You know those books that are heavy on atmosphere? The ones with spooky houses and wild landscapes? The ones that feel like the setting itself is a character? Those are some of my favourites. In books where the setting is a character, the city or landscape or house has a whole personality and you know that the story couldn’t take place anywhere else.
The Top 4 Books Where the Setting Is a Character
From haunted houses to living cities, the authors of these books breathe just as much life into their settings as they do their characters. We’ve rounded up our favourite four.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
A storm-tossed island. Murderous horses that live in the sea. A deadly race along the wave-frothed shore. Maggie Stiefvater is particularly adept at crafting atmosphere and weaving magic into the fabric of a place, but in my opinion The Scorpio Races is the best example. Thisby, with its Irish roots and Celtic-inspired water horses, feels as alive and real as any of the characters that inhabit it.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Silvia Moreno Garcia is another master of atmosphere. In Mexican Gothic, Moreno-Garcia builds a gothic mansion in the Mexican mountains, complete with ghostly hallucinations, warping walls, and a strange fungus growing in the walls. The house is a threat in and of itself, weaving its way into the main character’s mind and trapping her within its walls. Listen to Episode 59 for all the spooky vibes.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
New. York. City. Need I say more? Even outside of literature, NYC feels like its own character. N.K. Jemisin pushes that idea further by creating characters who literally embody the city’s five boroughs (Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island), and another who embodies the city as a whole. They are tasked with protecting the city from an interdimensional threat. The book pulses with NYC energy and I couldn’t get enough.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
A strange disease called the Tox has spread across Raxter Island to the girls who live at Raxter Boarding School. The Tox has mutated every living thing on the island, from the wild life to the girls themselves, and the area has been placed under quarantine. No one is allowed on or off the island. Supplies arrive weekly. It’s Annihilation meets angry teen girls meets Lord of the Flies. What more could you ask for?
Building Atmosphere
I love when an author can draw me into their world and make it feel real. There’s nothing like having all your senses engaged when reading—as though you can see, smell, hear, and feel the world of the book. As a writer, I’m constantly striving to create settings with as much moody atmosphere as these books.
What are your favourite books where the setting feels like its own character?
