book reviews
Book reviews for horror fans; weather a sleepless night with literary accounts of hauntings, possessions, zombies, vampires and beyond.
Mary and the Monster
Mary, Mary quite scary, how does your writing go? With lightning strikes and cadaver parts, and pretty skulls all in a row. Mary Godwin’s mother made her a writer, but didn’t live long enough to raise her. Mary Wollstonecraft, a girl who had always argued that women were meant for more than the home and confinement bed died there, her very womb poisoning her from the inside out. Mary had been born of death, a fact she never really could forget.
By Aliza Dube7 years ago in Horror
The Ambiguous Mary Shelley: Friend or Foe
Over the course of two centuries Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has risen serious questions about science, life, morality and what makes a human. These questions can be argued and have been as to whether or not Shelly leaves us with satisfying answers by the end of the novel. By creating both Victor Frankenstein and the creature Shelley rises the most debated question of who is the true monster between the two. Lawrence Lipking however highlights the other side of the debate by mentioning the questions Shelley leaves us with such as “is Victor an idealistic hero or a destructive egotist? is the creature a natural man or an unnatural monster? what moral are we to draw from this strange story?” (Lipking 422-423). Lipking’s essay entitled Frankenstein, The True Story discusses that Shelley simply rises unheard of and profound questions especially for her time but leaves us with no satisfying answer for any of them. In contrast to Lipking I believe Shelley’s answers are ambiguous and are satisfying to an audience because of it.
By Bridget Barnes7 years ago in Horror
A Filmmaker's Guide to the American Gothic Genre
The American Gothic needs to be understood in the following ways: What it is The Sub-Genres Examples The most important thing is to note that you cannot understand the American Gothic by simply watching films; you also need to read around and have a look at how it has been portrayed before the time that movies began.
By Annie Kapur7 years ago in Horror
Monks, Scientists, and Demons… Oh My!
Religion and science finally collide to portray two very different and horrific interpretations of the super natural and what it means to be obsessed with the temptation of the unknown. Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, and Matthew Lewis, the author of The Monk, both capture the horror of temptation and the pursuit of uncovering the unknown in their 18th century gothic literature classics. Amongst embarking on a literary exploration in an effort to expose the stakes of gothic literature in present day, this paper will compare and contrast Victor, from Frankenstein, and Ambrosio, from The Monk, to illustrate how gothic literature represents obsession and temptation through the frameworks of science and religion.
By Chelsea Fos7 years ago in Horror
My Favorite Forgotten Stephen King Books
Hello, and welcome back to Second Chances where I'm brave enough to give another look at the maligned and forgotten. It's hard to believe that the foremost horror author of modern times Stephen King has been writing for over fifty years now. I first got into him thanks to the movie The Shining. I know he didn't like Kubrick's adaptation, but it did get me to read the book. And guess what? They're both awesome, just in different ways!
By Adam Wallace7 years ago in Horror
4 Must Read Books for Thriller/Suspense Writers & Lovers to Read ASAP
Books—can't get enough of them, personally. When I die, turn my ashes into the paper for book pages. Now, you may not be as intense as I am (not a bad thing), but books can be both entertaining and full of inspiration. I'm a writer and an avid reader, and I tend to focus on the horror, thriller, and mystery genres. What can I say? I like a good scare. If you're looking for a killer read or something to inspire your writing, here are five books I think you need to read ASAP and why.
By Mia Petitti7 years ago in Horror
Book Review: 'The Death of Mrs.Westaway'
From the writer of the #1 New York Times, bestselling author of The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware comes The Death Of Mrs. Westaway. A fictional thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout the whole book. Hal, the character in the book is a tarot reader who doesn't really believe in what she does. Then one day she receives a letter in the mail saying she's been named in a will of a woman she knows nothing of. Broke and scared of the loan shark coming after her, she takes the opportunity to get some money but ends up getting a lot more than she bargained for. This book captures you so quickly and keeps you turning the pages till the very end. If you enjoy thrillers, this is the book for you.
By Dagny Desiree7 years ago in Horror
'Drink Some Champagne, Flirt with a Hardbody, Find Some Blow'
For the first time so far, this chapter really belongs to Price in that we see a completely different side to him and so, a completely different side to the Wall Street socialite "stereotype" that we’ve been shown in the first four chapters. Don’t get me wrong, this chapter is still riddled with all the things you’d expect to find in a New York nightclub filled with rich, white businessmen, that being tuxedos, expensive drinks, a "Chandelier Room," and of course, cocaine.
By Sam Cheesman7 years ago in Horror
Best Psychological Thriller Books of 2018
What I love most about well-rounded psychological thrillers, whether it be a movie, TV show, or book, are the growing conflicts that arise alongside the characterization of each individual. It can almost be addicting: the electrifying rush that accompanies the rising buildup, followed by the even more spellbinding conclusion, which usually reveals the most elegant picture of the pieces you have collected throughout you read. That is, if it's truly thrilling and psychological.
By Gerald Oppugne8 years ago in Horror
'You Should Stop Reading All Those Ted Bundy Biographies'
This chapter seems relatively pointless in regards to the narrative of the book. Oddly, however, I think this is the point. Ellis wants us to sit through the pointless exchanges between Bateman and his associates to establish a real difference between us as readers and the character archetypes that he has given us. Because this chapter is just one big irrelevant exchange about unimportant things. But to Bateman, the topics covered at Harry's (a gentleman's club) are of the utmost importance.
By Sam Cheesman8 years ago in Horror
