This is a really good, dense exploration on the science of why we like what we like in the horror genre. Naturally, this varies from person to person. In turn, my attention span wavered in sections about things that were less my cup of tea. I'll still absolutely recommend this for horror fans. The book features spoilers for many films, of course. Personally, I enjoyed this. By the end, we have a long and great list of recommendations, some of which I'd chosen to pass on but am reconsidering thanks to the author. Both a love letter to the genre and a deep dive into pop psychology, this is a good read. Put it on your shelf next to Danse Macabre.

I used to avoid horror movies at ALL costs because I was just so terrified. In the last 6 years or so I’ve started warming up to them, but I’m still incredibly picky about which ones I watch. So, Nightmare Fuel is right up my alley!

I will say that I’m also incredibly interested in HOW things work as well as the history of them, and this is definitely very heavy on the HOW. So if psychology/slightly more technical nonfiction isn’t your bag, this one might not be for you. This is definitely less of a primer on the creative ways horror movies are structured and more of an explanation of how your brain makes those techniques successful.

That caveat aside, I really enjoyed this book. Nesseth uses a LOT of examples across the genre, which makes the theories she’s talking about pretty accessible even if you aren’t a big horror fan.

This is definitely one I would recommend to horror fans.

“Horror films don’t create fear. They release it.” - Wes Craven

As a kid, my approach for all things scary looked very much like ‘if my hands are over my eyes, it doesn’t exist’. I was sure that Gremlins were going to invade the car when my parents decided that taking me to the drive-in to watch it for the first time would be fun. I knew with absolute certainty that Bruce the shark had the ability to magically pixelate himself so he’d be able to come through the shower head in teensy tiny pieces, only to reform and attack me where I stood. Don’t even get me started on the library ghost from Ghostbusters.

I’ve always wondered how some of the movies that terrified me as a kid have become some of my all time favourites, how a kid whose imagination was able to make every scary scene so much worse than it really was grew up to love horror.

This book, conveniently combining the many subgenres of horror that I love (I’m an Enthusiastic Horror User with some Supernatural Horror User thrown in there) with neuroscience, which I always want to learn more about.

I learned how we “collaborate with horror films to create tension and build our own fear”. There were examples of how characters attempt to defend themselves against the threat of monsters, human and non-human, through fight, flight, freeze and fawn.

“Humans are also extra receptive to things appearing in our peripheral vision. In fact, we may even be faster at reacting to threats that appear in our peripheral vision than to threats that appear right front of our faces.”

The author takes on jump scares, why we wind up laughing after a scene scares us, how what has scared us over time has changed what horror looks like on the screen, the role sound (and its absence) plays in freaking us out and why rewatches don’t pack the punch of the first time.

I’m still not overly clear how a self proclaimed scaredy cat transformed into someone who can’t get enough horror but I now know why my go to method for surviving scary scenes as a kid made everything scarier.

“Studies have concluded that closing your eyes against a scary scene is ineffective, because you can still hear what’s going on - and whatever images your brain conjures up will probably be even scarier than the scene you’re avoiding.”

I loved how all of the science and the discussion surrounding studies and experiments was brought back to examples of specific characters or scenes in specific horror movies. There’s a seriously bingeworthy list of movies mentioned throughout the book at the end. I need to rewatch some of these after reading about them and, happily, I learned of some movies I’ve never seen that I now absolutely have to.

There are some pretty major spoilers revealed throughout the course of the book but, let’s face it, if you haven’t already seen a fairly large percentage of the movies mentioned, you probably wouldn’t be picking up this book in the first place.

Whether you’re into a specific subgenre of horror, including slashers, creature features, body horror, transformation horror, torture horror, revenge films and psychological horror, of if you’re an all rounder like me, there’s something here for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.

If you are interested in a deep dive into the science of horror you will not be disappointed in this book. I found the science was a little too involved which made the book not as readable as it could be.

This is a really cool insight into horror movie history, a lot of information regarding the science of it and its progression of them throughout time.

I would have loved a deeper insight into some of the topics that were sort of only briefly touched on and some topics seemed to take up most of the book, which was not that interesting for me personally.

