Monsters aren’t just creatures that kids are afraid of finding under their bed at night; in literature, they play a crucial role in exploring the nature of good and evil. Did you know that there’s a whole genre in literature called monster literature?
Monster literature books unpack the concept of good and evil by evoking a sense of terror and horror against evil by presenting it in the form of a monster. It has its roots in 18th century gothic literature, but the first official monster literature novel can be traced to the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in 1818.
What Is the Difference Between Monster Literature and Gothic Literature?
Gothic literature refers to works of fiction that contain elements of terror and horror, plus a victim who can’t do anything against his enemy. The enemy, or victimizer, tends to have some kind of supernatural advantage or power over the victim, which he uses to torment his victim.
In monster literature, the victimizer comes specifically in the form of a monster, and explores extreme emotions, such as isolation, desolation, and sorrow. Monster literature can be gothic literature, as is the case with Frankenstein, but not all gothic literature is monster literature.
Other common themes present in monster literature include:
- An emphasis on science: Most of the protagonists in monster literature use science to create evil beings with supernatural powers, and eventually also use scientific knowledge to destroy these monsters;
- Isolation and loneliness: Monster literature typically portrays its characters struggling with isolation. For example, in Frankenstein, both the scientist and his creation suffer from isolation: Dr. Frankenstein because of his obsession with science, and his monster because he abandoned it;
- Duality: Dual personalities are another common theme in monster literature, such as in the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or in the dual state of vampires that rest during the day and wreak havoc during the night.
What Defines a Monster in Literature?
In literature, a monster is typically portrayed as a creature with deformed figures or terrifying qualities. Looking at it deeper, it usually represents all the evil and negative emotions that human beings face: rage, anxieties, repressed thoughts, and most of the time, the story will include a backstory behind why or how the monster came to be.
10 Examples of Monster Literature
Here are some examples of monster literature novels that you can pick up and read right now:
1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
In this classic gothic novel, Victor Frankenstein, pushed by a desire for enlightenment, uses the body parts from deceased criminals to create a monster, supposedly as the perfect human being.
But the monster, now superhumanly faster and stronger than a regular person, ends up tormenting Victor and those closest to him, and he regrets his decision and abandons his creation.
This creates a tension for readers, of feeling fear and terror at what the monster does, but also feeling sympathy for it because it was abandoned and unloved.
2. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
This is another classic in gothic literature, with the monster being the alter ego of the protagonist, Dr. Jekyll, who transforms into a hunchback named Mr. Hyde via a potion he formulated himself.
Hyde is a torment to the town, and incites hatred from readers, shocking them with the eventual revelation of the main character’s dual personality.
3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
In this classic novel, Jonathan Harker goes to Count Dracula’s castle and finds himself the count’s prisoner.
It turns out that Dracula is a vampire, who torments the people and ends up biting a close friend of Jonathan’s, Lucy Westenra, who also turns into a vampire from the bite.
4. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
The novel that inspired the movie by the same name features Robert Neville, the last human being alive on earth.
He needs to keep himself fortified inside his home against the vampire-like creatures that came about after a strange infection spread through the world.
5. The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn
This modern novel starts off with adult twins taking an innocent trip home for the holidays, looking forward to some snowboarding before their family home is sold.
But when a blizzard strikes and the group is stranded, bloodthirsty creatures come out of the snowy woods and the twins end up fending for survival.
6. She Walks in Shadows, edited by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Paula R. Stiles
In 2016, this collection of short stories inspired by Cthulhu mythology won the World Fantasy Award for anthologies.
The tales feature women around the world who transform into horrible creatures, making for very unsettling, feminist-slanted stories.
7. The Awesome by Eva Darrows
This monster lit comes with a bit of humor: what if dealing with monsters requires a teenage girl to lose her virginity to stay safe from monsters who are after virgins?
Readers describe this book as “hilariously funny”—a strange description for a monster-themed novel, but one that readers seem to love.
8. Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw
A 10-year-old boy hires a private investigator to kill his abusive stepfather. But the investigator turns out to be not fully human—and neither is the stepfather! This gory and weird take on what really makes a monster is a great read.
9. The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste
This feminist monster lit novel, which won the Bram Stoker Award for first novels, features two best friends fresh out of high school in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1980s.
Just like them, the other girls in town are also undergoing changes—but not in the way you would expect. They are transforming into strange creatures made of rust and glass!
10. Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers: Monstrosity, Patriarchy, and the Fear of Female Power by Sady Doyle
This nonfiction book looks into how female power and influence and men’s fear of these has helped shape our culture, including how we portray horror movies and mythology.
The book goes through a bunch of monster stories, spanning all the way from the Gorgons’ tale to modern movies.
Reading Monster Literature
Reading monster literature is more than just getting terrified by the characters and scenes; it’s also an invitation to look into the nature of good and evil, and sometimes, even moral questions surrounding what science can do.
If you haven’t read a book in this genre, try one of the books in this list, perhaps one of the classics or one of the modern novels to get started. Happy reading—and maybe keep the lights on!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Exploring Gothic Horror: A Brief History and Examples
- 12 Best Horror Audiobooks to Listen to for a Scare
- 10 of the Most Popular Thriller Tropes with Examples
- 21 Best Psychological Thriller Books
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
