TMU students’ most loved gothic and thriller books this Halloween season

Immerse yourself in worlds where superstitions come to life and the dark talks back to you

By: Melanie Nava Urribarri

A book of horrors is displayed by a large tree amidst autumn leaves on a dark, foggy October morning. (Melanie Nava Urribarri/CanCulture)

As the final days of October set in, with the air getting colder and the nights getting darker, the need to curl up and read a good goosebump-inducing novel under the eerie moonlight may just creep up on you. 

The thrill can be intoxicating and the need to satiate it is just as strong.

Luckily, if you’re low on ideas to dive into before the gloomy autumn charm ends, you won’t need witchcraft. Here are some Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students’ favourite stories for you to explore this spooky season:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

This Gothic romance came up more than once among students. For second-year journalism student Kyana Alvarez, it was the mystery aspect that sold her.

“I’ve always been scared of someone or something living in the walls, so this book played into my own fears,” said Alvarez.

Author Charlotte Brontë uses many gothic elements to enhance the obscurity of the story and raise our anxiety.

“Seeing and hearing things you can’t explain or see but knowing it’s there is super freaky because you never know what could happen,” Alvarez adds.

Political science student Malaury Bien-Aime agrees and also mentions that the mystery from a feminist perspective is refreshing.

“It's a novel that changes perspective for women because Jane is not the societal norm in the 18th century,” said Bien-Amie. “It’s easy to feel her fears throughout the mystery because the character is relatable.”

The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe’s electrifying prose is sure to make you shiver and send a chill up your spine. Published in 1843, this Gothic horror classic isn’t a novel, but a short story that follows the narrator’s descent into madness.

“It’s just the gore of it that is actually traumatizing. It’s just so detailed it makes me perfectly imagine it and it feels gross in exciting ways,” said third-year chemistry student Cristina Díaz. 

The Black Cat wonderfully illustrates Poe’s take on the capacity of the human mind to be aware of its own deterioration.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Another classic — this time with a sprinkle of sci-fi to give it life — comes recommended by second-year business management student Teresa Baricevic. Frankenstein is not only filled with hair-raising perspectives on human nature but a great connection to modern issues of control and sexuality. 

“It’s a story of finding peace within oneself and a search for identity,” said Baricevic. “The imagery from the beautiful scenery and nature in Switzerland reflects the peace both Victor Frankenstein and The Creature crave.”

Frankenstein holds so many entrancing layers. If you aren’t reading for the captivating thrill, it’s still well worth getting lost in Mary Shelley’s criticisms of the patriarchal society and examinations of the human condition.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This book is an award-winning 2020 gothic horror novel by a Mexican-Canadian author Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The story centres around a young woman uncovering treacherous secrets and stories of violence within family. 

“When a character starts to question their grip on reality and the reader knows something isn’t right, it’s so thrilling and sometimes fear-inducing,” said Alvarez, providing insight into another favourite of hers. She added that because she’s “a huge scaredy cat,” the suspense in this book really got to her. 

This novel has influences and inspirations from Mexican folklore, which not only makes it a novel perfect for Halloween, but also for Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated in October in Ontario.

If these novels aren’t quite to your taste, you may find second-year journalism student Fatima Raza’s recommendation more helpful. The most horrifying book she’s read for this season is, and will always be, her textbook.

Toronto Metropolitan University students share what they love about their favourite books

A look at the reasons behind our favourite books

By: Sania Ali

(Unsplash)

Books have always been a means to learn, experience and be exposed to more outside knowledge. It can be easy to lose yourself in the world of fiction or non-fiction, characters and worlds to escape our own — after all, who knew books could be so impactful? 

According to the Canadian Leisure and Reading Study, Canadians read more broadly in 2020.  There are loads of reasons why books mean what they do to the people who love them. There’s no doubt about it, people have been reading and loving more books every day. So we decided to speak to students at TMU to ask them what they like about books, and what their favourite books may be. 

There are often unexpected reasons why some books are desired by certain people more than others. My favourite book is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Although the book is extremely graphic and a difficult read, I try to reread the book once a year. The uncomfortable experiences delivered from the perspective of the characters are so intriguing to me, and I find the approach to conveying those characters and feelings extremely encapsulating.

While I like A Thousand Splendid Suns because of its unrelatable plot and approach to writing, other students may have different reasons for their favourite read. 

Jed Kevin Perada, a second-year media production student, said that his favourite book, The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, inspires bravery. “There's a part where Bilbo Baggins walks down this little quarter, and he carries a sword and he's shaking and he's about to approach the dragon,” said Perada. “That's just an inspiring scene for me. It motivated me to take more risks in my life.” 

Oftentimes, books can act like reflections that encourage readers to question their life while also allowing readers to see themselves through the books. Second-year TMU fashion student, Samantha Gietl, feels a connection to her favourite book for that exact reason. Gietl’s favourite book is #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso. The story follows author Sophia Amoruso’s journey from dumpster diving to founding the fast-growing clothing business Nasty Gal. As a fashion student, Gietl feels inspired by Amoruso’s rise in the fashion industry. “It’s really empowering for females, especially in the creative world, just to go out and do something that wouldn't stereotypically be seen as a career option. She defied the odds and made it possible.”  

Gietl isn’t the only one whose favourite book reflects her career aspirations. Audrey Persaud is a first-year photography student whose favourite book is actually a photo book that documents images around the world. Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wes Anderson is a #1 bestseller on Amazon, reflecting the filmmaker’s personal photography of real-life places that look like they belong in the director’s films. Persaud finds inspiration from Anderson’s works as a student of photography herself. “I draw a lot of inspiration from them, but I also really like travelling and it kind of combines the two,” she said.

