The Emergence of Irish Gothic Fiction - Histories, Origins, Theories?

Reviewed by Indu Ohri, Preceptor, General Faculty, University of Virginia on 12/4/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

As someone who researches and teaches Victorian supernatural fiction, I was thrilled to find Jarlath Killeen’s book on the early Irish Gothic tradition in the Open Textbook Library. This monograph provides a comprehensive look at the origins of Irish Gothic fiction in eighteenth-century Irish politics, religious sectarianism, and colonial domination. Killeen argues that Irish Anglicans produced Gothic fiction in response to shifts in local politics from the 1750s onwards as well as the division in their view of Irish Catholics. Killeen displays an excellent command of the different areas of scholarship that his study covers, which include Gothic literature, the early Irish Gothic, and Irish history. He contextualizes the Irish Gothic in terms of major historical events, such as the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Money Bill dispute, and the debates over Ireland’s union with England.

Killeen not only connects the early Irish Gothic to later texts by Charles Maturin, Elizabeth Bowen, and others, but he also links his analysis to modern Gothic texts, movies, and TV shows. In addition, he engages in critical discussion with major theorists of the Gothic, like Sigmund Freud, Fred Botting, Rosemary Jackson, Julia Kristeva, and Tzvetan Todorov. Killeen only offers in-depth studies of two Irish Gothic works, The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkley and Thomas Leland’s Longsword. However, he does a wonderful job of close reading these texts based on their contemporary historical and political contexts as well as later developments in the Irish Gothic tradition. While there is no glossary, the index seems to list all of the key terms, events, texts, and theorists that Killeen touches on throughout the book and suggests the expansiveness of his study. If the publishers would like to add a glossary, they might think about including the following key terms: Gothic, tradition, allegory/allegoresis, consent, monstrosity, and Irish Anglican. As another reviewer suggested, however, a glossary might work against Killeen’s position that these terms are politically charged and flexible in meaning.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Killeen approaches the early Irish Gothic with a clear perspective: he considers it a Protestant genre with roots in Irish political events of the 1750s and the evolving Irish Anglican views toward Irish Catholics. However, he supports his main arguments with plenty of evidence from a broad range of sources and engages in detailed scholarly discussions with major theorists in multiple fields. For instance, he claims that The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkeley and Longsword are early Gothic novels that precede Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto (1764). Killeen writes that “Otranto’s claims to startling originality will have to be tempered a bit, no bad thing given the novel’s inflated sense of its own importance. The idea that Otranto sets the limits to the genre is to take Walpole rather more seriously than he took himself” (121). I find his stance convincing due to his examination of the Gothic conventions found in both of these works. Killeen’s study appears to be an accurate and unbiased look at the early Irish Gothic, since he supports his position with plenty of historical, literary, and theoretical evidence.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Killeen makes a compelling argument that the Gothic is a central part of the Irish literary tradition and scholars should take it seriously, rather than deploring the lack of an Irish equivalent of a Victorian realist novel like George Eliot's Middlemarch (10). His consideration of the Irish Gothic as a "genre of global significance" (12) and numerous allusions to texts across different time periods feel current today in light of the modern effort to diversify and globalize eighteenth-century studies. While the pop culture references and Killeen's survey of Irish politics will become dated, they could easily be modernized to encompass new Gothic works and recent developments in the Irish government. Although Killeen’s work is accessible and expertly written, it reads more like a scholarly monograph than a textbook because his exploration of the Irish Gothic is theoretically dense and takes space to unfold. As other reviewers have noted, I do not think this text is appropriate for younger undergraduates, who need more critical and historical context than Killeen provides.

Clarity rating: 5

This study is written in lucid and engaging prose that I enjoyed reading. Killeen’s points are easy to follow and treated with humor that helps to illuminate the theoretical terms he uses. For instance, my favorite chapter was “The Monster Club: Monstrosity, Catholicism and Revising the (1641) Rising” because he uses humor to great effect in order to capture Irish Anglican views of Catholics as “monsters.” Killeen writes that “[d]aily life for an Anglican in eighteenth-century Ireland therefore might be considered analogous to a very bad horror film series where the monster is repeatedly killed but just as repeatedly returns as strong as ever (if not, indeed, stronger) in time for the sequel” (151). Besides being comic, Killeen’s description serves to convey the experience of Irish Anglicans living in eighteenth-century Ireland alongside their Catholic neighbors. He also highlights the urgency of Irish Catholics, such as the historian Charles O’Conor, to subvert monstrous images of themselves by writing pamphlets, histories, and fictional texts.

