When world building goes deeper—when the author uses the setting as an actual character you can almost see and hear from the page—that’s a hallmark of Gothic fiction I find absolutely irresistible.

Tropes in Gothic literature are inextricably linked to the darker side of our characters’ humanity and serve a vital purpose within the genre. As part of my ongoing blog series about Gothic fiction, I’ll be exploring each of these themes in greater detail in the weeks to come.