Stephen King, also known as The King of Horror, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his debut novel Carrie. Although much time has passed since Carrie first made an appearance on shelves, the novel has withstood the test of time. This book altered the landscape of horror writing and how we explore the genre today.
Carrie was groundbreaking in the sense that there are no ghosts or monsters in this story, just cruel teenagers, an overbearing mother and a misfit teenage girl with telekinetic powers exasperated by female rage. If you’re a fan of Carrie, here are some books for you.
Similar to his work with Carrie, King has another fantastic novel about a young girl with supernatural abilities. In Firestarter, the parents of Charlie McGee were just trying to make a little extra money while in college. They signed up to be a part of a secret government experiment resulting in both of them harnessing psychic-like abilities. After they fall in love, they welcome baby Charlie, whose powers are unlike anything they imagined. As she grows older, her powers grow increasingly harder to control. When a special force team is sent after Charlie and her family, she feels ready for retaliation.
Much like Carrie, Abitha is just a young girl. After recently marrying into puritanical society, the rumors in her village start to swirl after the mysterious death of her husband. As her peers start to turn against her, the claims of witchcraft grow louder and louder. Not knowing what else to do, Abitha turns to Slewfoot, an ancient darkness known to some as a protector and others as the demon. Together they ignite the fire between supernatural power and revenge.
If you want a story with supernatural elements with and less traditional horror, then read The Change by Kirsten Miller. Three women are met with midlife changes. They all have discovered a new gift in the aftermath of life-altering events. When these women discover a young girl who had been found dead, they know something more grotesque was at play. With their newfound abilities, they seek to avenge this young woman, but discover a bigger web of sinister crimes.
Even though Carrie is celebrating 50 years, there is a modern-day retelling of the story. The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson is about a biracial girl named Maddy. She navigates her way through school as a white passing student, but when her true identity is revealed, the bullying becomes worse than ever before. After a video of Maddy goes viral while she was bullied, her school tries to alleviate the “bad press” by hosting the first-ever integrated prom night that surely won’t end well.
What books would you recommend for fans of Carrie?
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