Consistency rating: 5

Killeen’s discussion of the early Irish Gothic is internally consistent. In the first chapter, he carefully lays out his scholarly views and explains the book’s methodology. He follows through with the critical stance he outlines and also fulfills the subtitle’s promise to inspect the “history, origin, and theories” on the early Irish Gothic.

Modularity rating: 3

While this text is not overly self-referential or poorly arranged, the subsections in each chapter could use individual subheadings or related epigraphs that indicate their content or themes. As it stands right now, I do not find the chapters to be easily divisible into different units because the various sections are long and lack subheadings to guide readers. Nonetheless, different sections of Killeen’s book would make wonderful standalone pieces for students with some knowledge of the areas that he covers. I would assign parts of this book as supplemental readings in courses for advanced English, history, or Irish studies majors who are investigating the Irish Gothic, eighteenth-century literature, or the Gothic tradition.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Killeen moves chronologically in tracing the history of the early Irish Gothic from the 1750s onwards, though he connects his analysis to Irish Gothic works from other eras as well. In the first chapter, he argues that the early Irish Gothic grew out of the Irish Anglican community and their political activities. The second chapter evaluates the allegorical figure of the helpless woman that represents Ireland in aisling poems and Jonathan Swift's The Injured Lady. The third chapter expands on the politics of consent in The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkeley, since the heroine’s marriage provides commentary on debates about Ireland’s union with England. The fourth chapter surveys Irish Anglican views of Irish Catholics as monsters and the shift to a more tolerant outlook among some of them, as displayed in the novel Longsword. Overall, Killeen’s book is well-organized and transitions logically from one chapter to the next, producing a deeply layered discussion of this literary tradition.

Interface rating: 4

I had no problem downloading Killeen’s book to my PDF reader and navigating to different chapters, along with highlighting important quotes and making annotations on my copy. However, I do wish there were clickable links that made it easier to move from one part of the book to another one. I found it hard to go back and check different sections that I wanted to reference. In addition, I would love if images from the books that Killeen references were added in order to help readers visualize certain topics that he addresses. For instance, I am curious what the martyrs in John Foxe’s Acts and Monuments look like and whether eighteenth-century illustrations also portrayed Irish Catholics as “monsters.”

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not find any grammar errors in the book. It is important to note that the book is written in British English, which did not really phase me, since I often read books and articles in this style. However, it may take American scholars and students some adjusting to get used to the different spelling and punctuation style; for instance, I was slightly thrown off by the spelling of “focussed” on page 69.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Killeen's book made me realize that politics, religion, and literature were not only closely linked in eighteenth-century Ireland, but also that all of these forces shaped the rise of the early Irish Gothic tradition. He writes about the tumultuous history of this time period in highly nuanced and sensitive ways, given the ideological stakes of his argument for modern Irish studies. I was especially struck by how he frames his literary analysis using multiple perspectives (the English colonizers, the Irish Anglicans, and the Irish Catholics) in order to create a multifaceted account of the rise of Irish Gothic literature. Although Killeen sometimes adopts a humorous tone, I do not think his study is culturally insensitive or offensive in its treatment of Irish history, politics, or religious life. 

Comments

While the book’s organization and layout could use a few tweaks to make it more user-friendly, Killeen’s study is a great addition to the scholarship on early Irish Gothic literature. I recommend that instructors assign it to advanced undergraduates studying the early Irish Gothic, Irish history, or eighteenth-century literature and look forward to adopting parts of it in my future classes on the Gothic.

