We are not entering spooky season, as we get close to Halloween and immerse ourselves in the fall spirit. In honour of spooky season, I’ll be sharing a variety of books that could be considered “spooky” either by having supernatural elements or having thriller/horror elements. Enjoy!
For this week, I wanted to share some fiction books that may make you question reality.
Most of these books deal with some aspect of society and paints it in a new light. I find they make you question reality because the books shift the way you think about societal norms.
I believe that some of the best books are the ones that leave you thinking about them for long after you’ve finished them. If a book has made a big impression on you, then it has accomplished a lot.
Each of these books lingered in my mind and made me re-evaluate something significant. Maybe you’ll have a similar experience.
I’ve included a range of books, most of them translated. Also, three of them would be considered novellas, so there’s some shorter options if that’s what you’re looking for.
Five books that may make you question reality
Here’s a list of five books that may make you question reality. I’ve listed them in order of when they’ve been published.
- The Outsider/The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942)
- The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (2006)
- Confessions by Kanae Minato (2006)
- Earthlings by Sayaka Murata (2018)
- The Test by Sylvain Neuvel (2019)
Keep reading to find out more about each one.
The Outsider/The Stranger (1942)
by Albert Camus Translated by Joseph Laredo
- Year Published: 1942
English version published in 1946 - Storygraph Categories:
fiction, classics, literary, dark, reflective, medium-paced
Published in 1942 by French author Albert Camus, The Stranger has long been considered a classic of twentieth-century literature. Le Monde ranks it as number one on its “100 Books of the Century” list. Through this story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on a sundrenched Algerian beach, Camus explores what he termed “the nakedness of man faced with the absurd.”
Links:
- You can find out more on:
- Goodreads
- Storygraph
- Wikipedia
- You can buy the book here on Amazon.
The Three-Body Problem (2006)
by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
- Year Published: 2006
English version published in 2014 - Storygraph Categories:
fiction, science fiction, adventurous, challenging, mysterious, slow-paced - Hugo Award winner & best selling Chinese Science Fiction
The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China’s most beloved science fiction author, Cixin Liu .
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
Links:
- You can find out more on:
- Goodreads
- Storygraph
- Wikipedia
- You can buy the book here on Amazon.
Confessions (2008)
by Kanae Minato Translated by Stephen Snyder
- Year Published: 2008
English version published in 2014 - Storygraph Categories:
fiction, crime, mystery, thriller, dark, mysterious, fast-paced - It won both the Hanya Taisho Award and the Alex Award.
Her pupils killed her daughter.Now, she will have her revenge.
After calling off her engagement in wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation.
But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a maniacal plot for revenge.
Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you’ll never see coming, Confessions explores the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You’ll never look at a classroom the same way again.
Links:
- You can find out more on:
- Goodreads
- Storygraph
- Wikipedia
- You can buy the book here on Amazon.
Earthlings (2018)
by Sayaka Murata Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori
- Year Published: 2018
English version in 2020 - Storygraph Categories:
fiction, horror, literary, magical realism, challenging, dark, medium-paced - Note, this novel deals with many difficult themes, I would recommend checking content warnings before reading if there are any subjects you want to avoid.
Natsuki isn’t like the other girls. She has a wand and a transformation mirror. She might be a witch, or an alien from another planet. Together with her cousin Yuu, Natsuki spends her summers in the wild mountains of Nagano, dreaming of other worlds. When a terrible sequence of events threatens to part the two children forever, they make a promise: survive, no matter what.
Now Natsuki is grown. She lives a quiet life with her asexual husband, surviving as best she can by pretending to be normal. But the demands of Natsuki’s family are increasing, her friends wonder why she’s still not pregnant, and dark shadows from Natsuki’s childhood are pursuing her. Fleeing the suburbs for the mountains of her childhood, Natsuki prepares herself with a reunion with Yuu. Will he still remember their promise? And will he help her keep it?
Links:
- You can find out more on:
- You can buy the book here on Amazon.
- You can check some content warnings here:
The Test (2019)
by Sylvain Neuvel
- Year Published: 2019
- Storygraph Categories:
fiction, dystopian, challenging, dark, emotional, fast-paced
Award-winning author Sylvain Neuvel explores an immigration dystopia in The Test
Britain, the not-too-distant future.
Idir is sitting the British Citizenship Test.
He wants his family to belong.
Twenty-five questions to determine their fate. Twenty-five chances to impress.
When the test takes an unexpected and tragic turn, Idir is handed the power of life and death.
How do you value a life when all you have is multiple choice?
Links:
- You can find out more on:
- You can buy the book here on Amazon.
Final thoughts
I hope you found something of interest in this list of books.
I’m always looking for more suggestions of books to read. I’d love to know which books you love or that you would recommend. Let me know in a comment below!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of it?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in a comment below.
