5 Spooky Books By Women To Read This Halloween
Thrillers, crime fiction, horror: conventionally, these genres have not been considered friendly to feminism. Too often, they contain ‘disempowering stereotypes of women as victims, hags or femmes fatales’.
Fortunately, many female writers seek to challenge these stereotypes, reclaiming the genre as a way to destabilise, rather than reinforce, the patriarchy.
Enjoy these 5 deliciously transgressive tales by female authors and have a happy, empowered Halloween!
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Genre: Gothic, dark romance
Synopsis: The novel’s unnamed protagonist is working as a lady’s maid with a bleak future spreading in front of her. So when she catches the attention of the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter, she is too delighted to question his hurried courtship and offer of marriage.
He whisks her away to the luxurious country estate of Manderley, but the new Mrs de Winter soon realises that the place is far from idyllic. The presence of Maxim’s first wife is everywhere on the estate. Even from beyond the grave, Rebecca is exercising her inescapable influence on the couple - and she isn’t going to let go easily.
Creepy Factor: 💀💀💀💀
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Genre: Science fiction, gothic
Synopsis: Victor Frankenstein is a scientist obsessed with the miracle of life. In an intricate but ghastly experiment, he endeavours to discover the nature of life itself by resurrecting a cobbled human corpse.
The resulting creation haunts him from the secluded Scottish coastline to the breath-taking lakes of Switzerland, forcing readers to question what exactly divides the human from the inhuman…
Creepy Factor: 💀💀💀
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
Genre: Short stories, fairytale retellings
Synopsis: The Bloody Chamber is a collection of dark, twisted and often contentious re-workings of famous fairy tales. Forget what you thought you knew about Beauty and the Beast or Little Red Riding Hood!
Covering sexuality, masculinity, family, feminism and the animalistic, this richly thought-provoking collection is sure to spark passionate debate.
Creepy Factor: 💀💀💀💀💀
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Genre: Gothic
Synopsis: Merricat, her sister Constance and Uncle Julian live together isolated from the village by suspicions that still surround the fatal poisoning of four of their family members.
This life suits Merricat just fine and she enjoys the comfortable routine of her days with Constance. However, the arrival of a well-meaning relative is set to disrupt their domestic serenity - and Merricat will go to any lengths to correct the balance…
Creepy Factor: 💀💀💀💀
The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel
Genre: Psychological thriller
Synopsis: When Lane’s mother commits suicide, she is invited to live with her estranged grandparents and cousin Allegra at Roanoke – their mysterious residence in a suffocating small town. On the surface, the family seems perfect. They are wealthy, rich, beautiful and charismatic.
Behind this, Lane discovers a harrowing family history of violent deaths, disappearances and dark secrets. After one summer, she becomes the only Roanoke girl to escape. However, eleven years later, when her cousin Allegra goes missing, Roanoke’s haunting secrets are clawing her back once more…
Creepy Factor: 💀💀💀
Written By: Florence Edwards