Tag Archives: horror

The Shining by Stephen King

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In the 1977 horror novel The Shining, Jack Torrance is hired as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, and was invited to stay there with his family during the rough season. Seen as how Jack was battling against a past drinking addiction that put him and his wife in conflict, this was a perfect chance for the family to get closer. However, his five year old son, Danny Torrance, has a psychic ability called “the shining,” which allowed him to sense that the Overlook Hotel is a place of danger. Despite this, the Torrances, needing the money, continued with their plan to go there, leading to a journey of insanity, demonic possessions, and a dark, gruesome look at the Overlook’s past.

One of the best aspects of King’s writing would have to be his extremely detailed imagery. The extent to which he describes each event allows the readers to better picture the struggles and terrors each character goes through, which is an important aspect of any horror novel. The complexity in the characters, especially in Jack, also added a sense of realism to the story. King shows how Jack wasn’t “perfect,” and that his abusive past ultimately impacted the person he grew to be. Yet, he still felt shame towards his actions at the same time, causing readers to feel confusion as they develop their feelings towards him.

Overall, I found The Shining to be extremely engaging and definitely one of the best horror novels I’ve ever read. While still suspenseful and thrilling, I didn’t find the story to be extremely scary, making it more accessible to a wide audience. I do admit that some chapters felt very long and dragged on, but the build up to the end ultimately made these dull moments worth it. Despite any flaws, the characterization, imagery, and impressive writing displayed throughout the novel makes it truly deserving of the title of one of King’s best works.

-Aysha H.

The Shining by Stephen King is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Outsider by Stephen King Review

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Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

  In the town of Flint City, Oklahoma tragedy strikes when Frankie Peterson, a young child, is found dead. The culprit- Terry Maitland: little league coach and a friendly neighbor. But the question is, did Terry Maitland really commit this brutal act, and if not, then why did several witnesses describe seeing Maitland committing the crime and why was his DNA found on the Peterson boy’s body. 

Terry Maitland constantly shows his innocence and that he did not commit this crime, with his attitude and a strong alibi, however, then how did his DNA get traced onto the victim. Despite everything, the detective Ralph Anderson, refuses to let the case die after this and tries to continue the investigation, moving the question from who to how this case happened.

The Outsider by Stephen King is a suspenseful thrilling novel full of twists and turns: ensuring the reader will want to stay in their seat and not put the book down until they finish.

Review:

I would easily give this book an 8/10, and there are many things to note: 

  1. This book was very dark at points, so to read and understand the book you probably should be a little older.
  1. This novel was very captivating, with many twists and turns, sure to keep anyone who reads it from putting the book down.
  1. This book was very good, while starting out as an investigative whodunnit, but as the story moves on, it becomes more of a supernatural thriller.
  1. One notable thing I liked was how Stephen King creatively lightens the mood of this book with creatively and concise moments of happiness and humor to prevent this book from getting too dark

I liked this book very much and I would easily recommend it to anyone who likes books that are suspenseful and scary. I would consider this an example of Stephen King’s finest work.

The Outsider by Stephen King is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Horror Movie Recommendations

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The best holiday of the year is coming up at the moment: Halloween. Apart from getting candy, the thrill this holiday brings, either from getting scared or scaring other people, excites many like me. But nothing gives me more joy than watching scary movies during this time of year and if you are a lover of getting scared, these movies are what I recommend!

Sinister (2012): A man who writers true crime wishes to discern how an entire family was murdered in their house. He moves into that house (you can tell he isn’t very smart) and immediately starts to solve the mystery. However, when it becomes apparent that a monster of some sort lives in the house and starts to target him and his family, he realizes his fatal mistake. I found this movie very engaging when I first watched it and at the times when the paranormal force striked, I felt myself unnerved and looking away at some parts. The plot twist at the end will always amaze me and I now try to decipher clues hinting to that end.

Sinister is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Insidious (2010): The house of an ordinary family shows signs of being haunted when the son of the family falls into a coma. They hire a person who tells them that evil spirits from another world is using the son’s unconscious body to venture the living world. This horror movie was less scary than the others I have watched but it still entertained me with its random twists and turns. I have watched all of the movies in these series and love all of the movies, which is rare for me as a tough critic of horror movies.

It (2017): The story starts when the main character’s brother goes missing and is presumably dead. The main character and 6 high schoolers also fall victim to the cause of the missing brother: a clown who lives in a sewer and unleashes evil in the small town of Derry every 27 years. They must work together and learn to defeat their fears to take on the clown who calls himself Pennywise. I only advocate for the first movie of It and not the second one (I DO NOT like the second one at all). The first movie of IT terrified at 13 years old with some of the scenes they displayed and the reality of this movie. There were many times where I got so scared that I screamed because the jumpscares in this movie were amazing. Afterwards, I thought about how funny Pennywise was but during the movie, I was so engrossed that I got scared of looking at him.

