By Maddie Walters

Staff Writer

With the arrival of Halloween just around the bend, I present to you the top five scary stories.

5. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Although this story is meant to be a parody of Gothic literature, it delivers a significant amount of horror throughout its context. The main character, Catherine Morland, is over-read in Gothic literature and as such, she creates an environment of surrounded and haunted by the gothic elements her heroes and heroines encounter in their tales. This book is enjoyable for anyone to read, but does involve a significant amount of romance - boys be warned.

4. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe

Possibly one of the most frightening tales of revenge comes from, not surprisingly, the imagination of Edgar Allen Poe. This short story is set in Italy and takes place during Carnival, the equivalent to our Halloween, which only adds to the level of creepiness. The main character, Montresor, explains to his audience his rage of an unspecified insult made by his enemy(and future victim) Fortunato and his plans of extracting deadly revenge from him because of this. I wouldn’t suggest reading this story to your younger siblings, it’s really that scary.

3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Possibly one of the most acclaimed horror stories of all time, Frankenstein explores not the blood and guts aspect of horror, but rather the mad scientist/”what is the world coming to?!” approach. For those unfamiliar, Frankenstein is the story of well-meaning scientist Victor Frankenstien and his creation, properly titled”The Creature”. This narrative portays Frankenstein’s tale of woe when his bit of mad scientistry goes all wrong. I would recommend this book for advanced readers who enjoy science, as it is a main element of this work.

2. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Closely related in time period to Frankenstien is Bram Stoker’s tale of Dracula. This episolary novel tells the tale of the world’s most famous vampire, Count Dracula and the amount of damage he does to small Transylvanian village. I would recommend this book for advanced readers who can take the higher level of brutal violence that occurs throughout the book.

1. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Lastly, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a great short story for readers of all ages. Although widely populized by Disney, it has retained it’s horrific charm and central message. Some might become tired by Irving’s long descriptions, but they are essential to the novel, and the thrilling ending makes up for the slowness that sometimes occurs.