Reviewed by Margot Blair, Instructor, Portland Community College on 8/15/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The author, Jarath Killeen argues, " . . . the gothic as a genre of global significance", and this is well-achieved. Towards the end of the book, he suggests that Longsword should be read as, ". . . imaginative rapprochement with Catholics (though not Catholicism) and the medieval as a means of preparing imaginatively for a potential social rapprochement between political bedfellows in Ireland, like himself and Charles O’Conor."
Given the length of the book, it is incredibly comprehensive. The introduction makes it clear what the primary focus is to be, as well as the slant it will take. While the book, even stated in the title, is about history, origins, and theories, it is not something merely in the past and of the past, but rather, something that continues actively in work and thought of today. Contributing to the comprehensiveness is the author's consistent use of connections between the historic, his argument as to the lens in which the work should be interpreted, and where the Irish Gothic, sometimes in the form of strong influences, is seen in various contemporary works. The interconnectedness makes this book far more comprehensive than one would initially think. Additionally, the use of definition brings the reader into considering the power of cultural definitions. What defines a "monster", and why, and the shifts the definition takes, is particularly germane to understanding Irish Gothic literature. Another is "Madness".
The author goes into depth with only two specific works of Irish Gothic literature (The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkley and Longsword), but in so doing, they become a portal to understanding concepts and other works. Adding to the comprehensiveness is the author's use of different points of views, and well-explained theories, or claims, made by other often cited critics. Every layer adds to every other layer, and as with the Gothic Tales, a net is woven.
I would recommend this book, and sections of it can be of good service for courses other than Irish Gothic Literature. General Fiction, Women's Studies, History, Film Studies, to name a few.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is historically accurate. The author is fair, and the analysis very convincingly well-supported, but as there is more than one opinion among experts in the field, there is a sort of bias. It does appear unbiased, however, in respect to how the author gathered information, and then came to a conclusion. To be fair, there are writings, stories, mentioned where the author extrapolates, summarizes and retells, that were new to me. I looked up some. I trust it to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Because Irish Gothic literature is a generative source for much of the work, films as well as writing, we see today, this book will maintain its relevance. Updating will be relatively easy in order for the book to maintain its relevance to students, adding new references as they occur and history progresses. For example, films and writing, often in reaction to current events, will influence the ways in which Gothic sensibilities play out. This additionally will influence the way students respond to the historical events, all the way from the origins of Irish Gothic Literature. As a result, in addition to simply updating references, a bit more information regarding how things evolved would will be needed to well tie things together. A good example of the author having done this is with the mention of The Crying Game.
One of the strong pluses about the book is how it ties everything together historically: art, sentiments, religion, biases, gender, and so on. For the same reason I liked the book so much, it would be problematic as a primary text for Community College level or Undergraduate level. That said, I would still use it, but I would focus in on one or two aspects and provide further information for my students. The book is set up well to fascinate doing this because of the examples used to illustrate the author's claims.

Clarity rating: 5

Less advanced students would need additional help understanding some of the technical terminology used. In particular, because this book could be used across disciplines, those coming at it more from an Irish historical slant may not be familiar with the literary terms, and visa versa. Other than that, I found the prose accessible, and it is certainly lucid in logic and analysis as well as clarity of prose. Adequate context is provided. (What is provided piqued my interest for more.) The further into the book one gets, the more accessible, and casual, the language becomes. I learned a lot more about the history of Ireland, and in turn felt the interpretation of works was enriched.

Consistency rating: 5

I found no problem with consistency. There were sections which could well have veered too far from the main focus, as one thing lead to another. However, the author always pulled the connections back to the main focus of his analysis, and Gothic as a genre. I found some of what was presented so interesting that I was on the verge, and was welcoming when the author brought me back on point. Helping with this is the use of existing criticism, which the author reviews historically.

