Good but not great, with a few exceptions: this is a competent and enjoyable anthology. Recommended
The history of a haunted stream, a wake for a witch-haunted corpse, a coming of age ritual for a changling child: Gothic! is a collection of ten stories from authors such as Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, and Caitlín R. Kiernan. Filled with ghouls, ghosts, and vampires, these stories are quiet, dark, gothic tales which haunt the edges of the horror genre. Most of the stories have missing or undeveloped aspects which make them good but not quite great; there are a few exceptions, both good and bad, but on the whole this is a competent and enjoyable, if unexpectional, collection. There's enough variety in subject and tone to hold the reader's attention, and the stories are united by an indulgent, dark, gothic theme which is a pleasure to read. I recommend it.

Although not traditional gothic literature, the stories in Gothic! are in the same vein: dark, creepy stories, most with fantastical elements, all indulgent pleasures. Unfortunately, it's as if the short story format isn't enough room to develop all of the aspects which make gothic literature a success. Character makes a story accessible, especially in YA lit; some stories, like Velde's "Morgan Roehmar's Boys," feature identifyiable and realistic teen protagonists, but in too many of the stories they're undeveloped or unrealistic. Some feature exaggerated (teen) stereotypes, which make for irritating characters. Plot provides direction, but in too many stories it feels like an afterthought. Sometimes that works well--Gaiman's "Forbidden Brides..." is particularly charming despite its fractured storyline--but often it creates uneven pacing and undirected action. And atmosphere, of course, is key to a gothic novel: the dark and haunted setting, the looming threats, the unexpected evil, which makes a story chilling and delightful. Much of gothic atmosphere depends on suspense, but some authors introduce too late, and so the gothic aspects feel cliché or unbelievable when they finally arrive.

With one or two of these aspects falling by the wayside, the stories are often enjoyable but not exceptional. Yourgrau's "Have No Fear, Crumpot is Here!" is an exception: overdrawn humor and inadequate suspense make it flat, grating, and the worst story in the book. However, most stories fall in the "good but not great" category. Anderson's "Watch and Wake" has a unique setting and creepy magical aspects, but underdeveloped characters; Simner's "Stone Tower" is haunting and mysterious, but predictable--similarly, most of the stories are fun, indulgently creepy reads, but few are memorable. Few, but not none: Velde's "Morgan Roehmar's Boys" is solid if unexpectional, combining a creepy haunting with truly unexpected violence. Best of all is Kiernan's "The Dead and the Moonstruck," which has character, plot, and atmosphere to spare. A tender coming of age story in an unusual fantastical setting, it's intriguing, sympathetic, and my favorite story in the collection.

A standard of "good but not great, with one or two exceptions" makes, all in all, for a successful collection. Gothic! is an enjoyable quiet read, ideal for curling up with under the covers; creepy, frightening, mysterious, and sometimes humorous, the stories are indulgent and enjoyable. Each is unique, most are enjoyable, and gothic literature is a wonderful dark pleasure. I wish there were more standout stories, but it is rare to find a short story collection (especially a themed anthology) that offers constant high quality--and so I am content with as much. For fans of gothic literature or dark fantasy, Gothic! is worth picking up. It's a fast read, but altogether enjoyable, and I recommend it.

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