Most people who read romantic fiction broadly categorise it into two parts. The first group consists of works that are ideal for bedtime reading — a feel-good narrative that may leave you teary-eyed but will encourage to hope for a happily ever after. The second category of romantic fiction, on the other hand, will lead to the exact opposite. It will prevent you from sleeping at night — you will be left pondering about the plight of the characters, it will question your perception, you do not know who to root for and most of all it will challenge your idea of love.

“When I read Wuthering Heights for the first time, my head exploded. It was sheer brilliance and absolute madness.” You are likely to hear this from not one but many literature enthusiasts. And they are right. Literary works like Wuthering Heights have a double impact. Apart from telling an extraordinary story, these works have a psychological impact on the mind. Most of these stories feature large gloomy castles that are on the verge of ruination bathed with supernatural elements. Under an umbrella term, these works are termed as Gothic Romance.

Gothic Romance essentially is the merging of romantic fiction with shades of supernatural and horror. It is a story elaborating the tale of abandoned places that mirror the plight of the main characters.

These stories will snatch you away from your reality and for a brief time, transport you to that era where the stories unfold. These narratives are dangerous but addictive, and some of them might lead you to question your beliefs.

Here are 5 Gothic Romance novels that you may want to read and re-read:

· Wuthering Heights

Authored by Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights is a masterpiece. Published in 1847, this story follows the doomed story of Catherine and Heathcliff—a love story spanning generations. Heathcliff and Catherine are in love with each other, it is obvious to everyone. However, when Catherine decides to marry Edgar Linton, mainly for his wealth and social status, Heathcliff is distraught and goes away. He comes back and plans his revenge against everyone and is successful in ruining the lives of almost everyone who wronged him. A complex character, Heathcliff garners our sympathy as well as our anger. The reader, most of the times, does not know what to feel about him.

Through Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte has created a classic tale of love, obsession, insanity and revenge.

· Rebecca

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”

Perhaps one of the most remembered lines in literature, Rebecca is authored by Daphne du Maurier. An unnamed, twenty-something woman marries a mysterious wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter. She goes to live with him in his house, Manderley—where everything reminds her of his first wife, Rebecca. Extremely beautiful and efficient, Rebecca’s presence looms large over the house even after her death. Isolated and led to believe that Maxim still loves Rebecca, the life of the unnamed narrator becomes unbearable.

Daphne du Maurier has written a mesmerising tale of love and betrayal. Rebecca is a psychological thriller that will play with your brain and will force you to admit the genius of Daphne du Maurier.

· Jane Eyre

Authored by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre narrates the life story of a young governess Jane, who marries Mr Rochester, the owner of the house where Jane teaches. From their first meeting, Jane and Rochester begin to enjoy each other’s company and eventually fall in love. They face many hardships but Jane never loses sight of her Christian values. Through Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte has explored a number of topics like feminism, religion and sexuality—the novel has become a classic now and is lauded for being ahead of its times.

· Frankenstein

Authored by Mary Shelly, Frankenstein is the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a grotesque unnamed monster, as a scientific experiment. The book is a blend of Gothic and Science fiction and tries to explain the narrative through the eyes of the monster. There is a complex dynamic between the monster and Victor—the made and the maker. Both are obsessed with each other—bent on destroying the lives of each other, yet their lives get purpose from each other.

Mary Shelly had a traumatic life and fueled her experiences to create the novel. Lauded by critics for being the first true science fiction, Frankenstein has found itself in popular culture and literature.

· Affinity

Authored by Sarah Walters, Affinity is a historical fiction that depicts the intense relationships of two women—Margaret Prior and Selina Dawes. The book displays how the relationships between two women can be quite as complicated and intense as between men. Margaret Prior, a rich unmarried woman visits the Millbank Prison and becomes entranced with a young woman, Selina Dawes. Margaret Prior is pulled towards Selina Dawes as she gets drawn into her world and her feelings for Selina Dawes become stronger with every passing day.