Seaside Gothic Literature

Seaside gothic literature is emotional, without doubt, and this is what drives it along the edge between land and sea. It is of two things—the sand and the shore—and in this duality it finds meaning. These pieces of seaside gothic literature all reflect this, in their own ways.

Fiction: Emerald Fennell, Monsters

A murder in a seaside town, children obsessed with death reenacting the crime, a body in a fishing net—Monsters is seaside gothic through and through. An odd and intriguing narrative, Emerald Fennell delves into more than the surface in this strange coastal novel.

Poetry: Elaine Feinstein, ‘Coastline’

A short and measured poem, Feinstein’s ‘Coastline’ uses concise phrasing to simply explore the edge. As a poem it is formidable, for it asks so much more than it presents and is considerably greater than its stanzas.

Nonfiction: Sally Huband, Sea Bean

An account of searching for an elusive treasure, this beachcombing memoir from the Shetland Isles is fascinating. Tracking the journey of a sea bean, and Huband’s time spent upon beaches, Sea Bean is definitely worth a read.

Television: Lost

A series perhaps best known for the frustration of its central mystery, Lost found an audience by asking questions seemingly impossibly to answer. Though often slow-moving and strung out with extensive flashbacks, it pushed the envelope of prestige television forward and its cultural impact is incredible. As a piece of seaside gothic it is interesting, as although it is predominantly set by the sea it could appear to be something else, yet it consistently meets the three defining criteria of being emotionally-led, an exploration of duality, and connected to the edge.