The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

This short story will conclude The Gothic Project. Thank you for everyone who participated!

I did not realize this story The Shadow was not available on Project Gutenberg, I'm sorry about that. But it can be found online here: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Po...

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, a Blessed Kwanza, and a very Happy New Year.

Thank you for your leadership on this, Gem. I learned a great deal about Gothic literature during this project.

Interesting that her name is given as Mrs. Hubert Bland. I grew up on books by E. Nesbit, such as The Story of the Treasure Seekers, The Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, The Story of the Amulet, etc. Her own life was pretty complicated as told fictionally in The Children's Book and biographically in The Life and Loves of E. Nesbit: Victorian Iconoclast, Children’s Author, and Creator of The Railway Children.

If you have children or grandchildren who love Harry Potter and don't know E. Nesbit, they should check her out. She also wrote non-magical stories, of which the best known is The Railway Children.

The habit of speaking to the reader is common in her children's books, and I see she starts off just like that here

This is not an artistically rounded off ghost story and nothing is explained in it; and there seems to be no reason why any of it should have happened. But that is no reason why it should not be told. You must have noticed that all the real ghost stories you ever come close to are like this in these respects: no explanation, no logical coherence.

Thanks for the link to the story, Gem.
It wasn't really spooky but it did make you think, especially about what Mabel did to get her husband. And the consequences.

Nancy wrote: "Thank you for your leadership on this, Gem. I learned a great deal about Gothic literature during this project."

You're very welcome! It was my pleasure, I really enjoyed it.

I think the shadow is a harbinger of death. Interesting how it has followed Miss Eastwich. There seems to be more to the story than what we read on the surface.

Gem wrote: "I think the shadow is a harbinger of death. Interesting how it has followed Miss Eastwich. There seems to be more to the story than what we read on the surface."

Yes, or even Death itself. I thought the story was very well done. It seems to be in the everyday world, with young women enjoying a social evening, but then everything changes. At first, they are just hearing a story, but then it moves into affecting them. We never see or even learn the name of the youngest one.

This one had a great creep factor, and a shocking twist at the end. Good read!