sapphic gothic recs!

[Erin Rosalina]

any gothic recs pls and thank you <3

[laurel!]

here are all the ones i have found, most of them i've read! i'll indicate whether i liked them or not but i make rec lists with all the books that fit the category so that people can decide for themselves, since i know i'm super picky.

Carmilla: obviously The sapphic vampire novel, published before dracula, very short but fascinating! (definitely worth reading, cornerstone of the genre)

An Education in Malice: carmilla retelling at a modern university, kind of like the secret history in that lowkey nobody is a good person? i wasn't huge on the spice but people tend to either love it or hate it (overall i was medium on this book)

Chrysalis and Requiem: sapphic devotion, obsession, angel symbology, and general fantasy dark academia! (personally did not like this one, i recommend reading the reviews to see if its for you)

A Lesson in Vengeance: true dark academia! this was so steeped in english education and poetry and the secret society was very fun. honestly can say i enjoyed this one even if it was a little confusing at the very end!

The Coldest Touch: vampires and death! reads a lot more contemporary than most of the other books on this list, it's gothic but like YA gothic. i liked it, pretty solid although not something i'm going to remember for a long time

Gideon the Ninth: i'm calling it gothic because it's all about goth nun lesbians in space, but this is like if gothic was 10 other genres as well as itself. i'm including it because it's my favorite book and it DOES have the gothic aesthetic. highly highly recommend

Ace of Spades: this is indeed dark academia, and it's MUCH more focused on race than sexuality, but there are sapphic characters and gay characters. (liked it!)

now onto books i HAVEN't read yet but that i want to read!

My Darling Dreadful Thing: gothic horror, girl who hangs out with ghost meets young widow in haunted house!

Six of Sorrow: reportedly unhinged female friendship horror mystery! will be published in early june, i have an arc of this that i'm super looking forward to reading

The Girls Are Never Gone: lesbian searches for ghost in haunted house! she runs a podcast so if you liked agggtm, this might be for you

The Society For Soulless Girls: sapphic retelling of jekyll and hyde, set in a big, dark, mysterious academy!

The Hills of Estrella Roja: first true southern gothic book here! woo i love southern gothic! this is a YA graphic novel so an easy one to tear through if you can get it on libby or from your library :)

Other Words for Smoke: told across five summers so i'm guessing you get lots of character development! this one's got witches :) summary doesn't specify where it's set but there's a possibility this one is southern gothic as well

In the Dream House: this is actually a nonfiction memoir but i've been assured it is indeed gothic and is indeed very good, and i trust my sources :)

andd that's about all i've got! hopefully looking at summaries you can find something you like---these are all sapphic and all at least CLOSE to gothic

[Bree]

@laurel!
I literally love you, tysm I want to read these all