Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Aristus

(66,095 posts)
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 02:10 AM Mar 2018

Go to Google Images. Do a key word search for 'gothic novel covers'.

You will be treated to a never-ending sequence of paperback novel covers, most of them from the 1960's; nearly all of them fall into a pattern: a lovely young woman in billowy evening dress, running away from a sinister house, mansion, castle, monastery, etc, all dark, except for one single light burning in an upper window, signaling that the evil lord of the manor has noticed that the heroine is missing.

I have been enamored of this kind of novel cover-art since I was a kid. I would spend hours browsing through old bookstores when I was young, no more than ten or so. Once, I discovered a shelf of these books, and was captivated by this admittedly rather cheesy cover art. The eerie, sinister images haunted me, probably far more so than the prose inside the books would have, if I'd ever bothered to read them.

I never did.

I've only ever read a few pieces of gothic fiction, and only the classics: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, The Castle Of Otranto, by Horace Walpole, and Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.

But still, I often get a kick out of looking at those covers and wondering if the stories within ever lived up to those entrancing images...

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Aristus

(66,095 posts)
2. It doesn't surprise me that there were tie-in novels.
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 02:29 AM
Mar 2018

But where are the shadows of the boom-mics?

It's just not Dark Shadows unless you can see the boom-mic.

TygrBright

(20,733 posts)
3. Thanks! I did... what a trip.
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 02:46 AM
Mar 2018

I recognized a couple of the Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt novels that were on my shelves back when.

Bemusing how of-a-type thos covers were.

Yes, cheesy, and repetitious, but oddly captivating. What struck me was the typefaces chosen for title/author, and which authors got larger fonts than the title.

What fun!

appreciatively,
Bright

Aristus

(66,095 posts)
4. My mother still has a shelf of Victoria Holt romance novels.
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 02:53 AM
Mar 2018

But they're completely different from the gothic novel covers.

The romance novel covers invariably show the heroine against an orange sunset, with the silhouette of the male protagonist outlined in the background. Usually with some indication of his wealth in the picture; a yacht, or an expensive car, or something.

Glad you got a kick out of the search...

global1

(25,168 posts)
5. When I Googled 'gothic novel covers' I Expected To See....
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 03:00 AM
Mar 2018

on a cover - Melania Running From The White House.

Aristus

(66,095 posts)
6. It would be interesting if someone could Photoshop that image.
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 03:04 AM
Mar 2018

Complete with the single light burning in an upper storey of the White House.

Binkie The Clown

(7,911 posts)
7. I've read a couple of Shirley Jackson's gothics. And H.P. Lovecraft, of course.
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 03:24 AM
Mar 2018

Plus Richard Matheson.

They were all pretty good, as I recall.


TuxedoKat

(3,818 posts)
8. This
Sat Mar 10, 2018, 10:51 AM
Mar 2018

Last edited Sat Mar 10, 2018, 12:35 PM - Edit history (1)

was my favorite genre to read when I was a young teen along with Science Fiction and mysteries. Victoria Holt was my favorite author for these books. The good gothic books mixed suspense, mystery, romance and history all into one. You're right about the cover art! I remember looking for those gothic novel covers at the libraries long ago, compelling indeed!

This would be a fun subject on Pinterest if there isn't one already there.

Wait, here you go, just edited to add this:

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=gothic%20novel%20covers&rs=typed&term_meta[]=gothic%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=novel%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=covers%7Ctyped

LOL - I see one of my favorites, Ravenswood, is included here -- with the castle in the background and the young woman running away from it, exactly as you described! Mary Stewart is another good gothic author.

Aristus

(66,095 posts)
9. Thanks for the link.
Sun Mar 11, 2018, 11:57 PM
Mar 2018

Apparently, the paperback publishers had a stable of authors who were encouraged to crank out formulaic gothic romances in order the fit the formula of the cover art - defenseless damsel runs away from castle in the middle of the night, one light burning in an upper room - as described above.

I read that one author became so sick of the same old crap that she deliberately set a story in modern suburbia, with banal characters all wearing blue jeans, and every scene set in the daytime. And the novel was still promoted with one of those sinister night-time cover pictures!

 

TheSmarterDog

(794 posts)
10. In college I had a job doing customer service at Harlequin Books.
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 07:39 PM
Mar 2018

We had one type of customer - old ladies complaining that the books were too racy. Then there was another type of customer - old ladies complaining that the books weren't racy enough. And then there was a third type of customer - inmates.

Yavin4

(35,357 posts)
12. This passage from your post describes Melania's every day life
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 08:33 PM
Mar 2018
a lovely young woman in billowy evening dress, running away from a sinister house, mansion, castle, monastery, etc, all dark, except for one single light burning in an upper window, signaling that the evil lord of the manor has noticed that the heroine is missing.

yellowdogintexas

(22,119 posts)
13. Interesting how the 'gothic novel covers' is just about the art - lots of the books shown
Mon Mar 12, 2018, 08:49 PM
Mar 2018

are not Gothic Novels at all "Catcher in the Rye" ?

Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»Go to Google Images. Do a...