Generally Gothic

"𝕸𝖞 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖕𝖗𝖚𝖓𝖌 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖒𝖞 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖍𝖆𝖙𝖊, 𝕿𝖔𝖔 𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖞 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖚𝖓𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖓, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝖙𝖔𝖔 𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖊!" - Shakespeare 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ On this day, 14th February, 269AD, Saint Valentine was martyred by Emporer Claudius Gothicus in ancient Rome. Valentine's crimes were the restoration of a blind woman's sight, followed by the conversion of her whole family to Christianity. Whilst awaiting execution, Valentine wrote to the woman from prison. The letter was signed: "From your Valentine"...or so legend would have it. 🫀 I am not, generally, one for romance beyond that of the canonical gothic or the 'big R' poets. Having recently completed a re-read of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', though, my eyes are opened to the incomparable power of romance through tragedy! 🫀 Queen Elizabeth I (the reigning sovereign) sparked a renaissance for the ancient classics of Greek and Roman literature and philosophy. She was considered a strong female figure; parallels can be made between her and the British bard's young, tragic heroine. 🫀 The actions of the titular teen protagonists are, at times, infuriating. Events unravel with the purest tragic timing, compounded by constant miscommunication, fatally flawed characters, and heaps of dramatic irony. Though the tale itself is not Shakespeare's own, I think it stands the test of time. To me, 'Romeo and Juliet' justly endures as one of the great love stories. 🫀 ⚜️ Which tales do you rank amongst the greats of romance? 🫀 💌 Whilst Valentine's traditions of the mostly illiterate Elizabethans are unclear, by Victorian times the craze was real... and kind of cruel. Ornate love letters and horrifically specific hate letters were crafted and delivered with equal fervour. Victorians took St. Valentine's as a day to air feelings openly, for better or worse! With that in mind, I truly wish you all a merry Tuesday and thank you for following along as I [sporadically] do this thing. 🫀 🖼️: 'Juliet and her Nurse', John Roddam Spencer Stanhope (1863). https://www.instagram.com/p/CoqGnTOrQkg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖚𝖑𝖙𝖎𝖙𝖚𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖘, 𝖆𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖋𝖑𝖚𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖋𝖗𝖔 𝖇𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍, 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝖆𝖓 𝖊𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊 𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖒𝖔𝖚𝖗." - Homer 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Amongst the earliest extant literature on the planet, 'The Odyssey' is an enduring classic. Composed orally it is attributed to the mononymous poet, Homer... Homer may have invented the fiction, he may have also composed 'The Iliad', he may indeed have actually existed. After so long, it's hard to say. What is accepted is that it was established canon during the Golden Age of Ancient Greece (5th century BCE). Homer was to the ancient Greeks what Shakespeare is to the English today. 🌬️ 'The Odyssey' continues the tale told in 'The Iliad' - it is a hero's homecoming following the Trojan War. It is designed (and disseminated) orally. It is a tale to be told aloud and that is just how it would have first been enjoyed. (We had bards before audiobooks, and it's been a part of society since society began). 🌬️ From start to finish, the epic would take 24hours to perform. It is a poem, in form, built cyclically with repetitive linguistic and plot devices to aid the bard. Despite this, it is filled with wild adventure, countless characters and dialogue. Calling upon established mythology, many would be familiar to Golden Age audiences... For modern readers studying context is key! 🌬️ For a tale tailored to be told aloud, it is dialogue heavy; characters are given a voice to tell their own stories. Book [chapter] 11, 'The Book of the Dead', sees our hero, Odysseus, travelling to speak with the dead. Stories of minor characters stack high as each has their story shared. Whilst it does have a main narrative arc, the epic poem is fleshed out with hundreds of condensed tales experienced by the living and learnt from the dead. Beneath the monsters and the deities, in essence, it is literature built on shared human history. 🌬️ The Odyssey paved the way for so much that followed (and almost everything followed due to its age). In my opinion it is, perhaps, the 'storiest' story there ever was. And of course, there are ghosts. 