Wall Scrawl: What Book Would Be Your Worst Nightmare?


Alison Morris - August 15, 2008

In my July 2nd "Wall Scrawl" post, I asked what book you’d like to call home. Let’s flip that question on its head now and ask this question from the "graffiti stall": 

In what book would you be most horrified to take up residence? In other words, life in what book depicts your worst nightmare?

My answer? Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews.
Eew! Ugh! Ick! AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

And you know what else horrifies me? THE COVER PICTURED BELOW, which makes it look like a romance novel!! THIS. IS. NOT. OKAY!

Oh you poor unsuspecting teens picking up this sunny-looking story… STAY AWAY!!

(shudder)

22 thoughts on “Wall Scrawl: What Book Would Be Your Worst Nightmare?

  1. Sam

    Gah! That cover is creepy as hell (considering that I know what lurks inside). My worst nightmare? Anything post-apocalyptic. Handmaid’s Tale, Nightfall, yadda. I couldn’t even watch WALL-E without freaking out.

    Reply
  2. Joni

    Yikes. That is a horrifically wrong-headed cover for that book. I think, for reasons painfully obvious to my family and friends, I would not like to live in The Stepford Wives.

    Reply
  3. Cassie

    World War Z. It’s one thing to plan for zombies (baseball bat–check), but another to be reporting from the front lines of a zombie war!

    Reply
  4. Joel

    You have to avoid the classics… Considering who might show up, who’d want to live in Hrothgar’s Hall? Or do you really want to be invited for a nightcap in Castle Dracula? Speaking of drinks do you want to have one in Fortunato’s final abode? (The Amontilado just wasn’t worth it imo). Last but certainly not least Dante pointed out some real estate that is definitely worth avoiding at all costs.

    Reply
  5. Kat B

    I live in daily fear of the Handmaid’s Tale… using my debit card with a shiver of terror. But the book that scared me the most when I was younger, that still leaves me with worry about going into the bathroom with the shower curtain pulled, is The Shining. Terrorlicious.

    Reply
  6. WriterRoss

    Kidlit Junkie took the words right out of my mouth. Between that one and THE DEAD AND THE GONE, I can no longer look at the moon in innocence and the earth feels a little less like home knowing what could happen….

    Reply
  7. Becky

    After reading the synopsis for Flowers in the Attic, I agree. Ew. That’s one book that I won’t be going near any time soon. Thanks for the heads-up, or I might have stumbled across it. Despite its inherent creepiness because of the context behind the second cover, it reminds me of your post on stock photos and their blandness. That cover looks like any other teen romance/ summer fling novel, which might be the purpose. They want to draw readers in, and BAM! Ew. I wouldn’t want to live in the town featured in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. It’s a short story, and it’s really symbolic, but if taken literally…. (shudders)

    Reply
  8. Wendy

    That cover is just wrong. I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to use such a deceptive cover. The book I would least want to take up residence in “

    Reply
  9. Raquel Matos

    Blindness by Jose Saramago. Ack! It was difficult enough to read that book let alone imagine I was there. I’m surprised a publisher would take a risk with that Flowers in the Attic cover. It’s taking advantage of people who are not familiar with the book’s contents!

    Reply
  10. Dawn Castor

    That cover creeps me out and I hated the book! But my nightmare book might have to be Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Not cause I found it scary or disturbing, but cause I often have alternative universe dreams like that one–where everything looks normal but is so not!

    Reply
  11. writeroffthelake

    So many great answers here. I guess FLOERS IN THE ATTIC would have to be at the top of my list, too (and I agree that’s a way-wrong cover). I also agree that anything with disease, famine, world-gone-wrong, and I’ll add: any poverty settings (already living that, thank you), any serial-killer SILENCE OF THE LAMB type settings, any vampire settings, and any Harry Potter or wizard/witchcraft settings, or fantasy settings in general.

    Reply

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