Discover the history and culture of over 50 of the most fearsome mythical creatures to capture the human imagination in this startlingly illustrated compendium.
Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today. Hosts from Eeriecast, the leading horror podcast network, present the most frightening—and entertaining—tales of these mysterious creatures, revealing everything you need to know.
This beautifully creepy collection is filled with wicked monsters, including:
- Chupacabra: A legendary monster that is said to drain the blood of livestock throughout Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US Southwest.
- Jersey Devil: Said to have been created due to a mother's curse upon her newborn in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, USA.
- Kelpie: A shape-shifting water horse told of in Celtic folklore. Whatever form it takes, it is said to lure its victims to their watery graves.
- Moehau: A cryptid from Māori mythology, it stands up to 8 feet tall and can be very aggressive when encountered.
- Kuchisake-onna: From Japanese folklore, Kuchisake-onna is a yokai with deep gashes that forms a haunting smile across her face. Should you happen to meet her, she will ask you a question--and you had better answer it correctly.
- Dogman: A werewolf or werewolf-type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan, Dogman sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula.
Freaky Folklore has the stories, culture, and illustrations for you to be on the lookout for these beasts. Dive into the world of mythology and find what makes each creature unique.
Introduction
I'm a big mythology and folklore fan, but collections tend to focus on the old stuff - Hercules and Snow White and so on. This kind of folklore, the monsters and creatures that are fears made flesh, don't tend to get much of a look in. It's fascinating to see how different countries shaped their monsters, and how similar they are across borders.
Summary
Darkness Prevails, as the name indicates, is an online podcast specialising in horror and the macabre. This is a collection of some of the best folk horror stories they've come across, carefully categorised and explained.
Structure and Style
The stories are divided by continent. Each of the more than 50 stories has the specific location, a first sighting, a classification - ie faerie, dwarflike, boogyman - and a personality. The being is described, occasionally with a note about similar beings from other places, and then there's a fictional story describing a typical interaction with this being. Disturbingly, many of these encounters end in death, so please be aware of that before you start reading! There are also illustrations for each story; sadly, in my preview version they didn't always come through, but that won't be an issue in the final version.
Key Themes and Messages
The introduction gives us the generally accepted idea that most of these beings originated as a way to warn children away from danger - "don't go near the water or La Llorona will get you!" - but, as you read, you get the feeling that Darkness Prevails thinks there's more to it than that. Certainly the similarities across the planet would make you wonder! Some of the characters in the fictional stories have done something wrong to lead them to their fate, but some are innocent and sadly unlucky.
Strengths
- Each story is short to help keep interest high
- The information is fascinating
Weaknesses
- Hopefully this will only apply to the preview copy, but some of the illustrations didn't come through and some of the writing was in a very pale font that was hard to read
- The fact that some of the victims in the stories were innocent and unlucky was upsetting
Personal Connection
It's definitely an interesting read! Seeing the similarities between cultures and continents is fascinating. It is a bit creepy but that can be a good thing sometimes.
Conclusion
Great for anyone into horror or folklore, I highly recommend this. The author has another collection coming out later in the year and I'll be reading that one as well! A great read.
Freaky Folklore publishes on the 16th July, 2024 in ebook format and on the 12th September, 2024 in hardback. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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