03-23-2008, 01:39 AM
Epigraph Wrote:Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I was researching, and this is what Dean Koontz wrote in regards to 'traditional' Gothic Romances:
Yes, that is, in a nutshell, a description of a traditional gothic romance plot. Gothic romance lovers who encounter a book like this will probably say to themselves, "Aha! This is a familiar friend. I am greatly looking forward to spending time with this book!"
The description makes the traditional gothic romance sound quite formulaic. What I appreciate in such a book is when the author brings something new and fresh to that formula, such as carefully researched period detail, an unexpected twist to the plot or a plot device, and so on. The allure of these books promises that, at best, and at least a comfortable sojourn in a familiar plot. Either way, the gothic romance lover is usually satisfied.
To get back to the thrust of this thread, perhaps "traditional" is the word we were seeking to describe such books and differentiate them from "classic" gothic romances, which might then refer to the early works that one studies in literature classes.
Thanks for your thoughts and for offering this as a possibility!