👻 https://www.instagram.com/p/CntugvwNLub/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕲𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖈 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖊𝖘 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ The beginning of the Gregorian year seems to me like the perfect time to return. Customarily, it is a time when people evaluate themselves, deciding upon ways in which to improve. My intended improvement is the return of the Generally Gothic. On the 21st day of the new year I am, as per usual, late. Perhaps next year I shall strive for promptness. For now, any form of return is enough for me. 🕯️ In what remains of January, I shall be continuing to explore the foundations of the gothic; a journey begun in years past under the title 'Gothic Muses'. Expect Ancient Classics & Shakespeare. Expect a post or 2, if you dare! 🕯️ I hope that your start to the year has been whatever you wanted it to be. Tell me tales down below. 💌 🕯️ #gothicorigins #gothicmuses #shakespeare #classics #gothicfiction #gothicnovel #darkacademia #gothicacademia #bookstagram #bookworm #spookynerd #blackmetalcover #gothic #generallygothic #literature #greekmythology #antiquebook #hardbackbook #oldbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnr0ljwNC-j/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕲𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖈 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖊𝖘 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ The beginning of the Gregorian year seems to me like the perfect time to return. Customarily, it is a time when people evaluate themselves, deciding upon ways in which to improve. My intended improvement is the return of the Generally Gothic. On the 21st day of the new year I am, as per usual, late. Perhaps next year I shall strive for promptness. For now, any form of return is enough for me. 🕯️ In what remains of January, I shall be continuing to explore the foundations of the gothic; a journey begun in years past under the title 'Gothic Muses'. Expect Ancient Classics & Shakespeare. Expect a post or 2, if you dare! 🕯️ I hope that your start to the year has been whatever you wanted it to be. Tell me tales down below. 💌 🕯️ #gothicorigins #gothicmuses #shakespeare #classics #gothicfiction #gothicnovel #darkacademia #gothicacademia #bookstagram #bookworm #spookynerd #blackmetalcover #gothic #generallygothic #literature https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnr0FPtN4Bt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕳𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝕹𝖊𝖜 𝖄𝖊𝖆𝖗! 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Wishing you all that your spooky hearts and nerdy brains desire for this next year... Be that bat-riding children, or not. 🦇 Last year was a big one for me in the physical realm. I finished my first year in a new career, having spent lockdown gaining the necessary post-grad degree. My love & I bought our first home (a cosy 1700s cottage), hosted our wedding on Halloween weekend, and welcomed a puppy into our pack. 🦇 Admittedly, I didn't post as much as I'd intended, though I did continue to gather content & curios in the wild. It is my intention to share these gatherings with you, with more regularity, as we stride into this new, Gregorian year. I want to resuscitate the website. I want blood to flow freely through the veins of The Spooky Nerds' Book Club. 🦇 In 2022, I managed to meet my target of 52 reads, which equates, theoretically, to a book a week. In 2023, I want to continue to read for both pleasure and academic interest, with space to luxuriate, detour, and debate. I hope that you will join me. 🦇 Whatever this next phase brings for us all, I hope that there is joy and connection - in these squares and in the boundless physical space out there. Whether you first found me or continued to follow my sporadic pursuits in 2022: thank you, truly. I appreciate your presence and engagement in the strange endeavours of a spooky nerd. 🖤 📸: Close up of a card sent to Queen Mary between 1872-1893. In the British Museum collection is an intricate blue leather and gold album meticulously filled with cards received by the wife of King George V. Digitised and available on @britishmuseum website, you can turn the pages, read her inscriptions, and indulge in a little historical royal correspondence. 🧐 Digital archives are cool. . #newyear #2023 #2023goals #readinggoals #bookstagram #bookworm #bookish #gothic #generallygothic #bookclub #TheSpookyNerdsBookClub #queenmary #bats #thebritishmuseum #digitalarchives https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm3ronmLcaZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕬𝖑𝖒𝖔𝖘𝖙 𝖓𝖔𝖇𝖔𝖉𝖞 𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘 𝖘𝖔𝖇𝖊𝖗, 𝖚𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖎𝖓𝖘𝖆𝖓𝖊." - H P Lovecraft 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Longer ago than I would like to admit, I received the most stunning, hard back book in the post. At the time, I was unable to drink and so, saving it for the day my body would oblige, I put it to one side. Despite vaguely hiding it from sight, it always caught the eye of visitors. The shining gold lettering of 'Lovecraft' placed unexpectedly beside 'cocktails' piqued interest. 