Full of entertaining thoughts on the horror genre (the best genre) and I enjoyed the parallels between the films that the author was exposed to at a young age that shaped their love of these films, because I was exactly the same. It got a little repetitive in places and my interest waned towards the end because of this. But some really great insights into sub genres and why we just can't get enough of being scared.

One of my new favourite non fiction reads. I have listened to Anna’s podcast for years and as soon as I saw this book was coming out my expectations were high. Well, she delivered ten-fold. This isn’t just a window into horror but into the psychology of why we chase the thrill of horror and how it hooks us.

For a non fiction book this flows with ease and keeps you invested until the final sentence.

A quick read with lots of discussions about the variety of horror and its consumption. As a horror junkie I found this to be an easy read but please be aware of the amount of spoilers and discussion of endings of movies/tv shows and books!

So why do you like Horror films, hmm? Is it all the blood and gore? The violence, the scares, the chills? If you've ever had these questions posed to you, always accompanied with some judgement, then Feeding the Monster might be as useful to you as it was to me. Anna Bogutskaya may not be able to provide all the answers, but she will help you take multiple steps towards answering those questions. Thanks to Faber and Faber and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a Horror fan, something I frequently have to explain to others, but also occasionally to myself. Why am I, someone who has solidly identified as a Feminist since she learned what that is, so obsessed with a genre which seems to thrive on violence against women? Well, I am very glad to report that Anna Bogutskaya has had similar thoughts and explains them better than I can in Feeding the Monster. In this book, Bogutskaya dives into Horror from a Feminist perspective, asking not just why women, or people in general, might enjoy the genre, but also what it can do for us. Bogutskaya focuses specifically on Horror films from 2014 on, films which have been considered part of the "elevated horror"-genre, a label Bogutskaya criticises. I agree that the idea of "elevated horror" diminishes the genre overall, but I did also enjoy how Bogutskaya traced the trends of the last decade of Horror. While I think most people by now accept that Horror has a place in our culture, there is still a certain stigma attached to it, but books such as Feeding the Monster, which so thoughtfully and intimately dissect our obsession with it, will hopefull change that.

Feeding the Monster is divided into five chapters on fear, hunger, anxiety, pain, and power. In the Introduction, as mentioned above, she explores her own love for Horror and what a Feminist Horror might mean. Each of the chapters then explores the theme through various films, and the occasional TV show, linking, for example, the haunted house and its changing forms in cinema to the housing crisis, or motherhood as an ever-changing focal point for Horror. The chapter on 'Pain' was very intriguing, considering aspects of body horror, which I have always found fascinating. It is Horror, yes, but it also the body made something different, new, and other, which can be a form of freedom. It also looks at dance, especially the Suspiria remake, which I adore, and Black Swan. This chapter also used Julia Kristeva's concept of the abject, which I am quite fond of myself as well, despite not being very into psychoanalysis as a theoretical framework. But it worked here, looking at all those things that disturb us and our boundaries as a form of grotesque and painful beauty. The chapter on 'Hunger' explores, as I had hoped, cannibalism. I have become more and more intrigued by cannibalism, even in my work on medieval literature, and how it can be seen as a form of (quite obsessive, sure) love. Bogutskaya explores the decadence and romance of the Hannibal show (a favourite of mine) and women devouring one another and the world in the likes of Yellowjackets and Raw. My favourite, however, was the final chapter on 'Power', where Bogutskaya questions why we no longer create capital-M monsters, like Freddy Krueger or Leatherface. A fascinating conclusion she draws is that we have come to a point where it might be easier to join the system than fight it, become one of the monsters that drains others, exploits others, than fully resist it. It's not the most optimistic of conclusions, but it gives a whole lot of food for thought.

Feeding the Monster is as much a depiction of Bogutskaya's personal journey with Horror as a book of analysis. It is definitely angled more towards popular audiences than academic ones and this is reflected in the tone. Bogutskaya includes not just personal anecdotes about her own life, but also has delightful little footnotes which made me feel like I was in a direct conversation with a funny and knowledgable friend, rather than sitting in class. However, Bogutskaya does bring in scholarship and history, reaching beyond modern Anglophone cinema to explore French and occasional classic films, etc. She will bring in monster theory, gender and queer theory, and talk about cinema, meaning you will walk away from this book with new insights into the films she discusses. I appreciated the strong focus on Feminism throughout, especially as a woman still wondering why she likes Horror at times. It is worth saying here that Feeding the Monster goes into plot details extensively, which makes sense. So if you want to keep a film unspoiled for yourself, you might need to skip certain sections. Overall, Feeding the Monster is a great insight into Horror films of the last decade, with insightful takes and, surprisingly, quite a few laughs!

