Jessie Elland’s haunting debut The Ladie Upstairs is a masterclass in the gothic genre. The combination of female rage and lengthy personification of the house’s power makes for a weird but wonderful read.
The novel follows Ann and her desire to become a lady’s maid and escape her dreaded days working in the kitchen. She eventually gains the opportunity to be Lady Charlotte’s maid, although she soon discovers that her romanticisation of the rich does not quite live up to her expectations. With the location of Ropner Hall being at the forefront of the novel, the haunting power of the house is ever present. One of the most distinguishable aspects of the novel is Elland’s stunning descriptions, with her talent for creating raw gothic imagery bringing Ropner Hall to life for readers.
Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House, Elland creates a sinister image of Ropner Hall. Ann states she “had no recollection of ever arriving at Ropner” and that she “wasn’t sure if there was anything beyond the grounds of Ropner”. The isolation of Ropner Hall is a prevalent theme of the novel, making readers feel just as all-consumed by the hall as Ann does. The uncertainty of the hall’s power over its inhabitants is unnerving, leaving readers to question characters’ reliability.
Despite its gothic mood, the novel is ultimately a femgore novel. With women often being victimised through the horror genre, femgore challenges traditional vulnerability expectations of female protagonists. Ann’s perspective is consistently intriguing and unhinged, leaving readers to question her reliability as a narrator. Although one thing that isn’t questionable about her narration is its captivation. With the novel set in an unspecified historical setting, Ann’s uncensored and often brutal narrations deviate from traditional expectations of women and femininity considerably.
A constant throughout the novel is its implications, from the unspecified time period to Ann’s ‘queer-coded’ obsession with Lady Charlotte. Despite it not being the main theme of the novel, Ann’s infatuation with Lady Charlotte is excessive and erotic and provides unconventional sapphic representation to the horror genre.
Elland herself is an author and actress from the North East and recently starred as Chloe Harris in Emmerdale. Since her departure from her role in the soap, she documented her writing and publishing journey through various social media platforms. With Elland having shared her inspiration from various renowned authors including Shirley Jackson and Ottessa Moshfegh, her novel is an impeccable combination of gothic horror and complex female characters.
The Ladie Upstairs is a thrilling contribution to the gothic genre, combining compelling imagery with extreme female desire and obsession.
Words by Ella Clarke
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