Recommended by: Nicola Traverse/@Mrs_Trav_
Author: Christopher Edge
Form:
Prose
Gothic
Female protagonist
Historical Fiction
Length: 256 pages
Brief synopsis: Penelope Tredwell owns and writes The Penny Dreadful under the pseudonym Montgomery Flinch. In order to boost sales she hires an actor to take on the persona of Flinch. When a letter from Bedlam arrives asking for Flinch’s expertise with the macabre, Penny and Monty become embroiled in a plot to control the future.
Age recommendation: KS3
Trigger Warnings: Mental Illness
Notable reasons for recommending: Great for exploring patriarchal structures
A good precursor to teaching Victorian literature, including the Victorian love of Gothicism.
Other Comments: Gives great background knowledge for A Christmas Carol. We use as part of our feminism theme in Y8.