Modularity rating: 4

The book was not overly self-referential. Much appreciated. Chapters are divided by Roman numerals, but readability, accessing sub-sections,could be improved. Sub-titles are underused. The author's use of titles for the chapters, including the accompanying quote, bring an extra dimension and focus, highlight if you will. It helped to individualize the chapters in a way that helped categorized. This, rather than just Roman numerals, could be done for subheadings. For the level of students with which I work, I would not assign this book as a whole unless teaching a course on Irish Gothic Fiction. I would, however, assign particular sections depending on the course I was teaching. For example, a Science Fiction class would benefit from "Monsters" and an Introduction to Fiction class would benefit from Chapter One, talking about typical Gothic Plots (and what that is) found in such works as Stephen King's "Salem" and Chuck Palahnuik's "Fight Club." Or from Chapter 2, "The Creeping unknown: Re-making meaning go the Gothic Novel for a look at symbolism in John Carpenter's "Halloween". Or the use of allegory and metaphor in fiction.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization, structure and flow follow a very logical progression. The introduction could work as a stand alone. Through more dry than the rest of the book, it is well-organized and puts forth the author's theses, the aspects, and support the reader can expect. The contract is well-fulfilled, with the historical roots delineated in a timeline, fashion, with every chapter supplying contemporary references. This supports why what is being talked about matters today, and in the future. I felt particularly enlightened when brought to understand the rise of Catholic "monstrosity" in the Gothic novel. The conclusion, partnering with the introduction, also reinforces what's to be gained from understanding the history of Gothic Fiction. The author brings information into current history and perspective. It presents the rationalizations used, making it no longer profitable to demonize Catholics as power passed out of the hands of Irish Anglicans. Like a sandwich, the ingredients of the middle are well contained by the introduction and conclusion.

Interface rating: 3

There were no charts or illustrations, so nothing to comment on there other than I would have appreciated a few illustrations. Students, on the whole, are increasingly visual in terms of attention span. The writing, particularly in the introduction, was dense, and the layout added to the sensation of a brick coming my way. I don't just mean the writing, I mean it was visually very dense. Off putting. There was no problem enlarging the text, but it was not possible to open it up by double spacing the work. For 250 plus pages, the layout could be a lot friendlier.
I had no problem with highlighting, underlining, imbibing comment and so on, but because of the spacing, or lack there of, I grew impatient and made notes on a separate word document. Making note of the page numbers helped in re-finding information. Additionally, frustratingly, notes I had made on the manuscript were lost when I had to close out and return later.
Scrolling through the pages worked okay, but it felt particularly inadequate in terms of cross referencing different sections. I also wanted to see more than one page at a time, and with so many references, all appreciated, being able to do so would be a real plus.
In filling this out, I was unable to put titles appropriately in italics, or underlined, and therefore used, wrongly but intentionally, quotation marks.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Free of grammatical errors. Spellings were in accordance with British, rather than American. I liked this, especially given the topic. The only error I noticed was a typo on page 40. There is an extra apostrophe. Should be Steven King's Salem's Lot. Not Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Religion, politics and literature are deeply, inseparably, intertwined in Ireland. Religion and politics remain tricky to navigate, but because Killeen grounds his work historically, and presents multiple points of view, I do not find the book to be culturally insensitive in any way. I agree with another reviewer that in this way the book can be especially beneficial to American students, or any non-Irish student. I have been to Ireland as a tourist and as a Writer in Residence, and I am returning again shortly for another residency. I have been given explanations, but Killeen's book helped bring perspective and clarity. The complexity of view points are emotionally loaded, so Killeen's more scholarly approach served well in providing perspective via fact. Despite the changes in Ireland, the book's cultural relevance is clear, and strong.

Comments

Debate over the definition of the word monster (149-150) is key in interpreting Gothic Irish literature and to Killeen's claims, but is also germane for approaching other literature, politics and psychology. I quite appreciate what was presented regarding demonizing others, particularly in view of what is seen constantly in the news, and the current President of the United States. This adds to the book's cultural relevance, somewhat sadly, but hopefully in a way that stands to help students navigate current trends as well as literary ones. Thank you Mr. Killeen.

Reviewed by Claire Cowart, Assistant Professor, Southeastern Louisiana University on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The subtitle of the book is History, Origins, Theories, and these aspects of Irish Gothic Literature are the main focus of the book. In examining these aspects the author is very, very thorough, demonstrating a wide-ranging knowledge of the Gothic mode and its development not only in Ireland but in other nations and cultures as well. Killeen also makes numerous links to the expression of the Gothic in film and television, fields which he seems to know quite well. Index entries showing the scope of Killeen's inquiry into this topic include works familiar to the general public, such as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Godfather films, as well as less well known books and films. There is no glossary, but that element would be problematic as the author spends a great deal of time exploring the loaded and shifting meanings of terminology which has been used in this field. The index also demonstrates Killeen's familiarity with oft-cited critics such as Bakhtin and Kristeva, as well with critics in the more specialised fields of Irish literature and Gothic fiction. His political knowledge of Irish history and its effect on Irish literature is enormous and impressive. When it comes to the literature itself, only 2 works of Irish Gothic literature are examined in depth as case studies, although the author is clearly extremely familiar with many other works which are not treated as thoroughly.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book was extremely accurate. The author does a good job of examining multiple points of view and how they are affected by nationality, time, and circumstances. The author has an excellent command of his field, and I do not see any evidence of bias.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

In terms of longevity, the book will be easy to update by inserting references to newer books and films as a way to ground the reader in the Gothic, and in conceptions of Irishness. Most of the book explores the origins of the Gothic, so no need to update those sections.