IT is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Conjuring (2013): When a family moves into this haunted house, they call on the expert opinions of two private investigators: a man who is married to a woman who can detect supernatural activity whenever she is near to it. At first, the parents didn’t see any substance in their daughters’ worries about the house but as soon as some things escalate, they feel the need to call for someone’s help. The random appearances of Annabelle throughout this movie terrified me greatly as I am deathly afraid of her appearance. This was the first movie that I watched where I actually got scared, unlike some of the horror movies on Netflix. And knowing that it is a true story really got into my nerves.

These movies are really popular and most people probably already watched them but I still find them amazing and for those who haven’t watched it, I feel like you should give them a watch!

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

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As an author known for his horror novels including It and The Outsider, Steven King lives up to his reputation once again through this novel. Despite being less gory than his other novels, Pet Sematary is arguably one of the most terrifying novels he has ever written surrounding grief, loss, and heartbreak—emotions that exceed the limits of even the most moral individuals.

The Creed family moves into a town called Ludlow, Maine, with their cat named Church. Louis Creed—the director of the health service in the University of Maine—meets his neighbor, an elderly man named Jud Crandall. The old man warns the Creed family about a dangerous highway that passes their house and shows them the “Pet Sematary” behind their home where children often bury dead pets who died from highway incidents. Following a series of traumatic events and nightmares for both Louis and his wife, the death of their beloved cat brings a major turn of events for the entire family.

Considering how much of the plot ties into the ending of the novel, there’s only so much that can be summarized without spoiling the book. Setting aside the terror and horror of the novel, the way King depicts grief and loss truly resonates with his readers including myself. King often puts flaws in his characters which creates a realistic perspective on the idea of death and loosing a loved one. As seen in Louis Creed’s parental decisions (or lack thereof), King does a fascinating job in showing readers what a true human does during times where rationalizing is no longer an option. Although it seems terrifying, emotions can bring out the best and worst in people, and that’s what makes them human.

As for the plot itself, its an extremely slow build. Similar to most Steven King novels, it’s best to read his books when you’re given enough time to do so. The longer you stop reading, the harder it becomes to understand the plot. Unfortunately, there’s not much to be said regarding King’s use of horror without spoiling the rest of the novel, but it’s definitely more scary psychologically than physically. Pet Sematary is a must-read for any horror fan and a novel I highly recommend for anyone willing to read this unsettling story.

– Natisha P.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King is available for checkout at the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Frankenstein (1931) Movie Review

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Movie Title: Frankenstein (1931)

Genre: Science Fiction Horror

My Rating: 2 stars

Summary: Henry Frankenstein, a scientist, creates a creature made out of dead body parts. The creature comes back to haunt Henry and kills and terrorizes people in Henry’s life.

Did I like the movie?: I honestly did not like the movie because it was not very exciting. The film did not make me want to keep watching it because you can predict what is going to happen next, even if you have not read Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein novel. If there was more action and suspense in the movie, it would be better. At least half of the film is Henry creating the creature. This meant that there wasn’t a lot of action or screen time for the creature which is the most exciting part! Even when the creature did kill someone, it happened very quickly. I feel the directors of the movie should have brought suspense and gotten viewers wondering what would happen next.

Would I recommend this movie?: I would not recommend this movie to people who have read Mary Shelley’s original novel, Frankenstein. The movie is nothing like the novel. I read the novel first, and then watched the film, and it was a big disappointment. However, if you have not read Mary Shelley’s original novel, Frankenstein, you could watch the movie and think it is really good! However, in my opinion, I think even if you haven’t read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the movie would still be somewhat of a disappointment because the action and suspense were not very exciting.

-Abby V.

Game Review: Andy’s Apple Farm

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Andy's Apple Farm (Video Game) - TV Tropes

Andy’s Apple Farm is a horror game where you, a beta tester, play Andy’s Apple Farm.

In the game, you play and try to win back your house keys. However, the only way to get back your keys is to play games with the characters Margret the Mole, Claus the Clock, Felix the Fish, and Melody the Moon. As you play the game, it’s very obvious that everything is not as it seems.

The art style for the characters’ sprites looks similar to something a child might draw. While exploring or playing the minigames, everything is pixelated. Occasionally, you might come across glitches or things that don’t seem like they belong, but you don’t need to worry because they’re supposed to be there. The graphics help with creating an unsettling feeling within the game.

