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As a horror novel fan, sometimes the genre definitely solidifies the fact that horror can sometimes be a mood rather than a distinct genre with specific characteristics. A book labeled horror could range from horrifying serial killer thriller to mildly unsettling soft sci-fi adventure and anything in between. That’s why it’s often hard to recommend horror books that please everyone: no one’s perception of the genre is the same. I’ve picked up numerous recommendations only to find it wasn’t the kind of horror I expected or the horror aspects were misconstrued in the summary, leaving me disappointed.
But sometimes a weird little horror book that doesn’t have a real solid genre home is exactly what hits the spot. I love an oddball book, something that doesn’t necessarily fit in a subgenre quite right. Too scary for regular fiction, not scary enough for the horror buffs, not thrilling enough for a thriller. These in-betweeners can be just as entertaining and unsettling as any other horror novel. In fact, they can sometimes be more unsettling because you’re not expecting it as tensions rise and dread creeps up your spine.
If that’s the kind of book you’re in the mood for, look no further! Here are eight great weird horror novels to lean into that feeling of being unsettled for no discernable reason. Enjoy!
Chlorine by Jade Song
Ren Yu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, has loved the water and stories of mermaids swimming within since she was a child. Now in high school, she’s on her school’s competitive swim team aiming to be the best and get a scholarship to secure her place at a university while also navigating teenage hormones, a crush on one of her teammates Cathy, and a deeper and deeper obsession with perfection.
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
An unnamed young female artist is the main character of this weird horror novel. She is an artist raising her young son while her husband is traveling for work. At the brink of her sanity, she starts noticing strange things about her body: new hair and differently shaped (much sharper?) teeth. As the changes take over her body, she’s caught wondering what’s happening to her and if this new form was who she was meant to be.
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
After nightmares of bloody scenes cause Yeong-hye to become a vegetarian, her family tries to intervene, attempting to force her back into the conventional meat-eating lifestyle. The more they push, though, the more resolute Yeong-hye becomes, pulling further and further away from what’s considered the norm in society around her.
We Spread by Iain Reid
After the death of her partner, an accident forces artist Penny into a senior living facility to keep her safe. Luckily, her partner made arrangements for her to get a room at Six Cedars, an intimate community of fellow artists. The longer she stays, though, the more her mind seems to be slipping from her. Is that just the aging process or is something causing her to lose her grasp on reality?
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
After the death of her son Santiago, Magos sneaks a piece of his lung, unable to let him go fully. Keeping it in a jar, the lung starts to…grow? And then becomes a spitting image of her dead son, whom she names Monstrilio. As Monstrilio grows, his monstrous side wars with his human side, and the family’s fragile state only worsens.
The Fisherman by John Langan
Coworkers Abe and Dan are both widowed and still reckoning with their individual losses at the start of this novel. Hoping a fishing trip might help them process their feelings and bond in their shared pain, the pair set off for some peaceful time on the water of Dutchman’s Creek. They go despite warnings by a local that something odd lurks in the water there.
Universal Harvester by John Darnielle
Working at a Video Hut in small-town Iowa isn’t the most exciting job for Jeremy. But when customers start to return their VHS with complaints of odd footage in the middle of their films, Jeremy’s confused by the black and white scenes seemingly stuck in the middle of otherwise normal movies. The footage is strange, full of heavy breathing and a sinister barn that looks similar to one on the outskirts of town. Worried someone is or was in danger, Jeremy tries to find out more. But how did the footage get there and why was it filmed in the first place?
Bunny by Mona Awad
The story follows Samantha Mackey, a sort-of-outcast student of the MFA program in New England with only one fellow loner to call a friend. The rest of their cohort are rich, cliquey girls who call each other bunny in a way Samantha likes to make fun of. But when Samantha gets an invite to join the group of giggling girls who seemingly move in unison at times, she can’t resist a peak behind the curtain. What’s back there, though, might just change her whole perception of what’s real.
In the mood for more weird horror novels? Check out these unconventional horror novels or these polarizing horror novels!