5 Great Folk Horror Novels

Here I am again. Here I am talking about folk horror...

We have covered books, we have covered films and we have even covered short stories. Now it is time for novels to get their own little section and unfortunately enough for me, I have already included the horrifying Starve Acre in one of the lists so it will not be making an appearance here.

Hopefully, you know by now that I am and have mostly been, a huge fan of folk horror for a long, long time. Folk horror is basically what happens when you combine all those fears of the primitive and cultish and keep crossing them over with those countryside atmospheres, the weird stories that have been told for centuries and beliefs so absurd they might just be true. From what goes bump in the night to the monsters underneath your bed, folk horror has always been close to my heart because of its ability to communicate our most primal fears.

In no particular order then, here are five folk horror novels you can read for a truly terrifying Halloween season. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and I also hope you find them as twisted as I had found them.

5 Great Folk Horror Novels

1. Tyll: A Novel by Daniel Kehlmann

Some people would not class this as a folk horror, but I think that this book gets as folk horror as it could possibly get. A medieval legend placed into the 17th century - a boy grows up and must flee his home wiht a baker's daughter. He runs in with several interesting characters then on whilst maintaining his trickster façade. After this, we encounter what brutal moments of history Tyll must face and ultimately, we are left with one of the great novels of the 21st century - let alone a great example of modern folk horror.

2. Water Shall Refuse Them by Lucie McKnight Hardy

It's 1976 and Nif and her family move to another home to escape the grief of the accidental death of Nif's sister. Nif gains an interest in black magic and witchcraft, bringing her none of the rest she needed. When she meets a boy who takes an interest in her, they both bring with them secrets that may terrify each other. A water-based folk horror, this is one of those where I ask you why you haven't read it yet. Lucie McKnight Hardy is one of the most fascinating names in folk horror today.

3. All the Murmuring Bones by A.G Slatter

Based on a deal from long ago, this water-based folk horror shows us the classic Faustian pact. When a deal is struck for the return of ships safely in exchange for one child from each generation, it takes Miren to try to break the spell. But first she must find out who she is, and that means going on a horrifying, dark and dangerous adventure. Folk horror blended with dark fantasy, A.G Slatter makes a great case for sitting down this winter and enjoying how this atmospheric novel unfolds.

4. Gingerbread by Robert Dinsdale

It is winter in Belarus when a boy goes to scatter his mother's ashes in the woods where she was once a young girl. Promising to protect his grandfather as his mother's last wish, she has left small tokens to help him do so. His grandfather tells stories of magic and the real world keeps getting smaller and smaller. When secrets come out of the woods though, reality and fantasy collide in this brilliant work of woodland-based folk horror. This is a modern classic that you can really get lost in. Written beautifully, Robert Dinsdale weaves atmosphere and story together like a dark and twisted fairy tale.

5. Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

Now, let me just say that Ottessa Moshfegh is one of my all-time favourite writers at the moment. Her books Death in Her Hands and Eileen are excellent examples of why she should be considered a classic author of our own age. Lapvona is probably my favourite by her though because it is actually really quite frightening. Marek is abused by his father and never knew his mother, living in the town of Lapvona, Marek often acts out and only bonds with a few people. Blinded by faith-based terrors as stated by Father Barnabas, the people around him treat him badly and mark him as an outcasted child. Inequality soars as the church contains riches that the town could only dream of and yet, the little Marek gains access to the lord's family. Step by step, we learn about new horrors that will be unleashed in violence and anger.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoy some more folk horror reading as recommended here. These books are an excellent place to start in your journey, each of them folk horror and each of them so different to the next.