02-20-2009, 04:59 AM
There are so many places in America that would make appropriate settings for Gothic books, but I've been finding that many of the authors in this field neglect to take full advantage of this fact. Of the Gothics I've read set in the US, only one or two really conveyed a strong "Gothic" atmosphere. I mentioned Dragonwyck in my previous post, and I think it ranks with the best of anything set in England and is certainly an exception to my statement. But while I've enjoyed other Gothics set in various parts of the US, for the most part they haven't enthralled me with the same sense of transport.
The coast of Maine might lack the history and lore of Cornwall, but as a dramatic locale it would serve just as well for a Gothic, in my opinion. It seems to me that a really splendid Gothic set on the New England coast in the 19th Century is waiting to be written.
The coast of Maine might lack the history and lore of Cornwall, but as a dramatic locale it would serve just as well for a Gothic, in my opinion. It seems to me that a really splendid Gothic set on the New England coast in the 19th Century is waiting to be written.
