Reading with teafortiffany

Hello friends!!!

Welcome back to my exploration of the Horror Genre and my second book that at the time of writing this blog, I considered to be a horror novel. Horror is not a genre I have read a lot of in the past and if you’d like to read my little dive into what horror is please read the Book 1 blog post.

For todays post, I’m looking a bit more at some (specifically 3) of the different subgenre’s of horror. Keep in mind, I might be wrong about what I write here. This is just what I’ve found exploring and looking for more information. I, in no way, am trying to pretend to be an expert. If I am wrong, please let me know. That is all part of the learning process.

1. Body Horror

Looking for a grotesque transformation of the human body? Look no further than this particular sub-genre of horror. Typically, this subgenre looks to make the human body twisted and warped in potentially unfathomable ways. This can be a transformation into another creature or the disfiguration/mutilation of various parts of the body. This can be done through tools, disease, parasites, and all other manner of spooky or awful ways. In the end, what connects this genre is the body.

Some Examples (from the internet)

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2. Slasher

We know this genre quite well through movies and video games. The madman who goes after a group of teens at a campground. The group of friends out on a camping trip meticulously picked off one by one by some unknown in the dark. This is the genre that preys on the fears of violence brought forth by (usually) a human entity. These are your serial killers and sociopaths. We’ve seen this time and time again, for me, mostly in film format. From American Psycho to I Know What You Did Last Summer. It’s not so different in literature. I can’t think of a single Slasher book that I’ve read or even an example of one. To the internet!

Some Examples (from the internet)

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3. Supernatural Horror

What’s more terrifying than the things that you can’t explain? For me, this is a scary genre. You can’t explain what will happen because it defies logic. It’s what goes bump in the night. It’s why, as a teen, I used to turn on all the lights in the house if I was home alone. On the other hand, I love the supernatural for many of the same reasons (as long as it doesn’t try to kill me). Here you have demons, vampires, ghosts, witches, sorcerers etc. Magic is the only explanation for the unexplained. You get cults, you get Victorian murder victims, you get insane asylums and cursed woods. It’s a wide variety but the main theme is that you cannot explain it.

Some Examples (from the internet)

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There are, of course, many other subgenres than the three that I have listed above. These were just three I picked out for this particular blog post. I wanted to do some exploration but also leave room for the book itself and a discussion about what I read and how I felt. Next time, I would like to explore three more subgenres. I found that looking for examples of particular subgenres for this post actually helped me find new potential books to try in the future. I’ll need to visit my local library and see what I can find!

This time, I chose to read a book by an author I have read frequently and know that I enjoy the writing style of. I want to give horror the best shot and for this second book what better way than by experiencing the genre the words of someone who has proven themselves to me book after book?

This novel features the story of a woman who goes back home to South Carolina to spend time with her mother after her job at a dig site was delayed. She finds that her mother is acting strange and even stranger was the lack of wildlife found in the backyard. This story takes us through the unnerving movements happening within the house and dives into the importance of family.

This book took a bit for me I’ll be honest. It was a slow build-up but once I got into the thick of it, I finished the book. There was no other option. This book had creepy plants and bird. I’ve never been so creeped out by lady bugs before. It had family tension and a fat protagonist! It also portrayed that unease of returning to your childhood home, especially one that holds less than fond memories. I enjoyed the characters and the point of view of our main lady. She had insecurities despite being successful in her field of study. She was worried and anxious and cared about her mother and what was happening in the home. I could relate to all of that.

But things get weird in the house. Because this is a horror book. I felt creeped out. I felt uncomfortable. I imagined things I didn’t want to imagine. And I enjoyed it. For me, this was a solid book and a story worth reading. I might be a bit biased because this is an author that is an auto-buy for me, but what does it matter. If I’m going on vibes, the vibes are good.

As far as my horror genre exploration goes, this book was a step in the right direction. It made me uneasy and creeped out (occasionally a bit grossed out) but I wanted to finish the story. I wanted to see how it all ends and I especially wanted to see how the bumps in the night would manifest themselves in the end. I was not disappointed. In the theme of subgenres, I believe this one safely fits under the supernatural subgenre. For the next one, I think I’ll need to dig into a different subgenre. If you have any recommendations, leave them down below!! Until next time!

Bye friends!!!