Books like Goth

Can you both simultaneously love and hate something? Such is my reaction to Goth. The prose is great, the narrative interesting...but this book is creepy. Effing creepy. And, to be fair, I know it says "A Novel of Horror" right on the cover, but really, it's published by Tokyopop. How bad could it possibly be?Oh, silly, naive past me.The thing that makes this book so page-turningly horrific is not a focus on fantasy, like many genre-specific Japanese stories that American audiences are familiar with, but rather exploring the depths of human cruelty and psychosis and the awful, *awful* things people can do to one another. There are no cursed wells, no supernatural beings, just plain ole people being downright gruesome.This book is not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach. I cannot stress this enough. That said, if you can get past a bit of torture porn, you'll discover that the real gem of this book is the author's ability to craft a shocking, engaging mystery full of twists and turns guaranteed to leave you guessing and keep your adrenaline pumping. The stories are interesting and well-crafted, centered around (but not exclusive to) two main characters who are neither likable or empathetic, but keep you engaged from start to finish.My only real complaint about this book, aside from the obvious gore (with still has me twitching in recollection), is the title itself. Having grown up with the "Goth" movement, having friends involved in the subculture, I was disappointed at how little the book actually had to do with Goths themselves. One character dresses primarily in black, and there's talk of death...and that's pretty much it. Love it or hate it, the Goth movement is so much more than that. The title is more of a selling point, a way for the author to reel in his audience with something flashy and familiar, a fact he readily admits and apologizes for in the author notes. If you're looking for a deeper exploration of the topic you're in for a rude (and rather grotesque) awakening. However, if you want to read a well-crafted collection of gut-churning horror stories, I'd recommend this book.