Halloween is a time of transformation, as our everyday surroundings become darker and more sinister. In this spirit, I offer you this reading list as a spell for resurrection, more powerful than simply washing your sheets or changing your hair colour. Good luck.
The Trouble With Being Born by Emil M. Cioran
Validation for the unmotivated, this book offers an answer to the mysteries of life. Read it on the floor of your teenage bedroom, listening to Jimmy Eat World.
How To Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell
Glittering and striking, with prose that feels like an Adderall high, this book offers comfort to everyone who knows that escape routes can sometimes become prisons. A manifesto for the lonely party girls, this book teaches you to look for the beauty in small moments.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
For anyone who has ever contemplated murdering an ex: read this under a blanket to protect your exposed nerves. This book will destroy you in a good way.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
A dystopian novel that feels painfully real. Read this and understand the urgency of change. Give a copy to everyone you’ve ever loved.
The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector
Bewitching and at times horrifying, this book feels like a fever dream. Dedicate yourself to this reading after you’ve swiped on scarlet lipstick and smudged your mascara. This book offers a strange rebirth to make you want to try again.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Required reading if you’re haunted by jealousy, and recommended for anyone looking to be seen. For the madwomen in the attic, those who’ve worked hard to be loved, and everyone who occupies the space between good and evil. Read this in a gothic mansion, with nails painted black.
My Ariel by Sina Queyras
A prayer of resurgence for all the angry girls, reading this is a good thing to do if you feel stuck. This is the kind of book you steal from your best friend’s shelf and never give back.
