Fall Reads

Written by Emily Chian

Photo by strange.pages

Welcome back to a new school year! It is time to put away the beach towels, take out your sweaters, and hit the books! If you’ve been studying all summer, keep up the great work. If you are starting a new job, congratulations! 

The season for scarves, pumpkin spice lattes, falling leaves, and orange foliage is upon us. Some of us have been eagerly anticipating autumn’s arrival and the spooky reading that can come with it!  Let’s welcome the new season and semester with enthusiasm and an autumn reading list of gothic, mystery, and history genres. 

1. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

The Mysteries of Udolpho is a gothic novel by Romanticist author Ann Radcliffe. It was published in 1784 into four volumes. This is a classic exemplar of the gothic genre - ruined castles, mysterious ghostly sounds, and scheming relatives. Emily St. Aubert is orphaned after her father’s death, and her aunt, Madame Cheron, becomes her guardian. Madame Cheron is cold and adamant towards Emily marrying the dashing Valancourt. In the novel, Emily is sent to live in her uncle’s residence, a ruined castle named Udolpho. Much terror and suspense await Emily, including several cases of her fainting. Nevertheless, she has a saviour! Radcliffe’s love for nature is seen through her spooky and enthusiastic descriptions of the beauty of the Pyrenees mountains bordering the south of France, and the gloominess of the forest. The gloom conjures up inspiration, and also romantic and fantsible ideas for the characters. Some comment they also find these scenes thrilling and pleasing to them. Readers of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen might recognize this title where Catherine Morland alludes to her excitement reading Udolpho.

2. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Among the many film and video game adaptations, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is originally a novella by Robert Louis Steveson. This means the book is relatively longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Published in 1886, it starts off with Mr. Utterson, a lawyer, who learns that his friend Dr. Jekyll has been acting strangely. Soon, he also meets Mr. Hyde, dwarfish and grotesque, through an acquaintance. He hears witness accounts of Mr. Hyde attacking and murdering London’s citizens at night. Mr. Utterson delves into the bottom of this foul play at work and deciphers that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have a unique relationship. This is a murder-mystery novel that questions how far science can go without defying morals and the consequences of doing unethical work. It also demonstrates the good and evil natures of people, and the conflicts one can have when torn between them. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a crafty work of Victorian-era horror and science-fiction.

3. “Master Harold”…. and the Boys by Athol Fugard

This is a play about the friendship of a young White boy and two Black servants during the apartheid era in South Africa. It is 1950, and the family of the young boy, Hally Harold, owns a tea shop where Sam and Willie, two Black servants work. The play starts with Sam and Willie cleaning and entertaining themselves before Hally walks in. They have a conversation about schoolwork (on what defines a “Man of Magnitude”) and Hally warmly reminisces on his childhood with Sam and Willie whom he has known his whole life. This scene is shortly interrupted by a phone call Hally answers that pulls a trigger on his emotions. It results in an argument between Hally, Sam, and Willie, and the climax turns into an argument filled with embarrassment, shame, and racism, including name-calling. Using Sam and Willie’s love for dancing as a metaphor, Fugard’s message shows how people wish to live happily in “a world with no collisions.” It also demonstrates how difficult achieving  justice and harmony can be. Discrimination and racism are ongoing problems, and it requires time, attention, and choice to acknowlege how racism can deeply hurt others. This is an exceptional play directed by Fugard. He skillfully considers everything from the speech, cues, acting, setting, and props. For example, Hally’s kite from his childhood symbolizes freedom, the rain reflects sadness and contemplation, and ballroom dancing is a metaphor for life. 

4. Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

If you like mystery and sensation, you will likely enjoy this novel. Lady Audley’s Secret was a bestseller in England when it was first published in 1862. After George Talboys reads about the death of his wife, Helen, in the newspaper, he returns to England from gold prospecting in Australia. When he suddenly disappears, his good friend Robert Audley (our protagonist) starts on a mission to find out what happened. Robert uncovers the disappearance is in connection with his uncle’s new wife, Lucy Grahams. Young, beautiful, and cunning, Lucy accepted the hand of the middle-aged widow Sir Micheal Audley after arriving at Audley Court. But her background is veiled in mystery. Deeper into the novel, Robert uncovers Lady Audley’s persona. There is railway travel and forgery, and also cases of bigamy and attempted murder. 

5. The Monk by Mathew Lewis

A warning for those who may be sensitive: there are scenes of sexual and child abuse. This story is an early example of a gothic horror novel that will give you chills. Mathew Lewis’ book is horrifying, dramatic, and raw. In Madrid, Ambrosio is a newly appointed monk and figure of respect. This story is about  his downfall and corruption. He is drawn to a 15-year-old timid girl named Antonia, and finds his closest friend Rosario is actually a woman named Matilda. Ambrosio succumbs to deeds of temptation and lust and Matilda (who is in love with Ambrosio) agrees to help him in exchange for favours. Matilda also uses Ambrosio to help her use  dark magic to summon the devil, which is considered a sinful practice. The story also has a subplot about two lovers, Raymond and a nun, Agnes, who try to escape punishment together. The two villains are severely punished by death in the end. 

6. Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Frost

No fall reading list is complete without some classic and somewhat dark poetry. Poe’s infamous “The Raven”  will undoubtedly get you in the fall mood. The black raven becomes a figure of the narrator’s deep and almost haunting longing for a lost maiden’s death. If you enjoyed reading “The Raven,  you might also enjoy “Annabel Lee”, “El Dorado”, and “Conqueror Worm.” After reading some of Robert Frost’s melancholy poems, such as “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “After Apple-Picking’ and “Acquainted with the Night.” It might  make you think twice about possible melancholy interpretations and leave you somewhat uneasy. Both are American poets. 

7. Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

Castle of Otranto is known by scholars and critics as the “first gothic” novel. It is another “oldie but a goody” that is somewhat written like a medieval fairytale. The novel is set in a ruined castle, full of ghosts and villains. The story starts when Conrad, heir to the castle, is killed by a gigantic helmet from the sky. Indicating a prophecy of doom, his father, Manfred, fears the end of the family line.  He decides to divorce his wife, Hippolita, for giving birth to an originally sickly son. Manfred forcibly takes Isabella - Conrad’s wife - to be his bride and intends to have an heir. The story follows his desire for power and fame and his collapse. It also demonstrates how good people in the story survive amidst chaos. Another cat-and-mouse chase happens inside a castle with many supernatural sightings - including more gigantic body parts falling from above.