Relevance to students is another issue, however. I would only use this book at an advanced level (undergraduate senior or graduate student), where I think it would be very helpful as a resource, to students studying the Gothic or other forms of Irish fiction. It's so thorough in its exploration of the political field that it could even be used in a history course.

But for undergraduate students at lower levels, this book is too dense and too theoretical to be useful as a textbook, despite the author's accessible language and amusing descriptions.

Clarity rating: 5

The author has an extremely readable and accessible writing style. Technical terminology is explored in detail and placed in context.

Consistency rating: 5

No problems here. The book is well organized and consistent.

Modularity rating: 3

The chapters do have sections divided by Roman numerals, but no real breakdown in the table of contents to make the reasoning clear. Also, even those sections are quite long. However they could be divided further and labeled, which would be quite helpful. As of now, I don't see a clear path to rearranging subunits.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Yes, this makes sense. The author begins by grounding his subject in the areas he lists in the subtitle, and then moves to specific examples to make meanings clear.

Interface rating: 4

I did not see images or charts, but nothing was blurry or distorted. The system of scrolling through a page felt a bit clunky to me, especially when I was moving from one page to the next--when I got to the following page I would sometimes be jumped to the middle and would have to scroll back to the beginning. A couple of times I also ended up pages back but did not understand how or why that happened.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Perfect. Killeen is a gifted writer.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Irish politics is a touchy field, and it is impossible to divorce Irish literature from politics, so writing about either or both can be tricky. Killeen does an excellent job, however, especially in presenting multiple points of view. In this respect, the book can be especially helpful to American students of Irish literature, who often have no idea of the complexity of points of view and the loaded meanings of particular terms. In terms of inclusivity, the focus is inevitably on Ireland, but Killeen does bring in references to other cultures in discussing otherness, for example. I did notice at least one use of the "f" word--didn't bother me but perhaps would bother students?

Comments

I thought it was a wonderful book, and I am glad to have had the chance to read it. As I stated earlier, perhaps not suitable for lower level undergrads.

Reviewed by Lisa Weihman, Associate Professor, West Virginia University on 12/5/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The Emergence of Irish Gothic Fiction examines in great historical and cultural detail the foundations of Irish Gothic literature in the 17th and 18th centuries through the present day. The main argument that Killeen puts forth is that the Irish Gothic has roots in political and cultural divisions opening up within the Irish Anglican community in the 1750s; he sees the Irish Gothic novel as a "fictional instrument of liberal Anglican opinion in a changing political landscape" (12). Killeen thoroughly and comprehensively documents that changing political and social landscape, and gives a full survey of critical opinions relating to Irish Gothic fiction. Killeen is specifically interested in the emergence of the Gothic as a genre in Ireland, but he also offers a comprehensive survey of the critical literature and many references to later works in the genre. Someone working on Bram Stoker, for instance, will not find a specific chapter on Dracula (a later, 19th C text), but they would find references to Stoker as well as crucial information about the critical arguments that help to contextualize work on a writer like Stoker. I will recommend this book to any future student writing on Irish Gothic texts.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Killeen's arguments are convincing, and the historical events referenced are accurate. I would not call this an "unbiased" work; Killeen's investment in these arguments about the range and function of Gothic literature in Irish culture is longstanding and deep, and as such, this is often a work immersed in opinion. The book is all the better for Killeen's unique perspective on the critical history, Irish political life, and the development of trends in Irish Studies more generally. It is accurate, but biased in the way that good criticism should always be biased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book is a necessary and welcome addition to the study of Irish Gothic literature, and I believe that Killeen's clear, reasoned arguments about the historical contexts of the Irish Gothic will remain relevant into the future. This is a work of literary scholarship, and is not, properly, a textbook, and it is unlikely that there will be any necessary updates to this text in the near future. Some of Killeen's pop cultural references to contemporary films could potentially be updated or expanded as new gothic/horror/monster films and novels enter the culture. The final conclusion, with its reading of the Gothic through the Celtic Tiger and post Tiger years of Irish political life, will likely need expansion in the coming years.

