Presenting Young Adult Horror Fiction

Horror, an increasingly popular subject for books, television, and movies, is especially appealing to teenagers who are enthusiastic fans of ghouls and gore. The appeal of horror literature to young adults cannot be denied or ignored, and in Presenting Young Adult Horror Fiction, the first genre study in the Twayne Young Adult Authors Series, Cosette Kies concentrates on teenage interest in the field. Dr. Kies reminds us that the supernatural has a long literary tradition, including such works as Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, Henry James's The Turn of the Screw, and Edgar Allan Poe's short stories. Against this literary background, Dr. Kies takes a witty and perceptive look at contemporary manifestations of horror fiction, highlighting those authors that teenagers particularly enjoy. Writers such as V.C. Andrews, Dean Koontz, John Saul, Anne Rice, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Robert Bloch, Robert MacCammon, and, of course, Stephen King are examined in depth. Each chapter includes an introduction that touches on historical antecedents, a chronology of biographical highlights and major works for the subject author, and a long quote that allows the writer's individual voice to shed light on his or her literary philosophy. Dr. Kies analyzes theme, plot, and character for the major works with perception and skill. Separate chapters explore the appeal of satanism for young adults in novels such as The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby, and there is an irreverent look at a recent development in horror writing--splatterpunk. Presenting Young Adult Horror Fiction is a welcome addition for all those interested in horror literature and will also provide much-needed information for librarians, teachers, and parents who want to understand why young adults love horror literature.