Novel Pairings

Welcome to Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun. Each episode we’ll discuss one classic book and share some recommendations for more contemporary reads that feature similar themes. As two nerdy bookworms, we appreciate the role of classic lit, but we but we won’t get too academic about it. We’ll talk about the books we love and the books we loath, and help stock your TBR pile with old and new reads for every literary taste.

31. Short Story Club: Horror Story by Carmen Maria Machado and spooky book recommendations

Today Chelsey and Sara are discussing “Horror Story” by Carmen Maria Machado for this season’s installment of Short Story Club. Each quarter, we choose a short story that’s widely available and discuss its genre, themes, and important moments before recommending books to pair with it. For spooky season, we decided to go with a fresh, new voice we both love. This super short “micro story” felt like the right balance of spookiness for two readers who don’t love horror. Of course, we end up taking a bit of a deep dive into the horror genre anyway. If you read the story and join us for this mini book club, please let us know what you think of the story!

 

Our discussion includes:

  • Machado’s striking imagery and sparse prose
  • What does the horror genre do? Why is it popular?
  • Gaslighting in horror stories
  • Deeper themes and metaphors

 

Plus, as always, we’re recommending six pairings,  including a modern gothic novel and a few scary short story collections. 

 

Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-horror-story

Books mentioned:

In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

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Shop the pairings: 

 

Chelsey’s Pairings:

 

 

 

Sara’s Pairings:

 

Also mentioned:

Gaslight (1944)

 

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