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Gothic!: Ten Original Dark Tales

by Deborah Noyes (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix (Goodreads Author), Celia Rees (Goodreads Author), Barry Yourgrau (Goodreads Author), Janni Lee Simner (Goodreads Author), Vivian Vande Velde, Joan Aiken , more…

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 554 ratings · 75 reviews

"Get ready to sleep with the lights on!" — GIRLS' LIFE

A lovesick count and the ghost of his brutalized servant . . . a serial killer who defies death . . . a house with a violent mind of its own and another that holds a grotesque secret within its peeling walls. Here are witches who feast on faces, changeling rites of passage, a venerable vampire
contemplating his end, and...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published June 13th 2006 by Candlewick (first published August 3rd 2004)

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May 11, 2013 Jean-Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars

Gothic!
Ten Original Dark Tales

I don't remember how long ago I bought
this book. I picked it up because a
friend had a short story published in it,
and also because there was a Neil Gaiman
piece, and I'm a sucker for his work. The
other names on the over did not ring any
bells for me. Since this is a collection
it's only fair if I give a mini-review of
each story, and I might as well do it in
the order that they appear in this book.

1) Lungewater by Joan Aiken

I believe I read in the artist bio par...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Missy (Missy's Reads & Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Since this is an anthology, it's going to be short and sweet because I don't want to give too much away! Gothic! is a collection of ten short stories by known and not-so-known authors that have one thing in common: they know how to write a pretty eerie story. Now, mind you, gothic isn't necessarily scary like horror stories are. Gothic stories don't necessarily make you lose sleep, but you may keep a few lights on when you go to bed.

In this anthology, you really have to take the good with the ba...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Juushika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: status-borrowed

The history of a haunted stream, a wake for a witch-haunted corpse, a coming of age ritual for a changling child: Gothic! is a collection of ten stories from authors such as Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, and Caitlín R. Kiernan. Filled with ghouls, ghosts, and vampires, these stories are quiet, dark, gothic tales which haunt the edges of the horror genre. Most of the stories have missing or undeveloped aspects which make them good but not quite great; there are a few exceptions, both good and bad...more The history of a haunted stream, a wake for a witch-haunted corpse, a coming of age ritual for a changling child: Gothic! is a collection of ten stories from authors such as Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, and Caitlín R. Kiernan. Filled with ghouls, ghosts, and vampires, these stories are quiet, dark, gothic tales which haunt the edges of the horror genre. Most of the stories have missing or undeveloped aspects which make them good but not quite great; there are a few exceptions, both good and bad, but on the whole this is a competent and enjoyable, if unexpectional, collection. There's enough variety in subject and tone to hold the reader's attention, and the stories are united by an indulgent, dark, gothic theme which is a pleasure to read. I recommend it.

Although not traditional gothic literature, the stories in Gothic! are in the same vein: dark, creepy stories, most with fantastical elements, all indulgent pleasures. Unfortunately, it's as if the short story format isn't enough room to develop all of the aspects which make gothic literature a success. Character makes a story accessible, especially in YA lit; some stories, like Velde's "Morgan Roehmar's Boys," feature identifyiable and realistic teen protagonists, but in too many of the stories they're undeveloped or unrealistic. Some feature exaggerated (teen) stereotypes, which make for irritating characters. Plot provides direction, but in too many stories it feels like an afterthought. Sometimes that works wellGaiman's "Forbidden Brides..." is particularly charming despite its fractured storylinebut often it creates uneven pacing and undirected action. And atmosphere, of course, is key to a gothic novel: the dark and haunted setting, the looming threats, the unexpected evil, which makes a story chilling and delightful. Much of gothic atmosphere depends on suspense, but some authors introduce too late, and so the gothic aspects feel cliché or unbelievable when they finally arrive.

With one or two of these aspects falling by the wayside, the stories are often enjoyable but not exceptional. Yourgrau's "Have No Fear, Crumpot is Here!" is an exception: overdrawn humor and inadequate suspense make it flat, grating, and the worst story in the book. However, most stories fall in the "good but not great" category. Anderson's "Watch and Wake" has a unique setting and creepy magical aspects, but underdeveloped characters; Simner's "Stone Tower" is haunting and mysterious, but predictablesimilarly, most of the stories are fun, indulgently creepy reads, but few are memorable. Few, but not none: Velde's "Morgan Roehmar's Boys" is solid if unexpectional, combining a creepy haunting with truly unexpected violence. Best of all is Kiernan's "The Dead and the Moonstruck," which has character, plot, and atmosphere to spare. A tender coming of age story in an unusual fantastical setting, it's intriguing, sympathetic, and my favorite story in the collection.