🥃 Richly illustrated, Mike Slater's 'Lovecraft Cocktails' is a decadent book filled with drink recipes inspired by Lovecraft lore. It is a pleasure to flick through, whether you're drinking or not. Today though, I am excited to actually try a tipple from the tome as I ring the new year in from home. 🥃 To Mike Slater of @thenecronomnomnom & @wwnortonuk, thank you, truly, for the exquisite gift. I apologise that it's taken so long for me to share it here, but trust that I've been an accidental advocate irl since 'Lovecraft Cocktails' landed on my doorstep. 🥃 Happy New Year to all whose calendar marks it this midnight. Dance like the drunk and insane no matter the date. ⚜️With what ritual will you celebrate? . #lovecraftcocktails #mikeslater #cocktail #gothic #weirdfiction #newyear #newyearseve #hplovecraft #generallygothic #gifted #bookstagram #bookish #bookreview #spookynerd https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm1uRuErlTe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕬 𝖋𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖑 𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖋𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖉, 𝖎𝖙𝖘 𝖕𝖊𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖘 𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖆𝖌𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖙 𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖕𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖌𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉." - Victoria Williamson 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ If you're yet to hear of indie publishers Little Thorn, you'll want to listen up, spooky nerds! Specialising in "fiction that is weird, fantastical and feminist", they have just begun publishing exciting new gothic & supernatural novellas. In miniature form, the two novellas that I gratefully received* currently comprise the entirety of their catalogue. They are pocket-sized, quick reads with stunning cover art. 🚂 Set at Christmas time in a recently post-war Britain, Victoria Williamson's 'The Haunting Scent of Poppies: A Ghost Story' is the perfect homage to traditional scary festive tales of the past. And yet, it is entirely unique; the horror is subtle, unsettling, and increasingly visceral as the terror of WWI seeps into the daily life of a London thief lying low in the country. ⚜️Recommend! 🚂 Fast-paced and impossible to put down, Louise Mercer's 'It's Always Midnight Somewhere' is mesmerising. May Snow is a supernatural cartographer seeking to unravel the mysteries of the midnight train. Though the narrative is excessively complex in parts, the magic refuses to be derailed. The train is an entirely unfamiliar construct that shifts and captivates; akin to 'The Midnight Circus', Mercer's first novella is transporting. ⚜️One to watch! 🚂 *Gifted, with thanks to @littlethornbooks . #indiepublisher #gothicnovel #feministliterature #womenwriters #gothicfiction #spookynerd #spookychristmas #festivereads #gifted #arc #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookreview #bookish #newauthor #itsalwaysmidnightsomewhere #louisemercer #thehauntingscentofpoppies #victoriawilliamson #ghoststory #supernaturalfiction #weirdfiction https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmzo3_LrVKf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕳𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝕳𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖉𝖆𝖞𝖘! 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Good question, creepy Victorian Christmas card. 🎄 Here's hoping you are feeling festive and fearless this holiday season, however and whatever you choose to celebrate, if at all🎄 Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! . #christmas #merrychristmas #christmascard #victorianchristmascard #victorianchristmas #gothic #generallygothic #christmashistory #spookynerd https://www.instagram.com/p/CmmV9wfL0pI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖔𝖚𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖉 𝖍𝖎𝖒 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖒, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖕𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝖘𝖊𝖑𝖋, 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖚𝖕𝖔𝖓 𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌." - Charles Dickens 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Anyone else think that Scrooge could've avoided becoming such a, well... a Scrooge, by refusing to swap novels for bankers'-books? 🎁 As a schoolboy, Scrooge is enthralled by the magic of fiction; he names characters and plots like friends and memories. As a man, however, Scrooge takes his "melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern" poring over his beloved banker's-book. He continues to work as, Dickens suggests, is his daily habit. 