[REVIEW] Gothic – by Philip Fracassi

Available: February 2023

Publisher: Cemetery Dance Publications

Though I’ve heard of Fracassi several times in the last year or so, GOTHIC was my first time reading his work. His style is very familiar and comfortable. Even the idea of GOTHIC is a cozy trope in horror: something cursed makes an author lose his mind, become violent and erratic. Though this was admittedly a drawback for me much of the ride, I found the final twenty percent of this story entirely engrossing. It was around the point of Diane planning her proposal for Tyson that I found myself submerged in the story and glued to the pages that followed. The suspense amps up beyond this point tenfold; even when there’s little action, it’s palpable. I would have liked a different ending for Ben and Violet, though – their final scene together seemed incomplete. I expected something to come of it, but nothing did. And the Epilogue was a bit abrupt. Otherwise, I found GOTHIC thoroughly satisfying and well-fitted with classic horror nuances and nods.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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