A standard of "good but not great, with one or two exceptions" makes, all in all, for a successful collection. Gothic! is an enjoyable quiet read, ideal for curling up with under the covers; creepy, frightening, mysterious, and sometimes humorous, the stories are indulgent and enjoyable. Each is unique, most are enjoyable, and gothic literature is a wonderful dark pleasure. I wish there were more standout stories, but it is rare to find a short story collection (especially a themed anthology) that offers constant high qualityand so I am content with as much. For fans of gothic literature or dark fantasy, Gothic! is worth picking up. It's a fast read, but altogether enjoyable, and I recommend it.(less)

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Apr 01, 2008 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

this is a collection of 10 'gothic' tales. I only found one of them to be scary, and that was the third one. Again, predictable, but OMG, that didn't make it any less CREEEEEPYYYYYYY!!!!!!! But, everyone's scared of different things. There are some stories about ghosts, a silly story about a vampire child, some more vampires, werewolves, etc. Some of the stories, while not scary, were still really good and interesting, and SHOCK not predictable!

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Jul 15, 2009 Jonathan rated it 2 of 5 stars

These stories are neither gothic nor particularly good. Many of these tales are, frankly, cute. Not once did I feel scared. Not once did I feel wrapped up in a gothic atmosphere. Gothic can mean many things, but not once did I feel like I was reading a Tim Burton movie or reading a Bram Stoker book or listening to a Bauhaus song or anything. By and large, these stories are tame, sometimes confusing, and never particularly dark or spooky. Never once was I scared.

M.T. Anderson's "Watch and Wake,"...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Violet rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, mystery, fantasy, favorite-authors

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 06, 2012 Leo Van gerwen added it

A lovesick count and the ghost of his brutalized servant . . . a serial killer who defies death . . . a house with a violent mind of its own and another that holds a grotesque secret within its peeling walls. Here are witches who feast on faces, changeling rites of passage, a venerable vampire
contemplating his end, and a fanged brat who drains the patience of a bumbling teenage boy. Here too are a flamboyant young novelist in search of a subject more compelling than his own eerie existence and...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Katharine Kruse rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, anthology

Scattered among some unremarkable ghost stories and melodramatic supernatural YA are some genuinely good offerings.

Unsurprisingly, Neil Gaiman's "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire" is closest to what I would consider traditionally "gothic" (though you probably guessed that from the title alone), even invoking the names of 18th century staples The Castle of Otranto and The Mysteries of Udolpho. Being Gaiman, however, there is more to the ta...more Scattered among some unremarkable ghost stories and melodramatic supernatural YA are some genuinely good offerings.

Unsurprisingly, Neil Gaiman's "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire" is closest to what I would consider traditionally "gothic" (though you probably guessed that from the title alone), even invoking the names of 18th century staples The Castle of Otranto and The Mysteries of Udolpho. Being Gaiman, however, there is more to the tale than meets the eye, and he uses his vast and intimate knowledge of the gothic style to spoof the genre, to excellent effect. How can you not love this:

The man facing him was almost his double - the white streak in the auburn hair proclaimed them of the same blood, if any proof were needed. The stranger's eyes were dark and wild, his mouth petulant yet oddly firm.

"Yes - I! I, your elder brother, whom you thought dead these many years. But I am not dead - or perhaps, I am no longer dead - and I have come back - aye, come back from ways that are best left untraveled - to claim what is truly mine!"

And then they fight. With swords. Joy! I couldn't help but giggle when I inevitably compared "Forbidden Brides" to some of the other, gravely earnest, tales in the book.

Another standout was M.T. Anderson's "The Dead Watch," which presses the peculiar advantage of the short story to drop the reader smack in media res, in an unfamiliar situation, then parsimoniously dole out clues that hint at a larger, hidden story underneath the surface. Anderson's setting is a bizarre take on the American open road, in a landscape dotted with "demon towers" and "pits," where the occult is a constant and commonplace threat.

