21st-Century British Gothic: The Monstrous, Spectral, and Uncanny in Contemporary Fiction

 

Title:	21st-Century British Gothic: The Monstrous, Spectral, and Uncanny in Contemporary Fiction		Volume:
Author(s):	Emily Horton
Series:		Periodical:
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic	City:
Year:	2024	Edition:
Language:	English	Pages (biblio\tech):	272\273
ISBN:	9781350286566, 9781350286573, 9781350286580, 1350286567	ID:	4148366
Time added:	2023-12-03 19:18:09	Time modified:	2023-12-03 23:00:14
Library:		Library issue:
Size:	7 MB (7065688 bytes)

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Gothic genre in contemporary British literature, focusing on how it reflects and critiques the complexities of 21st-century life. The author, Emily Horton, examines various themes such as the monstrous, spectral, and uncanny, and how these concepts illuminate societal anxieties related to neocolonialism, neoliberal governance, and various global crises.

Key Themes and Concepts:

1. Contemporary Gothic: Horton explores how contemporary British writers engage with Gothic tropes to address pressing cultural anxieties, including terrorism, migration, climate change, and economic instability.

2. Cultural and Historical Context: The analysis is set against significant 21st-century events, such as 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Brexit, and the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating how these events shape the narratives and themes within the Gothic genre.

3. Diasporic and Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives: The book employs new critical theories that consider the violent dimensions of contemporary life, suggesting that Gothic literature serves as a lens through which to understand transnational experiences of trauma and horror.

4. Exploration of Identity and Space: The Gothic is used to interrogate issues of identity, displacement, and the experience of living in precarious conditions, reflecting on how these themes manifest in both urban and rural settings.

Structure of the Book:

The book is organized into an introduction, several thematic chapters, and a conclusion. Here’s a brief overview of the contents:

• Introduction: Sets the stage for the exploration of the Gothic in contemporary British literature, outlining the key themes of the monstrous, spectral, and uncanny.

• Chapters:

  • Post-9/11 Gothic: Examines how trauma and the uncanny are represented in works by Pat Barker and Patrick McGrath.
  • Decolonial Gothic: Looks at the intersection of imperial history and Gothic elements in Tash Aw's and Nadeem Aslam's works.
  • Gothic Inheritance: Explores themes of imperial nostalgia and haunted spaces in works by Helen Oyeyemi and Sarah Waters.
  • Digital Gothic: Investigates the role of technology and migration in the Gothic narratives of Hari Kunzru and Mohsin Hamid.
  • Gothic Homelessness: Discusses the representation of homelessness and spectral inhabitants in the works of Ali Smith, Trezza Azzopardi, and Brian Chikwava.
  • The Gothic City: Analyzes urban Gothic in Louise Welsh's and Chloe Aridjis' works.
  • Brexit Gothic: Examines the impact of Brexit on Gothic narratives, focusing on Sarah Moss and Niall Griffiths.
  • Pandemic Gothic: Explores themes of illness and monstrosity in the writings of Kazuo Ishiguro and M.R. Carey.
  • Wet Gothic: Looks at ecofeminism and horror in the works of Julia Armfield, Daisy Johnson, and Zoe Gilbert.

• Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and reflections on the Gothic as a means of understanding contemporary societal issues.

• Bibliography and Index: Provides references and an index for further research.

Conclusion:

Emily Horton’s work presents a comprehensive and innovative examination of the Gothic genre in contemporary British literature, revealing how it serves as a powerful tool for critiquing and understanding the multifaceted anxieties of modern life. By engaging with a diverse range of authors and texts, the book highlights the relevance of Gothic aesthetics in addressing issues of trauma, identity, and the socio-political landscape of the 21st century. This collection is likely to be a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in Gothic literature, contemporary literature, and cultural studies.