Poor Things

First of all, the plot of “Poor Things” revolves around the central character, Bella Baxter, who is found dead in the Firth of Clyde in late 19th-century Scotland. However, she is brought back to life by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Archibald McCandless through a combination of surgery and galvanism. Renaming her Bella Caledonia, McCandless presents her to society as his ward.

As Bella Caledonia navigates her new life, she becomes entangled in a complex web of relationships and events. She marries Godwin Baxter, a wealthy industrialist who is unaware of her past, and the couple travels to Egypt for their honeymoon. In Egypt, Bella encounters a former lover, Mosey, who reveals her true identity and the circumstances surrounding her “death.”

Upon returning to Scotland, Bella finds herself torn between her past and present, her feelings for McCandless and Godwin, and the political and social currents of the time. The narrative delves into themes of identity, power dynamics, and the consequences of scientific experimentation.

Throughout the novel, Alasdair Gray employs various narrative techniques, including metafictional elements and satirical commentary, to explore these themes and create a richly layered story. Ultimately, “Poor Things” is a tale of love, betrayal, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of Victorian Scotland.

While Poor Things started with a book, the story was also shot on film and so it’s adapted into a so-called absurdist comedy movie. Poor Things is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and produced by Emma Stone. I truly loved watching it at a cinema in Amsterdam. It’s also available to watch online, starting Feb. 27 to buy or rent digitally at Apple TV, Prime Video, and other video-on-demand platforms. It will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 12.

Poor Things is a novel written by Scottish author Alasdair Gray, first published in 1992. The story is set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily in Glasgow, Scotland. The narrative unfolds during the Victorian era, particularly around the 1880s and 1890s.

While Poor Things by Alasdair Gray is not a “gothic novel” in the traditional sense, it certainly draws on gothic tropes and aesthetics—particularly those of body horror, reanimation, and a deep interrogation of identity and the human condition. The novel’s dark humor, grotesque elements, and satirical examination of societal norms place it in a broader tradition of gothic, surreal, and absurdist literature. Its eccentric characters, explorations of the uncanny, and eerie atmosphere should appeal to those who enjoy gothic works that blend horror, humor, and philosophical questioning.