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Original poster

Books that disturb you?

156 replies

TheMasterNotMargarita · 16/01/2017 17:58

I don't mean books that are obviously horror genre or thriller type or misery-lit.
I just finished A Handmaid's Tales and it gave me the heebie jeebies. Everyone under the regime having their place. Not knowing who you could talk to about anything. Chilling.

I was also quite freaked out by The Midwich Cuckoos and scared myself with Rebecca. Blush

Any others had a similar effect on you?

OP posts:
NancyJoan · 23/01/2017 21:01

The Uninvited Guest by Sadie Jones really unsettled me. Gave it away straight after reading, never ever want to read it again!

blueskyinmarch · 23/01/2017 21:06

Under the Skin by Michel Faber is a book that has stuck with me for a long long time.

crapfatbanana · 29/01/2017 18:45

The Road definitely. One that stays with you.

Just before Christmas I re-read 1984. Last read at school more than twenty years ago. It didn't affect me much back then but goodness, it bloody disturbs me now.

ILookAtLifeFromBothSidesNow · 30/01/2017 16:53

Loving this thread...added lots (too many!) to my wish list.

Mine would have to be We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Road

Please keep them coming!

Oblomov17 · 30/01/2017 16:59

We need to talk about Kevin was good.

Oblomov17 · 30/01/2017 17:04

Thousand suns and kite runner were good but not disturbing.

Starting to become a bit worried that nothing disturbs me .... Blush

PossumInAPearTree · 30/01/2017 17:04

As soon as I saw thread title I thought The Road. I couldn't actually finish it as I was so disturbed by it.

ThinkPinkStink · 30/01/2017 17:07

Like MrsG The Dice Man is dark as hell. Ditto The Virgin Suicides... and ditto A Turnnof the Screw... and double ditto The New York Trilogy.

TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt · 31/01/2017 12:30

A PP mentioned Cloud Atlas and I have to agree. The future segments are quite horrifying.

My other suggestion would be The End Of The World Running Club. The ending knocked the stuffing out of me.

sandylion · 31/01/2017 12:38

The road is my favourite book. I couldn't put it down. Would love recommendations for similar!

Destinysdaughter · 31/01/2017 12:58

I'm too scared to read The Road!

MumBod · 31/01/2017 12:59

The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks. A horrible, horrible book, with quite the worst ending I've ever read. I couldn't forget it for days.

Diamondsandpurls · 31/01/2017 13:04

Kiss cut by Karin slaughter, I read a lot of thrillers and have a strong stomach but that seriously threw me.

ILookAtLifeFromBothSidesNow · 01/02/2017 01:12

Bumping..because I'm loving this thread/the recommendations Smile

dovesong · 01/02/2017 01:14

Not a recommendation but Pure by Andrew Miller felt horrible and grotesque to me and I couldn't finish it.

House of Leaves creeped me out big time.

Formerpigwrestler9 · 01/02/2017 01:18

Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
I really enjoyed that one, as well as many others mentioned, although I dont think I've ever been disturbed by a book really, gripped and entertained definitely

Original poster
TheMasterNotMargarita · 01/02/2017 12:49

Just came back to this glad it's still.going.
I'd forgotten House of Leaves! The only book I ever had to put down if I was home alone...it's very odd and sinister.
Lots to add to my reading list.

OP posts:
sonnybeaudelaire · 01/02/2017 13:00

Another vote for 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' - that really stayed with me, very unsettling.

London Fields by Martin Amis is another - I've read it a couple of times and just felt a bit grubby afterwards each time.

Eastwestbestrest · 02/02/2017 06:52

I'm the King of the Castle by Susan Hill. It was a GCSE text when I was at school and loathed by everyone on the class. I found it dull and disturbing in turns and even thinking about it now makes me feel a bit shivery and nauseous. It was the feel of the book rather than the plot, although that did contribute to it.

Catch583 · 03/02/2017 20:02

If you read The Road (can't say enjoyed ) read Cormac McCarthy's others. Blood Meridian, No Country For Old Men, The Border Trilogy are all beautifully written and so disturbing you won't be able to forget them.
Ridley Walker is a weird book by Russell Hoban which is fascinating and terribly sad.

Tabbylady · 03/02/2017 21:23

Oh I am loving this thread! Looking for new stuff to read and love stuff that is unsettling/creepy/makes you think.

I second the Handmaid's tale and much of Atwood's other work- really enjoyed the madaddam trilogy even though I read them out of order.

And omg elQuintoConyo yes. We read the Fifth Child for Higher English and despite it being about 20 years ago I still think shudderingly of it from time to time. I have always wanted to give her other works ago but been put off by it!

Touchacat · 03/02/2017 21:42

There's a scene in the wind up bird chronicle by Murakami that is highly disturbing. Something to do with torture. It comes back to me a lot. Horrid.

DidoTwiteInnit · 03/02/2017 21:42

I would agree with Asking For It by Louise O'Neil. I found it really upsetting reading. But it's also a really good - and important - book.

And yes, Monster Love by Carol Topolski and Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates - both are SO disturbing I can't actually recommend reading them and honestly wish I'd never picked either of them up (usually love Joyce Carol Oates too).

I found The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum disturbing too.

dailydance · 04/02/2017 00:05

Clockwork Orange; I know.. it's an obvious one, but it's the only book that I have found genuinely disturbing... not because of the characters or plot as such, but because of the imagination/mind of an author who could think up of of that world, those characters and describe them so graphically. It's never the story but the mind of the author that disturbs me. At the same time, it's my favourite book for the same reasons.. amazing mind and imagination. American Psycho is a close second. I have a love/hate with these books.

HelenDenver · 04/02/2017 00:23

So Much For That is also by Lionel Shriver and is more disturbing that "WNTTA Kevin" IMO.