At times, readers find that authors can put complicated feelings and situations into words and this draws them to indulge in books that cover difficult topics. Yousif Hassan’s favourite book is set in Egypt, a place where he’s also from. The second-year Media Production student finds the narrative of manifestation extremely insightful and finds the read an “underrated book.”

Although there are many reasons why a book may be your favourite, whether it may be connecting to a character, drawing career aspirations from the plot or falling in love with the storyline — we can all agree that books bring all sorts of people together in unexpected ways. The humanization of the characters we consume allows individuals to see themselves in novels while also sympathizing with emotions and unfamiliar characters. 

So, what’s your favourite book?

Rekindling an old flame: 6 tips for how to fall back in love with reading

Re-ignite the reader in you

By: Aishah Ashraf

(Thought Catalog/Unsplash)

Reading is a hobby that many young adults have seemed to abandon in their teenage years. Despite the booming sensation and rising popularity of BookTube and, most recently, BookTok, studies have shown that leisure reading is declining in students. 

Growing up, I was one of the biggest bookworms. Each week I looked forward to visiting the library to pick out a new book to escape into. My love of libraries was further bolstered when I became a library helper, finding any excuse to surround myself with walls of books. But it was Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series that really sparked my interest in the fourth grade. I became attached to the ability to travel to new worlds with fascinating stories as I read book after book in the series. Then came a plethora of other novels that kept me glued to the pages as I explored a dystopian world with tyrants or followed along a character's journey toward love.

Then I started high school, and everything changed. Even though I signed out a book during my first week of school, I never got a chance to read it. Life got in the way and I had too much on my plate for leisure reading. 

Despite all these years since then, my love for reading hasn't been completely re-ignited yet. As a result of wishful thinking, I purchase a lot of books that intrigue me, thinking I'll eventually get to them, but never do. And now that my room is literally filled with hundreds of books (no exaggeration) that I've bought in the past year, here are six tips to help us all overcome the dreaded reading slump!

1. Immerse yourself in the reading community

There is an ever-growing community of book readers both online and offline. If you're looking to get back into reading, there are countless resources available to you. Whether you decide to do it from the comfort of your own home via BookTok and BookTube, or by joining a local book club, these avenues offer a simple transition to get into the habit of reading. 

Meeting individuals who share similar interests will give you a sense of excitement about the possibilities of stories you can explore. You can delve into conversations about your top books, your preferred tropes and exciting theories, all while fangirling over who your favourite book-boyfriend is. Through social media, you can also see people raving about the most popular books, getting you excited about diving back into the community. The Internet has a niche for every possible interest and a place where everyone can feel at home.

2. Take advantage of progress-tracking platforms 

Platforms such as Goodreads or Storygraph are a great way to document your progress and attach a glimmer of productivity to your hobby. These applications allow you to create digital libraries and manage all the books you have read while publishing your ratings and reviews. Along with tracking your previous reads, you can arrange the books you intend to read by compiling a TBR (To Be Read) list, making sure you're always looking forward to the next read. 

For people who enjoy competitions, you can use these apps to set a reading challenge for yourself. Establish your goal for the number of pages or books you’d like to read during the year and try your best to stick to it. Even better, get your reading buddies involved and make it a fun group activity. Place some spirited bets and plan an end-of-the-year celebration where everyone can share their results and have a good time.

3. Set a dedicated time to read

Although we love to complain about our hectic lifestyles that prevent us from reading, the truth is that we usually haven’t invested the effort. We spend countless hours during the day absentmindedly scrolling through our phones but why not replace that with some leisurely reading? 

Researchers have found that screen time should be limited before bedtime, so what better way to unwind from the day than reading that book you've been meaning to get around to. Once you set aside a specific amount of time to read, you'll soon find yourself bargaining for even more time to finish the book you’re engrossed in. There are 24 hours in the day, so let's choose to explore new hobbies instead of letting the hours aimlessly fly by.

4. Re-read an old favourite

The passion to read is often lost due to a lack of reminders of what brought us into it in the first place. It could mean rereading a book or series that takes you back to an important moment in your life. I grew up absolutely mesmerized by Kiera Cass’ Selection series and have reread the entire trilogy multiple times throughout my life. Every time I do so, I am reminded of the euphoric feeling you can only experience when you're so consumed by a book that you simply can't put it down. Vivid images play in your mind as you follow the story like a film that seems to take a new shape with every new page.

5. Read for quality, not quantity

Although many members of the reading space read at rapid paces, try not to let anyone's progress discourage you from getting back in the swing of things. Several people read upwards of five, ten or even twenty books a month, but everyone is welcome to go at their own pace. Healthy competition can be an encouraging tool for some, but it is important not to compare your progress with others. Reading should never feel like a burden or a chore. Read for the passion and the experience rather than the numbers or the competition. Soak in the feelings that these stories evoke and the effect that they have on you. Embrace the thrill of escaping into new realms and meeting new people who encompass the ability to blur the lines between fiction and reality.

6. Don’t be afraid to DNF

Perhaps the most important piece of advice for new readers is to not be afraid to DNF (Do/Did Not Finish). A term such as this can be found on platforms such as Goodreads and Storygraph, both of which convey the message that incomplete reading is perfectly fine. It may seem unproductive and difficult to abandon a book when we want to increase the number of books we have read. However, continuing to read something that does not even remotely interest you only encourages the aversion of reading. Some books just aren’t going to be to your liking and that’s completely fine. Don't let the nagging voice in your head stop you from discovering new interests and having fun while you’re reading. 

Getting into the habit of reading might be challenging at first but it is so worth it once you get into the groove of things. Just like anything else, it’s a muscle you have to train; the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Dust off those old book covers and rekindle your passion for reading, reclaiming that part of you that's been buried for far too long.