Halloween is over, but some people still want to bask in the aftereffects of the scary season. Here are five books that are guaranteed to help you out:
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The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty:
“The terror began unobtrusively. Noises in Regan’s room, an odd smell, misplaced furniture, and icy chill. Small annoyances for which Chris MacNeil, Regan’s actress mother, easily found explanations. The changes in eleven-year-old Regan were so gradual, too, that Chris did not recognise for some time how much her daughter’s behaviour had altered. Even when she did, the medical tests which followed shed no light on Regan’s symptoms, which grew more severe and frightening. It was almost as if a different personality had invaded the child…”
My 2 Cents: Whether or not you’ve watched the movie adaptation, this book is definitely something! It gradually draws you in, and it does so in an eerie-but-not-too-gory manner. Which is a good thing.
2. The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe:
“… Toledo Prison is notorious for the torture of the condemned. What minds have dreamed up the terror of the pit in the center of the cell? What is the significance of the painted figure of Time with his menacing pendulum? Why do the walls glow with heat? Experience with the narrator the intensity of his suffering when death seems inevitable but its form uncertain. Can anything, or anybody, help him?”
My 2 Cents: This one is brief, and it’s very loosely based on the Spanish Inquisition. Here, Poe makes extensive use of his artistic license. So, if you’re a stickler for historical authenticity, you might want to skip this. That said, this book focuses largely on building a fearful atmosphere, which is essential in any scary story.
3. Pet Sematary by Stephen King:
“… When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, it all seems too good to be true: physician father, beautiful wife, charming little daughter, adorable infant son—and now an idyllic home. As a family, they’ve got it all…right down to the friendly cat.
But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth—more terrifying than death itself…and hideously more powerful.”
My 2 Cents: Like most Stephen King books, this one will read fast. It is creepy – intensely so – and that’s part of the appeal for me. I reckon you’ll enjoy it too.
4. Goth by Otsuichi:
“Someone had taken apart her body in the forest. Her eyes, tongue, ears, thumbs, organs–each was nailed to a tree.
One tree had, from top to bottom: the left big toe, the upper lip, the nose, and the stomach. Another had other bits of her arranged like Christmas tree decorations.
The murder was soon the talk of the nation…”
My 2 Cents: This is a very twisted book. It’s also creepy, and horrifying, but hard to put down. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but if you do read it, it’ll leave a very lasting impression. It also has a manga adaptation, which has less of an impact, but is still very worthwhile.
5. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson:
“Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears…”
My 2 Cents: There isn’t a lot mystery attached to who did what in this story. However, the brilliant-albeit-disturbing nature of the plot is something to behold. Needless to say, this one’s a keeper!
*All quotes were taken from Goodreads