Clarity rating: 5

This book was a joy to read, because Killeen's voice is so clear on the page. The reader feels the hand of a steady guide through the material, and as someone with a passing but far from comprehensive knowledge of Irish Gothic fiction, I learned a great deal about both the history of Ireland in the 18th Century and the critical arguments surrounding Gothic fiction more generally. The clear, jargon-free prose was very welcome. This is an excellent book for scholars at all levels. A clever undergraduate could find a path through this work, but it will be equally valuable to more advanced students and scholars.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is consistently focused on Gothic as a genre, and successfully argues for the inclusion of little known and undervalued works as a part of that tradition. The author's interest in examining both the historical context along with substantial literature review of the existing criticism keeps the tone and purpose of the chapters consistent throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 5

I can easily imagine using individual chapters of this book as secondary critical reading for my graduate students in Irish Studies. This isn't a textbook; it's a very focused work of literary criticism with chapters centered around specific texts and historical circumstances. Individual chapters will be more useful in my classes than the book as a whole, which I would be unlikely to assign unless I was specifically teaching a course on Irish Gothic Fiction.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book starts with a comprehensive, well-organized introductory chapter that puts forth the author's thesis and substantial literature review. The individual chapters address the historical roots of the Gothic as a product of 18th C Anglican anxiety; the allegorical and historical treatment of women in Irish culture; the 1641 rebellion and the rise of Catholic "monstrosity" in the Gothic novel; and Thomas Leland's historical romance Longsword. The conclusion proffers a witty and convincing argument about the death of Irish Gothic in the Celtic Tiger years, with (in true Gothic fashion) the re-emergence of Gothic tropes in Irish political culture in the years of austerity that followed. The deep immersion in the cultural history of Gothic fiction is paired in every chapter with contemporary political, cultural or artistic references, and this balancing of the historical with the long view of Irish history and culture from the vantage point of the present moment helps to establish the stakes that make knowing this history of Gothic fiction so necessary. It's very well-organized and clearly written.

Interface rating: 5

I didn't find any significant interface issues, but other than the cover art, this is a book without images, charts or graphs.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Free of error, with few exceptions. I found a typo on page 16: "..it becomes clear that the Gothic has always been configured as an impure..." I believe the phrase was meant to be "impure genre", but a word is missing.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The work addresses the difficult history of Anglican and Catholic communities in Ireland, and there are arguments made about the representation in Gothic fiction of Catholic "monstrosity". The book, however, takes a scholarly approach to these arguments, and grounds them in their historical and cultural moment. There is nothing here that should be offensive to anyone, Catholic, Protestant or otherwise. The critics whose work Killeen takes to task may find his counter-arguments difficult to swallow, but that's the nature of academic debate. There's nothing intentionally offensive or insensitive here, and Killeen's treatment of Irish national history is well-supported and grounded in the critical literature.

Comments

I am very happy to have read this book, as someone who frequently teaches and writes about 20th and 21st C Irish fiction. I do not work specifically in the Gothic genre, but as someone who also works within Irish Studies, I found the author's perspective on many of the critical controversies in our shared field very interesting (and his political arguments in the concluding chapter very well-stated and amusing). I deeply appreciated his willingness to stake a claim in the many critical arguments surrounding Irish Studies and the Gothic in particular, and to support those claims with very precise historical references. There were times when the "literature review" sections of chapters seemed a bit longwinded, but in every case, I was grateful for them, too, because I could see the usefulness of those sections to anyone who is writing on these texts. Killeen is very clear about the space he is carving out for his arguments within the existing canon of Gothic critique, and I will use his work in the future both for the content and as a model of form for my graduate students. This is a smart, thorough, interesting book, and it was a pleasure to read because of the author's firm command of his arguments and because of the clarity of his prose.