Akron's Spooky Season is Here, But is Your Reading List Ready for the Chills?
As the vibrant hues of autumn paint the landscape, Akron embraces the spirit of Halloween. From the enchanting corn maze at Szalay's Sweet Corn Farm to the eerie plastic skeletons adorning homes, it's clear that this city is embracing the season's spooky charm. But amidst the excitement, a crucial question arises: Are you prepared to dive into the world of horror and thriller literature?
Exploring the Boundaries of Fear: A Journey Beyond the Ordinary
To me, horror transcends the typical bumps in the night. It delves into the terrifying possibilities that could infiltrate our everyday lives, even if the odds are slim. Acknowledging these possibilities is enough to ignite a slow-burning anxiety. This month's Words on the Street aims to not only bring the haunted house trope to life but also to remind us that horror often lurks in the familiar, the seemingly attainable.
Akron's Spooky Adventure: A Reading List to Keep You Up at Night
"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson
Meet Merricat Blackwood, an eighteen-year-old narrator with an unforgettable voice. She describes her world with a childlike whimsy that contrasts sharply with the claustrophobic and unsettling atmosphere she creates. Merricat is the only link the wealthy Blackwood family has to the outside world, and this world is not kind to them. This brief yet powerful novel will leave an indelible mark, much like Jackson's renowned short story, "The Lottery." It's not what's explicitly said but rather the implications and suggestions that make this book so unnerving.
"The Honeys" by Ryan La Sala
Imagine the cult-like rituals and exploitation of grief depicted in the movie "Midsommar," but set in a world of generational wealth and subtle commentary on gender roles. This is the backdrop for La Sala's slow-burn young adult horror novel. Our protagonist, the gender-fluid Mars, survives a murder attempt by their twin sister, Caroline. To unravel the mystery behind Caroline's sudden violent behavior, Mars returns to the Aspen Conservancy, a summer camp in upstate New York. There, Mars encounters the Honeys, a group of girls Caroline had been spending time with. As Mars delves deeper, they realize the cost of understanding may be their own sanity.
"We Used to Live Here" by Marcus Kliewer
For those who grew up devouring the "Goosebumps" and "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" series, this book promises to rekindle that chilling fear. Eve and Charlie, a young queer couple, stumble upon a massive, dilapidated old house on a secluded Oregon street. The deal is too good to be true, and soon enough, a family arrives at their doorstep, claiming they used to live there. What starts as a simple request for a 15-minute visit turns into an unsettling ordeal, playing on the paranoia we all experience.
"I Who Have Never Known Men" by Jacqueline Harpman (translated by Ros Schwartz)
Sometimes, the scariest scenarios are those that seem so far-fetched, we never consider them until real-life events force us to confront them. This science fiction novel, first published in 1995 and reprinted in 2022, feels disturbingly relevant today. It tells the story of 40 women living underground in a cage, monitored by male guards who are forbidden to speak to them. These women cannot touch each other and are not allowed to die by their own hands. Their memories of life before the cage are fading, and the world outside is a distant memory. This book leaves a lasting sense of unease, as the women's escape leads to a realization of their defenselessness in a world they no longer recognize.
"The Monster at the End of This Book" by Jon Stone
Featuring the lovable muppet Grover, this book invites readers on a journey to discover the monster at the end. As the story progresses, Grover's pleas to avoid the monster become more intense, and his attempts to stop the reader from flipping forward become increasingly desperate. He tries everything from nailing the pages together to tying them to a brick wall. Ultimately, the monster is revealed to be none other than Grover himself, a twist that is both hilarious and nostalgic for adult readers who can now share this beloved story with their children.
And There You Have It: Akron's Spooky Season Reading List
These books offer a range of horror and thriller experiences, from the subtle and psychological to the outright terrifying. So, as Akron embraces the spooky season, ensure your reading list is equally prepared for a thrilling adventure. But here's the real question: Are you brave enough to dive into these stories? And this is the part most people miss: horror is not just about the monsters; it's about the human experience and the terrifying possibilities that exist within it.
What do you think? Are you ready to explore these books and share your thoughts? Let's discuss in the comments!
