# Reading > Forum Book Club >  October '11 / Gothic Novel Reading Poll

## Scheherazade

*Please nominate the "gothic novels" you would like to read in October in this thread.

Please remember that:

- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.

- One nomination per member.

- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.


The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members. 

If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from nominating book.

Gothic fiction


*

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## Paulclem

Such a surfeit of choice. I'd like to read Peake's Ghormengast, but it's a bit long for the book club. I'd like to read the castle of Otranto, but loads of others too. I enjoyed The Shining, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame is excellent. I'll ave to consider my nomination. Procrastinating again! :Smile:

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## Calidore

May as well start with the classic template for the likeable-heroine-stuck-in-a-dark-castle-of-evil-aristocrats-and-strange-noises genre, Ann Radcliffe's _Mysteries of Udolpho_. I own the Oxford World's Classics paperback but have never gotten around to reading it, so this would be a good excuse.

As a bonus, this can immediately be followed up with Austen's _Northanger Abbey_, which was written as an affectionate parody.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Since it's sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, a classic, and already mentioned by Paul, I'll nominate _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_.

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## Dark Muse

I was going to go with Mysteries of Udolpho and since someone else had nominated it I think I will just sit back and wait to vote on that one since I really want to read it.

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## Calidore

> Such a surfeit of choice. I'd like to read Peake's Ghormengast, but it's a bit long for the book club. I'd like to read the castle of Otranto, but loads of others too. I enjoyed The Shining, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame is excellent. I'll ave to consider my nomination. Procrastinating again!


You could nominate _Titus Groan_, and people can continue with the other two if they feel like it.

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## Scheherazade

*Nominations so far:

1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe 

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame*

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## Paulclem

I'm sorry but I don't want to nominate Titus Groan. Erm - I'll think about it again.

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## Calidore

We could nominate and then vote on books for you to nominate, if that would help.

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## Scheherazade

> *Nominations so far:
> 
> 1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe 
> 
> 2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame*


Was expecting this to be a more popular genre... And it is in October as well... Will get us ready for Halloween! 

 :Smile:

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## LitNetIsGreat

I wish to nominate _The Mysterious Warning_ by Eliza Parsons.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mysterious-W...3539863&sr=8-1

Hugely popular gothic writer in the 19th century, now mostly forgotten and completely overlooked female writer. 

One of my ex-tutors, the wonderful Dr Karen Morton, was highly influential in getting this published again, indeed it is because of her that the novel is now in print and she edits the novel, so I do have a personal interest in reading this again for such a reason, but this is not without merit on its own right, definitely not as it was also highly influential with the likes of Jane Austen. 

I know Karen would love to see this novel read and discussed on such a forum and so I nominate this work.

(This is a very original, early gothic novel and at the time was more popular, and more regarded, than the likes of Ann Radcliffe.)

Thanks.

(Also Karen is one of the leading world experts on Parsons and I could possilbly get in contact with her if there are any insights/questions regarding this work - though I wouldn't want to be too much of a pest.)

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## Calidore

That looks pretty entertaining. I recommend distributing autographed copies to help the vote.

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## Scheherazade

*Nominations so far:

1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe 

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame* 

*3. The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons*

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## Paulclem

I'll nominate De Quincy's Confessions of an English Opium Eater. I've just got the book from The Works - a discount chain in the UK. They had a classic collection in the Leamington store with it in - though not in our Coventry one - 3 for £5. Superb.

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## Scheherazade

*Nominations so far:

1. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe 

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame* 

*3. The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons 

4. Confessions of an English Opium Eater by De Quincy*

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## OrphanPip

How about The Monk by Matthew Lewis.

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## Paulclem

They all look good to me, but I've gone for Confessions of an opium eater.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Many of these look interesting to me. I'll wait to cast my vote, though, as usual.

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## Paulclem

I remember my English teacher telling us about The Castle of Otranto by Walpole. He was laughing at the deux ex machina of an unexplained giant hand falling out of the sky to punish someone. We were all intrigued by that though, and wanted to read it. I still haven't yet. But I will.