Feeding the Monster was exactly what I wanted it to be: an insightful and personal take on Horror, which leaves room for further thought. I picked up some film recommendations and even new favourite podcasts (shout out to Academy of Horror!). I look forward to reading more by Anna Bogutskaya in the future.

I think this might be one of my favourite books of 2024. There's just so much in this book, it's one where I feel like I might have to go back and read a few times just to make sure I took it all in. I started from a place of resonance when Bogutskaya talks about how they felt weird as a girl for liking horror, which is definitely something I've heard before personally, and the way that the author then takes that premise to dissect and vivisect (pun unintended) the genre to really show that the genre itself is so sprawling and evocative and meaningful in all kinds of dimensions, is just exceedingly beautiful. There's so much content and so much research has clearly gone into this book, which shows to make that point. My next plan is to dive into the bibliography and watchlist to make sure I've covered everything this great book talks about!

Found this to be absorbing, and equal parts serious & fun to read - perfect for the spooky season! Well-researched with great references.

A great read for any fans of horror, particularly if you're interested in how horror plays on societal fears. That's always been an interest of mine so this really worked for me. It also balanced popular films with hidden gems especially well. Definitely recommend.

This book is non-fiction that delves into 5 main concepts within the horror genre: fear, hunger, anxiety,pain and power and how it is used in movies and fiction and why we as consumers love it.

Horror is becoming more popular and now being seen as a genre to be taken seriously. The author talks about topics and relates them back to movies and works of fiction(more movies). She discusses werewolfs, cannibals, vampires, witches,ghosts, etc etc.

The book looks at why we are drawn to these taboo themes and how films pull of the scary dramatics.

I like reading about horror but I don't watch a load, so I feel some of this went over my head but if you are a horror movie fan then definitely read this.

This was an incredibly interesting and well researched selection of essays, and looking at horror films through four specific lenses was a thoughtful way to approach this. I would have preferred the book to cover horror books as well, instead of just film & television. I specifically liked the chapter on pain and dance horror movies, as dance can often be grotesque and the connection between dance and body horror is such an interesting one to explore.
An enjoyable read, I’ll be seeking Bogutskaya’s other work.

I love horror movies, books and games so I was immediately intrigued by this book, I have so many recommendations now that I cannot wait to watch and I feel like I learned a lot even as an avid fan of horror.

A hugely readable and insightful deep dive into the horror genre and why it consumes us. I’ve long been fascinated with what monsters have to say about us and hear Anna Bogutskaya gives us some answers. This book is as contemporary as it gets, covering everything from recent cinema successes to TikTok trends. A must read for any horror lover!

This was a genuinely fantastic read. The author embodies exactly the attitude she is posing we take to horror films, curiosity and analysis without pretension or moralising.

The four segments (Hunger, Anxiety, Pain and Power) made for an approachable structure that was easy to follow. I also enjoyed Bogutskaya’s tone of voice, her personal interjections left me feeling like this whole book was a friendly discussion.

I couldn’t recommend this enough to fellow horror fans whether veteran or novice.

I.'ve just finished feeding the monster and I feel well and truly satiated.

I was gripped from first chapter as it was as if I was reading my own childhood. Reading Stephen king's from the age of 11 and watching Steven king's IT at an age that was way too early. Freddy Krueger was the only monster that scared me as a child.

The book then delves into the main using horror themes to explore more. My favourite chapter had to me hunger.

I really liked the way the book was set out and how many films are discussed. I now have a huge watch list PS thank you for putting the watch list at the back of the book this is so useful.

My only gripe is through exploring the topics of horror sometimes the author gives away too much about the film or series which means it spoiled for some things for me, sigh, yellow jackets.

Feeding the Monster is a series of non-fiction essays discussing the horror genre over the last decade. With a heavy focus on horror movies and TV shows, Bogutskaya examines the personal, societal and cultural experiences that feed into the creation of this 'taboo' genre.

The writing was clear and engaging, with some genuinely interesting discussion points that ranged from the modification of the haunted house to the queer undertones portrayed in recent cannibalistic characters. One of my favourite takeaways was that fear is not felt equally, it's more circumstantial than the universal experience of cold sweats and an increased heart-rate. The author included numerous and detailed examples to support her arguments, her diverse knowledge of horror something to behold. Having said this, the often extensive listing of titles and synopses diluted some of the essay arguments to their detriment.

Whether you love horror or are just trying to understand the genre in a new light, this is well worth the read. Thank you to Faber Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Bogutskaya, and Faber for a Galley of this in exchange for an honest review.

I. Loved. This. Book.

I am not really a non-fiction person, generally, but the description of Feeding the Monster really caught my attention. I am so glad I gave it a shot! Bogutskaya is a fount of horror knowledge and weaves together film criticism, a love of horror, a few personal details, and a whole lot of feminist and social commentary, into a deeply readable and utterly un-put-down-able book.

