Feminist horror books, recommended by novelist and poet Kirsty Logan
Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson
She’s considered the queen of modern gothic, and for good reason: these stories are sinister, gleeful, mysterious, desperately sad, and so tense I forget to breathe while reading them.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexico is perfect for a gothic story. It’s more than just seeing the usual gothic tropes overlaid on a non-European setting; Mexico’s history and culture are vital to the narrative. And the evil at the heart of the story? Patriarchy!
Beloved by Toni Morrison
You can never go wrong with Toni Morrison, but this is my favourite of hers. The tale of the ghost baby and the horrors of her world will forever haunt me.
Point Horror: Dream Date by Sinclair Smith
Since starting Teenage Scream podcast, I’ve read almost 100 teen horror books from the 1990s – most terrible. But this is a hidden gem: a quick, creepy read that also asks some serious questions about domestic abuse.
Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger & Melanie R. Anderson
An insightful, interesting overview of women writing horror, from the classics like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein right up to the modern day with Helen Oyeyemi and Sarah Waters.
Feminist books for young adults, chosen by YA author Anna Mainwaring
Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
Set in the near future where girl babies are no longer born, EVEs are designed in the lab to be either wives or concubines for the elite young men of society. The Eves have to compete on appearance and personality in order to survive with devastating consequences.