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bitterlyenthusiastic_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Philip Fracassi’s Gothic is a masterclass in gothic horror, following all the essential rules: a cursed object with a dark history, an atmosphere of decay, and a slow corruption of innocence. In this case, it’s an antique desk with sinister origins that begins to consume its new owner, Tyson Parks. As his writing career revives, his personal life crumbles, pulling him deeper into a nightmare.
For anyone who loves classic horror, Gothic hits all the right notes. It’s a nod to the old-school horror novels of the ‘70s and ‘80s, combining familiar gothic elements—witchcraft, sacrifice, haunted artifacts—but delivering them with fresh energy. Tyson’s character feels believable, and his descent is a slow, eerie build rather than an immediate plunge into chaos. The book excels at layering tension and unease without relying too heavily on gore or shock value.
The novel strikes a great balance between honoring the traditions of gothic horror while still feeling modern. Fracassi doesn’t rely on irony or deconstruction—he takes the haunted desk and occult themes seriously, and the result is a genuinely unsettling story.
For anyone who loves classic horror, Gothic hits all the right notes. It’s a nod to the old-school horror novels of the ‘70s and ‘80s, combining familiar gothic elements—witchcraft, sacrifice, haunted artifacts—but delivering them with fresh energy. Tyson’s character feels believable, and his descent is a slow, eerie build rather than an immediate plunge into chaos. The book excels at layering tension and unease without relying too heavily on gore or shock value.
The novel strikes a great balance between honoring the traditions of gothic horror while still feeling modern. Fracassi doesn’t rely on irony or deconstruction—he takes the haunted desk and occult themes seriously, and the result is a genuinely unsettling story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
jackiesspookyshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
danwa's review
5.0
Gothic wears its influences on its sleeve and goes where it wants from there. And I loved where it went. This could easily have been a throwaway exercise in homage but it was not IMO. The writing style and plotting were great. A total blast to read and will definitely reread this in the future.
darkskybooks's review against another edition
3.0
I am not sure what to make of this one. I really enjoyed The Boys in the Valley which was my first introduction to Philip Fracassi but I have more mixed feelings towards this one.
Firstly, I am a bit confused by the title. This book does not really feel like a gothic to me. The setting and set up is much more in the pulpy realm and I think this left me quite confused as to what to expect when reading. The haunted artifact is definitely a feature of 80s pulp and as that is what the center of this story is. The modern setting and more open environment does not really have the classic claustrophobia of a gothic. Yes there is some bleeding of history into the present and there is a definite decent into madness, but I think the setting really threw me off the gothic feel.
The second negative here for me is a classic author trope of writing about authors. This always comes across as somewhat self-indulgent, and this story is no exception to that. It may just be me but it is not a trope I particularly enjoy.
That being said, there is some decent tension in the story. I found the central character both unlikeable but engaging, which is tough act to pull off. The spiral into madness is well dealt with and the book kept an element of fun all the way through. More pulpy than gothic, this is still worth a read.
Firstly, I am a bit confused by the title. This book does not really feel like a gothic to me. The setting and set up is much more in the pulpy realm and I think this left me quite confused as to what to expect when reading. The haunted artifact is definitely a feature of 80s pulp and as that is what the center of this story is. The modern setting and more open environment does not really have the classic claustrophobia of a gothic. Yes there is some bleeding of history into the present and there is a definite decent into madness, but I think the setting really threw me off the gothic feel.
The second negative here for me is a classic author trope of writing about authors. This always comes across as somewhat self-indulgent, and this story is no exception to that. It may just be me but it is not a trope I particularly enjoy.
That being said, there is some decent tension in the story. I found the central character both unlikeable but engaging, which is tough act to pull off. The spiral into madness is well dealt with and the book kept an element of fun all the way through. More pulpy than gothic, this is still worth a read.
czara89's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0