If Books Were People: 5 Gothic Icons That Deserve Obsession

In a cultural moment where gothic obsession is back in full force—from the rise of dark academia aesthetics on Pinterest to the explosion of horror novels and annotated classics on BookTok—one question haunts us:

What if books were people?

What if the literary figures we revere, fear, and obsess over stepped out of the page with cinematic beauty and chilling intensity? At Ink in Blood, we asked that question. Then we answered it.

Here are five unforgettable gothic novels—and their human faces. Characters so vividly written, they demand to be reimagined as people. These portraits are more than illustrations; they are visual confessions. And they link back to literature so dark and brilliant that even the Folio Society would hesitate before gilding the edges.

Victor Frankenstein - The Tormented Creator

From: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Victor is not the monster. He is the man who built the monster—and then ran. A young scientist drunk on ambition, he discovers how to reanimate life but lacks the courage to claim his creation.

Did you know? Mary Shelley conceived Frankenstein during the infamous 1816 "Year Without a Summer," while staying at Lake Geneva with Byron and Percy Shelley. The cold, volcanic-darkened skies became a metaphor for her storm-split characters.

In our portrait, Victor stares into the candlelight, surrounded by books and alchemical instruments. You can almost hear the storm brewing outside his mind.

Count Dracula - The Blood Royalty

From: Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

The vampire of all vampires. But before Hollywood fangs and glittering bloodsuckers, there was Dracula—a calculated, aristocratic predator who saw humans as livestock and immortality as his divine right.

Did you know? Bram Stoker never visited Transylvania. He researched it from the British Museum’s library and borrowed the name "Dracula" from a footnote about Vlad the Impaler. The myth we know today was built on shadows.

Our Dracula wears red velvet and old power like perfume. He doesn’t lunge. He waits.

Dorian Gray - The Perfect Face

From: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

Dorian is beauty. Eternal youth. Moral decay in a tailored suit. He wishes for his portrait to bear the marks of his sin instead of his body—and gets his wish.

Did you know? Wilde’s original manuscript was censored for homoerotic undertones. Even so, Wilde once said, "Basil is what I think I am, Lord Henry what the world thinks of me, Dorian what I would like to be — in other ages, perhaps."

In our version, Dorian stands before a mirror that cracks not with age, but with truth. His smile never quite reaches his eyes.

Melmoth the Wanderer - The Damned One

From: Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin (1820)

Melmoth is a scholar who trades his soul for extended life. He wanders the earth trying to convince someone else to take the pact. No one ever does.

Did you know? Maturin was Oscar Wilde’s great-uncle. Wilde later adopted "Melmoth" as a pseudonym while in exile. The book is also considered one of the first examples of cosmic horror, predating Lovecraft’s despairing universe.

Our Melmoth stands on a cliffside, wind and guilt battering him equally. His eyes glow, but it’s not light. It’s warning.

Ambrosio, The Monk - The Fallen Saint

From: The Monk by Matthew Lewis (1796)

Ambrosio is a monk beloved for his piety and eloquence—until temptation unravels him. Lust, murder, black magic, and damnation follow. His descent is swift and thrilling.

Did you know? Lewis was only 19 when he wrote The Monk, and it was such a scandalous success that it was banned, censored, and whispered about in high society. Byron loved it. Coleridge feared it. Even the devil blushed.

Our version of Ambrosio is sun-kissed but shadow-bound, torn between light and lust, a man caught in the act of falling.

Why These Gothic Novels Still Matter

These aren’t just stories. They’re obsessions. They capture the psychological rot beneath beauty, the horror within holiness, and the ache of damnation you almost envy.

While modern horror novels have their place, there’s something unshakable about the original icons—especially when paired with fresh character design and annotation. That’s what we do at Ink in Blood.

We don’t just publish books. We unearth them. Bleed them. Let them haunt you.