Kate Kowalski, Doom Rocket:
“Carroll’s use of red is remarkable. The book is in black and white besides, yet this one color splatters throughout, adding drama and emphasis to certain moments and imagery. In the beginning, only our heroine’s internal monologue is in red before it bleeds into the rest of her environs. Doors leading to mysterious rooms, a handle she dare not turn, streams of hall light, a bitten tongue. At one point, the rain beating outside the window is red as a spray of violence.
Amidst this, the prose takes over at some points, illustrated pages giving way to simple text spreads. The writing is lyrical and figurative, strong enough to stand on its own as a novel. Through this narrative, Carroll does justice to the flowery language of the genre’s forefathers.
And yet, the art reveals what the words do not — an unspoken but clearly seen sensuality to the situation. The Countess greets our heroine in a sheer, form-fitting nightgown, inviting her into a warm bath from which she has just emerged. Exposed breasts are soaked in blood, as are hands caressing faces, necks. The Countess is a seductress.
And so are the other monsters of the genre, each in their own way. Gothic horror is characterized by the struggle of humans against temptation, the dark urges that exist within. A Gothic monster is simply an externalization of an internal, moralistic battle. A vampire or an undead creation is perhaps easier to conquer.”
Read the full review on Doom Rocket‘s website here!
