux]

I've been reading Bride of Pendorric this week, should finish it up over the weekend. The story is okay and it has a lot of Gothic elements but it is way too short of Gothic atmosphere and the way Holt writes I have no sense of danger or anything even remotely sinister about the environment. Too many happy go lucky Cornwallians. I think it rained for about one sentence. Kirkland Revels was a bit better for that sort of thing. Shivering Sands stands out in my mind as a favorite, but I will probably be disappointed when I re read it. But as you say, Holt is more romantic suspense than anything else.

[Charybdis]

Can you recommend any other Victoria Holt books that are Gothics as we would use the term?

"King of the castle" is totally classic gothic!
There's an oubliette....