The Castle Of Otranto

By Valley-Castle

Just wrapped up The Castle of Otranto—apparently it’s considered the first Gothic novel ever. It’s pretty short, but it stays suspenseful the whole way through. I also liked the vibe of the older English translation; it’s got this retro charm. The story leans hard into supernatural stuff and scary moments, which is probably why it’s remembered as such a classic Gothic tale. I will say there aren’t that many truly different “big” horror scenes, but when it’s not going full supernatural, it’s still pretty grounded—ancestry, love, dealing with the deaths of people you care about, grief, devotion, loss, and prophecy all show up. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone—try it out if you haven’t.