i have tried reading many different books within this genre and hated all of them. clearly they arent for me. However, that leads me to question how do people enjoy these books? I dont mean this in a bad way as in I don’t like you. I am just curious if it is that twisted nature and nauseating description that leads to the appeal.
Reading is subjective and regardless of what you read thats amazing for you.
I am simply curious to understand what the appeal is and an In no way shaming anyone.
dont cancel me guys 😭
by AdhesivenessFree207
13 Comments
Romance books for Ted Bundy
Kind of like a morbid curiosity. I am not too fond of pure horror but more psychological, and I find that told world through unreliable narrator, their thoughts, not knowing what is real captivating.
Experience fear in a safe way. There are biological reasons to be focused on dangerous situations, and this is away that manifests that.
Also, what is your definition of extreme horror?
There’s a certain magical delight to Chuck Palahnuik’s “Guts” that evokes a sinister playfulness of the human form that one rarely sees elsewhere.
To think that a simple arrangement of a few carefully chosen words could bring about such a visceral reaction! Truly, it is a testament to the power of writing.
The physical sensation of ick, combined with the all-too palpable sense of cringing away from a previously unimaginable act of pain, is staggering.
What’s the appeal?
Well, why do people eat ghost peppers or have more than six children? Because for some people, suffering is divine.
To fight my fears. It makes me feel like I wouldn’t get scared and murdered if I know what to expect? It probably sounds stupid but I also watch and hear crime movies & podcasts etc. I feel like I’ll be safer then. Definitely not canceling you because it makes more sense not wanting to read such books.
Only Horror I’ve read is Stephen King. Why do I read it? I read his novels for his amazing character work. His stories aren’t perfect but his characters come close. I read his short stories for the opposite reason. Creepy stories are fun.
I live a sedate & rather boring life. Horror allows me to experience, well, horrors, vicariously. I will say that I much prefer dread/psychological horror rather than gross out/blood & guts.
Same reason I play scary games. It’s a way to experience fear without really being in danger. Some of my favorites have been short story anthologies like *Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark* by Alvin Shwartz (though I do prefer the more supernatural stories in the series) and the *Skeleton Crew* by Stephen King. The short stories are more digestible than reading a whole long book so I don’t have to be in that feared mindset for a long time.
Like a lot of horror, it provides a safe place to emotionally explore some very fucked up things. It isn’t for everyone because of how, well, extreme it can be, but like any sub genre there is a lot of genuinely great stuff and a whole lot of trash
Why do some people like pickles?
What’s extreme horror?
To experience things in a controlled context that might or might not be unethical to experience in real life.
a lot of people read horror to cope with anxiety and trauma of one form or another – most of Stephen King’s work serves this purpose well (himself a writer who copes with trauma with his artform)
some people – let’s be honest: men – are legit psycho lunatics who feel validated or a little less fucked up when they read about atrocity
Group A is doing something healthy.
Group B is… not people you want to be affiliated with.