The First English Gothic Horror Novel that blends the European style with the taste of India.

By Mandira Mazumder, an Indian Author in English

My next book in the pipeline is a Modern Gothic horror/romance novel.

 I borrowed the classic elements of Gothic fiction and blended them with the post-colonial contemporary India, resulting in a unique and captivating saga. In my book, the horror and romance elements are thematically entwined.

The story begins with the dead Zira’s agonizing soul drifting about in a state of limbo. It is her present state of hamster wheel situation when her spirit haunts Longs’ mansion. She had spent 33 years of her turbulent life in the villa before her disappearance under mysterious circumstances.

Zira, the dark, attractive tribal woman was drawn to the tall, romantic yet enigmatic man of the mansion when she was alive. In their torrid forbidden love, the lines between desire and social taboo blur, creating constant tension of anxiety and isolation in her mind.

 The dimension of racial discrimination and social withdrawal are real traumas that are inseparable from her romantic dreams and desires which she unapologetically fulfills.

 The real terror of existence is not just the existence of ghosts in a lone mansion but in the appalling stories of evil human acts down the generations that leave a spiral of curses after their bizarre death.

Zira’s past haunts her dark psyche. Her weather-beaten journey of life is not just episodic-like old gothic novels of the 18th century.

This book explores the deep psychological sufferings that Zira goes through on the treacherous route she travels in the mid-’50s or early ‘60s amidst the ominous forest of Kalahandi. These experiences precede the greater emotional rollercoaster that awaited her in Longs’ Mansion.

True, there is that classic gothic trope of a haunted mansion in my story too, but located in Bombay in the ‘60s. The storyline takes us through the ‘70s and ’80s when the fading aristocratic class sneered at Dr. Lily Long’s individuality and professional commitment.

 It is a contemporary setting of the 20^th century where Neil Long has to learn Hindi, unlike his predecessors, to be a successful criminal lawyer in the city. Although he is proud of his rich heritage, the man desires to be successful, though his way to success is skewed.

Yet, it is not just the racial prejudice that prevailed oddly against Zira and her class but also the issue of gender inequality when we witness the traumatic predicaments against which both Zira and Lily Long have to fight their battle uniquely.

Unlike a soft, demure, and weak heroine of the 18^th century waiting for her Knight in shining armor to save her, my female protagonists are their savior.

Besides, there are technical innovations in my narrative style where years overlap because the past echoes mainly through Zira’s memories at different phases of her life.

The haunting scenes and the psychological suspense are in the “present” tense and interspersed with the past because of Zira’s reminiscences.

They bring a sense of immediacy to the scenes as if you are watching a movie in full action. There are scenes of high drama because Gothic novels are about the voyage into the mental turmoil of the protagonists.

The inward journey navigates into our primal urges and hidden conflicts. So, there is the use of the “Stream of Consciousness” technique in the inner dialogues of the main characters.

Zira is mostly, and then, Neil’s son Miku. the narrator of the events from their perspectives.

Remember, a soul finds no relief when they have a tragic unresolved past, and memories manic-haunt them as a living soul. The novel concentrates on the subterranean memories of the dark lady who was doomed.

Zira is chained to the memories that drive her to an obsessive grudge. She bays for revenge and turns her victims insane. There is a parallel motif running throughout the novel that shows that Zira’s vision is a psychological projection of her persecutors’ sick/deranged mind.

The traumatic anguish and fear that lurk in their mind and devastate them interlace the novel with the sense of suspense and terror experienced in psychological thrillers. The mind of the victim seems hijacked, leaving it in a state of mental fog.

The reader keeps guessing what is real and what is unreal.

It was also a challenge to create evocative language and imageries to recreate vivid descriptions of beautiful nature versus decaying landscapes, unsettling shadows, and gory symbols of fear to draw the readers into the beauty and terror that resides in the heart of darkness.

Besides, the complexities of the brooding characters create a surreal world, characteristic of Gothic horror/ romance. Nonetheless, I have given a modern tone and lucidity to my language as befits the ambiance today.

The mystery and thrill in the atmosphere, spooky experiences, and mind-numbing fear are choc-a-bloc with reality, making it thought-provoking. I blended the paranormal with the contemporary anxieties and sensibilities of our time.

The Gothic horror shows that the element of fear is not just external but also about our inner demons, repressed longings, and social taboos. The line between the hero and the villain blurs while the characters grapple with their innermost darkness, complex thoughts, and emotions.

Read my Gothic Horror/ Romance/ Psychological Thriller to feel the magic of Beauty and the Beast😊