SEASIDE GOTHIC #3 - LIVING FLOTSAM

TITLE - SEASIDE GOTHIC #3 - LIVING FLOTSAM 

EDITED BY - SEB REILLY

GENRE - DARK FICTION AND POETRY WITH A SEA THEME 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/46 PAGES/COLOUR/PERFECT-BOUND 

PRICE - £4.00 + SHIPPING FROM SEASIDE GOTHIC

“Seaside Gothic” is an anthology of short fiction, poetry and photography which has been unashamedly doing its own thing for three issues. It features a diverse selection of writers and poets offering work with a dark edge, exploring the central theme of the liminal space between land and sea, where civilisation meets wildness.

The tantalising opening story “The Murder House” by the zine’s editor Seb Reilly sets the tone from the outset. The fiction is visceral, and haunted by the sea, without much happiness but quite a lot of pain. But this is what “Seaside Gothic” is about. The fiction pieces “The Encausting” and “Hillcrest” are a case in point, being almost horror stories. The subtitle for this issue is “Living Flotsam”, which is terribly apt: in these pages there you will find lost people, abandoned like flotsam on beaches.

Among the fiction is cryptic and ocean-tinged poetry. The rhythmic and vivid poem “Beachcomber’s Faith” by Shelley Thomas is a particular highlight. The text is interspersed by the haunting and disturbing photographs of Tim Knight, which can also be seen on the covers. They have the same vibe as the film “The Lighthouse” by Robert Eggers, and mermaids also feature in the poetry.

The quality of the contributions (all writers are listed at the back of the zine) ranges from very good to excellent, and reading the stories as a whole, one gets a pervading sense of people resigned to their fate, whatever form that takes: it’s usually dark. “Seaside Gothic” is a challenging read which is perfect if you’re looking for something different from your fiction.