🎁 Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' was published in 1843. It is widely credited with popularising then-new, now established, Christmas traditions that we continue to observe to this day. The Victorians were enraptured by the festivities of the season. In the C17th, Christmas was prohibited by Puritans as pagan blasphemy. With their increased wealth and dispersion of the family unit, Industrial Revolution Victorians celebrated the re-emergence of celebration! They valued the secularised message of Christmas that placed family, generosity, and indulgence at its joyous heart. 🎁 Dickens de-Christianised festive tale, with its ghostly moral messengers and rich, gothic flavour, heartily appealed to his contemporary audience... and maintains popularity to this day. 🎁 This Christmas Eve, I will be completing my current re-read and, perhaps, reading a few short ghost tales (she wrote, with unrealistic expectations). ⚜️What will you be indulging in tonight? . #achristmascarol #charlesdickens #dickens #dickensianchristmas #christmaseve #christmasread #festive #spookychristmas #spookynerd #bookstagram #bookshelf #hayonwye #richardboothsbookshop #gothic #generallygothic #gothicnovel #victoriannovel https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmi4P4Prgc6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖑𝖎𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖆 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖆𝖎𝖗 [...] 𝖕𝖚𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖋-𝖒𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖚𝖒𝖓" - Susan Hill 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 THE SPOOKY NERDS' BOOK CLUB lives! 'The Woman in Black' breathes fetid air into us; we begin her tale today. 🌬 Published in the 1980s, Hill's novel (or novella - I'll have to check) is a pastiche of the classic gothic novel. 🌬 I'll be honest, it was not a favourite of mine on past reading... and that's part of the reason I want to dissect it with you. I think it could prove purposeful in exploration of the gothic. I think, too, that this is the perfect time of year to immerse ourselves in a misty, chilling tale of spectral secrets and salty marshland. 🌬 You will find the reading schedule on the second image with a simple swipe. You should also find yourself in the group chat if you expressed interest; it is not too late to join us, just bellow below. If you'd like to post public discussions, please tag me, my spectacular co-host @conjuringpages, & #TheSpookyNerdsBookClub so we don't miss a thing. 🌬 Happy, haunting reading! https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck6hfKRLGsj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕴 𝖐𝖓𝖊𝖜 𝖓𝖔𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖍𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖙𝖔 𝖚𝖓𝖎𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖉 - 𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖊𝖉, 𝖚𝖓𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖉-𝖎𝖓 - 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖒 𝖔𝖋 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖈𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘, 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖊 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖆𝖑𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖞 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖉 𝖒𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖓𝖔 𝖌𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖇𝖆𝖈𝖐." - Susan Hill 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 The time has come, at last, for us to gather round and read together. Our next Spooky Nerds Book Club readalong will run mid-November to mid-December. 'The Woman in Black' is the tale that shall bridge the gap from one spooky season to the next. 🐎 It is time to prepare yourself. Climb into your carriage, cross the marsh, and go through the great door. Dust down the fainting couch, light the candelabra, and search the library shelves. ⚜ On Sunday the 13th of November, we shall begin. Schedule coming soon. 🐎 Won't you join us? . #spookynerdsbookclub #readalong #bookstagram #thewomaninblack #gothicnovel #natureisgothic #gothicliterature #gothic #generallygothic #bookclub #spookyreads #horror #darkacademia #Englishclass #Englishliterature https://www.instagram.com/p/CkrRpsnr9Nb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕳𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝕳𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 🕯🎃🕯 https://www.instagram.com/p/CkZJrkvLZBW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕵𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖞𝖘 𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖒𝖊𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌; ... 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝖆𝖎𝖗 𝖙𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝖑𝖎𝖐𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖊." 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 The floorboards beat around us; we are at the heart of spooky season. October is in full, fall glory and I have been haunting the periphery, experiencing autumn irl whilst maintaining a steady absence here. 