This was a really interesting book that discusses the science behind horror and why we enjoy horror films. Each chapter starts strong with references to classic horror films and why those particular parts in the movies are scary. I enjoyed the scientific deep dive into why our brains enjoy horror and why we become scared in the first place. Since I'm a huge horror movie fan, I really enjoyed all of the different movies discussed throughout the book. That was a big bonus for me. I didn't give this 5 stars simply because it was very scientific heavy and became a little cumbersome to read. I had to really break it down into sections so I could fully appreciate the effort put into this book. I loved all of the information - I just had to read it in chunks so I didn't get too overwhelmed.

f you’re reading this review on this website, chances are you like horror movies, but have your ever wondered why you like them or why certain scares hit harder than others? That is what Nina Nesseth dives into with Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Movies.

For a book that could have been really dry and read like a thesis paper, Nesseth manages to make scientific research easy to understand and even fun! The book’s eight chapters cover topics such as monsters (with a fantastic exploration of the uncanny valley), gore, violence, sound in horror and why some films just stick with you and the author peppers her research with “in conversation” sections interviewing pillars of the horror community. If you have any interest in WHY you like horror, this book is worth picking up.

This book is for people who are interested in learning the science behind why people respond to scary movies the way they do. This is pop science, heavy on the science. Each chapter reads like an essay written for a college class. This is not a bad or good thing, just something to be aware of. Specific movies are used to describe the concept (for instance body horror) as well as evidence from scientific studies to illustrate the author's thesis. Horror movies from most decades are examined throughout the book, but it seemed to focus a bit more on the '90s and early 2000s horror. In the back of the book is a list of all of the movies referenced in each chapter, which I liked. Since this was such a science-heavy book, I think referencing the scientific articles that were discussed would have been a good idea. Nightmare Fuel has a solid concept, but did find myself losing interest at times. This book seems to want to please both lay people and academics and I think it may have benefited from choosing one target audience or the other. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What fun! <i> Nightmare Fuel </i> is a thoroughly well-researched deep dive into the brain and body's response to different aspects of horror media. Nina Nesseth has done her research, including - but not limited to - watching scores of horror movies from across the decades and reading up on numerous research studies that have been conducted over the years in search of an answer to what horror does to us when we consume it, and why we love horror in the first place.

If you love horror movies or horror books - or the horror aesthetic in general - this book is for you. Nesseth's approach to talking about horror is very scientific, and at times it went a little over my head, but her personal love for horror is evident in her points. The first chapter of the book was the most challenging to read, as it dives deep into the different parts of the brain and how each one contributes to the human stress response when confronted with frightening imagery. I couldn't tell you what the amygdala's function is in fear by memory, but this chapter is an excellent guide. After that first highly academic chapter, the remaining seven chapters are a bit lighter (while still covering science, case studies, and psychology). I had a great time learning about flight, fight, or freeze, and why so many of us prefer to watch horror with others rather than alone. Why we get scared by fiction even though we know, logically, that the images we're seeing are only on film, not threats in real life. I even learned some scientifically-backed methods for avoiding nightmares or jumpiness after watching a scary movie. Everything from why body horror makes us feel squirmy and sick to how grief is a common theme of horror films and how horror may have a cathartic effect on viewers walking through their own grief or struggling with their own fears. How studies have shown that viewing violent media does not, in fact, have any correlation to engaging in violent acts in real life. An entire history of horror and how its portrayal in film reflected the fears people were experiencing during those decades. The list of fascinating studies and facts related to the horror experience goes on and on. <spoiler> I'll never forget the off-hand mention of a study that was done which asked people to rate the "sexiest" horror monsters. #1 was obviously vampires, with a close #2 somehow being...Hannibal Lecter as portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Nothing has ever been funnier. </spoiler>

My favorite sections were probably the sections that focused on a case study about a specific horror movie or was an interview with a horror film creator. While Nesseth refers to countless horror films all throughout the book, these sections were scattered throughout and dove deeper into a specific point about a specific movie or filmmaker. A broad range of movies were highlighted - not just the super well-known ones - which I appreciated. I personally have actually not seen very many horror movies, but I love reading horror and am fascinated by the genre of horror in film and television. For all of the references to films I not seen, I quickly added them to my mental must-watch list, and the few that I had seen, I loved the deep dives. There were also tons that I had heard of or was fairly familiar with even though I hadn't seen them, so I never felt like I was at a disadvantage for not having seen tons and tons of horror. Nesseth also makes a point to briefly describe the key points to note about every film she references, making her discussions accessible for any reader.

Last quick note on accessibility - Nesseth also makes a point to mention the many subgenres of horror and the representation and lack of representation of minority groups. Studies conducted with men and women to test fear susceptibility did not include nonbinary people or those who don't identify as straight, and in many cases the sample sizes were too small to be conclusive anyway. Nesseth isn't trying to make a conclusion or argue a point about anything, but to present data and research, reveal the flaws behind them when they do exist, and allow readers to do with that information what they wish.

This book was fascinating and a must-read for horror movie fans or anyone interested in exploring the genre further. Nesseth includes a section in the back with a list of every movie referenced in the book, so if you are looking for a place to start, it couldn't be easier!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the review copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films is not only a deep dive into the history of the genre of Horror and its various subgenres and themes, but into the science behind why horror attracts and disgusts. Nina Nesseth focuses (primarily) on intersections of neuroscience and horror. Nina is quick to point out that watching horror isn't a "brainless" activity - but that filmmakers are crafting scares with the brain and body reactions in mind. So naturally, Nina explores how different parts of the brain (such as the amygdala and the hippocampus) responds to horror. But this book is also an interdisciplinary study. It is a deep dive into how all the aspects of a horror film - from creature design to sound design - provokes a response in the film viewer. Nina also explores horror through a social, evolutionary, and phycological lens as well. I found Nightmare Fuel to be an insightful look into why we are attracted to and disgusted by the horror genre. Nina Nesseth writes in accessible and entertaining tone, that is both approachable and scholarly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tom Doherty Associates for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films by Nina Nesseth gets into the science of fear through the lenses of psychology and physiology. It looks at the actual science of how we react to fear, both in real life and on the screen. I don’t have the extensive backgrounds in science, medicine or academia that I think is necessary to really benefit from this book, but I’m sure those that do would enjoy it tremendously. There is so much detail that it is hard to follow at times. Nightmare Fuel analyzes movies from the beginning in the 1800‘s to present time, which was very interesting. I really like the list of movies in the back that influenced each chapter, so I don’t have to go back through the book and try to find names of movies I was interested in watching. This is a good read for any serious horror fan.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy I received from them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tom Doherty Associates, Tor Nightfire for the digital advanced reader's copy.

An interesting look at the psychology, sociology, and brain science behind horror movies.

I'll be honest. I struggled a bit with the brain science chapters and sections, particularly the first chapter. That first chapter felt like material that had been covered before, and it was dry.

However, things then picked up. Nesseth's review of horror movies through the ages via the "big" social worries of each period (so much Communism anxiety!) was enjoyable and added some new horror movies to my to-watch list.

I also thought the chapter about the possible causation/correlation of violence in movies and violence in the real world was thoughtful and even-handed in discussing what science can and can't prove and the flaws in the research.

Other chapters focused on monsters, sound and sound effects, why some scares "stick," and the science behind body horror (still not my thing, but now I understand why a bit better).

My favorite bits were the sidebars with interviews from those employeed in the movie industry: sound engineers, editors, directors, and more.

At the end of the book, Nesseth includes a complete listing of all movies referenced in each chapter as well as a thorough list of the research she referenced.

Recommended for anyone curious about what current science may have to say about horror movies, why they scare us, and why we keep watching them.

*descriptions of violence, rare language

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was an easy to read non-fiction book about the history and psychology of horror movies. Why they scare us, why we love them, and how they give us the willies.

Some parts did drag, especially if you're not into neuropsychology, but for the most part it was a very fun book and gave me a lovely "to be watched" list in the end.

this book is an explanation of all the types of horror movies, what happens in them and the psychological reason for the event to be happening. we get a deeper understanding of what movie directors are thinking when they are directing a horror movie, the actions that a character is taking.

how many times we’ve watched a horror movie and we see the character freeze in fear when they see something scary?

“Freezing on the spot is also known as attentive immobility, and it’s often an instinctual first phase in a fear response. It’s triggered by the periaqueductal gray area of the brain when the noticed threat is interpreted, usually subconsciously, as not immediately pressing. The periaqueductal gray is gray matter that surrounds the cerebral aqueduct, a passage containing cerebrospinal fluid that protects the brain. This area is strongly linked to processing pain, and works closely with the amygdala in situations involving triggering fear responses, especially freezing, and in encoding fear memories.”

differences between freeze, fight, flight, fright

who likes jump scares. some do and some prefer to be scared without the jump scares. the best jump scares are the ones that tension is built up to that point.

“If you’ve seen a horror movie, you’ve experienced the jump scare. For many of us, it doesn’t feel like a true horror movie experience if we haven’t jumped in our seat at least once, even if the scare itself feels cheap and predictable. And, not to put down the jump scare, but it is cheap. The technique bypasses logic completely and goes straight for your reflexes—that’s why your body jolts even when you know the scare is coming.”

this book just has so much information it’s a fun read especially if you are a fan of horror movies or studying in the movie business.

a takeaway from me is i prefer horror movies that are psychological or ghostly. i tend to feel that gore and sex in horror movies make it cheap. gore is more disgusting than scary. sex does not always sell i always felt that it’s just a cheap thing to put into the movie. unless it’s a couple and they are showing love to each other that is apart of the story to show the audience their love for each other and no nudity is shown. the cheapest ones are those of nudity and obscene comments interjected into the movie which if you take that scene out of the movie it would not make a difference or change the story. there are many great horror movies that are psychological and /or ghostly (the ring, the grudge, get out, annabelle, exorcist, lights out, etc)

Have you ever wondered why we are all drawn to scary movies?

In this chronicle, author Nina Nesseth goes into fascinating detail by matching the scares and films we love to science.

Why does our brain respond to jump scares? Why do certain body horror segments turn us off more than others?

Nesseth breaks this down with an in-depth look at the history of the genre and links to how society has changed as horror and cinema have evolved.

You may think that putting scientific evidence to your favourite horror films could suck the fun out of it, but you will become quickly drawn into this engrossing study.

Nesseth also talks to directors, film editors, composers, and horror academics about different subjects to get their takes on different facets of the genre.

I couldn't put it down and devoured it in 3 days. Superb.

A journey into the real life science and films behind those fictional horror moments you adore… An essential guide to the many ways our brain and body react to real life and fictional horror with inspiring examples from all sorts of horror movies.

I’ve always been interested in the effect of media on the individual with a long-time interest in mental health matters. This came about after treating a client who became fearful and paranoid after their psychosis was triggered by hearing a certain rock band’s music. This added to my strong interest in neurological conditions such as anxiety-related conditions. These conditions include phobias and obsession and the sometimes unique causes of these conditions and the subsequent thoughts or behaviours that develop when responding to those fears…

So, I was immediately drawn to the title of author Nina Nesseth’s book, Nightmare Fuel, The Science of Horror Films. Nesseth illustrates throughout her 240 paged book that we as humans all react emotionally to horror on screen… and will go through one or more of a gamut of emotions from fear to disgust. This reaction she stresses is different to our reaction to off-screen and real-life horror.

She adds there are two kinds of horror movie fans, those who love everything horror and those who prefer a specific subgenre. She adds that horror is difficult to define as we all have our own unique interpretations. I concur with these beliefs and am a sometimes horror film fan.

I’m one for 1970s horror of all sorts, and my blog’s A – Z film and TV movie pages will support this fact wholeheartedly. These are crammed with reviews of a variety of 1970s horror films including killer animals, child of Satan movies and those films featuring characters with psychic powers. But I hate body horror, gory and bloody scenes…

My definition of horror movies includes everything from familiar horror titles seen in familiar retro favourites such as The Amityville Horror (1979) to one I’ve just newly discovered, Phenomena (1985). Yet even more personally, my list of horror films also includes an animated movie that freaked me out as a child, Watership Down (1978) and the ludicrous thriller, so bad it’s good, Jaws IV (1987).

Nesseth sets the ambience for this book in an apt way from the first sentence. She starts this book with a question you may remember from the horror film, Scream (1996). This question – which I heard in the eerie and spooky voice from the movie character it came from – shifts you effectively from your comfort zone to one on the alert to all things of the horror kind, as she asks…

Do you like scary movies?

She then describes this film’s opening scene. In this scene, a character, Casey – played by the well-known actress Drew Barrymore – is asked this same question. It’s asked by a disembodied voice in a mysterious phone call as she’s home alone. Casey later meets her untimely death in a horrible way after she’s killed by this unknown masked killer caller.

Nesseth asks about your initial personal reactions to these on-screen events. And then she adds that your response of shock, surprise or fear is what the Scream filmmakers had hoped for…

The author defines the individual nature of horror stating it is,

“a genre as broad as the range of human fears, and it takes as many shapes”.

She also explores the difficulties in defining the horror film genre, as it is one with many subgenres. She believes everyone has a more personal definition and interpretation of this word. She argues that more successful horror films are then redefined into other film genres by the film industry.

She adds that the die-hard horror viewer is also “picky” when defining this genre and in listing its films and components within the plot, be these monsters, protagonists or fearful situations. This concurs with the individual take on this definition as what scares you might not terrify someone else.

In writing this book, Nesseth aims to;

“dissect every way that films affect us: how the people who craft scares leverage science against their audiences, how we engage horror with our brains and bodies, and why we constantly come back for more scares when, logically, we should avoid the scenarios we see on screen, not happily expose ourselves to them.”

You will find she certainly delivered on each and every point… The contents’ page lists eight inviting chapter titles showing ways horror is created on-screen and analyses our reactions. Chapters such as Putting Fear in your Ears, How to Make a Monster and Why Some Scenes Stick with You indicate just a few ways in which filmmakers elicit an emotional response. Relevant films are examined more fully as she explores these themes in a wide spectrum of ways. And in these chapters how we are affected by film monsters (be they human or beasts), the film soundtrack (including noises and dialogue) and our behaviour learned from our childhood film experiences.

Nesseth argues that all horror films come with a guarantee that they will deliver emotional responses. Horror fans are unique to other film genre viewers, in that they are complicit in their scientific response – be it biological, behavioural or psychological – to a horror film. The horror aficionado also is unique as they enjoy the familiarity and repeated themes within the horror plot and tropes and will often seek these situations and themes out when watching a horror movie.

This author explores in-depth how real-life (off-screen) horror affects us as individuals scientifically. In scientific discussion, Nesseth outlines and explains biological, learned and innate behavioural responses. This discussion includes recognised biological reactions such as increased heartbeat and brain reactions. In addition, behaviours are seen which include the fight or flight reaction, freezing or avoiding the fear. Innate reactions are defined as those we are predisposed to as humans for survival and those explored include fear of the dark, snakes and spiders.

She advocates there are different reactions to these same fears as we experience them when watching horror films. These reactions include sympathy, empathy and a desire to help the protagonist. Nesseth supports these behaviours with appropriate references to pertinent research from filmmakers and scientists. Nesseth explores a wide range of responses to this film medium and its subgenres, and you may identify with many of these behaviours in line with those many horror scene descriptions and tropes.

You’ll find that you are not the only one with this reaction and this response is just one of many different reactions you’ll feel when reading the variety of subgenre examples – as described in vivid scene descriptions – in this book. Nesseth’s always spot-on analysis is supported by her findings gleaned from extensive research from scientific literature, her own self-disclosure and this author’s observation of a film character’s responses to this horror.

This book includes a deep examination into how filmmakers of all professions – such as film editors and soundtrack composers – create horror on screen by,

“influencing practical and digital special effects, camera techniques, sounds, editing and narrative storytelling”.

Her analysis of scenes is supported as this craft is further discussed within her interviews with filmmakers – such as film editors and soundtrack composers – regarding their roles in this creation process.

Scream is just one of a tsunami of horror films explored in the book, and there’s something for everyone. Nesseth explores individual titles from a wide range of horror subgenres – including body horror and pregnancy horror – and illustrates her points vividly with film, characters and scene examples from every decade. To her credit, she often goes out of her comfort zone, to explore subgenres she herself is fearful of, and this often means you may do the same. However, this is more reassuring reading than harmful, with her often adding support and practical advice.

Within the chapters, Nesseth also includes individual sections named Scare Spotlight where she analyses a particular movie trope pertinent to the chapter content more fully. Film examples include Hereditary (2018), The Thing (1982) and Alien (1979). Relevant films and pertinent scenes are discussed with a great analysis of the plot and its tropes. An example of this is when she discusses the jump scare technique. After this trope is explored scientifically, Nesseth analyses its use in a movie example. This is further complemented with movie titles and relevant scenes in the chapter content.

She also adds sections named In Conversation with her exclusive interviews with filmmakers, horror podcasters, composers and podcast hosts. Nesseth asks these creators about their individual and professional roles in their work. Nesseth asks questions with insight and these answers to her compelling questions shed further light on how our emotions are manipulated by these films.

Throughout this book, human responses and scientific reactions are written about in a way, that you can relate to, understand and identify with. Nesseth gives examples of the responses to this horror by characters by describing relevant scenes from familiar horror movies. This co-relation between fact and fiction makes this subject more comprehensive and meaningful for all. Especially those whose eyes glazed over in biology lessons full of those imposing long biological names and terms which made this topic a more dry subject at school.

Also as a child, it seems that we find horror in other film genres. In her chapter, Why Some Scenes Stick with You, this particular chapter’s scientific and on-screen analysis is reassuring and supportive. Her writing indicates that my intense childhood fears of the animated film Watership Down seem quite normal as this childhood fear of the film is one which I still have now over forty years later.

