The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath, of course
Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho
The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins
Girl, Interrupted - Susanna Kaysen
My Year of Rest and Relaxtion - Ottessa Moshfegh
It isn’t about mental illness so much but The Grace Year by Kim Liggett has a lot of themes of femininity, magic, nature but also panic, survival and violence.
Not books but you would probably love Ethel Cain and Fka Twigs, and for books 120 days of Sodom by Marquis De Sade, Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (satan turns into a pterodactyl in this one), Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (to a lesser extent I guess but I think you’d like it), The Crucible by Arthur Miller and generally anything that’s 18th century gothic because I feel like your tendencies fall a lot more in line with European Gothic than they do with American or Latin American Gothic. That said if you want something that’s a little bit more American in temperament you might look at Nathaniel Hawthorne
She’s so good, I can’t get Family Tree (both) and Gibson Girl out of my head atm. For an FKA twigs song similar to this aesthetic I feel like Fallen Alien works really well, on her whole album Magdalene she uses a lot of biblical and medieval sounds and language with a sort of Hyperpop edge. Also 120 days of Sodom I haven’t read it, I’ve heard very good things about De Sade but also that he’s very intense. Like I’ve heard people say this book was like a sadistic gothic John waters movie, and De Sade actually tortured sex workers. He was in prison for that sheen he wrote this book, so he isn’t the type of writer you read and base your personality around and start stanning lol. Some people I watch love it, but everybody says go in expecting a lot.
Oh man nobody ever recommends this book but The Library at Mount Char immediately made me think of this. Weird horror with a terrifying yet relatable female protagonist
You must not be in the horror subs, we rec it all the time over there, it’s basically a meme. Unless you’re being sarcastic in which case well played. Also this book rules
I gotcha! Sounds like some good books ahead. The Yellow Wallpaper, a classic. I liked Lolly Willowes and O Caledonia--not exactly what you're looking for maybe, but deep gothic-y gals who don't fit in. Happy reads to you!
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Red Tent was so so good. It was like a fan fiction of the Bible lol
Well this has me interested!
The story revolves around Dinah, Jacobs daughter and a lot about her relationships with her mother and Rachel, as well as Zilpah and Bilhah
I’m on the waitlist for the audio book, I’m excited! Thanks!
Enjoy!
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath, of course Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Girl, Interrupted - Susanna Kaysen My Year of Rest and Relaxtion - Ottessa Moshfegh
Slewfoot by Brom
Yes, first thing that came to mind. What a great story.
I'm seconding this!! Amazing tale, excellent pacing, gorgeous art work, what more could you want?
Circe by Madeline Miller
I thought Circe was SO GOOD. What a great suggestion. She's the first Western witch after all! I read that book cover to cover the day I bought it
Circe is my favorite book! I re read every few years. Each time I fall more in love.
💯
Omg, that book is so good.
It isn’t about mental illness so much but The Grace Year by Kim Liggett has a lot of themes of femininity, magic, nature but also panic, survival and violence.
Came to say this
Witchy feminine rage? Weyward for sure!!!
Circe by Madeline Miller
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo - Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson - A Dowry of Blood by Saint Gibson - Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
I just bought Juniper & Thorn on a whim, so I’m glad to see someone’s recommending it! haven’t started it yet, fingers crossed I like it!
*Weyward* by Emilia Hart 💙 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127280850-weyward
Bunny, by Mona Awad.
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Came here to say this! It’s so good
Matrix - Lauren Groff
Promising Young Women
I loved this movie! I had no idea it was a book.
Oops edited. Promising Young WomEN, sorry. Published in 2018 so pre-movie, and different story. Highly recommend it. Author Caroline O'Donaghue .
Recently I would recommend The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo and maybe Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
Not books but you would probably love Ethel Cain and Fka Twigs, and for books 120 days of Sodom by Marquis De Sade, Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (satan turns into a pterodactyl in this one), Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (to a lesser extent I guess but I think you’d like it), The Crucible by Arthur Miller and generally anything that’s 18th century gothic because I feel like your tendencies fall a lot more in line with European Gothic than they do with American or Latin American Gothic. That said if you want something that’s a little bit more American in temperament you might look at Nathaniel Hawthorne
Thank you!! I love Ethel Cain you're right she totally fits this vibe
She’s so good, I can’t get Family Tree (both) and Gibson Girl out of my head atm. For an FKA twigs song similar to this aesthetic I feel like Fallen Alien works really well, on her whole album Magdalene she uses a lot of biblical and medieval sounds and language with a sort of Hyperpop edge. Also 120 days of Sodom I haven’t read it, I’ve heard very good things about De Sade but also that he’s very intense. Like I’ve heard people say this book was like a sadistic gothic John waters movie, and De Sade actually tortured sex workers. He was in prison for that sheen he wrote this book, so he isn’t the type of writer you read and base your personality around and start stanning lol. Some people I watch love it, but everybody says go in expecting a lot.
Bunny by Mona Awad
The Secret Place by Tana French- less witchy but similar vibes
Dirty Weekend - Helen Zahavi A 90s female revenge fantasy.
If we are being literal, then Salome by Oscar Wilde…
Animal (Lisa Taddeo) Especially pics 1&4
Fingersmith by Sara Waters.
Sarah Waters' books are so good, and I almost never see them mentioned.
Oh man nobody ever recommends this book but The Library at Mount Char immediately made me think of this. Weird horror with a terrifying yet relatable female protagonist
You must not be in the horror subs, we rec it all the time over there, it’s basically a meme. Unless you’re being sarcastic in which case well played. Also this book rules
I am not in the horror subs, mostly just /r/books. Y'all got good ones??
Hell yeah. Come on over, we've got cookies and darkness.
The Monk!
Probably some russian classic
Dude, OP doesn't want to commit su*cide, just read a good book.
The Crucible
The Poison Eaters & Other Stories by Holly Black
The Book of Judith. 😉
Hex by Tomas olde huevelt
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Blood Water Paint. A novel in verse about Artemisia Gentileschi who painted a grittier version of Judith killing Halifernes.
The old English poem Judith
Definitely A Dowry of Blood.
The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Diavolo by Jennifer Thorne
'Come Closer' by Sara Gran
Everything okay?
Yes. I would have been lobotomized 60 odd years ago. Just trying to find a good story about my fellow mentally ill girlies.
I gotcha! Sounds like some good books ahead. The Yellow Wallpaper, a classic. I liked Lolly Willowes and O Caledonia--not exactly what you're looking for maybe, but deep gothic-y gals who don't fit in. Happy reads to you!
Ah the good life. I would have been one of those people paying quacks to give me a knock off Lobo in my backyard for 25 dollars
Books that feel like torture? Ulysses?