My last honorable mention goes to Barry Yourgrau, whose "Have No Fear, Crumpot is Here!" and hilariously naive, self-involved 14-year-old boy narrator were laugh-out-loud funny. Even during the child murder scene (!).

Note: This review was written about an uncorrected advance reading copy.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Infinite Playlist rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mine, form-short-stories

Lungewater by Joan Aiken ★★☆☆☆
Ein Mädchen trifft einen alten Mann im Bus, der ihr eine alte Geschichte erzählt, die mit ihrer eigenen Familie zusammenhängt.
Gut geschrieben, aber inhaltlich eher unspektakulär.

Morgan Roehmar's Boys by Vivian Vande Velde ★★★☆☆
Ein Mädchen bleibt bei schlechtem Wetter allein in einer Scheune und trifft dort auf jemanden...
Woah, überraschende Wendung am Ende! O_O

Watch and Wake by M.T. Anderson ★★☆☆☆
Ein weggelaufener Junge soll die Totenwache eines Verstorbenen überneh...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

with these stories i really like the sadistic and qrotesqueness, it really made this book stand out. With the stories themselves some were pretty good, others were kinda boring soo

Really good stories:

Morgan Roehmars Boys by Vivian Vande Velde - it was suspenseful throughout and there was a very surprising twist at the end! I loved how the ending page had a psychotic voice to it and it made a lasting eerieness after reading.

Stone Tower by Janni Lee Simmer

Writing on the Wall by Celia Rees: kinda...more

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Jan 23, 2008 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Gaiman fans and Poppy Z. Brite readers looking for a softer note

Shelves: dystopian-gothic, short_stories

This anthology of short modern gothic tales is an older litgeek's version of that "Scary Stories" trilogy that was published in the 1980s by Alvin Schwartz. (The illustrations in those books were creepier than the stories)

Most of the stories are well worth reading in the dark by yourself. They don't hold a candle to the heebie-jeebies that horror stories evoke, the kind that make you uncomfortable in your own skin and lead you to jump at shadows, but the gothic genre is a kissing-cousin and make...more

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May 07, 2009 Orrin Grey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read

Another re-read. I've read a lot of anthologies of horror/dark fiction over the years, and, as weird as it sounds to say, Gothic! may be my favorite. I don't love every story, but most of them are creepy and solid and fun, which is everything I ask for from a story. Plus, this is the first place I ever read anything by M. T. Anderson, and his story in here remains a favorite of mine.

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Mar 19, 2008 Smiley08 rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 13 and ^

Recommended to Smiley08 by: Zayra

GOTHIC: Ten Original Dark Tales is a book written by many authors. This book contains only short stories. They are mostly about things that are not really normal. For example the vampires, witches, ghouls, and ghosts. The stories contain very mature things.
The first story is about a count that fell in love with a young lady. The thing is she ddn't respond to his love. She went back to where she lives and the count sent poems with his loyal servant. He always demande to take the short way. The...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Izabela C rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

LUNGEWATER (Joan Aiken): pointless.

MORGAN ROEHMAR’S BOYS (Vivian Vande Velde): uh ... surprising, I guess ... although not quite believable.

WATCH AND WAKE (M.T. Anderson): creepy as fuck! very Grimm! pure win! :o

FORBIDDEN BRIDES OF THE FACELESS SLAVES IN THE NAMELESS HOUSE OF THE NIGHT OF DREAD DESIRE (Neil Gaiman): *sigh* I want to hate this, but – okay – it’s funny and actually quite clever. it only comes together at the end, though. until then: IRRITATING.

THE DEAD AND THE MOONSTRUCK (Caitlin...more

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Jan 10, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: returned-to-library-before-finishin, short-stories

So far it's going well. I started this last night when I couldn't sleep and I read three stories.

The story by Niel Gaiman, "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire", was a nice twist on a classic scary story and has probably the best name.

"Endings" by Garth Nix, though short, was amazing. I'm liking him more and more all the time.

I even enjoyed Gregory Maguire's "The Prank", and I haven't liked anything that I've read of his before this.

