frankie Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) I've only read American Psycho and The Wasp Factory from the list. AP was disturbing, yes, but it also being a long and boring read took away from all the horridness a bit TWF was more weird than disturbing, I think. The most disturbing book I've read would be Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse. I don't remember much about it, but disturbing it was. We already have a thread on the topic, titled The most disturbing work of fiction that you have ever read. I don't mean to say we should merge the topics or anything like that, I just thought I'd add the link to the old thread on here in case anyone's particularly interested in disturbing reads and wants to go and see some of the posts in the thread Edit: Another disturbing but great read that comes to mind is Under the Skin by Michel Faber. Recommended, if you're into that sort of thing Edited April 12, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Topics merged and put in the General Fiction forum as I thought it'd be better there than in Horror / SF / Fantasy as some crime books for example can be disturbing too. (If anyone disagrees, we can always discuss it and I can split up the topic again, this is possible.) I haven't read any of these books. I've heard of some, but not of others. I'm generally someone though who's not really into anything disturbing (I always look away when they show disturbing gore on the TV, though with books it's a bit easier), so I'm not particularly going to seek out these new books I didn't know about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I've only read American Psycho and The Wasp Factory from the list. AP was disturbing, yes, but it also being a long and boring read took away from all the horridness a bit TWF was more weird than disturbing, I think. I agree … weird is a much better description for The Wasp Factory than disturbing. Edit: Another disturbing but great read that comes to mind is Under the Skin by Michel Faber. Recommended, if you're into that sort of thing I've already mentioned that I couldn't read it … definitely not for me, but I could see the writing was good, just not the sort of story I enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The most disturbing book I've read would be Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse. I don't remember much about it, but disturbing it was. I was just coming in here to say Poppy Z Brite's Exquisite Corpse. Under the Skin sounds intriguing *downloads sample but approaches timidly* I'm just gratefully we all live in countries where these books are not banned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felidae Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Exquisite corpse was quite disturbing yes, but I still enjoyed it. American Psycho I did not. Am reading one now, Joseph D'Lacey's Meat, that is also quite disturbing, though.. I find it not as disturbing because it's dystopian future fiction. If that makes any sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Under the Skin sounds intriguing *downloads sample but approaches timidly* Go for it! Exquisite corpse was quite disturbing yes, but I still enjoyed it. American Psycho I did not. It was actually your post in this thread on EC that made me read the book, so thanks for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Under the Skin sounds fascinating. I've just read the Amazon blurb....it all sounds a bit mysterious. I've added it to my Wishlist, but I may regret it from the sound of things. I've also added Notes on a Scandal and Beside the Sea. I read American Psycho many years ago but I don't think I ever finished it. I've also read The Wasp Factory, and found it quite disturbing. I don't remember the whole story, but just some key parts. I've also read Guts (there is a version online somewhere), and it is pretty grim and did require a fair bit of skimming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Under the Skin sounds fascinating. I've just read the Amazon blurb....it all sounds a bit mysterious. I've added it to my Wishlist, but I may regret it from the sound of things. I've also added Notes on a Scandal and Beside the Sea. Why do you think you may regret it? Okay it's gory but the story is told in a brilliant way. Blew my mind away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I'm not sure if it classes as disturbing but Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger certainly unsettled me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Topics merged and put in the General Fiction forum as I thought it'd be better there than in Horror / SF / Fantasy as some crime books for example can be disturbing too. (If anyone disagrees, we can always discuss it and I can split up the topic again, this is possible.) I haven't read any of these books. I've heard of some, but not of others. I'm generally someone though who's not really into anything disturbing (I always look away when they show disturbing gore on the TV, though with books it's a bit easier), so I'm not particularly going to seek out these new books I didn't know about. Whoops! I didn't even search, didn't think! I've read most of his other books, and thought most were very good, but this was the one that stopped me in my tracks. His short story collection called The Fahrenheit Twins had one of two uncomfortable reads, but nothing like Under The Skin *shudder* Wasn't there quite a kerfuffle when his last book came out? I believe I read that he said it would be his last, and that he wasn't going to write anymore. I just looked up the review for Under the Skin. I'm reminded of the old television show The Twilight Zone. There was an episode called To Serve Man. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Serve_Man_(The_Twilight_Zone) Crimson Petal and the White is the only of his I've tried, with no success. I know how popular it is, and so many on here loved it. I just couldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Wasn't there quite a kerfuffle when his last book came out? I believe I read that he said it would be his last, and that he wasn't going to write anymore. Yes, he's going to stop writing novels - he said during a promotional event that his last book says his goodbye to many things including to his wife who'd had terminal cancer and died not long after he finished the book. I think he said he'll keep writing short stories, but no more novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Why do you think you may regret it? Okay it's gory but the story is told in a brilliant way. Blew my mind away. Mostly because of so many comments about it and how it.....gets under your skin (see what I did there? )? Sometimes things can be a bit too disturbing, and I often can't stop thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Mostly because of so many comments about it and how it.....gets under your skin (see what I did there? )? Sometimes things can be a bit too disturbing, and I often can't stop thinking about it. I know, certain scenes get into your head, and it's sometimes difficult to get them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Mostly because of so many comments about it and how it.....gets under your skin (see what I did there? )? Sometimes things can be a bit too disturbing, and I often can't stop thinking about it. Very clever! I get what you mean, though. About things getting disturbing, too, I mean. We like to be moved by books, but we don't want to be traumatized and hospitalized by them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_new_prinz Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Well this got me, I didn't feel any book I have read work of fiction was truly disturbing, until I sat down to read my son jack and the bean stalk I mean what are we teach in our children, lies theft and ultimately murder. So I sat down and read puss in boots to him and what did I discover a cat conman/concat who lies steals and murders I was taken aghast. By the way I'm not some new age pansy when it comes to my fiction I like some fudgeed up shhhhhhh, but jack and the cat are a pair of stone cold motherfudgeers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 The most disturbing book I've ever read that I wish I could just unread is Push by Sapphire. I have not been able to get some scenes out of my head and they are disgusting and involve sexual abuse of a child. When I read it I loved it and finished it quickly, mainly because I loved the main character, but soon after, I had to get it out of my house. I owned a physical copy, and over time it was no longer welcome in my home and I had to give it away. It's the only book that I ever considered trashing. Now, don't get me wrong it is a powerful and fascinating novel, but once you read it you can't unread it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Silkworm did it for me. Bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Is that the sequel to The Cuckoo's Calling? Or is there another book called Silkworm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Yes. Its three sequel. I'm glad I read Cuckoo's Calling first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Oh, I didn't realise it was disturbing. I don't actually know anything about it, but The Cuckoo's Calling is on my TBR pile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatdifficultfirstnovel Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I don't tend to read disturbing fiction, but parts of 'Atomised' by Michel Houellebecq are pretty harrowing. There is talk of a masochistic paedo ring which gets fairly explicit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicedrinkwater Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 It has to be Peace by Gene Wolfe. Why? Because about half way through the book I realized what I was reading wasn't what it appeared to be. So I started over from the beginning and read more closely, paying a lot closer attention to what was NOT being explained. Very chilling book once I got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Collecting Dust Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Agree that A clockwork Orange - has to be up there on disturbing reads - yes disturbing but also I always thought how clever and thought provoking this book was Also 1984 Another disturbing read of mine from a few years back is a book called The Amethysts" - Frank Delaney - A work of fiction but it leaves you with a haunting feeling that what you just read could actually be true An off the wall and very recent read that I was haunted by is a book called Weightless - Sarah Bannan - totally chilling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 It has to be Peace by Gene Wolfe. Why? Because about half way through the book I realized what I was reading wasn't what it appeared to be. So I started over from the beginning and read more closely, paying a lot closer attention to what was NOT being explained. Very chilling book once I got it. That sounds interesting. I've added it to my wishlist. It's a shame it's not available for the Kindle. An off the wall and very recent read that I was haunted by is a book called Weightless - Sarah Bannan - totally chilling Another one for the wishlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicedrinkwater Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 That sounds interesting. I've added it to my wishlist. It's a shame it's not available for the Kindle. Hmmm, it is available on the Kindle in the USA. Perhaps it's not elsewhere? If you do read it, I would love to hear your thoughts. People either love or hate Gene Wolfe. His writing is easy to read, but it's tricky. He just wants the reader to pay attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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