a horror list (part 2)
books, essays, films for horrors both real and imagined
i have been told many times over the years that something is wrong with me. i love horror films, i read a lot of horror novels, and now even nonfiction books and essays. something must be wrong with me to enjoy the spooky, the scary, the gory. i do not believe anything is wrong with me, actually. horror is a broad genre and i’ve enjoyed discovering it over the years. and if anything, i’m glad that more and more authors, from all over the world, of all genders, have embraced it.
to me, horror should not only be read in october, or during halloween season or whatever one may prefer to call it. it can be enjoyed all year round. because it’s not just about ghosts and vampires and witches: it can simply be about our deepest fears, our flaws as humans or as a society. indeed, witches and vampires and ghosts can easily be reflections of real everyday fears as well. it’s a misconception that horror is meant only to scare and horrify the audience.
horror can be deep and reflective, it can be a tool to process emotions. even the slasher movies can be more meaningful than just pure gory violence. which is why i will now aim to share this passion of mine all year round. it may be close to Christmas now, but these horror books and essays and films can be enjoyed at any time of the year. even between a rewatch of The Grinch and an indulgence of Hallmark movies.
a horror list (part one)
September is finally here, the start of spooky season. I personally never wait to read horror, dystopian and generally creepy stories, but I suppose autumn is t…
fiction
Ghostroots by ‘Pemi Aguda
set in Lagos, the tales beautifully (horrifically) mix the familiar scenes of the domestic everyday with the dread of the uncanny, the quiet supernatural that turns the mundane into the not-quite-so-right. with a deep sensitivity to women’s lives (interior and external), we’re transported from story to story into worlds of accepted horror. i was hooked from the very first story and i’m sure you will be as well.
A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enriquez
in a completely different vibe, here Buenos Aires is absolutely engrossed in the feral, rotten horror of its violent streets. in the usual style of Enriquez, we are witnesses to her obsession with bodies, decay, an abandoned society where the supernatural is almost less horrific than the realities of the everyday (especially for women). i read everything by Mariana Enriquez, so this one is a sure bet.
Model Home by Rivers Solomon
this one is less haunted house and more haunted life. if you enjoy (like me) horror that is slow-burn, atmospheric, and a lot more psychological than “jump scares”, than you should pick up this one. this is more a tale of family trauma and the horror of never truly belonging, mixed with discussions of race and class and what it means to achieve “success”.
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
if Model Home is haunted inheritance, this one is aesthetic horror: beauty obsession turned bodily horror. it’s rage, hunger, policed desire turned preditory. again we explore themes of race, this time of Asian fetishization, womanhood and misoginy. to top it off, Kim’s clean and direct prose adds to the violence, only making it hit so much harder.
The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill
because i now need (or try) to include something set in Italy in each one of my lists, this time i’m proposing a mysterious tale set in Venice. a mysterious painting, with even more mysterious disappearances take us on a journey from Cambridge to Venice (and back again?). very phantom of the opera vibes, old school gothic ghost tale, even some dark academia aesthetics. very short as well if you’re wanting a break from heavy reads.
nonfiction
Sick Houses: Haunted Homes and the Architecture of Dread by Leila Taylor
a deep dive into the history of haunted houses in the horror genre. but this book goes beyond the supernatural: it provides research on the architecture that gives us spooky vibes (Victorian houses, overgrown properties) and its association with the witch, the serial killer, the evil types. this is the story os how homes, our safest spaces, can be turned into our worst nightmares.
How Monsters Went from Menacing to Misunderstood by Manvir Singh
when did monsters become so relatable? charming, even? before there were glittering vampires and heartthrob werewolves, monsters were considered sinful creatures, a threat to be defeated by handsome, pious heroes. so what happened? now that the lines have blurred, and monsters have acquired human emotions and sensibilities, we may have stepped into a moment where we no longer see hideous creatures as our enemies: it’s rather the human themselves, with real human capability for emotions and rationality, who have become the monsters.
The Making Of A New American Epidemic by Katharine S. Walter
true horror is the real devastation us humans cause all around us, wherever we go. it’s no different in the Mojave desert. new housing developments, along with golfs and attraction parks, are causing irreparable damage not only to nature but also to the new (and old) residents. Valley Fever is a disease that has been recorded there for decades, yet it has now developed at an alarming rate thanks to the non-stop dispersion of dust caused by the fast-growing communities and resorts being built. while it may not be the next global pandemic, this fungal infection has the potential to turn these new developments into deadly zones.
Monstrification by Surekha Davies
humans are the most monstruous monsters of all. throughout our history, dating back to at least classical times, the people in power (those with the most privileges) have gone out of their way to monstrify entire communities: the disabled, LGBTQ+, black people. making monsters out of those who were the most vulnerable. since monstrification is a tool of authoritarians, everyone should take the time to read this essay right now.
Monsters and Melancholics by Andrea Penman-Lomeli
a portrait of latin american writer Samantha Schweblin and her own particular brand of horror. Schweblin illustrates how evil is not external but internal, often created by ourselves, or self-imposed. with themes of melancholy and loss, her stories prove that the most horrific monsters are the ones lurking just below the surface of our minds.
films (longs et courts)
fin.
bree beauregard
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Absolutely obsessed with this list, I can't WAIT to dive into these. Horror is such a beautiful genre, I'm so glad to be exploring it more thoroughly now.