'Demon Theory' by Stephen Graham Jones is a violent and mind-bending novel that turns old horror tropes on their head. The story is presented in a unique format, almost as a treatment for a screenplay or a book for a musical, with interconnected footnotes full of pop culture references. The book is described as a trilogy that reads like a movie sequel, familiar yet wholly original, with characters who are somewhat aware that they are part of the horror genre.

Characters:

The characters are relatable and genre-savvy but initially difficult to distinguish, with some underdevelopment that improves as the narrative progresses.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style includes extensive footnotes filled with pop culture references, combining dry scholarly prose with vivid descriptions that create a unique blend of humor and horror.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features an experimental narrative structure that presents the story as a trilogy of horror movies, which offers an engaging yet cryptic and muddled experience.

Setting:

The setting revolves around medical students and is temporally compressed compared to similar works, with references to various horror sub-genres.

Pacing:

The pacing is cryptic and can be slow, with some sections being hard to follow; it's best enjoyed in continuous readings.

As Jon Bon Jovi says in his version of it recorded with Guns N’ Roses, about a hundred people—including Clapton, Jerry Garcia, Roger Waters, Tom Petty, Bob Marley, Zeppelin—have done this song, but st...

Notes:

The book is structured like a trilogy of horror movie screenplays.

It includes a complex web of footnotes, some of which reference other footnotes.

The story weaves together various horror genres, including slasher and occult themes.

Characters are initially hard to distinguish due to the rapid introduction.

The narrative experiments with the horror genre, deconstructing familiar tropes.

The author, Stephen Graham Jones, is known for his unique blend of scholarly and creative writing styles.

Pop culture references are extensive and densely packed throughout the book.

The ending is praised as one of the best aspects of the novel.

Readers find the style similar to 'House of Leaves' but with a distinct story.

It is recommended for fans of experimental fiction and horror cinema.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include psychological distress from heavy themes and graphic violence typical in horror.

From The Publisher:

A psychological tale of cinematic horror.

On Halloween night, following an unnerving phone call from his diabetic mother, Hale and six of his med school classmates return to the house where his sister disappeared years ago. While there is no sign of his mother, something is waiting for them there, and has been waiting a long time.

Written as a literary film treatment littered with footnotes and obscure nuances, Demon Theory is even parts camp and terror, combining glib dialogue, fascinating pop culture references, and an intricate subtext as it pursues the events of a haunting movie trilogy too real to dismiss.

There are books about movies and movies about books, and then there's Demon Theory a refreshing and occasionally shocking addition to the increasingly popular intelligent horror genre.

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About the Author:

Stephen Graham Jones is the author of All the Beautiful Sinners, The Bird Is Gone: A Manifesto, The Fast Red Road: A Plainsong, and Bleed into Me: A Book of Stories. He is an associate professor of English at Texas Technical University.

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Demon Theory

Stephen Graham Jones