There is a secret plotline to Andy’s Apple Farm that can be unlocked by doing something very unique, which is not listening to the game and using glitches. One of the ways to unlock certain secrets and scenes is to do the minigames in the wrong order. However, there are other ways to unlock the secret plot.

Andy’s Apple Farm is a great game with interesting lore and unique gameplay. I think that Andy’s Apple Farm is something that might inspire more indie horror games in the future. My rating for it is a 8.5/10

-Nicole M.

Alternate Ending for “The Landlady”

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I recently read a short horror story called “The Landlady,” which was left on a cliffhanger. I decided to write an alternate ending for it! I would highly recommend that you read the original short story before reading the alternate ending. You can find the story at https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/landlady_text.pdf

Alternate Ending for “The Landlady”

Something, just something about this whole affair bothered Billy. He couldn’t quite place his finger on what it was, a stirring of the mind, a brief flash of thought. He attributed it, of course, to the heat of the room and the time of night. “I think I should like to go to bed now,” he said.

“Of course, dear,” cried the old lady, fussing over him, “I should think so!”
Billy sighed, stepping gingerly over the dachshund to make his way to the stairs. He turned back to look at the landlady. She had her back to him, serenely gazing into the dying embers of the fire, petting the dachshund, a cold, stiff travesty of a dog. Yes, something about this whole bloody business just wasn’t quite right. Shaking his head, he stumbled slowly up the stairs and into his room. He sat down heavily on the bed, still thinking. The fourth floor? The men were still here? But how? Eyes drooping, he fell straight to sleep, questions still echoing around his head.

3 a.m. the following morning
Billy started out of sleep, thrashing wildly about his bed like a trout out of water. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked blearily around the room. A quick check of the nightstand clock confirmed his suspicion that it was indeed very early in the morning. Just a minute! A voice was coming from the landing above his. It was a mere mumbling, but a voice nonetheless. It was a crooning, haunting tone that rose and fell eerily; yes, it was a voice as smooth as silk, yet as sharp as glass. Billy was wide awake now, no chance of ever falling asleep in this cursed house again! Pulling on his robe, he slowly pushed open the door to investigate.

He crept up the stairs, thoroughly examining his surroundings. He was on the third floor now. Looking about, he saw a small sewing machine, overflowing boxes of cloth, and shelves overflowing with a large variety of small bottles. The room itself smelled faintly of hospital disinfectant. Intrigued, Billy slowly stepped closer. A curious smell came from the flask closest to him. Reaching out, he pulled it from its place and gave it a cautious sniff. The flask reeked of bitter almonds and garlic. Covering his nose with his sleeve, Billy replaced the cask on its shelf and continued his trek.

Something wasn’t quite right. Billy was tripping now, stumbling and coughing. His vision doubled and his eyes watered. In front of him he saw the landlady, crooning gently to- to- he collapsed, the cold, dead face of Christopher Mulholland still swimming in his memory, mouth affixed in a plastic smile, ghastly and preserved.

The face of the landlady, cruel and hard, stared down at him. In the light, she looked a hundred years old, like the old Greek demons Billy had learned about in school. His head felt like a lump of stone. The woman leered down at him, spinning a scalpel expertly between her fingers. He rasped out one word. “Why?” The landlady’s lips turned down. She looked put out to see him awake. “Why, darling, I must keep you! You’ll wither away otherwise.” Billy coughed again, then screamed as a sharp pain sliced into his flesh, below his abdomen. As he floated in and out of consciousness, he heard the landlady singing. My Bonnie lies over the ocean, my Bonnie lies over the sea, my Bonnie lies over the ocean. The landlady smiled cruelly as she pulled her final stitch. “Please bring back my Bonnie to me…”

I hope you enjoyed it!

-Vaidehi B.

Authors We Love: Junji Itō

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American horror typically depicts a psycho lurking around in a motel, zombies brought back from the dead, or clowns eating frightened children. Junji Itō has shaped the way viewers define horror forever, bringing stories to life by drawings made from ink and paper. Unlike American horror, he illustrates supernatural events such as mysterious spirals, blood-sucking vampire bats, and much more.

Born on July 31st, 1963 in Nakatsugawa, Gifu, Japan, Junji Itō developed his love for horror at a young age. His older sisters would read him Kazuo Umezu and Shinichi Koga–famous horror manga authors during the 1960s–in Japanese magazines. Other authors such as Hideshi Hino, Yasutaka Tsutsui, Shinichi Koga, H. P. Lovecraft, and Edogawa Ranpo became major influences to his work as well.

