One novel to concentrate on, however, an interesting link to another. The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter, a novella co-authored by Ambrose Bierce and Adolphe Danziger de Castro, presents itself as a brooding, gothic exploration of forbidden love, morality, and tragedy. However, upon closer inspection, it reveals itself as a delightful conundrum of overwrought melodrama, … Continue reading Echoes of Forbidden Desire: A Gothic Connection
Tag: book-review
A Delightfully Devious Dive into Du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel
Daphne Du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel is an exquisite blend of gothic mystery and psychological intrigue, wrapped in the genteel trappings of 19th-century Cornwall. It’s a novel where you find yourself constantly second-guessing everything, including your decision to read it on a stormy night. From the very first page, Du Maurier draws us into a … Continue reading A Delightfully Devious Dive into Du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel
Delightfully Distracting: Charles Maturin’s Melmoth the Wanderer
Melmoth the Wanderer, the literary equivalent of a gothic cathedral designed by an architect who kept losing his blueprints and decided to wing it instead. Charles Maturin’s 1820 novel is a bewildering masterpiece, a labyrinthine fever dream that feels like it was concocted during an especially eccentric séance. Strap in for a rollercoaster ride through … Continue reading Delightfully Distracting: Charles Maturin’s Melmoth the Wanderer
The Man & The Image
Here’s another one of Aesop's fables for today, as I slowly savour my way through these timeless tales. Quite literally, these stories are bite-sized morsels, yet each one is packed with a feast of wisdom and insight. Aesop's fables have been around for ages, dishing out wisdom with a side of animal antics and clever … Continue reading The Man & The Image
A Jovial Journey Through Hardy’s Desperate Remedies
Sleep, as usual, is evading me, so here's another little collection of words to pass my time, and to edify you. Maybe. Ah, Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy, the novel that dances on the edge of melodrama with the grace of a Victorian lady in a hoop skirt attempting to navigate a tightrope. Hardy, in … Continue reading A Jovial Journey Through Hardy’s Desperate Remedies
Wording 