Some of the Best Classic & Contemporary Reads for Fall
 |
| Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash |
People have been longing for fall all through August on Instagram, and I've been listening to autumn ambiences and music, including Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem's soundtrack. I thought I'd delve into some old and new stories that bring about the dark, stormy, spooky, and magical atmosphere that we all love about fall.
--Spoilers Ahead--
 |
| Photo by m wrona on Unsplash |
Gothic Reads
I lean more towards Gothic literature, for example, poetry of the Romantics. I like a certain level of scariness, but a lot of the times, especially in the 2000s, people mix scary with gory, which I hate. They are two different things. It's the same thing with Halloween decorations. Police crime tape is not Halloween. Growing up, it was not a decoration. It's related to gory true crime stuff, not Halloween. It's why I hate Halloween. People jump to gross stuff when that's not what Halloween was originally about. But I digress.
Dracula & Frankenstein
Dracula by Bram Stoker features the English solicitor, Jonathan Harker, who meets Count Dracula at his castle in Transylvania to discuss his purchase of London property. Harker is witness to the Count's creepy character while he stays at the castle. From there on, various people experience strange occurrences, such as the crew of a Russian ship and a friend of Harker's fiancée. This friend, Lucy, has a mysterious disease with red marks on her throat. One of her suitors, Dr. Seward, tries to diagnose her illness, but sends for his mentor, Professor Van Helsing to aid them.
Together, the men discover the culprit and hunt them down to ritualistically kill him to save Lucy and any other potential victims.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley begins with a captain of a ship whose vessel is encased in ice on his way to the North Pole. He finds a man who is weakened from the cold and once he brings him back to life, he learns that the man's name is Victor Frankenstein. He talks about his early life and that he entered university to study natural philosophy and chemistry. Frankenstein develops an obsession with finding the secret of life and creates a Creature from decomposing bodies parts, bringing him to life. Frankenstein reacts with horror, which traumatizes his Creature. From there on, the Creature terrorizes Victor at various times, and Victor tries to exact his own revenge.
I've never been one for monster movies, but I have seen a few, either as a whole or a clips when my parents were watching them. Therefore, I had minimal knowledge about Dracula and Frankenstein before reading these two books. I was quite confused about Igor's absence in Frankenstein and surprised about the patient Renfield in Dracula. And I hadn't ever known that Frankenstein was the name of the doctor, not the creature. If I had to choose, I prefer Frankenstein to Dracula because the former had a lot more angst and the theme of not belonging, which I related to. We don't see Count Dracula himself very much in the novel or see anything from his perspective, as it's written by Jonathan Harker and other individuals. The story also had several scenes of an inmate at an asylum, which were boring sections for me. I'm also not keen on storytelling through letters. Oftentimes, I just want the narrator to tell me straight what's happening.
 |
| Photo by James on Unsplash |
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë starts in the winter of 1801 where a man named Lockwood rents a manor house set in the stormy landscape of England's moor country. The manor is owned by a wealthy man named Heathcliff. He lives in a separate manor called Wuthering Heights not far from Lockwood. The housekeeper, Nelly Dean, tells Lockwood all about Heathcliff. Since she used to be a servant at his manor as a young woman, she knows what went on there.
The Earnshaw family were the former owners of Wuthering Heights. They were a family of four with two parents, a son named Hindley and a daughter named Catherine. Mr. Earnshaw goes to London and returns with an orphan boy named Heathcliff to join their family. This causes issues within the family: Heathcliff and Catherine fall in love over time, but Hindley loathes him. Mrs. Earnshaw eventually passes away and Mr. Earnshaw becomes closer to Heathcliff, preferring him over his own son. Once Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley inherits the manor and turns Heathcliff into a laborer for the estate. Catherine can't stop talking about a young man from one of the few neighborhing homes, and she chooses her desire to social advancement over her love for Heathcliff'. Heathcliff leaves for several years and returns bent on revenge on everyone who wronged him.
I wasn't a fan of this book. I found there wasn't a lot happening, as in the characters stood around complaining and in anguish a lot. It was a struggle to read because the dialogues and monologues were overwhelming and boring. I think the setting is about all I liked in this book. Having read the summary, I hadn't remembered any of the details and I think it's because everyone was seeking revenge on each other, but in a cruel way or they simply died.
Until now, I hadn't noticed that Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wuthering Heights are written in a letter and recollection format. I think that may be a factor as to why I have so much trouble remembering details (like chronology!) and have a general disinterest in reading this type of story. If it were written in an active tone, they may be more interesting.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Basil Hallward is a well-known artist in England and paints The Picture of Dorian Gray (by Oscar Wilde). His two friends are Dorian and Lord Henry Wotton. Basil tries to warn Dorian of Lord Henry's bad influence, but to no avail. During their first meeting, Lord Henry discusses the nature of beauty and Dorian realizes that his portrait will always be young and mock him. He curses the painting.
