3 classic horror books for a spooky Halloween

When I was a little king my mother used to read to me and my sister horror books during stormy nights in our little village up the mountains in Granada. One may think that legends about headless horsemen and haunted hills are not the best way to entertain children, but I believe that listening to these stories helped to build my love for books and literature, especially horror novels.

I love reading spooky stories. I enjoy being afraid of turning my back while I am reading them, and I have spent entire nights reading a book because I was too afraid to put it down.

Here are 3 of my favourite horror books that I hope will keep you awake at night.

Dracula, by Bram Stoker

When he published his book 1897, Bram Stoker was not the first to write about vampires his masterpiece has shaped the vampire myth in our society and influenced many other books, movies and theatre plays.

Dracula, written as an epistolary novel, not only tells Count Vlad Drăculea’s story but also talks about the role of women, sexuality, immigration, colonialism and folklore in the Victorian era.

Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelly started writing the Victor Frankenstein’s story when she was 18 years old. Her intention was to write a philosophical tale about God and the powers of nature, however, her story was so terrifying that it soon became one of the most popular horror tales of all times.

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Frankenstein is much more than the story of a scientist obsessed with creating life and the monster he created. Underneath the horror, there is the subtler story of a monstrous creature who tries to overcome its deformity through language and reason.

The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James

Henry James’ chilling ghost story is considered by many critics one of the best horror tales of literature. In this novella about a young governess sent to a country house to take care of Miles and Flora, two orphans, James reaches a perfect between what he tells and what he suggests creating a haunting atmosphere.

The above is a small and very biased sample of what horror literature has to offer.  Let us know in the comments which ones are your favourite horror stories and why.