It’s no secret that the Gothic horror genre has existed outside the realm of normalcy. From the chilling, bloody scenes of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, to the psychological massacre of Robert Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, these books are terrifying as they are complex. Drawing from both Romanticism and the Enlightenment, for years books like these have left readers in the realm of their nightmares. They allow audiences to dream up their own demons to fight against. Gruesome scenes, bloody torture, and perhaps even the occasional dark romance has had many writers trying to bring their own form of Gothic realism to life. And so, for any writer contemplating on falling through that demented rabbit hole, there are three things that are essential to any Gothic horror novel. 

Bleak details 

Like any good story, the plot needs to be rife with details. Creating suspenseful moments, echoing horrifying screams in the reader’s mind, and even bringing unsettling peace into the book leave readers with a lasting impression. Vividly imagine the zombie eating the hero’s brains out. Feel the life slipping away from the heroine’s eyes. Record the autopsies and interrogations of a murder mystery. It can be exciting when you see the scenes around you. Another tidbit; an incredibly gruesome vocabulary allows you to transform any normal scene into an alluring scare; just ask Edgar Allan Poe. 

The barbaric setting

The setting needs to establish a hiding place for any monster, human or supernatural, to come alive. It should disturb the characters, and create an almost eerie dissonance between the real world and the setting in the book. Though it shouldn’t overtake the plot, it should be a major contributor to it. For example, in The Castle of Otranto and The Evil Guest, large, imposing castles foreshadow the ominous scandals that have yet to come. In seemingly abandoned churches, shadows come alive, almost giving a supernatural sense of reality. The sinister windows, the tall arches, and perhaps even the decadent courts prepare a mindset of an almost demonic presence lurking near.

The humanity of the characters

One of the most important elements to the Gothic horror genre is to show how human or inhuman the characters are. Whether scientific or fantastical, the nature of the characters is almost dreamlike. Whether good or evil, innocent or sinful, this part makes up a majority of the Gothic horror interactions. This genre allows readers to see themselves in the characters. It provides an escapist mentality, and through it we dissect our own natures, as well as the complexities of humanity itself.

Of course, the Gothic horror genre do's have the same requirements as any other books, which means no grammar mistakes; no editing errors; no plot holes; no inconsistencies. However, the Gothic horror genre is so mesmerizing with its dark, eerie qualities, as well as its almost scandalous portrayal of the truest nature of humanity. It leaves the imagination to be explored, all the while picturing what we would do in the character’s shoes.