As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, reading a good book can be a helpful way to welcome the autumn weather and Halloween festivities. From contemporary novels to classic short stories, this list is un-gourd-gettable.
“The Secret History”
“The Secret History” will transport you right into the peak of autumn as you follow a group of six peculiar students. The group connects through their studies in ancient Greek, an extremely selective program that few students get to participate in. This separates them from the rest of the student body and creates a tight-knit bond between them. However, their studies go too far, resulting in blackmail, lies and, worst of all, death.
Written by Donna Tartt and published in 1992, the novel remains remembered as a catalyst for the sub-genre, “dark academia.” Tartt wrote the novel based on the setting of Bennington College; she is also said to have pulled much inspiration from the Greek tragedy “The Bacchae.”
“Coraline”
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
The film “Coraline” is quite popular in the media, but the novel is a hidden gem. Both closely follow the same storyline of a young girl getting trapped in “the other world,” where every aspect of her life appears to be better, but comes with the price of having her eyes sewn shut with buttons. Readers and viewers follow Coraline as she fights her way back to her original universe. However, the process of reading the novel creates a different effect. It adds a darker tone and a thrilling psychological element to the plot.
Author Neil Gaiman published the novel in 2002. Henry Selick later adapted the novel into a film in 2009.
“Frankenstein”
“Frankenstein” is a classic, must-read novel. It follows Victor Frankenstein, a student fascinated by biology and has ambitions to recreate life. Perhaps spurred by the recent death of his mother, Frankenstein takes his experiment too far, resulting in the creation of a hodgepodge of different body parts — “the creature.” Soon after his creation, the creature is abandoned by Frankenstein and fends for itself. With a lack of communication skills and maturity, the creature struggles quite a bit to find his footing. Jaded by his abandonment, the creature soon seeks revenge on Frankenstein and his family, resulting in loss and destruction.
Written by Mary Shelly in 1818, critics consider the novel transformative of Gothic literature.
“The October Country”
This series of short stories encompasses 19 dark and grim short stories. The collection is great for storytelling around a bonfire or for a hair-raising late-night read. The plots of the short stories differ greatly, from losing connection to the outside world and unwanted guests in the house to a newborn baby orchestrating a murder and supernatural phenomena.
Written by Ray Bradbury and published in 1955, it’s been a fan favorite for decades — amassing a 4.10/5 rating on Goodreads with over 21,000 ratings. The stories seem to transcend the passing of time, connecting generations through the spirit of Halloween and a shared love for horror.
