My Classic Gothic Tier List

As rated by someone that doesn’t read classic lit very often

Earlier this year I got deep into gothic lit (as one does) and spent many weeks catching up on all the classics I’ve never read before. Dracula, Frankenstein, Ann Radcliffe, the Bronte sisters, Shirley Jackson, I was in deep. But some classic gothic lit is easier to get into than others, so here's my handy tier list for the burgeoning reader.

The tiers are determined by:

1. Accessibility

How easy the writing is to read. How often I had to pull out a dictionary. Times where I looked up and went, “what is this guy even talking about. What is happening right now.”

2. Intrigue

Let’s be honest, some classic literature is a snooze-fest. This ranking is how well the book gets you to turn the pages—how well it stands up to today’s standards for entertainment. Because if you aren’t having fun, what’s the point?

3. Pacing

How slow it is. How long it is versus how long it needed to be to get across the same point. Etc.

Let’s just get right into it.

S-Tier

Dracula – Bram Stoker (1897)

Some claim the early pacing of Dracula can be really slow, but I think that slower, gradual start really draws you into this world. Plus slow starts are just an expectation of the genre, you will find them in just about every book on this list.

Where Dracula drags a bit for me is closer to the end, but the promise of that ending really turns the pages either way. For this reason, Dracula makes my S-tier.

Accessibility: S

Intrigue: S

Pacing: A

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley (1818)

OG Frankenstein’s Monster is a whole different beast than Hollywood has turned him into today. If you’ve never read the original, you might be surprised to find that he can speak (and eloquently), has deep thoughts on philosophy and the ethics of creation, and he’s not quite as sympathetic as movies I’ve seen paint him to be.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, like anyone who has ever been 13 years old knows how Frankenstein’s Monster feels and most of us didn’t commit murder about it.

The parts that could be considered slow are built with enough dread and ramping horror to keep you turning pages. S tier material.

Accessibility: A

Intrigue: S

Pacing: S

 We Have Always Lived in the Castle – Shirley Jackson (1962)

This quickly became one of my favourite books of all time. It is more contemporary than some of the others on this list which lends to a more modern feel with all the beautiful language and dread you want out of a gothic.

Here’s one of my favourite quotes to convince you to add it to your list:

“I was pretending I did not speak their language; on the moon we spoke a soft, liquid tongue, and sang in the starlight, looking down on the dead dried world.”

Accessibility: S

Intrigue: S

Pacing: S

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A Tier

Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier (1938)

I call this the slow burn to end all slow burns. Rebecca ran so A Secret History could also run. Or rather, they both walked at a leisurely pace.

All this to say that if you love a slow build and Jane Austin-esq social drama, with sprinkle of darkness and dread, you’ll love Rebecca.

Also one of the scenes actually made me cry.

Accessibility: A

Intrigue: A

Pacing: B

Something Wicked this way Comes – Ray Bradbury (1962)

I absolutely adore this book and have scribbled so many of its quotes into my journal I might as well become a Ray Bradbury blog. However, I will say that there are several long stretches of characters discussing philosophy... You may be into that, I am less so.

Nevertheless, this book makes a great A tier.

Accessibility: S

Intrigue: A

Pacing: C

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B Tier

The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde (1890)

The first half of this book is full on A-tier. It’s beautiful, fun, the gayest book you’ve ever read, easy to follow, and knowing the end doesn’t ruin the beginning. The second half, in my opinion, tends to drag a bit more. Lots of the characters you liked in the beginning don’t come up as much, and when they do, it’s not for very long.

That being said, while this might not be the best book to start with if you’re just getting into classic gothic lit, it’s not an incorrect choice either.

Accessibility: B

Intrigue: A

Pacing: C

The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

“’If he be Mr. Hyde’ he had thought, ‘I shall be Mr. Seek’” – that is an actual quote. Who says classic lit isn’t fun?

If you’re looking for a gothic education, this book is definitely worth a read (plus it’s short). However, it doesn’t land as well given you probably already know the twist. For that reason, a lot of the book can feel like listening to a story you’ve already heard like three times before but you’re too polite to interrupt. In my opinion, the best part is the last section after the twist since it doesn’t rely on the readers being “in the dark” anymore.

Accessibility: C

Intrigue: B

Pacing: B

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C Tier

The Mysteries of Udolpho – Ann Radcliffe (1794)

As one of The defining books of the gothic genre, The Mysteries of Udolpho is well worth looking into. However, if you’re not typically a classic lit reader (as we have established, I am not) it can feel long, slow-paced, and difficult to get into. Valuable, for sure, but I wouldn’t start here.

Accessibility: B

Intrigue: D

Pacing: D

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(DN)F Tier

The Castle of Otranto – Horace Walpole (1764)

This book is considered the first ever gothic and literally created the genre, so we should all take a moment for applause. However, like The Mysteries of Udolpho, it feels more geared towards genius-level classic lit readers, and I did not finish it. I like to have fun in life.

Accessibility: DNF

Intrigue: DNF

Pacing: DNF

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