What's Happening?
Leon Craig's novel 'The Decadence' attempts to blend gothic elements with a queer narrative, following privileged university friends in a haunted country house. Despite its promising premise, the novel struggles with character development and narrative depth. The story centers on Jan, a PhD student, whose relationships and experiences with supernatural elements fail to engage. The novel's writing style, characterized by excessive adjectives and adverbs, detracts from the intended gothic atmosphere.
Why It's Important?
The novel's shortcomings highlight the challenges of effectively merging gothic literature with contemporary themes. While the book aims to explore complex issues such as the historical persecution of Jewish people, it falls short in delivering a compelling narrative. This serves as a reminder of the importance of balancing thematic depth with engaging storytelling, especially in genres that rely heavily on atmosphere and character development.