Lungew...more

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Feb 11, 2010 Ribbon Sixx rated it 3 of 5 stars

A lovesick count and the ghoust of his brutalized servant
...a serial killer who defies death...
a house with a violent mind of its own.
Here are witches who feast on faces,
changeling rites of passage,
and a venerable vampire contemplating his own end.
out of all of them I really liked
'Morgan Roemar's Boys' by Vivian Vande Velde
(cool name by the way).
Though Ive only read the first six stories

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Nov 20, 2012 Emma Meade rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, paranormal, short-story

I found this at the bottom of a box of books in the shed. As far as I can remember, I’d been given this as a gift many years back, so I sat down with the book recently to read through it properly. Some of the stories were quite enjoyable, like the haunted barn/hayride tale by Vivan Vande Velde, “Morgan Roehmar’s Boys” which I would have loved to read as a full length novel. “Stone Tower” was beautifully written and kept me turning the pages rapidly to find out what tragedy had befallen Tara. “Wa...more

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Sep 17, 2008 Tripmastermonkey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-teen

i didn't love this book, but some of the stories were really fun. i hated the story by Gregory Maguire (i think it totally depoliticizes the idea of what a hate-crime is)

i think the female authors in the collection were definitely superior. they just developed the characters in a short space in a way the men didn't. Janni Lee Simner's and Celia Rees's stories were probably my favorites.

Neil Gaiman's (Sandman comics, many other great fantasy stories) "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in th...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Kenny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great book! My favorite story was...........................................................................................................................................*can't decide*.......................................................................................................................................

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Dec 09, 2011 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Teenagers

Recommended to Angela by: Nobody

Shelves: short-stories, horror

This book is written for teens, which I didn't realise until I was reading the introduction, there's no indication of the target audience on the covers. Most of the stories aren't bad, but because they are for a younger audience, they lacked the 'bite' I was hoping for. Overall still a good, easy weekend read.

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Sep 06, 2009 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Read through this because I'm going to use it in my classroom. Not all of the stories are what I was hoping for but I found a couple useful ones. A few actually scared me so I'm hopeing for the same reaction from my students. I'm going to pair them with Poe during our short stories unit. I'm looking forward to it :)

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Apr 02, 2009 Americanogig rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Decent representations of the genre. All in all, for a name like Gothic!, it surely fell short of my expectations. Something I couldn't really invest myself in, but not too shabby. Twisted, but not too scary. A good read for a dark night or a stormy whenever.

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Nov 11, 2010 kyliemm rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fall-2010

The first half of this book was amazing; every story caught my attention. The second half, not quite so much, but there was still a lot of cool stuff going on there, particularly the Rapunzel story. Good authors and good stories, for the most part. Glad I read it.

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Mar 28, 2013 Adventure_chick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really enjoyed this collection of gothic stories. While the book was written for young adults (as can be seen from the vast majority of the main charaters being in that age range), it's a great collection for any fan of the genre!

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May 12, 2009 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

I requested this book because there is a Neil Gaiman story in it. This is a wonderful anthology of gothically charming short stories and Gaiman's wasn't even my very favorite in it. Another great read for dark winter nights.

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Aug 06, 2012 Belinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I did not expect to love this because when I think Gothic, I think vampires, which are not my favorite thing, and yes there was a vampire story or two. Overall I enjoyed all the stories in this anthology.

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Jan 25, 2011 Elizabeth Nesbit-comer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't expecting much, and was really impressed with how much I liked these stories. The one with the girl working as a dead dummy for the haunted hayride was my favorite. Gothic stories so need a comeback.

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Jul 07, 2009 Brandi Rae rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

Despite having stories by some of my favorite authors (Celia Rees, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire), I really didn't care for this book. Just wasn't creepy enough for me. My teens however, loved it.

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May 06, 2013 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you just read the VVV and the two after it (especially the Neil Gaiman one!) it's a good read. The VVV will make you shudder, guaranteed. Either that or I'm just easily spooked...

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Dec 18, 2010 Amelia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was alright, but entertaining. I suppose I didn't fully appreciate whatever literary devices were used. There were two stories of the ten that I really enjoyed which made the book worth it for me. The first was "Have No Fear, Crumpot is Here!" by Barry Yourgrau. It was pretty funny and random, but I was disappointed to read the F-word a couple times. Next was my favorite, "The Prank" by Gregory Maguire (Wicked). Now that was hilarious! I had to re-read it to my husband because it was s...more

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About Deborah Noyes

Deb writes for adults and children and is also an editor and photographer. She lives in Massachusetts with her family.

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