What does the term 'quiet horror' mean to you?

[Nicole Eigener 76]

@Beverley Leeand I are curious to know how you, as a reader, respond to the term/genre 'quiet horror'? Horror seems to be too broad a term for all the subgenres that come under its umbrella. If a book was labelled 'quiet horror,' what would you expect to see within the pages?

What do you think, @Steve?

[Steve 7,527]

I've thought a lot about this (more than I probably should) and for me it's atmosphere, anticipation and tension that I would describe as quiet horror. Not having violence, blood and guts is a big one. They distract from the creeping dread that quiet horror brings. Something that will keep you thinking long after you experience the material. The anti-slasher horror genre.

I don't like slashers but I love what quiet horror does.

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

17 hours ago, Nicole Eigener said:

@Beverley Leeand I are curious to know how you, as a reader, respond to the term/genre 'quiet horror'? Horror seems to be too broad a term for all the subgenres that come under its umbrella. If a book was labelled 'quiet horror,' what would you expect to see within the pages?

I would think of eerie, atmospheric writing which invokes a sense of urgency and dread of some impending doom. One example of this is in one of my very favourite SFF books - Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.

[Beverley Lee 101]

15 hours ago, Steve said:

I've thought a lot about this (more than I probably should) and for me it's atmosphere, anticipation and tension that I would describe as quiet horror. Not having violence, blood and guts is a big one. They distract from the creeping dread that quiet horror brings. Something that will keep you thinking long after you experience the material. The anti-slasher horror genre.

I don't like slashers but I love what quiet horror does.

This is exactly how @Nicole Eigenerand I categorise it, Steve. We both have small elements of violence and gore in our writings, but they're only bit players as we let atmosphere and tension rule. Love the anti-slasher observation! ☺️

[Beverley Lee 101]

1 hour ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

I would think of eerie, atmospheric writing which invokes a sense of urgency and dread of some impending doom. One example of this is in one of my very favourite SFF books - Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.

Definitely all of these, @Paromita Mukherjee - I haven't read that one, need to look it up!

[Crystal Rhew Staley 295]

Agree with all of the above. Quiet horror is usually a slow build of dread and fear, focusing on how the characters are reacting to what’s going on around them. Can have some violence and gore but those elements aren’t usually the forefront of the story. 

[Beverley Lee 101]

47 minutes ago, Crystal Rhew Staley said:

Agree with all of the above. Quiet horror is usually a slow build of dread and fear, focusing on how the characters are reacting to what’s going on around them. Can have some violence and gore but those elements aren’t usually the forefront of the story. 

Thank you for the reply, @Crystal Rhew Staley ☺️ It's good to know readers understand the category!

[Steve 7,527]

8 hours ago, Crystal Rhew Staley said:

Agree with all of the above. Quiet horror is usually a slow build of dread and fear, focusing on how the characters are reacting to what’s going on around them. Can have some violence and gore but those elements aren’t usually the forefront of the story. 

Dread! That's the word that escaped my little brain. Dread is a big one for quiet horror

[Mr_Selfy 110]

@Nicole Eigener - would you consider Slow Burn horror as quiet horror? As in the sense of foreboding and unease carries you through a narrative? (and not always culminating in a slaughter!) I'm currently reading 'All The White Spaces' set aboard/and off a ship in the 17th century that has a feeling of ghosts and past grief, but not necessarily horror. There's a few stories like in Joel Lane's Scar City anthology that deals with more surreal side of things, but a sense that something ugly could be around the corner. 

[Beverley Lee 101]

17 hours ago, Steve said:

Dread! That's the word that escaped my little brain. Dread is a big one for quiet horror

The King of classification!

[Nicole Eigener 76]

18 hours ago, Steve said:

Dread! That's the word that escaped my little brain. Dread is a big one for quiet horror

For SURE! A huge component!

[Nicole Eigener 76]

2 hours ago, Mr_Selfy said:

@Nicole Eigener - would you consider Slow Burn horror as quiet horror? As in the sense of foreboding and unease carries you through a narrative? (and not always culminating in a slaughter!) I'm currently reading 'All The White Spaces' set aboard/and off a ship in the 17th century that has a feeling of ghosts and past grief, but not necessarily horror. There's a few stories like in Joel Lane's Scar City anthology that deals with more surreal side of things, but a sense that something ugly could be around the corner. 

Definitely! This is a great way to describe it. Feelings of unease building up until you know something has to give…
 

That sounds interesting — I love nautical settings. They’re primed for that, wrought with danger and unpredictable circumstances.

@Beverley Lee’s forthcoming novel The Sum of Your Flesh (23 March)  involves nautical quiet horror/slow burn: it might be right up your alley!

[Beverley Lee 101]

42 minutes ago, Nicole Eigener said:

Definitely! This is a great way to describe it. Feelings of unease building up until you know something has to give…
 

That sounds interesting — I love nautical settings. They’re primed for that, wrought with danger and unpredictable circumstances.

@Beverley Lee’s forthcoming novel The Sum of Your Flesh (23 March)  involves nautical quiet horror/slow burn: it might be right up your alley!

Thank you so much for the shout out, Nicole! 🥰

[Nicole Eigener 76]

54 minutes ago, Beverley Lee said:

Thank you so much for the shout out, Nicole! 🥰

Always 💕

[Ric 500]

For me, it slowly lures you in without you realizing. It immerses you in an atmosphere that gradually ratchets up the sense of anticipation and unease. There's nothing overtly scary, just the growing fear and tension that something bad is going to happen and the main character might be unable to stop it.