South Asian storytelling has always thrived on the supernatural from folktales of spirits to haunting modern explorations of gender, power, and identity. In recent years, a new wave of writers has reimagined horror as spaces for feminist and queer resistance. Check out these six books on goth and horror themes by South Asian authors:
1. Batshit by Kritika Kapoor
Psychological Thriller | Feminist Horror | Satire
Pia Bhandari seems to lead a picture-perfect life in South Delhi’s elite circles, but behind the facade lurks a dark secret – an unrelenting voice in her head and a yellow-eyed demon that haunts her. As Pia spirals deeper into madness, she must face her inner horrors while navigating complex family dynamics, relationships, and the suffocating expectations around her. The book explores mother-daughter co-dependency and the vilification of women through social satire, horror, comedy, and psychological thriller.
2. The Devourers by Indra Das
Literary Horror | Queer Mythology | Speculative Fiction
In Kolkata, a professor named Alok meets a cryptic stranger who claims to carry an ancient, monstrous legacy. As Alok transcribes the stranger’s disturbing tale from strange parchments, some written on skin, he is pulled into a world of shapeshifters, primal instincts, and forbidden desires. Spanning from Mughal-era India to the present, Das uses literary horror as a metaphor for queer identity and desire.
3. Circus Folk and Village Freaks by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal
Poetry | Magical Realism | Social Satire
This whimsical and unpredictable collection of narrative poems paints a world where the extraordinary is everyday. From crocodile-bitten gods to conjoined twins torn apart by fate, and a clown’s Hollywood rise to the dark mirror of society’s own freakishness, each tale mixes humor, tragedy, and social commentary. The book is a celebration of the weird and wonderful, where circus folk and village freaks collide.
4. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
Urban Fantasy | Queer Fiction | Malaysian Gothic
Jessamyn Teoh, newly returned to Malaysia and closeted from her conservative family, starts hearing the voice of her dead grandmother who was once a powerful spirit medium. As Jess is dragged into a supernatural vendetta involving vengeful gods, mobsters, and family secrets, she must confront not only the dangers of the spirit world but also her own identity and autonomy. A witty and tense urban fantasy blending cultural legacy with personal awakening.
5. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
Historical Fantasy | Romance | Folklore
In colonial Malaya, young Li Lan is asked to marry a wealthy family’s recently deceased son, a ghost bride meant to appease his spirit. But accepting the proposal drags her into a surreal afterlife filled with shadowy cities, bureaucratic spirits, and ancient secrets. As she navigates both real and spectral worlds, Li Lan must uncover dark truths and choose between duty and freedom.
6. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
Mythic Mystery | Historical Fiction | Magical Realism
In 1930s colonial Malaysia, young houseboy Ren races against time to return a severed finger to his dead master’s body to grant him peace. Meanwhile, Ji Lin, an aspiring doctor trapped in societal roles, comes into possession of the same grisly item. As a mystical tiger stalks the night and strange deaths occur, the two strangers’ paths intertwine in a lush, folklore-rich tale of fate, secrets, and transformation.
Each book confronts the monstrous systems that define who is seen as “mad,” “freakish,” or “other,” retelling horror as resistance. Which South Asian books of horror, fantasy, or feminist myth do you love? Share your favourites with us at at hello@sanskaarigirlsbookclub.com
