-32% 🏆 Bestseller Mathilda — Gothic

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🏚️ Gothic −32%

Mathilda

Name: Mathilda
Price: 8.78 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781543291544

✍️ Mary Shelley

Reader Score

4.6

(4 reviews)

$8.78 ~~$13.00~~ Save $4.22 (32%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A dark Gothic tale of paternal incest and its devastating aftermath.

This brief work examines the psychological collapse of a daughter following her father’s inappropriate confession. Shelley uses the deathbed narrative frame to create an immediate sense of finality and regret. The text does not offer redemption, instead showing how guilt persists even when the source of trauma is gone. Matilda’s interaction with Woodville highlights her inability to connect with others, emphasizing the isolating nature of her secret. The story remains focused on the internal landscape of grief rather than external adventure.

Key Themes

fathers and daughters incestuous love emotional withdrawal

Literary Context

Mary Shelley writes within the Gothic tradition, a period known for exploring dark psychological states. The text reflects early nineteenth-century concerns with family morality and the consequences of transgressing social boundaries regarding incest.

Mary Shelley

📚 all books by this author (292) →

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Bram Stoker's vampire lore · Edgar Allan Poe's psychological horror · H.P. Lovecraft's cosmic dread

🏚️

Gothic

🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2017 📖 122 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781543291544

📚 This Book in Collections

📜 Classic Horror Novels 💵 Horror Paperbacks Under $10

📝 Description: Mathilda

Mathilda is a gothic confession detailing a daughter's trauma from her father's incestuous love and suicide. The story unfolds through Matilda’s first-person account from her deathbed, where she recounts her father’s confession of incestuous love for her. This revelation leads directly to his suicide by drowning, leaving Matilda emotionally shattered and withdrawn. The text explores themes of guilt and familial bonds as Matilda attempts to recover from this trauma. She forms a relationship with Woodville, a gifted young poet, hoping that love might mend her fractured psyche. However, the narrative demonstrates that this connection fails to reverse her emotional isolation or prevent her lonely death. Shelley’s work draws on gothic traditions to examine the psychological weight of forbidden desire and the lasting impact of paternal betrayal. The book is organized as a continuous confession, offering an intimate look at Matilda’s internal struggle. This story suits readers interested in early nineteenth-century Gothic fiction and studies of family dynamics. It may not appeal to those seeking conventional romance or light entertainment, as it deals with heavy subjects like incest and guilt without resolution.

💎 Our verdict on Mathilda

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Mary Shelley delivers a stark, uncompromising tale that dissects the devastating aftermath of inappropriate paternal affection without offering redemption. This is not a story for those seeking conventional romance or light entertainment; it deals with heavy subjects like incest and guilt with no resolution. The narrative focuses intensely on Matilda’s internal landscape rather than external adventure, resulting in a work that may feel emotionally draining to some. While its gothic atmosphere and psychological depth are masterfully executed, the lack of hope and isolating tone make it unsuitable for readers expecting comfort or traditional horror thrills. It is a rigorous study of grief.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the intersection of gothic tradition and psychological analysis will find this work compelling. It offers an intimate examination of guilt, isolation, and the enduring impact of paternal betrayal. Those studying family dynamics or early horror literature will appreciate its stark narrative style. The book provides a unique perspective on how trauma persists even after the source of pain is gone. It appeals to those who prefer deep emotional exploration over conventional romance or light entertainment. The continuous confession format allows for a profound look at Matilda’s internal struggle, making it essential for scholars and fans of dark, unresolved narratives seeking substance.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Seekers of intense psychological horror and early Romantic gothic literature will appreciate this raw exploration of taboo. Readers preferring lighthearted romance or traditional happy endings should look elsewhere, as the narrative remains relentlessly bleak and disturbing.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 4 reviews

Rachel H.

February 10, 2026

Kept me up

Took a chance on it after reading the description here. The binding held up to being carried around for a week. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. Well worth it.

Andrew T.

June 21, 2025

Almost perfect

I read a lot of horror and I'm picky. The monster is scarier for how little you see of it. Delivery took a bit longer than quoted. Still worth having on the shelf.

Sarah G.

April 18, 2025

Read it in one night

Added this to the shelf next to the ones I reread. Print is comfortable for late-night reading. Genuinely unsettling in places, and it earns it without cheap tricks. One of my better finds this year.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Absolutely not. While it features a secondary character named Woodville, the story is a tragic study of psychological damage and isolation. It lacks romantic resolution, focusing instead on the protagonist’s inability to heal from profound familial trauma.

The entire book is presented as a first-person confession delivered by Matilda from her deathbed. This framing device creates an intimate, immediate atmosphere, allowing readers to experience her internal monologue and despair directly without external narrative distance.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Shelley’s Mathilda stands as a provocative outlier in Gothic literature, predating Freudian psychoanalysis by decades with its unflinching gaze into familial trauma. It diverges sharply from the supernatural monsters of her era, focusing instead on internal psychological decay. This work bridges Romantic emotionalism and dark realism, establishing a precedent for modern studies of incestuous dynamics and paternal betrayal within the literary canon.