What to Read If You’re Thirsting for Nosferatu
I have been following the production of Robert Eggers Nosferatu since August of 2022 when I discovered that the cast was stacked with a selection of my favorite actors – and it’s ALMOST HERE! Excited is not visceral enough a word. Every time that script title appears on my screen as an ad starts or I see it on a billboard, my little heart gives a small little stutter of anticipation. So if you’re anything like me, and you’re thirsting for Nosferatu the way Count Orlok thirsts for blood, then you may need a little amuse-bouche, a little starter course. These are the books you should read as we wait for the release of the vampire film of the decade, I’m calling it now!
Immortal Dark
by Tigest Girma
If you’re looking for a dark academia read full of vampire horrors and set at a university that gives off all the vibes of Count Orlok’s castle, this is the book for you! And this one features an enemies-to-lovers arc that is deliciously twisted alongside plenty of moments that will leave your jaw on the floor!
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
by Holly Black
If anyone was going to do vampires right, it was gonna be miss Holly Black! Set in a world where vampires and humans are quarantined in “Coldtowns” and livestream their debauched, opulent lives, this book has the perfect mix of ancient vampire lore and modern urban fantasy, complete with Holly’s trademark mix of excellent worldbuilding and unique characters!
Twilight
by Stephenie Meyer
A CLASSIC. Did you really think I was going to leave Twilight off this list? Be so real with me. Stephenie might not stick with the classic vampire lore, but this is the book that made millions fall in love with vampire romances (myself included)!
The Diviners
by Libba Bray
The Diviners series might not feature vampires, but it does feature some very scary hauntings and it’s set in the 1926 – four years after the original Nosferatu was released! Plus the vibes are spot on! This series is atmospheric and full of horrors from beyond the veil of death, and features a loveable cast of characters with supernatural abilities that will have to face said horrors… and might just fall into a love triangle on the way!
Teeth in the Mist
If you’re looking for a modern horror that pulls from the classics, Teeth in the Mist will sate your thirst! A Faustian tale about three women and the Unholy Pact that binds them, this book has the perfect amount of grim atmosphere, Wuthering-Heights-style tragic romance, and moments of true horror that will have you keeping the lights on before bed!
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco
If you need some more Victorian horror, I suggest you read Stalking Jack the Ripper! Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born the daughter of a lord, a life full of wealth, privilege and expectations. But Audrey has a secret – a penchant for forensic medicine. When Audrey’s clandestine work puts in in the sights of the Ripper, she will need to discover his identity. But he might be closer to Audrey that she thinks…
Dracula
by Bram Stoker
Of course I’m going to recommend Dracula! Nosferatu is actually an unlicensed adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic (and it was nearly lost to time due to copyright infringement!!), so I imagine the modern remake will pull very heavily from the lore featured in Stoker’s tale. If you want to go back to the source to the symphony of horror, look no further!