What’s the difference between horror and gothic fiction? Not much. Gothic literature is horror approved by the establishment. As a horror reader, I think this false demarcation between horror and literature is unfair. Nothing I’m saying here is groundbreaking. But I’ve been reading more horror again, and I’m struck by how masterful some of the storytelling is. Genre fiction can be literature, too. Horror and romance are especially ghettoized, but other genres like sci-fi and fantasy are also commonly ignored in discussions of “literature.” For romance think of “Pride and Prejudice.” We consider it great literature. And it is. But it’s not literary fiction. It’s a romance. Lord of the Rings is a fantasy, but it’s also great literature. It’s fiction with a capital F.
Books are such a blessing.
Russian literature is lush and dense. Irish literature is lyrical. Modern poetry is like a pile of princess cut sapphires. Contemporary poetry is a pile of soft, round diamonds. Female Arab poetry tastes of rose water, and Spanish literature has a lingering scent of fear and flowers.
Life at Home 