Junji Itō’s career as a manga author began around the 1980s, when he won the Kazuo Umezu Prize after entering a short tale to Gekkan Halloween. The submission later turned into a Japanese horror manga series titled Tomie. Afterwards, he quit his previous job and pursued his hobby of writing and drawing as a full career.

Junji Itō’s works were popular in Japan, yet they only gained popularity in the United States late into his career. In 2019, Itō won an Eisner Award for his manga reinterpretation of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Known as the Academy Awards of the comic industry, Itō became one of few foreigners to receive an Eisner Award. This year, he was once again nominated for an Eisner Award under the category of “The Best Writer/Artist” for his horror comic Jigokusei Remina.

Most of Junji Itō’s creations portray a dark, impulsive universe filled with the worst traits in any human, specifically greed, jealousy, and irrationality. There are recurring themes of grotesque horror, inevitable consequences of one’s own actions, seemingly ordinary characters that gradually submit to compulsion, and settings that break down and collapse into a state which reflects our own society. As a result, all of his mangas portray the beauty and underlying horror in every story. Itō’s most popular manga is arguably Uzumaki, a three-volume novel that depicts the journey of a teenager, Kirie Goshima, who witnesses an ordinary town fall under a curse of spirals. Another famous novel is Smashed, consisting of multiple short stories such as addictive honey that flattens those who drink it, a valley of mirrors, and “earthbound” people. These novels may be the most well-known, but Itō has a variety of underrated books, series, and movies to choose from.

As a lover of horror, I’ve grown to admire Junji Itō’s novels for their distinctive illustrations and plots. They truly allow readers to feel more than just fear. The ties between Itō’s fictional and nonfictional factors truly brings out different emotions because it reflects our own world.

Junji Itō is still alive at the age of 57. Although he may not be publishing any novels in the near future, his history of twisted tales that connect our deepest unknown fears to real life truly proves he’s the master of horror.

-Natasha P.

The works of Junji Ito are available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

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“Keep a fire burning; a fire is what saves you.”

Such is the number one rule in Margot’s household, set by her mother before she could even walk. 17-year-old Margot lives with her emotionally distant mother in a small town where it is difficult to find peace and solitude. They constantly struggle to get along, butting heads at the smallest of issues while ignoring the largest insecurities plaguing them. However, nothing compares to the biggest secret held from Margot; the girl has no idea where she came from, and her mother gives no clues or mention to any extended family. Eventually, several discoveries lead her down a new path, leaving home to gain independence and seek out the truth behind her mysterious origins.

Burn Our Bodies Down depicts the journey Margot takes to discover that hidden side of her history, to a town called Phalene. As the story develops, we are introduced to characters within the town, each reacting to Margot’s appearance in an unexpected way. One of my favorite elements of this book is the characterization of Margot and her new friend Tess, foils in ideas and influences. Margot sees the world through the eyes of someone living a tragedy, unable to get a firm grasp on a stable and happy life. Tess, on the other hand, is privileged enough to see the world as a written tragedy, experiencing the horrifying events that unfold as if they were a story and not someone’s real life. She treats her new friend’s dilemma as a mystery to be theorized about, not realizing that her life can too become tragic until it’s too late.

As the story unfolds, tension builds to the point where we can only throw blind guesses at the page, with a final reveal that sent chills down my spine. Themes of responsibility, love, and empathy reign supreme throughout the novel, creating a beautiful coming-of-age story (if you consider horrifying supernatural occurrences to be typical in a teenage experience). Unlike Power’s previous book “Wilder Girls”, I found this book difficult to get into. However, knowing the author’s potential, I luckily stuck with the story as it picked up steam. The final chapters are a whirlwind of shock and excitement that I was grateful to experience, and wholeheartedly recommend the book to any fan of mysteries, thrillers, and emotional dramas.

Bailey L.

Game Review: Eyes

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The game eyes is a horror game that has the player navigate through a mansion in hopes to find twenty money bags. If you get the twenty money bags through the door your free, but there is a catch. The house consists of one spirit that wanders around trying to ensure that you do not leave.

There are three floors and to find the money bags you must search in cupboards, drawers, and shelves. 

This game is different from every other game because around the house there are symbols of eyes drawn on the walls and when you collect them they show you what the spirit sees. This can help you tell what floor the spirit is on and if it is safe to leave the room or not. 

When the spirit is within ten feet of you everything around you will start to rattle, you will start to hear heavy breathing, and rats will start coming out of the floorboards. 

Overall the CGI in the game is very well done and looks realistic. The plot and goal of the game are very intriguing. The game is very fun to play especially in the dark and I would recommend this game to anyone who likes jumpscares. 

-Sanjana S.