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#NewYearNewBooks #InsectCover an all time creepy book.

Apparently this book has inspired many kidnapping serial killers (says Google). 3 ⭐

The book is…a lot. A man stalks Miranda, an art student, and eventually kidnaps her. He keeps her in his basement, in a room he specially designed for her. We read from his viewpoint for part of the book, and from her view in an epistolary form. At times it dragged, especially her diary section, but the whole of the book is incredibly chilling. He‘s so evil. There‘s also a study in social classes and a power struggle between the two characters.

Almost read this for our October #botm but my co-host was too afraid.

We planned on doing a normal book club nomination episode, but somewhere along the way we get very sidetracked! Don't worry we do select an October book and add in some added criteria for reading this months scary selection. We think you'll like it! As for the rest of the episode...Enjoy!!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LnH3kQ78yuNldeHhI33d4

According to the internet, this 1963 tale of abduction has been a favorite of certain infamous murderers, adding a certain chilliness to the reading experience. The novel‘s sympathies lie with artist Miranda, the abductee, while creepy butterfly collector Clegg (the perp) exhibits some interesting class resentments. Miranda‘s tragic section of the split-POV is epistolary. The subtle cruelty is served up like an afternoon tea laced with arsenic.

I didn't enjoy this book at all!!! The only reason I read the book was because it was mentioned in 32 Books mentioned in Criminal Minds or read by Dr. Spencer Reid. I rated the book a 2 out of 5 stars.

Terrifyingly brilliant is how I would describe this. Abduction, obsession, psychologically emotional as well as dealing with social issues and class. This was much more deep than I thought it would be and although it‘s an oldie it‘s really stood the test of time. This is going on my list of all time favourites!
Also bought this bookmark from Etsy and I love it 😻

Frederick collects butterflies. One day he decides to collect the beautiful woman he has observed from afar. He holds Miranda captive, admiring her like one of his pinned insects, fantasizing that she will fall in love with him. But Miranda is intelligent and strong-willed, and she won't be easily cowed. This book is disturbing, yes, but also a very interesting examination of class and art, which I was not expecting. 5⭐

This is not just a fabulous suspense thriller but also a meditation on the social and political issues of the 1960s. It is not accidental that the main character is a butterfly collector, as the butterfly itself is a symbol of transformation, change, endurance and hope.

I finished it in a couple of hours, I just couldn't put it down once I started reading.

Holds up incredibly well for an ≈60 year old psychological thriller. Frederick is a truly bone chilling character. His stalking, capture, and imprisonment of a young art student will leave you looking over your shoulder and side-eyeing any unassuming, lonely young men you encounter. The book lagged a little during Miranda‘s section, but the ending left me satisfyingly unsettled. This book has rightfully rippled through and inspired the genre. 4⭐️

A couple of op shop finds from back in May on a sneaky day off work.

#AlphabetTitles #LetterC
A small but queenly stack. Ian McEwan again, I love his writing,one of his I didn't love and so do not have is the Cement Garden.
But my favorite is John Fowles haunting and intense Collector. It has been a few years since I have read it so it will go into the to be reread pile.

Yay! It‘s October. I love the chill in the air, the leaves turning color and crunching underfoot, the pumpkins before and after they are carved up. I am especially enjoying it after reading the tagged novel, which makes me not want to take anything for granted. Stalking/abduction stories are esp disturbing (probably because there is such a basis in reality), and this one...oof. It was intense. Horror of captivity on an existential level.

So-so to a pan. 😔 My reading is falling far into the unsatisfying lane lately.

Need that knock me off my seat kind of book! Any suggestions??

Saw this on a list of “most disturbing” books & just had to read it! I love a good creepy book 🤷🏻‍♀️

Currently reading...

I‘ve been meaning to read this for years! A working class guy comes into money in the 1960s so, like you do, he kidnaps a posh art student and holds her prisoner in his cellar. It was a lot deeper and more sinister than I expected; I cried at the end. 😟 This is a good book! #scarathlon #teamstoker

#QuotsySept19 Day 16: #Collect

What an amazingly unsettling novel about a butterfly collector who kidnaps a young woman he is captivated by. This definitely has connections to Lolita and You right off the top of my head. This is hailed as the first psychological thriller and deserves that place in the canon.

#Insect #QuotsyJuly2019 @TK-421

#QuotsyJuly19 Day 24: #Insect
I own a copy of this book and look forward to reading it soonest!

A beautiful day at the #NorthfieldBookFair. Think I have some interesting finds!

#anglophileapril Frederick Clegg collects butterflies, then he goes on to collect his crush Miranda Grey . I think he qualifies for the label #creep

Wow! I am gobsmacked. This has blown me away.
The ending is fantastic and whilst the diary section didn't enamour me to her as much as I'd assumed it would, it was still great.
Massively recommend 😊😊😊

Just sterted this as I adored French Lieutenant Woman.
How creepy is the male protagonist in this? ???? Blimey!

