Review: The Science of Women in Horror by Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence

Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of The Science of Women in Horror for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

 As a fan of horror movies, I have always studied the role women play in them. The authors did their research, including numerous examples of female representation from film and television history.

Each section of the book is centered around a trope: The Mother, The Virgin, The Gorgon, The Final Girl, and The Healer. Other sections discuss themes such as sex, revenge, hysteria,  and more. The sections of the book are broken up into essays and interviews with women in the horror industry, as well as examples of tropes being depicted in movies and television like The Babadook, Psycho, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Haunting of Hill House.

I appreciated not only the opinions of the interviewees in the book, but also the authors also allowing for a different view, so that true discussions can be had about the subjects. I also enjoyed the diversity of the interviewees involved in this book. I particularly agreed with authors and interviewees in the need of an increase of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ representation in the horror industry.

The book was thoroughly enjoyable and I feel I learned a lot from the authors. I probably would have finished reading it sooner had I not stopped to watch a few of the movies they mentioned in it. 

5/5 Stars