Four Horror Novels by Women to Devour this Halloween
After your intense women-led horror movie marathon, take a breath and open these horrifying page-turners to fuel your Halloween obsession.
FRANKENSTEIN
by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelly wrote the story of Dr Frankenstein and his monster, Adam, at the bold age of eighteen. Shelly’s story was also an addition to what was the growing genre of science fiction at the time by using the idea of producing life with a strike of insanity and lightening.
THE GOOD HOUSE
by Tananarive Due
Author of the African Immortals Series and winner of the American Book Award in 2002, Tananarive Due’s ‘The Good House’ is a reflection of her talent in paranormal horror. The book follows the story of a determined mother, desperate to find out the fate of her murdered son whilst facing the haunting remains of her family ties. The novel also contains themes surrounding the consequences of misusing magic and the power of heritage and family, along with many chilling supernatural occurrences.
FLEDGLING
by Octavia E. Butler
Butler has easily breathed life into the stale trend of vampire and ‘paranormal romance’ genre with her novel, ‘Fledging’ by creating a complex and interesting female protagonist with a matching and mysterious storyline. The idea of science-fiction vampires is very compelling and a wonderful reinvention of the favourite fictional creature with themes centred around race, gender, mental disability and what it means to be human.
THE DROWNING GIRL
by Caitlín R. Kiernan
Although most of Kiernan’s work leans more into dark fantasy, there are still plenty of chills to be had with her novel, The Drowning Girl. A rabbit-hole of a book that keeps the reader’s mind active with its dark and haunting themes as they delve into Imp’s schizophrenic mind as she desperately searches for the girl who is caught in the centre of Imp’s constantly morphing sense of reality.
