Mise-en-scène #20: Fear

We fear the unknown. What is more unknown to us than death? I might not have read Vicious or Shadowcry yet but I know they have one thing in common with The Raven Boys. All three books begin at graveyards.

Foreboding

When I read The Raven Boys, I had a sense of foreboding right from the start. I even counted it towards “A book that scares you” for the Popsugar Reading Challenge this year. There’s nothing like graveyards, darkness and spirits to inspire fear in readers.

Then there’s the prologue of Vicious. It starts with gravediggers and the realization that one of them is dead yet fears the dead herself.

Shadowcry‘s prologue also begins with grave digging. This time in search of a book buried with a particular coffin. After a long search, the book is finally uncovered and written in it is a warning:

Those Who Wish to See the Dark,
Be Ready to Pay Your Price.

—from Shadwocry by Jenna Burtenshaw

Enticing Fear

It’s knowing that there’s something to be feared that entices me to read on. I won’t voluntarily spend a night at a graveyard, much less go round disturbing the graves of the deceased. Yet when it comes to books, there’s something tantalising when they start like this. As a reader you expect that these books will have much to offer because the very first emotion you’re meant to feel is fear.

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Which books have elicited fear in you?

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