The Greatest Gothic Book of the Last 5 Years Is a Dark Fantasy Take on ‘The Gilded Age’
Nghi Vo’s *The Scarlet Ball* reimagines Gilded Age New York as a Gothic fantasy, using supernatural horror to examine the era’s wealth and social power. The article argues that its dark rituals and demons sharpen themes already associated with the period, including inequality, arranged marriage and women’s lack of autonomy.
The story follows Judith Ban, a former convent girl turned courtesan and thief, who agrees to impersonate the missing granddaughter of the powerful Howard family. She uses magic to take on Iphigenia’s face and enter high society, but her plan becomes dangerous when she attracts a storm demon at the season’s titular ball. Vo won the 2021 Hugo Award for *The Empress of Salt and Fortuna*; the article also compares her subversive approach to her earlier *The Chosen and the Beautiful*.
In short
- Nghi Vo sets a Gothic fantasy in Gilded Age New York.
- Judith infiltrates a powerful family by magically taking another woman’s face.
- Demons and blood rituals expose the era’s inequalities and constraints on women.
Explained simply
The Gilded Age was a period of rapid growth and great wealth in the United States, especially in New York, during the late 19th century. Rich families used money and marriage to protect their status, while women had limited control over their lives.
In Nghi Vo’s fantasy, Judith Ban is a former convent girl who survives as a courtesan and thief. She uses magic to impersonate Iphigenia, a missing member of the powerful Howard family, and enter New York’s wealthy society. The story mixes the social rules of the era with Gothic horror and demons.