Haunted

Haunted is about a group of writers sign up to be a part of a camp that will push them to writer their great writing master pieces. Unfortunately, none of them realized how far it would push them- and what it would cost.

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk is a collection of short stories told within another story- and each and every story is insane. I had heard of Palahniuk in the early 2000’s. Fight Club was a huge deal at the time. And when I had learned it had been based on a book?! Shiiiiii I had to check it out. I read it and remembered enjoying it, though not more than the movie. When I saw a couple years later, Palahniuk had put out a collection of short stories- I knew it was something I would be checking it out. 

Haunted frames the short stories in an interesting way: a group of individuals all sign up for a writing camp, one where they will not be allowed to leave the camp until they have written their “magnum opus.” Readers are introduced to the authors, with each given a chapter of their own. The chapters give a backstory to the writer, a poem that is related to them in some manner, and then their short story. The stories the authors writer are just as crazy as the authors themselves. One story in particular I had heard about as a kid, one of those rumors kids tell around the school yard: a boy who must chew through intestines, as it has gotten stuck on the filter drain at the bottom of the pool during a sex accident. It terrified me as a child, and as an adult not much has changed. 

I loved the framing mechanism of this novel. It made the transitions between the stories flow so easily, and pulled you in to each story a bit more as you continued. Because you entered each story with some background knowledge from the transitions and stories of the authors along the way. Shit was great. The stories aren’t all terrifying to be honest, but they are all interesting. And all dark, in some manner. The only thing that felt lacking, in my opinion, was the ending. After having so many great stories, it seems like the story fizzles out a bit- which bummed me out. The stories are still worth reading, and will still leave a lasting impression on you. 

Rating: I give the story 7 psychotic authors out of 10. The stories are great, but that there ending was a bit of a let down. 

For similar books, check out Things we Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez. It’s a collection of short stories set in Argentina, and run the gamut of things to be terrified of. But definitely don’t be afraid to check it out. Also be sure to check out Night Shift from Stephen King. It’s King’s first collection of short stories and has been adapted in so many ways throughout the years. 

For movies, Creepshow is a classic nostalgic collection of horror shorts. Framed as a child’s comic, the stories are made by legends in the horror industry, including King and Tom Savini. You can also check out The ABCs of Death, a collection of 26 short horror films from different directors. Each director created a short film for an assigned letter, ranging from the terrifying to the absurd- but all fun to watch. So check it out.