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A review by ojtheviking
Horror: A Thematic History in Fiction and Film by Darryl Jones
3.0
This is the second non-fiction book I've read recently based on the subject of horror movies. While this one is a bit more on the academic side, thus borderline dry on occasion, it was still an interesting read. The author certainly lives up to the chosen title; this book takes us through the history of horror in a very systematic way, with each chapter focusing on a specific theme.
For any history buff out there, a lot of the material should be very familiar - not just the books and movies that are mentioned, but some of the history and behind-the-scenes stuff related to them. However, even the most familiar stories are put in an interesting context, to basically show us how horror stories can often be created based on whichever social and societal issues mankind is dealing with from one era to the next, and in return, how the horror stories can be a reflection - albeit often an over-the-top one - of our society, our nature, and our history.
The book not only does a good job of being clear and concise in terms of having very distinct and separate themes, but also, a lot of care has been put into presenting the history of horror in mostly chronological order as well.
As I initially said, the academic vibe of this book can make it a little bit dry sometimes, but it also reveals an author who genuinely loves horror and who has spent a lot of time on research not just for the sake of writing this book, but also because there is an actual interest in all the history that's behind some of the most well-known books and movies of this particular genre. As such, some parts are written with genuine love, and other parts are written with a slight touch of humor, acknowledging the more outlandish moments in horror's history.
So while some of the chosen themes throughout the book can already be a bit familiar for huge horror fans, it was still interesting to learn more about the actual history, and frankly, how the evolution of humankind and our society has helped shape this genre from one decade to the next.
All in all, interesting, but not entirely mind-blowing.
For any history buff out there, a lot of the material should be very familiar - not just the books and movies that are mentioned, but some of the history and behind-the-scenes stuff related to them. However, even the most familiar stories are put in an interesting context, to basically show us how horror stories can often be created based on whichever social and societal issues mankind is dealing with from one era to the next, and in return, how the horror stories can be a reflection - albeit often an over-the-top one - of our society, our nature, and our history.
The book not only does a good job of being clear and concise in terms of having very distinct and separate themes, but also, a lot of care has been put into presenting the history of horror in mostly chronological order as well.
As I initially said, the academic vibe of this book can make it a little bit dry sometimes, but it also reveals an author who genuinely loves horror and who has spent a lot of time on research not just for the sake of writing this book, but also because there is an actual interest in all the history that's behind some of the most well-known books and movies of this particular genre. As such, some parts are written with genuine love, and other parts are written with a slight touch of humor, acknowledging the more outlandish moments in horror's history.
So while some of the chosen themes throughout the book can already be a bit familiar for huge horror fans, it was still interesting to learn more about the actual history, and frankly, how the evolution of humankind and our society has helped shape this genre from one decade to the next.
All in all, interesting, but not entirely mind-blowing.