Weekend Writing: Best Horror Books to Read on Halloween
Happy Halloween! This year's Halloween traditions might be a little different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You might not be able to go trick-or-treating or attend a Halloween costume party with friends. But there are some traditions that we can still participate in, including watching scary movies and reading horror novels on Halloween.
Literature can be moving, and it's an artistic experience. Talented writers create exciting, life-changing scenarios and emotions for readers, expanding our understanding of other people and ourselves.
But books can also scare us. Horror novels are often underappreciated in literary canons. They're seen as not "literary" or "real books" because they're scary. However, just because a book is scary doesn't mean it's not captivating and well-crafted. In fact, some of the best writers throughout history are horror writers (Stephen King, for example).
Horror books surprise us, shock us to our inner core, and leave us breathless. They're so exciting that we can't wait to keep reading. We read one chapter after another.
But what are some of the best horror books, you ask? Take a look at five horror books worth reading on Halloween. Warning: You might want to read with the lights on with these books. They're certainly spooky!
1. "The Shining" - Stephen King
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| Stephen King's 1977 horror book, The Shining (photo/Barnes & Noble). |
Stephen King is known as the "King of Horror." I could probably write an entire blog post just about his books (which I might do that next year, who knows?). His books define the horror genre, including Carrie, Pet Sematary, It, The Stand, Cujo, Christine, and many others. I recommend all of his books.
However, King's 1977 horror book, The Shining, is a rare novel that pulls readers in immediately. It has a simple premise: Jack Torrance has a new job at the Overlook Hotel. It's a chance for a fresh start, and he hopes to have some time to reconnect with his family and work on his writing. However, as the harsh winter weather sets in, the hotel turns sinister. What's going on inside this hotel?
Before readers even know what's happening, they're racing down the hallways of the hotel, throwing balls at the wall, and more. The creepy hotel begs readers to open up their imaginations. King provided a compelling, haunted look at a man's descent into madness. If you have seen the 1980 film starring Jack Nicholson, you'll be in for a treat with King's novel, which is even more nuanced and scary than the movie.
2. "Dracula" - Bram Stoker
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| Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel, Dracula (photo/Alma Books). |
In Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula, readers meet the most famous vampire of all time: Dracula. Yes, before there were the Cullens in Twilight, there was Dracula. He roams from Transylvania to England to suck the blood of innocent people. Stoker molded the vampire story into the genre that we know it as. Dracula is a dark tale about superstition, sexuality, danger, aristocracy, and horror that you typically don't find in today's novels.
That's what makes it a classic. It takes readers down an evil and twisted storyline. It perfectly blends gore, horror, and romance into a well-crafted novel you can't resist. If you're tired of Twilight and modern vampire tales, return to the classic. It doesn't get any better than Dracula.
3. "Frankenstein" - Mary Shelley
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| Mary Shelley's 1823 Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein (photo/Penguin Random House). |
Mary Shelley's 1823 novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, might just be the best Gothic horror book ever written. The story of Dr. Frankenstein and his tragic monster has become a pop culture icon. Originally, Shelley wanted to write a book that would "speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror -- one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart."
I think everyone can agree that Shelley accomplished her goals. Frankenstein was definitely creepy in 1823 and it's still scary today. Dr. Victor Frankenstein has one mission: to synthesize a grotesque humanoid. However, Dr. Frankenstein eventually abandons his monster, leaving him to stumble through the world. Along the way, he's chaotic.
Some people might think the monster is the villain of the story, but he's a lot like most humans. He feels, loves, and suffers. He's the victim of Dr. Frankenstein's abuse. Shelley brilliantly created a story that showed readers that we are the real villains. We are the horror. We are the monster.
4. "The Haunting of Hill House" - Shirley Jackson
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| Shirley Jackson's 1959 Gothic horror novel, The Haunting of Hill House (photo/Main Street Pop In). |
Sometimes, the setting can be its own character in a story. That much is true in Shirley Jackson's 1959 Gothic horror novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Haunted houses are popular settings for stories, but Jackson's novel is better than most. A parapsychologist invites a group of volunteers to stay at an old mansion that has a bloody mystery. He hopes to uncover supernatural clues, but things turn horrific when every guest is confronted by scary phenomena.
The novel has so many scares inside the house, but readers are also scared by the claustrophobia the characters experience. We sense this fear and we're able to put ourselves right in the characters' shoes. The book's unreliable narrator, Eleanor, descends into madness and we're right there with her. It's slow and excruciating, which leaves readers on the edge of their seats.
5. "Rosemary's Baby" - Ira Levin
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| Ira Levin's 1966 novel, Rosemary's Baby (photo/Goodreads). |
My favorite horror books are psychological thrillers. Ira Levin's 1966 novel, Rosemary's Baby, packs on the terror. It's essentially the story of a young woman who becomes pregnant after a nightmare, but things turn spooky when the baby's father isn't the woman's husband but a demonic spirit. Most babies are precious little angels, but Rosemary's baby is the Antichrist.
Readers feel bad for the struggling young couple who don't know what to do. The novel brilliantly ties into the terror but also the emotional uncertainty of the situation. Rosemary clearly loves her baby (because she's a mother), but they're living in a nightmare. What can they do? Levin expertly crafted a story that will keep you up at night.
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There are several more classic, exciting horror books you can read, including:
- All of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories and poems, including "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Fall of the House of Usher"
- House of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
- Penpal, Dathan Auerbach
- The Girl Next Door, Jack Ketchum
- Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
- Hell House, Richard Matheson
- Haunted, Chuck Palahnuik
- Bird Box, Josh Malerman
- My Best Friend's Exorcism, Grady Hendrix
- Gothic Tales, Elizabeth Gaskell
- Carmilla, J. Sheridan Le Fanu
- The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
- At the Mountains of Madness, H.P. Lovecraft
- Rebecca, Daphne de Maurier
- I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
- Psycho, Robert Bloch
- Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
- Ghost Story, Peter Straub
- The Woman in Black, Susan Hill
- The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
- Coraline, Neil Gaiman
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