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## Calidore

> I remember my English teacher telling us about The Castle of Otranto by Walpole. He was laughing at the deux ex machina of an unexplained giant hand falling out of the sky to punish someone. We were all intrigued by that though, and wanted to read it. I still haven't yet. But I will.


That's what Stephen King did at the end of _The Stand_. Was that actually an homage?

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

> That's what Stephen King did at the end of _The Stand_. Was that actually an homage?


Interesting thought. It would definitely make King's lame-as-hell ending to an otherwise wonderful book more palatable, if that's indeed the case.

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## Paulclem

> That's what Stephen King did at the end of _The Stand_. Was that actually an homage?


I read The Stand about 30 yuears ago, so I don't know. I remember a bloke suffering from radiation sickness carting an atomic bomb into the last scene. I think by that time I was just happy to get to the end of the book. Enjoyed it though.

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## dfloyd

And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.

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## Dark Muse

> And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.


I wondered about that, but since I had not actually read the book I was not in a position to question its validity as gothic, but I did not think it was a novel.

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## Paulclem

> And it also does not qualify not having many of the parameters of a gothic novel. I have read it, and it is a good read, but it should not qualify as a gothic novel.


I nominated it purely because it was on the list and I had it. Are you suggesting a controversial 11th hour dismissal? It has tested positive for banned substances.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Just another reason to throw in a vote for _The Hunchback of Notre Dame,_ a true novel unlike that poseur by De Quincey.  :Biggrin:  

I'll be in France for part of October, so it seems quite apropos, for me at least.

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## Paulclem

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a great novel. I really enjoyed it. The Devils is too.

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## Calidore

> Interesting thought. It would definitely make King's lame-as-hell ending to an otherwise wonderful book more palatable, if that's indeed the case.


For some reason, that ending never bothered me. Maybe I just thought it fit the book. It did tick me off me when he used it again at the end of _Needful Things_. _That_ was lame.

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## Scheherazade

Well, seems like it is going to be _The Hunchback_.

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## JuniperWoolf

Ch-chah! Tie!

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

What the **** just happened? You jinxed it, Scher!

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## Scheherazade

Well, I've never!  :Svengo: 

Just a reminder... Votes from those who have less than 50 posts will be disregarded.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

So, as of now, it's really 4 Hunchback, 5 Opium Eater.

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## Scheherazade

*Going once...*

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## Scheherazade

Since there is a tie at the end of the voting period, the poll will remain two more days.

(Please note that votes cast by those with less than 50 posts will be disregarded.)

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## Sancho

I tied it up again. Ain't I a stinker?

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## Vonny

I'm curious as to why the 2 day delay is necessary. Once the tie is broken, (and I believe it is now) why not go with it?

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Actually, it's now 7 Opium Eater, 6 Hunchback, since two who voted Hunchback have less than 50 posts, and one who voted Opium Eater has less than 50.



> I'm curious as to why the 2 day delay is necessary. Once the tie is broken, (and I believe it is now) why not go with it?


Agreed. Two more days may just allow another tie, lol. Still, maybe Hunchback can pull it out.

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## Vonny

> Actually, it's now 7 Opium Eater, 6 Hunchback, since two who voted Hunchback have less than 50 posts, and one who voted Opium Eater has less than 50.
> 
> Agreed. Two more days may just allow another tie, lol. Still, maybe Hunchback can pull it out.


I do want Hunchback.  :Smile:

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## Scheherazade

I am not online keeping an eye on the poll round the clock (as much as I would _love_ that to be the case) so I have no way of knowing at which point the tie is broken (if at all). 

If we still end up with a tie, I will flip a coin (or pick a book based on my whim) as usual.

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## Mutatis-Mutandis

Well, if it's broken when you log on (as it was when you last posted), why not just let it be determined than? It just seems like this would be a simpler solution for you, Scher.

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## Scheherazade

But how do we know that it was broken to the advantaged of one book, tied and broken again to the advantage of another one during my absence?

 :Tongue: 

It is good to have a deadline so that everyone knows what we are looking forward to.

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