I have an MA in English Studies, and my favourite part of reading literary criticism (I can sense I am losing some people at this point in the review, please stay with me) was when you hit a point where it all sings. The ideas just work, the information flows from the page. Those are the ideas you never forget, the things that stay with you forever, and impact how you read everything forever. I have experienced that most often with works surrounding supernatural fiction, and feminist and / or queer reading, so I was hopeful I would get that with this book. What I wasn't expecting, was for Bogutskaya to have distilled that sensation, and somehow written and entire book that sings off the page.

If you have any interest in film, horror, women, women's experiences of the world, true crime, or, honestly, if you just have 3- 4 hours to spare, read this book. Now, if you'll excuse me I am off to watch several dozen horror movies!

5 stars. No notes.

"Horror is not about simple voyeurism, about looking at someone being butchered or haunted; it's about feeling what they're feeling. Our fears are constantly in flux, and horror is uniquely positioned to extract and transform them into something fantastical and awesome, but also something that ultimately, potentially, we can conquer. Horror keeps us safe."

As a devoted horror fan, I was thrilled to read this. I enjoyed the analysis of the more recent horror movies, especially through an intersectional lens and with a view to understanding the appeal of horror to fans. As I recently had someone in my office lament fans and creators of horror films as having 'something wrong with them' this book was very validating!

I did find that, for me, this was kind of preaching to the choir, so while it was a quick and interesting read, it didn't necessarily tell me anything super revelatory. However it did contextualise recent horror films in a clear and interesting way that was great fun to read.

This would definitely be good for newer horror fans or those who would like an introduction to the genre - some great film recommendations, as well as other film analysis/criticism sources.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Having first discovered Anna through the Evolution of Horror podcast several years ago, I was incredibly excited to be able to read this!

This was such an interesting and fun read. It was fun learning about so many different tropes and themes to popular horror movies, and learning more about other lesser know films. I would recommend this book to horror fans who want a little more information and are interested in learning about different themes and common ideas that often feature throughout horror movies. The section on Pain was my favourite as it focused on ideas and notions that I had never before thought about and added a whole different element and purpose to horror movies than the simple ‘being scared’ element.

Anna Bogutskaya is a regular contributor on one of my favourite podcasts, The Evolution of Horror, and I loved her last book, Unlikable Female Characters. I love horror so I knew I would love this.

I was very late to the horror game. Even 10 years ago I’d hardly seen any horror films, thinking it was all gore and jump scares, bur thanks to both my horror-loving husband and the resurgence of great horror (not the torture porn of the 00s I grew up with) it’s now one of my favourite genres and by far my favourite to read about.

What I loved most about this book is the feminist angle. As a woman and a feminist, as Anna is too, I loved the way she responded to claims of misogyny in horror and what it’s like to be a female horror fan.

I loved all the films listed - I’d seen quite a lot, particularly the modern ones, but I have a long reading list after this.

I didn’t love it quite as much as Unlikable Female characters but I still had a great time.

Really recommend this to all your horror-loving friends.

An absolutely enthralling exploration of everything horror; the one huge downside is that it has given me far too many films to add to my watchlist. Alas, I foresee some sleepless nights ahead of me! The breadth of horror that the author has explored, along with the succinct, analytical approach is really impressive, I found the arguments moving from post to post seamlessly creating a fluid read in almost forgot was supposed to be quite reference-heavy nonfiction. I can see this book being of great use to all those studying film, tropes, horror, but is also an easy enough approach for those who just love the genre and want to feel like they’re talking to one of their fellow nerdy friends for a while. One I will revisit for sure (once I’ve made my way through my film list!)

This is a fresh and well-researched discussion of the contemporary horror film. Bogutskaya attempts to answer (which she does successfully) why fans enjoy horror, while also calling for it to be recognised as the serious art form it is.

The book is broken down thematically by the emotions experienced by both character and audience, examples being pain, hunger, anxiety, and fear. Bogutskaya discusses a wide range of topics explored throughout horror cinema, from vampirism to cannibalism to Black and hag horror.

It primarily focuses on films, particularly those made in the last two decades, while also making references and links to much older works and some literature. A true horror movie buff will be familiar with most, if not all, of the films mentioned here, but those new to the genre will find a wealth of recommendations to go and seek out. But, in saying that, if you haven’t watched many horror films from the last decade you’ll find yourself in a web of spoilers! Beware!

Overall, though, this was an incredibly interesting read that kept me turning pages.

If you don’t just want to watch horror films but truly understand them and what they’re trying to communicate, this is a great place to start.

Thank you to @netgalley and @FaberBooks for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts.