Podcast Summary: The Book Review — Joe Hill's Scary Book Recs and Victor LaValle on "The Haunting of Hill House" (Rerun)

Podcast: The Book Review
Host: Gilbert Cruz (The New York Times Book Review)
Guests: Joe Hill, Victor LaValle
Date: October 24, 2025
Episode Theme: Celebrating the horror genre through book recommendations and deep dives into classic haunted literature, perfect for the Halloween season.

Episode Overview

This Halloween-themed episode is a rerun featuring:

1. Joe Hill (2024 interview) sharing his lifelong relationship with horror, insights into what makes the genre effective, and offering a curated list of recommended scary novels for the season.
2. Victor LaValle (2023 interview) discussing his favorite haunted house novel, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, and reflecting on how the book has influenced his life and work.

Both conversations dig into what draws readers to horror, the mechanics of fear in fiction, and how haunting tales reflect deeper questions about mortality, empathy, and self-discovery.

Section 1: Joe Hill on Scary Books and What Makes Horror Work

Starts at 00:41

Joe Hill’s Background & Relationship to Horror

• Joe Hill was introduced as an acclaimed novelist, short story, and graphic novel writer, and son of Stephen King.
• Joe recalls reading the manuscript of King’s It as a 12-year-old—and considers his own writing an ongoing attempt to capture what made it so compelling.
  • “In some ways, I feel like I've been trying to write It my whole life.” (05:00, Joe Hill)

What Makes Horror Effective

• Empathy and Character Focus:
  • Effective horror, says Hill, is about falling in love with the characters, not merely about gore or cruelty.
  • “Good horror fiction is about sympathy. It's about empathy, not cruelty.” (05:33, Joe Hill)
• Contrast with 1980s Slasher Films:
  • 80s slashers like Friday the 13th become comedic because characters are one-dimensional; real horror demands depth.
  • “We respond to that exactly the same way we respond to a Warner Brothers cartoon…” (06:48, Joe Hill)
• Physical Reactions to Horror:
  • Both laughter and screams are primal reactions—a sign effective horror cuts through conscious defenses. (08:43–09:03)

Why Do We Seek Horror?

• Hill references How Horror Seduces by Mathias Clasen—horror as evolutionary rehearsal: a “safe playground” to process fears around mortality and adversity.
  • “We read horror fiction as rehearsal… to explore frightening questions about our own mortality…” (10:18, Joe Hill)
• Monsters are metaphors (e.g., vampires for cancer)—preparing us for real invisible adversaries.

Halloween Rituals

• Hill relishes the "anticipatory pleasure" of Halloween—the buildup of fall, scary stories, and films.
  • “The anticipation and the buildup is where all the real pleasure is.” (14:15, Joe Hill)

Joe Hill’s Scary Book Recommendations (with Insights)

1. Lost Man’s Lane by Scott Carson (14:31–17:44)

• Pen name for Michael Koryta—blends small-town coming-of-age with time-skipping supernatural serial killer.
• Evokes the flavor of Stranger Things and is set in the 1990s.
• Notable for: A chilling Columbine reference, time-skipping cop antagonist, and a standout supernatural snake.
  • “If you loved Stranger Things, you will love Lost Man’s Lane.” (15:03, Joe Hill)

2. Fever House & The Devil by Name by Keith Rosson (21:15–25:50)

• “Absolutely bonkers gonzo horror.” (21:28, Joe Hill)
• Fever House features a severed hand with drug-like, violent influence—juggles a wild cast, including a tortured angel and a Patti Smith-like reclusive musician.
• “The art is in having those reversals and twists and then getting to the end of the book and feeling like they were all earned.” (17:11, Joe Hill)
• Pages “fly by so quickly, you're in constant danger of paper cuts.”
• The Devil by Name is its sequel, where the supernatural reshapes reality.

3. The Reformatory by Tananarive Due (26:01–27:59)

• Recent World Fantasy Award winner; “One of the two or three best horror novels published in this century so far.”
• Set in 1950s south, follows a Black boy trapped in a haunted reformatory—blends social horror and supernatural elements.
• “Boy, it reads like a Stephen King novel… got that energy, that vividness and that heart.” (27:37, Joe Hill)

4. For Young Horror Readers: The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (28:18–31:15)

• Bellairs’ middle-grade classic, especially the editions illustrated by Edward Gorey.
• “It’s the masterpiece of fantasy that J.K. Rowling never wrote... comfortably ahead of any of the Harry Potter novels.” (29:15, Joe Hill)
• Advocates rediscovering Bellairs’ work, which “deserves to be rediscovered because the work is so great.” (30:37, Joe Hill)

Notable Quote:
“The anticipation and the buildup is where all the real pleasure is.” (14:15, Joe Hill)

Section 2: Victor LaValle on Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House

Starts at 33:36

Introduction

• Victor LaValle shares his deep admiration for Jackson’s novel, connecting it with other haunted house classics like Turn of the Screw and The Shining.
• The haunting at Hill House revolves around Eleanor, a woman shaped by isolation and familial duty, and a quartet’s escalating supernatural experiences.