🥂 There was a readalong planned for September; the Spooky Nerds bookclub reuinted again... and then: silence. I'm sorry. We will return & I'd love for you to join us for a rearranged November readalong. 🥂 And now for my excuse; I hope you'll agree it's a good one! This week, I am wedding [verb]. My love & I have been enjoying a delightfully festive time in preparation for our Halloween-weekend wedding. 🥂 I will post peeks of the celebrations spanning the coming days - belatedly, no doubt. I will aim to return to posting once we finish celebrating; I am always quietly gathering generally gothic goodness to share. Once again, I shall return! 🥂 📸: Taken at Arnos Vale Cemetery; the perfect place for burials... and a meandering hen-do stroll 🤓🐓. . #generallygothic #spookynerd #bookstagram #bookclub #return #gothic #arnosvale #cemetery #October #autumnwedding #wedding #pumpkin #shirleyjackson #tweetphoto #thehauntingofhillhouse #readalong #November #Halloween #halloweenwedding https://www.instagram.com/p/CkLghp0ILSH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝕲𝖑𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖘𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕲𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖘 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 September is here and, with it, a new theme for the month. I am delighted to present Glimpses of Ghosts to you again. There are many spooky tales left untold from years past... 🕯 As it's Sunday, it felt only right to accompany today's post with a mini-shelfie; a glimpse into one of the many book-filled corners of my home. 🕯 August saw my soft return with an unstructured readalong: the #Lovecraftalong. To round this off, I will share a final post for Lovecraftian discussion at the end of the week. September, however, will see the return of the readalong. The proper group chat, structured, month-long reading that many of you requested. 🕯 Onto the promised announcement: 🕯THE SPOOKY NERDS SEPTEMBER READALONG🕯 This month we will be reading 'The WOMAN in BLACK'. Reading will be accompanied by group discussion and community posts, and will culminate in a novel vs film comparison. Invitation is open to all. Will you join me? 👇Sign up below👇 . #thespookynerdsbookclub #spookynerds #shelfie #Sunday #readalong #thewomaninblack #bookshelves #bookclub #gothic #generallygothic #Bookstagram #booksandcandles #horrorreaders #thewomaninblack https://www.instagram.com/p/CiGM2PwLYH0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕲𝖗𝖆𝖉𝖚𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝕴 𝖈𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝕳𝖊𝖗𝖇𝖊𝖗𝖙 𝖂𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖘𝖊𝖑𝖋 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓 𝖆𝖓𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖎𝖉..." - H. P. Lovecraft 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 On this day, 225 years ago, Mary Wollestonecraft Godwin was born. At age 16, she married a rebellious Romantic poet and became Mary Shelley. At age 18 she penned the first version of the tale that would become 'Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'. ⚡ In the centuries since her life, Shelley has since grown to become a celebrated figure of the gothic. She is increasingly acknowledged as the founding foremother of science fiction. Shelley's popularity has sustained itself across time; it epitomises the essence of this month's theme; it is the quintessential tale Of Monsters and Men. ⚡ One hundred years ago in the USA, H. P. Lovecraft picked up the mantel and published a short story called 'Herbert West: Reanimator'. The fiction is an account of events past... a missing friend and misdeeds done. Of his friend and academic partner the narrator remarks that Herbert West "gloated calmly over artificial monstrosities which would make most healthy men drop dead from fright and disgust" (1922)... ⚡ If uncertainty is keeping you from beginning Lovecraft, this may be the piece with which to join the #lovecraftalong. With strong gothic and dark academia currents, 'Reanimator' is cemented in reality and will offer a very soft entry into the cosmic realm of H. P. A warning: rooted in colonialist ideals, overtly racist language and the othering of peoples is persistently present in Lovecraft's fiction. It is hard to ignore and, actually, should not be. ⚡ ⚜ I am interested to know how you feel about fiction that features the impossible to excuse. ⚜ I am interested to know what you would make of the fact that Shelley was, herself, guilty of the racist act of othering. ⚡How far can we separate fact and fiction? I'm not so sure that we should... https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch5luUGrmU6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

“𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝖚𝖓𝖎𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖊 𝖞𝖆𝖜𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖊𝖙𝖘 𝖗𝖔𝖑𝖑 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖆𝖎𝖒, 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖗𝖔𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖗 𝖚𝖓𝖍𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖊𝖉, 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖉𝖌𝖊, 𝖔𝖗 𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖊, 𝖔𝖗 𝖓𝖆𝖒𝖊.” - H. P. Lovecraft 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ As I dip my tentacles back into hosting readalongs, and as voted for by you - *gestures vaguely into the void* - I'd like to keep this one simple. Join me, for the final week of August, in the Generally Gothic #Lovecraftalong. ☄️ You are invited to read any - I repeat a-n-y - short stories and/or poems by H. P. Lovecraft and join in the discussion here. If you've no idea where to begin, fear not; the spookstagram community came forth and I have gathered a list of recommendations, as suggested by you - *gestures, again, vaguely and voidwards*. I also have a list of places to read free. ☄️ I will post another few Lovecraft-specific posts to host discussion threads, but you're welcome to take them to your own pages by using the hashtag #Lovecraftalong and #generallygothicbookclub (the latter's much longer so I understand if the thumbs refuse). Tag me & I'll share your posts for other Lovecraftalongers (?!) to see. ☄️ I mentioned that I was jumping back into monthly themes; for August that means monsters - formally, it is titled 'Of Monsters and Men'. I am, thus, particularly interested in the monstrous within Lovecraftian literature this month, but you need not be limited by my nerdy obsessions. ☄️ I know that Lovecraft can be problematic. It is important to read him within the context of his time. It is also important to acknowledge the monstrosity of humanity in very real life. ☄️ Thank you to those of you who have already expressed an interest in reading along. The invite remains open to everyone, until the end of August and into the great beyond... ☄️ Lovecraftalong lists incoming shortly. . #generallygothic #bookstragram #spookstagram #readalong #hplovecraft #shortstoryreadalong #lovecraftreadalong #cosmichorror #horrorreaders #spookynerd (at OUTER SPACE) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsCl2lo89n/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

"𝕴 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉𝖓'𝖙 𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖆 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖛𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖇𝖗𝖆𝖗𝖞 - 𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖊𝖉, 𝕴'𝖉 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖞 𝖋𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖖𝖚𝖆𝖙 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖑𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝖇𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝕴'𝖉 𝖑𝖊𝖙 𝖌𝖔 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓-𝖍𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖔𝖗 𝖘𝖔 𝖇𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖘 𝕴 𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖘𝖘." - H. P. Lovecraft 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 August has historically been reserved for the study Of Monsters and Men - in the lore of Generally Gothic, that is. As I dive back into my monthly themes this, then, is where we will begin. 👾 Oddly enough, I planned to post about Lovecraft yesterday. In reality I ended up lost in the nethervoid that is DIY home & garden shopping... I say "oddly", because Howard Phillips Lovecraft is a master of the odd and yesterday was his birthday*. In 1890, little H. P. was born in Rhode Island, USA. He grew in affluence, turning to writing when death diminshed the family and the wealth dried up. 👾 Lovecraft is known for his cosmic fiction that blends the boundaries of horror, the gothic, scifi, fantasy, and weird fiction. He brought the expansive outer reaches of our cosmos into focus, destabilising the confident, centralised position of man in the process. 👾 In 1920s New York, Lovecraft was writing with a group of literary peers around him. 'Weird Fiction' magazine frequently published his works; his catalogue of short stories grew, but he did not gain financial stability in his lifetime. Lovecraft's popularity escalated decades following his death. His work is now the focus of academic interest, whilst continuing to be celebrated by pulp fiction lovers too. 👾 In the style of the 'Lovecraft Circle', I would like to offer a casual cosmic readalong (as requested in my recent open suggestions on stories - thanks to those who shared thoughts 🖤). ⚜ Would anyone care to join me in reading one/a few Lovecraft short stories (available free online) for discussion at the end of the month? ⚜ Let me know below! 👾 *Thanks due to @booksfromfaeries whose post yesterday alerted me that it was Lovecraft's bday! (at OUTER SPACE) https://www.instagram.com/p/Chh2Ylfrwmv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=