Tell me about a book that disturbed, distressed, shocked, traumatized, or unsettled you in any way. Please elaborate on why it does.
I would have to say American Psycho was pretty fucked up and I don’t think I see it mentioned yet. Way more intense than the movie because it’s a much deeper character study. But man that Patrick Bateman has some fucking crazy thoughts
Probably
The Kite Runnerbecause of the horrifc shit that happens in itThe Handmaid’s Tale. I started reading it recently, but it’s too much like current events. I had to stop reading. (Haven’t seen the show, either.)
Tokyo Doesn’t Love Us Anymore was pretty dark at times. Vurt has furry incest so… yeah.
The Real Story and Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen Donaldson. The man is so utterly casual about rape as plot progression that it leaves me with serious questions about the author.
The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosiński, I went in the book knowing nothing about the book. It is from a young Jewish boy’s point of view during the second world war. Enough said.
Suicide Town by Boris Bacic.
I’m a fan of horror, but this book for me was pretty disturbing even for someone somewhat desensitized. It was a good read though and I’d definitely recommend it assuming content connected to what the title implies wouldn’t be genuinely traumatizing for the reader.
Boris Bacic is a somewhat obscure author who began his horror fiction writing over at /r/NoSleep, before publishing novels. If you’re into horror at all and generally enjoy content from /r/NoSleep, you’d probably enjoy some of his novels.
The Road - Cormac McCarthy. Except I haven’t been able to finish it. I know the story, through watching the film, but the imagery in the book is so much more depressing and powerfully disturbing. When I watched the film I felt it for at least a week afterwards. I was getting that feeling each time I’d go to pick up the book of a night. I really want to read it completely, but I just can’t work myself up to it.
That’s my answer as well. The book is just so bleak. I read it over a decade ago, and I have thought about re-reading it, but can’t bring myself to do it. It is a really good read though.
RIP Cormac McCarthy. I was able to read all of The Road, but only a little bit at a time. It’s so bleak, and so realistic.
Not sure if it’s the most disturbing, but I remember reading Naked Lunch about 30 years ago and feeling like I was tripping when I wasn’t.
I read “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank when I was about the same age. It disturbed me beyond measure, to learn what humans can do to each other. (Still I found hope in seeing people were also willing to help.) Same topic (but from a much older woman): Margot Friedländer’s memoir “Versuche, dein Leben zu machen” (“Try to make your life”).
It’s difficult to choose as a horror fan because there are books that hit differently for vastly different reasons. I think Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite might be the one that eeked me out the most so far though. It was a thoroughly enjoyable book, but it was practically a meet-cute romcom with serial killers as the main characters. Loved it. Probably won’t read it again lol.