The Power of the Opening Paragraph (34:57–35:59)

• LaValle reads and dissects Jackson’s famous opening:
  • “No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality... whatever walked there, walked alone.”
• “That opening line... is like the thematic, the organizing principle of the entire book.” (35:59, Victor LaValle)
• The paragraph reframed at the end: “Spooky in the beginning and at the end, it's heartbreaking.” (37:03, Victor LaValle)

LaValle’s Reading History with Hill House

• First read as a teen on Stephen King’s recommendation in Danse Macabre:
  • “As a kid… all I really remembered… was the haunted house.” (37:32, Victor LaValle)
  • Haunted house itself is the villain, not a specific ghost or event—anticipates The Shining.
  • The house’s architecture is itself evil, “something is always off." “How is this house a reflection of that [Eleanor]?” (41:06, Victor LaValle)
• Second reading as a struggling college dropout resonated with Eleanor’s stifling home life and desire for escape.
  • “You see her being snowed under by the weight of this family…”
  • After stealing the family car: “You’re actually proud of her... I was extra empathetic to Eleanor…” (44:59, Victor LaValle)

Thematic Depth: Character, Loneliness, and Home

• The book isn’t just a ghost story, but about “a very lonely woman in a very lonely house.” (48:59, Victor LaValle)
• House and protagonist mirror each other’s flaws—uncertainty about what is supernatural and what stems from Eleanor’s psyche.

Influence & Recommendations

• LaValle acknowledges Jackson’s influence on Lone Women, especially in crafting his character’s sense of escape and fear.
• Recommends the novel by reading its opening paragraph—“If a person hears that paragraph and... they lean in... then I know this will be your thing.” (48:03, Victor LaValle)
• If readers want something a touch different, recommends Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Notable Quotes:

• “Do you want to read a beautifully written book about a very lonely woman in a very lonely house?” (48:59, Victor LaValle)
• “By the end… hopefully you understand [the opening] very differently because of the choice that Eleanor has made.” (37:03, Victor LaValle)

Standout Moments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Memorable Moment | |-------------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:33 | Joe Hill | “Good horror fiction is about sympathy. It's about empathy, not cruelty.” | | 10:18 | Joe Hill | “We read horror fiction as rehearsal… in the safe playground of our imagination”| | 14:15 | Joe Hill | “The anticipation and the buildup is where all the real pleasure is.” | | 21:28 | Joe Hill | “Absolutely bonkers gonzo horror. Every scene... is more bananas than the one before.” | | 27:37 | Joe Hill | “Boy, it reads like a Stephen King novel... got that energy, that vividness...” | | 29:15 | Joe Hill | “It’s the masterpiece of fantasy that J.K. Rowling never wrote...” | | 34:57–35:59 | Victor LaValle | Reads & analyzes Hill House's famous opening; its thematic depth | | 44:59 | Victor LaValle | Relating Eleanor’s oppression and escape to his own life struggles | | 48:59 | Victor LaValle | “Do you want to read a beautifully written book about a very lonely woman in a very lonely house?” |

Tone & Feel

The conversation is warm, literary, and insightful—a mix of humor (Joe Hill’s self-deprecation, banter about scary movies), deep analysis, and evocative storytelling. Both guests convey a profound love for the horror genre, highlighting its ability to provoke thought, foster empathy, and offer catharsis under the guise of fear.

Conclusion

This episode is a rich guide for both seasoned horror aficionados and newcomers seeking literary chills:

• Joe Hill’s book recommendations span classic horror, modern supernatural thrillers, and age-appropriate dark fantasy.
• Victor LaValle’s discussion profoundly unpacks why The Haunting of Hill House remains essential reading for its psychological acuity and emotional resonance.
• Both guests reinforce: the best horror isn’t merely about scares—it helps us rehearse life’s hardest questions, feel less alone, and better understand what it means to be human.

Recommended for:

• Fans of horror literature looking for new reads or classics to revisit
• Readers interested in the connections between fictional fear and real-life anxieties
• Anyone craving literary conversation—and a spooky good time

Summary by ChatGPT — For more Book Review episodes, visit nytimes.com/podcasts.