Gothic (The New Critical Idiom)

This is an excellent starting point for those interested in getting a very broad but thorough understanding of Gothic literature. After reading this, you will feel confident in knowing the backbone of Gothic and what it entails.(I might also add that this is a very well-written book; the author is easy to read and very knowledgeable.)

This is the perfect introduction to a study of both Gothic Literature and, by extension, 20th Century horror literature and cinema. The author walks a fine line between academic and accessible and keeps things moving along at a nice pace, covering 250 years in under 200 pages. The book is part of the Routledge "New Critical Idiom" series that sums up concepts from literary and critical theory in nice digestible servings. If you are an undergrad looking for a place to start your research or a non-academic who isn't afraid to get a little theoretical, I'd recommend this book highly.

This book is fabulous if you are looking for a historical survey of Gothic which does not lose itself in the labyrinth of feminist theory. However, I think Botting spreads himself a bit too thin in attempting to cover works like Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" in one sentence. I loved this book for bringing out the evolution of Gothic from early works to the present.