Ah, October. The spookiest month. A time when the veil is thin and leaves are crunchy. If you’re a horror enthusiast, you know that this month is your month. If you’re looking for a break from Stephen King and Shirley Jackson, or want to explore the magnificent voices of people of color in the horror and dark fantasy genres, we’ve got the list for you.
Beloved, Toni Morrison: A gothic horror staple, Morrison excavates the relationship between memory, terror, and the legacy of slavery in the United States. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel follows the family of Sethe after their escape from slavery and subsequent establishment in a haunted house in Ohio. Time slips and turns in on itself as the family members are forced to confront twisted monsters, both past and present in this awe- inspiring tour- de- force from one of the world’s most beloved (haha) authors.
Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor: This futuristic dark fantasy novel from the supremely imaginative mind of Nnedi Okorafor follows Onyesonwu as she travels across a post- apocalyptic Africa. Born from a brutal tragedy, Onye soon realizes that she is special-- magic, even. During an inadvertent visit to the spirit realm, Onye learns that she is being hunted and must embark on a journey during which she must come to terms with, not only her would- be- murderer but her own past.
The Day the Sun Died, Yan Lianke: In this inventive novel, Lianke tells the story of the strange happenings in a small village-- all over the course of less than 24 hours. Niannian, a 14 year old boy, narrates as the village’s residents succumb to an unexplained form of somnambulism. Plunged into a liminal state between wakefulness and sleeping, the village sees hundreds of unexplained, sometimes violent deaths. A completely unique tale, The Day the Sun Died presents its readers with the dreamy horrors of a town caught in a waking nightmare.
Fledgling, Octavia Butler: From the oeuvre of the Queen of Sci Fi comes the vampire novel to end all vampire novels. Fledgling follows Shori, a 53 year old member of the Ina, a nocturnal, supernaturally strong species that survives by drinking blood. It’s not all bad for humans though, as developing a symbiotic relationship with an Ina can extend their lifespan up to 200 years. The story kicks off when Shori wakes in a razed village with no memory of how she got there.
Things We Lost In the Fire: Stories, Mariana Enriquez: If you’re looking for a short story collection to send shivers down your spine, look no further. Internationally acclaimed author Mariana Enriquez sets her version of Argentina ablaze with dark, macabre magic. Each story carves out the brutal heart of memory and violence. Strangeness, compassion, and the pitch-black parts of humanity weave their way through her work the precision of a master
Mongrels, Stephen Graham Jones: In his haunting, dreamy coming of age story, Graham Jones digs deep into the past and present of a werewolf family struggling to survive on the fringes of a society that hates them. The story follows a nameless narrator, the boy at the center of a story that spans a decade, as his family wonders if he will be like them, or something worse. Funny and grimy, the horror genius of Graham Jones is on full display in this highly acclaimed novel.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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