Dorian becomes engaged to an actress named Sibyl. She gives up acting because she believes she cannot pretend to love on stage now that she knows real love for Dorian. However, Dorian loved her because of her acting. He breaks up with her. Dorian sees that his portrait has changed, taking on his sins. He resolves to make up with Sibyl the next day, but he is too late. She committed suicide. Still with Lord Henry in his ear, Dorian starts to lead a life of pleasure while disregarding societal norms and moral consequences.
I never read this story, but watched the 1976 version with Jeremy Brett. I had always known of Dorian Gray from movies and shows, such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The Librarians episode "The Image of Image." I enjoyed the concept behind this story.
 |
| Photo by Antonio Gabola on Unsplash |
Scary Reads
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Ichabod Crane travels to the quiet town of Sleepy Hollow in New York to be the new schoolmaster. The town is said to be enchanted and is known for its legend of the Headless Horseman. Ichabod is a gullible fellow who believes in such stories.
As Ichabod settles into the village, he becomes acquainted with Katrina Van Tassel, daughter to one of the wealthiest farmers in the village. Ichabod tries to gain her hand in marriage, but he has one of her suitors to deal with: the village hero, Brom Van Brunt.
My father had a book of Washington Irving's stories and I think this is the only story I read of his. I love the idea of the Headless Horseman and forced myself to watch Tim Burton's version because I liked Johnny Depp at the time. I don't usually watch gory movies. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of it. In comparison, Irving's story is rather lackluster for me. I was surprised to find, years later, that there is an Irish version of the Headless Horseman called the Dullahan or Gan Ceann.
Edgar Allen Poe Stories
In high school, we had to read two works that I can remember of Edgar Allen Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart and, I think, The Black Cat. I liked the concept behind the The Tell-Tale Heart because it deals with psychology, but I seem to recall The Black Cat having a character that was cruel to the cat and found it hard to stomach. Thankfully, I don't remember any of the details.
The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story that follows an unnamed narrator who feels compelled to defend his sanity to the reader since he killed an old man. While the narrator insists that he isn't a madman, but a calculated individual, he explains his motive for killing the man and his torment after committing the crime.
 |
| Photo by Diogo Palhais on Unsplash |
Urban Fantasy
The Wise One
Frightened and confused by a very powerful dream of burning at the stake, Mckenna O'Dwyer unravels her family's secret by going to Ireland with her new friend, Nissa, to find the truth and her mother. Along the way, Mckenna discovers that she has powers and may have been a witch. Meanwhile, a High Priestess is tracking Mckenna's every move. Book 1 of The Scottish Scrolls, The Wise One by K. T. Anglehart takes place during Ireland's political upheaval and contains the Celtic magic and creatures the island is known for.
Check out my in-depth review with spoilers on my blog!
Paranormal Mystery
Dream Stalker
Lily has the ability to walk through and view other people's dreams, but it's been decades since she's attempted such a thing. Her life in Salem, Massachusetts, suddenly takes a turn when her friend, Kitty, commits suicide, a conniving High Priestess is murdered, and Lily's estranged daughter is arrested for the murder. Lily takes up the investigation, using her Wiccan knowledge and dream-walking power to clear her daughter's name and find the real culprit. The author, Nancy Gardner, weaves a compelling whodunnit that is exciting to read!
Check out my short, spoiler-free review on Reedsy Discovery or my in-depth review with spoilers on my blog!
Historical Fiction/Fantasy
The Little Shop of Found Things
Xanthe and her mother move to Wiltshire and begin the slow process of setting up their antiques shop and meeting the locals. Xanthe's gift for hearing antiques "sing" and tell her their stories leads her to reluctantly help the shop's ghost by time travelling to 1605, not too long before The Gunpowder Plot. Xanthe's mission is to save the ghost's daughter, Alice, from execution for thievery. In this race against the clock, Xanthe also becomes interested in a builder, despite his living about 400 years before her time. The author, Paula Brackston, has a wonderful writing style that is as gentle and enchanting as the breeze.
Check out my short, spoiler-free review on Reedsy Discovery or my in-depth review with spoilers on my blog!
 |
| Promo Used with Permission from G.G. Gleason |
Rom-Com
FALLing
I am currently reading the ARC of the contemporary romance FALLing by G. G. Gleason. Josh and Constance have been best friends since the seventh grade, always there for each other. So, it's no surprise that when Constance is dumped by her boyfriend after four years that Josh is there to help her get back on her feet. But as they spend more time together, there's a shift in their relationship that neither one of them can deny.
Stay tuned for my review this month!
Services
Comments