This long-term fear is indirectly empathised with by the author. Nesseth tells of her and her partner’s reactions and Gremlins (1984) and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) respectively. She adds that many children avoid watching the snake filled scene in a certain Indiana Jones movie and these adults now dislike snakes as much as this film character.

Throughout this book, reading Nesseth’s supporting evidence I discovered many surprising research findings. Our reactions to these film moments are discussed in research gleaned from journals of all sorts and from all sorts of professions. A detailed A to Z list of the films and articles referred to when writing each chapter are listed in appendices with full details of these titles.

The book is crammed with surprising findings – and some now on reflection, common sense – of all sorts, to remember when watching this genre. I learned that closing your eyes does not make you avoid what’s on-screen. This is as you still hear what’s happening on screen, as your imagination takes over and it seems a human’s imagination is often much worse than what’s shown on screen. And I made a mental note to remember this for the next time I (try) to watch The Thing.

And if you want to bond on your first date, a horror film is advised over a rom-com to watch for the “snuggle” effect. And this might just explain why my Darlin Husband introduced me to zombie films galore during our early dates (and beyond).

Nesseth takes you on an analytical trip through horror films, tropes and their scenes in a wide range of subgenres of all sorts as she examines human reaction. You’ll both emphasise and sympathise with others, be they characters or research participants you read these pages taking you to all kinds of horrors. This book is also a supportive and empathetic guide to horror films from every decade, and subgenres. It’s like a goldmine of films to watch, and reactions to emphasise be it off-screen or on.

Finally, in her introduction, Nesseth asks another question. This question is one familiar to all kinds of horror fans, who are often asked it after watching a horror film of any subgenre. But now I am answering and paraphrasing this question, after reading this all kinds of horror-themed book. And a book where admittedly I also went out of my horror comfort zone more than a dozen times reading examples or film titles, but with the support of this understanding writer. So was this book scary? And the answer is no, but it was very good.

Nightmare Fuel is a fascinating exploration on the psychology of horror. There is true science in these pages explaining why we get scared, how we get scared, why we like to get scared, why the things that scare us stick with us, and everything in between. There are explorations of classic and modern horror films, as well as interviews with people involved in the genre. This is the perfect book to give to any true horror fan. Highly recommended!!

Nightmare Fuel by Nina Nesseth was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Nightmare Fuel, or "what fuels your nightmares?" is a book about the psychology of horror movies. What makes some scared makes some of us laugh hysterically while some minute things to most of us, such as "E.T," scare the bejesus out of others. This book delves into what makes something scary. The book does this in a non overpowering way that is easily understood by readers, as well. There are short insights into many movies from the 20th and 21st Centuries. If you, or someone you buy gifts for, would be interested in this topic, certainly give this book a read. Halfway to Halloween has already passed and the holiday season will be on us before we realize it.

4 Stars

It's a fine line for a non-fiction book like this to wall between being engaging and being intelligent without being too smart. Nightmare Fuel does this brilliantly.

While it never talks down to the reader, it also doesn't shy away from the intelligent moments exploring what may be triggered in your brain during moments of terror. Learning is fun here, and you done need a PHD to follow along.

It's also nice to have a more up to date book that includes looks at recent films instead of seeing the same classics over and over.

Generally speaking, this was a reasonably interesting book. Being a huge horror fan, the description led me to want to read it: "Nightmare Fuel by Nina Nesseth is a pop-science look at fear, how and why horror films get under our skin, and why we keep coming back for more." What that made me expect and what was actually produced were fairly different. The majority of people who read this are unlikely to have extensive backgrounds in science, medicine or academia. It therefore makes sense that the physiological and biological and other medical and scientific aspects can't be easily explained in one or two sentences, and thus, had whole sections of the book dedicated to explaining them in terms the layperson can (hopefully) understand. But there were times that doing so required going into so much intricate detail that I felt my eyes glossing over until I just skipped ahead a few paragraphs. Too many times the book read too clinically and more like a dissertation than a scientific look at broken down for the masses. By far the best chapter was the second one in which a breakdown of horror by the decades was made, with explanations of what societal fears were influencing the films of that time period. I would like to have read much more of that, and application of the science and theories involved more extensively to specific movies to make the point. It's not a bad read for any horror fan, but understand there's a lot more scientific talk than anything else in the book.