Penny Bloods - Gothic Tales of Dangerous Women

Penny Bloods: Gothic Tales of Dangerous Women, edited by Nicole C. Dittmer / ISBN 9780712354189 / an attractive 240-page hardback published in 2023 by the British Library

***

In the mid 1800s, the inexpensive publications known as penny bloods were all the rage in Britain. Spinning tales of high Gothic drama, violence and monstrosity, this literary phenomenon was significant for its depictions of dangerous and transgressive women. These popular figures established archetypes like the beguiling vampiress and inspired such milestone Gothic works as Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla.

Collecting seven tales from classic penny publications including the story of Mrs. Lovett, the piemaking counterpart to Sweeney Todd, this volume features newly edited text and insights from Dr. Dittmer’s research to revive a wild company of witches, femme fatales, and deadly criminals for a new generation of readers.