Literature of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction

A few years ago, I had watched the film adaptation of Anne Rice’s, Interview with a Vampire , and had never considered reading the novel until now. I’d never gone through the Twilight phase in my teen years so I had little interest in vampires, although, as a lesbian and advocate for the LGBT+ community, I couldn’t help but be enraptured with the homoeroticism of the work. I truly appreciate how Anne Rice’s novel, Interview with a Vampire , reinvented the depiction of vampires within literature, particularly, becoming a prime figure within gothic fiction. She was brave to alter and evolve the basic expectations of a love story, a vampire love story no less. Only upon watching the screen adaptation and reading the novel was I able to recognize the drastic cinematic changes made. For instance, the toned-down queerness within the film was a bit upsetting. One moment that surprised me was when Louis is talking about his and Claudia’s move to Paris, and them trying to find the Th...

Gothic is a style of writing that had become most popular in the 18 th century. This form of fiction was characterized by elements of fear and death. Key gothic elements presented within Frankenstein include the atmosphere and setting, such as the dungeons and crypts; as well as, the dark descriptive language and tone. Although, the strongest depiction of gothic nature within Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein , can be argued to be expressed through Frankenstein’s monster. Frankenstein’s monster often experiences isolation and abandonment. These themes fall into the emotional category of ‘gothic’ heavily due to its emotionally distressing aspects. Gothic Romanticism is a genre that assists the reader in understanding what it means to be human. The topic of creating new forms of life has been argued for decades. Morals play a big role in the decision-making process. It’s a scary conversation piece. But, Victor had an impulsive nature. His concerning ambition to reanimate de...