The Sister: "A Special Kind of Double" in a Gothic

When you read a gothic story, is there a sister character?

"A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves – a special kind of double." — Toni Morrison

My gothic/mystery/historical/mashup reveals a sibling relationship, which I kinda hope is suspected but also comes as a surprise.

By a suspected surprise you know what I mean: a reveal, which the reader senses is coming, but isn't quite sure the story will play out that particular way. When it does, there's a pleasant satisfied feeling. (If you read my to-be-released-soon book, I hope you'll let me know if that's what you experience.)

But why did a 'sister' character emerge from my story?

I'm a sister--I have two wonderful brothers--so I'm sure my own family influenced me. But I think the sister relationship developed unintentionally in my manuscript, after reading loads of gothics. You see, in the gothic genre, the role of a sister is used often so if you read this type of book, you can expect to come across sisters a lot.

Why? Well, the sister relationship is unique, combining deep emotions with complex dynamics. Often the sister character is used to heighten the stakes for the main character, and serve as a lightning rod for a variety of emotions, including loyalty and protectiveness, as well as guilt, rivalry and resentment. And when the sister character serves as a kind of double--I don't mean a literal double as in a twin (although that could happen), but a reflection of the main character, embodying a younger or older self, or a path not taken, or a solution not afforded to the main character--the relationship in the story becomes a critical element to the story and the character's development. For example, The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman celebrates key characters' individualities and inner strengths, and the theme of personal strength is amplified through a surprise familial connection, which is pivotal to the plot. And Eve Silver's Darkest at Dusk contrasts sisters as a way to shed light on the unforgiving nature of the Victorian culture and environment, which also helps to drive the narrative forward.

So, all this to say, the sister character can be very helpful, allowing the author to explore complex emotions, heighten tension and ultimately develop deeply satisfying endings.

What do you like about sibling characters in the books you read? Give the comments box some sisterly love!

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