Overview
The Routledge Companion to Folk Horror offers a comprehensive guide to this popular genre. It explores its origins, canonical texts and thinkers, the crucial underlying themes of nostalgia and hauntology, and identifies new trends in the field. Divided into five parts, the first focuses on the history of Folk Horror from medieval texts to the present day. It considers the first wave of contemporary Folk Horror through the films of the ‘unholy trinity’, as well as discussing the influence of ancient gods and early Folk Horror. Part 2 looks at the spaces, landscapes, and cultural relics, which form a central focus for Folk Horror. In Part 3, the contributors examine the rich history of the use of folklore in children’s fiction. The next part discusses recent examples of Folk Horror-infused music and image. Chapters consider the relationship between different genres of music to Folk Horror (such as folk music, black metal, and new wave), sound and performance, comic books, and the Dark Web. Often regarded as British in origin, the final part analyses texts which break this link, as the contributors reveal the larger realms of regional, national, international, and transnational Folk Horror. Featuring 40 contributions, this authoritative collection brings together leading voices in the field. It is an invaluable resource for students and scholars interested in this vibrant genre and its enduring influence on literature, film, music, and culture.
Full Product Details
Author: Robert Edgar ,
Wayne Johnson
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint: Routledge
Weight: 0.870kg
ISBN: 9781032042879
ISBN 10: 1032042877
Pages: 454
Publication Date: 27 June 2025
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Tertiary & Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
The Best Non-Fiction Book in 2023, RUE MORGUE '[T]his is everything one could possibly want from a book on this subject. . . . [I]t could be summed up as your definitive academic guide to folk horror – extensive in scope, measured in selection of topics, profound in analysis, serious in approach but accessible to general readership' - Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue, #216, Jan/Feb 2024. ‘This is an excellent book packed full of instructive and informative text.’ - Gordon Rutter, Fortean Times 448, 2024
Author Information
Robert Edgar is Professor of Writing and Popular Culture at York St John University, UK. His publications include The Language of Film, Second Edition (with John Marland and Steven Rawle 2015), Adaptation for Scriptwriters (with John Marland 2019), and Thomas Hardy and the Folk Horror Tradition (with Alan G. Smith and John Marland 2023). Wayne Johnson is Senior Lecturer in Media and Film Studies at York St John University, UK. He is the co-author of Contemporary Gothic and Horror Film: Transnational Perspectives (with Keith McDonald 2021).