A literary thriller about a psychopath and the girl he kidnaps. It can be read on many levels: as a straight thriller, a commentary on class, a criticism of angry young man literature, a parable on a certain kind of marriage. Even though they are forced together they are unable to understand the first thing about each other.

Creepy, thought provoking and a quick read.

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Inspired by a lot of other Littens, I‘m going with two books published in 1963. I‘m not sure they were published in #December1963, but what you gotta do 🤷‍♀️ both books are great, and should be read!

#WinterWonderland

The Collector has been on my TBR list for a while. I finally read it and am disappointed. What the main character did is awful, but I disliked Miranda so much that I couldn't feel the usual victim sympathy for her. I almost bailed a few times reading her chapter and only finished because I wanted to know what happened.

When you are such a massive #JealousGuy you have to “collect” your obsession - that‘s this book ☝️

#NoFemmeber

Someone probably should‘ve checked on John Fowles every once in a while...just to be safe...😊 This book is chilling but not in the normal sense. It‘s what ISN‘T written that stays with you. It‘s the fact that this actually happens. You have a villain who doesn‘t think he‘s a villain...and he‘s just stretching his legs. 149/1,001 #1001Books (the photo is from Open House Theater‘s stage production)

This is the first edition book cover and the one that I remember. This frightening story has never left my memory, although I read it so long ago. #onewayoranother a man obsessed with a young woman will add her to his collection. #octoberxfiles

Published in 1963, this book was considered one of the first modern psychological thrillers. The 2nd chapter (sadly the largest of all 4) is told in diary form by the victim, Miranda, a 20 year old art student. Her account is so unbelievably pretentious & ponderous that I was hoping her story would be interrupted by her sudden death at the hands of her kidnapper...or at the very least she would run out of writing implements.

#KnowingMeKnowingYou makes me think of a stalker caught stalking someone. Like “I know you know me all too well”. Maybe it‘s just me 😄

But it made me think of this book, where things get a bit ugly, to say the least, because of one man‘s obsession with a young girl 👀

#ABBAinAugust

Yeah! I received the book from @sprainedbrain today. Thank you for the adorable bookmark.

Holy shit. This book was pretty much impossible to put down once I started it... such excellent writing, and so very creepy. Wow.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will soon be sending this book on it‘s way to my friends in #LMPBC Group F‘ing Awesome. 😎 (Karen and Angel, please note that I tagged Kerri even though she is a Litsy quitter. 😂)

#1001books

#gottogetyouintomylife #heyjune
One of my fav books in my teens - themes of stalking and kidnapping. I haven‘t read it since then in case it doesn‘t live up to the love in my head!

We all want things we can't have. Being a decent human being is accepting that.

The jacket description calls this the "first modern psychological thriller" which is more than a little misleading- there isn't much in the way of suspense here. Instead, we have a fascinating and disturbing character study of both kidnapper and victim, with plenty to chew on as far as class, feminism, and art. I wonder if King was inspired by this in writing Misery- lots of parallels. Thanks @Dulcinella for another great #freakyfriday pick!

#FreakyFriday number 10 complete! @zeljka
This one is so creepy and good! The main character is a stalker/kidnapper. It is set in England and was published in the 60s so it is atmospheric of that time and place.
I'll give a shout-out to one of my favorite audiobooks - You by Caroline Kepnes - which is a modern take on a stalker's POV. They complement each other well.

Published in 1963 and as sinister as anything written today. My reading material has been deliciously grim of late.💀 Happy weekend!

#wevegottagetoutofthisplace #marchtooz A woman gets kidnapped by a creepy collector dude. It‘s similar in some ways to “Room”. Read the book, see the film, in that order. 🐛🦋🐞🐜🦗🕷

1. Joe Hill‘s Heart Shaped Box was paranormal creepy but the tagged book really creeped me out & I couldn‘t get it out of my head for days after.
2. Again, paranormal disturbing would probably be Rec or The Orphanage but I found Wolf Creek seriously disturbing.
3. My dad freaking out me & my sister by hammering on the conservatory door whilst we were watching Blair With with the lights out. We live next to the woods! 🌲🧙🏻‍♀️🌲
4. You‘re it!

What good are #bookishtotes if you don't fill them with books?

#ReadingResolutions
@Jess7

Great

Okay, this was 🍌👖!!! I was surprised at how dark it got really fast, but I liked it! The shift in narrator part way through threw me for a bit, especially the arty-flashbacks, but it was such an interesting and disturbing read!

#ERMadLibs

I‘m not reading as much as I would like these days, so when I finally have a couple of hours home alone I‘m taking full advantage! 📖

#currentlyreading