Welcome to another chapter in my on-going quest to read a ton of horror novels that are supposed to be good. In this entry, I’ve got a gory slice of teen lit terror, an imaginative collection of tales inspired by Caribbean folklore, a genre-defining vampire classic, an intense modern take on demon possession and a surrealist classic of Iranian fiction.
Also for those just joining me, this is my journey through the following “Best of” Horror lists:
Reedsy Discovery Best Horror Books
Stephen Jones & Kim Newman’s Horror: 100 Best Books
Stephen Jones & Kim Newman Horror: Another 100 Books
If you want to check out my previous entries, they can be found here:
Part 5 | Part 4 | Part 3 | Part 2 | Part 1
Anna Dressed In Blood (Kendare Blake, 2011)
List: Reedsy Discovery
This novel of a teen hunting down violent ghosts, while marketed to the YA lit crowd, is surprisingly gruesome in places with graphic depictions of people being ripped in half, dismembered, etc. The storyline is also pretty interesting albeit a little predictable. I had two significant issues with it though. One was the obnoxiousness of the narrator. His constant “I’m a misanthropic loner” routine got old very quickly and it comes across as fairly emo and angsty at times (which the narrator even acknowledges…doesn’t make it any less annoying though). The other big issue is that the actual relationship between the narrator and Anna just felt really rushed. It seemed like a lot happened between the pages the book doesn’t really feel like going into. Overall it was a decent quick read and probably a good one to get the younger audiences into horror fiction.
Skin Folk: Stories (Nalo Hopkinson 2001)
List: Reedsy Discovery
This one was quite interesting and very different than the type of book I normally read. Skin Folk is a bizarre, fascinating melting pot of Caribbean folklore, fantasy, sci-fi, horror and sexual frenzy used to explore themes of genre politics, racial and ethnic identity and other themes that can come across as heavy-handed if not handled properly. But Hopkinson knows what she’s doing. This is one I listened to the audiobook of and based on some of the reviews I looked up after I was done, I think that may actually be the way to go. Like Cormac McCarthy, it seems that Hopkinson uses odd cadence and format in her stories which may lead to difficulty in trying to focus on the content itself. But also it just feels appropriate to HEAR these stories given that many of them are told in the tradition of folk tales passed down through generations verbally. Stories like “Tam Tam and Dry Bone” have a certain flow to them when delivered aurally that I think wouldn’t work as well on the written page. Among the highlights includes “The Glass Bottle Trick”, a Bluebeard-esque story involving duppies (basically a kind of Caribbean ghost), “Ganger (Ball Lightning)”, a perverse sci-fi/horror story of an out-of-control sentient sex suit that ends on a touching note on the value of self-identity, a topic that “A Habit of Waste” also explores using a mild science fiction underpinning, and “Greedy Choke Puppy” which uses Caribbean vampires and werewolves to good effect. Certainly recommended for those looking for a collection of unique genre stories that explore headier themes. Word of warning though. A couple stories in here have EXTREMELY graphic sexual content, so you know… If you’re sensitive to that kind of thing, buyer beware.
Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice, 1976)
List: NPR & Reedsy Discovery
Here we are. The book that launched a thousand supernatural romance novels. Without Anne Rice, we would not have been graced with wonders like the Twilight series. But how does this one stack up to the heaps of trash that came after (and yes, I’m aware this isn’t the first gothic vampire romance novel but it certainly spawned tons of imitators in a time where the genre was all but extinct)? Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. Rice has a talent for building a sense of place pretty well but man, the characters are just so unlikable. The lead vampire Louis is beyond emo and definitely foreshadows the mopey ‘woe is me’ antics of Twilight’s Edward. Also it seems like Lestat was kind of a fan favorite breakout from this novel despite being…displaced… for a significant chunk in the middle, but I honestly can’t figure out why. He acts almost like a child, mean-spirited one moment and sulking and whiny the next. Claudia, the little girl turned into a vampire, was the most interesting character but also introduces some creepy pedo vibes to the proceedings that makes for an uncomfortable read for the wrong reasons. I personally didn’t care for it a great deal, but I suppose I can see its appeal amongst a particular fanbase. It’s certainly better than Twilight anyway.
Come Closer (Sara Gran, 2003)
List: NPR & Reedsy Discovery
This short novel is the first hand account of a woman who fears she is being possessed by a demon. I actually thought it was very good with some genuinely scary sequences and a tragic core that really made you feel for the protagonist. It’s also interesting as a subtle parable of female empowerment suppressed and taken advantage of but first and foremost, it is suffocating at times and deeply sad. This actually makes for a nice companion piece with Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts.
The Blind Owl (Sadegh Hedayat, 1936)
List: Jones/Newman
What a grim, strange novella this was… The first half is a surreal journey into the headspace of an emotionally stunted and tormented man, dismembering and burying the corpse of a mysterious woman he espied through a hole in a wall. The second half reveals the truth of what actually transpired. It’s a fascinating book with nightmarish imagery and a strong core of sadness twisted by neglect. This was a brisk read that I found very engaging. Strongly recommended.