WINTER ARCHIVIST COLLABORATION
The days are getting longer, the weather getting colder. Grab a warm cup of cider, snuggle up under your coziest blanket, and get ready to embrace the spine-tingling thrills! As we approach Christmas, what better way to spice things up than with a little nightmare? This issue, we’ve partnered with the local library club, the Archivists, to provide you with delightfully spooky reads. From mangas, to cozy storybooks, to even a few films, read on to discover a variety of stories that will satisfy your reading (and watching!) lists all winter long!
Contributors: Mia G, Ethan H, Davina J, Jamie L, Rae S
Photo from Coraline book jacket
CORALINE
Neil Gaiman
"Coraline" is like that cool, mysterious neighbor who opens the door to a world you never knew existed. Neil Gaiman spins this fantastic tale that's like a rollercoaster for your imagination, with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.
I remember reading "Coraline" when I was a kid, and man, I was definitely a little scared! Coraline is this girl who takes on a parallel universe that's part Wonderland, part creepy dream. It's as if Gaiman sprinkled magic dust on every page. The mix of courage, eerie vibes, and a dash of humor is just spot-on.
What's interesting is how the book dances between light and dark without missing a beat. It's not just a story; it's a journey. And Dave McKean's illustrations – they're like the visual cherry on top, making everything come alive in this beautifully weird way.
I still get that nostalgic shiver when I think about it, remembering how I couldn't put it down. "Coraline" isn't just a book; it's a ticket to a ride you'll want to take over and over. It's a timeless classic that stays with you, whispering, 'What if?' long after you've read the last page.
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Photo from Barbie movie poster
BARBIE (Film)
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach
An enormously hyped piece that had everyone dressing up in pink, laughing in the theater, and contributing to the national shortage of pink paint, Barbie filled its enormous boots with a brilliant cast, iconic music, and surprisingly vulnerable, relatable writing. The film examines the social connection between beauty and brains, as well as (obviously) gender norms.
Several of my friends agree with me that the plot tried to cover too much in such a short period of time and subsequently didn't reach its full potential. Patriarchy, gender roles, and historical grievances are such a wide array of topics that a hundred movies would not capture even a fraction of the human experience, and Greta Gerwig did their best with such a heavy, nuanced topic.
While listening to a rant about society's conflicting societal expectations for women, I (without being socialized as one) could see the connections to the experience of men in society. Some of the transitions were also a little abrupt, but the fact that it was Barbie made up for it. I'm not the only person with mixed feelings about Barbie, and you can read about those anywhere online, but I would definitely recommend this movie.
Photo from Across the Spiderverse movie poster
THE SPIDERVERSE TRILOGY
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham
Where to begin? From industry-breaking animation methods, iconic characters, and a plot that draws on a franchise that shaped much of our childhoods, Spiderverse is a resounding recommendation from me. I only wish the directors, who admittedly have an incredible understanding of what it means to tell a story, would treat their animators better by giving them reasonable hours and pay.
The movie had me silently crying in the theater multiple times, from the song Scared of the Dark representing public fear after the death of Peter Parker, to the moment Gwen reconciled with her father. The most iconic scene, Miles Morales's leap of faith and subsequent rise among the fall of the city, is accompanied by the motif of the antagonist (or is he?) in the song What's Up Danger, reflecting an incredible amount of cohesion between all parties that contributed to Spiderverse. I'm curious about Miguel's theory of 'canon events,' with many people theorizing that he is incorrect. I personally think that making such an integral part of the movie into a mistake would be like ending a story with "And then I woke up," one of my biggest pet peeves. But I'll wait and see in 2025.
Countless theories on the Internet speculate about why the theme for one hero represents the antagonist's when played backward, or why the Prowler's ominous elephant-like trumpet sound plays during the climax of the movie. My delight in the movie extends to all its artists; while Spiderverse is not a musical, the soundtracks play that much importance.
SLAM DUNK
Takehiko Inoue
‘Delinquent’ and ‘simps’ are probably the last things you’d expect to hear from a basketball manga.
But those words are exactly what describe our protagonist, Sakuragi Hanamichi, a delinquent who wants to impress the girl of his dreams by joining a basketball club. He’s so convinced that basketball is easy that he went to the basketball club to cause a ruckus before challenging the basketball club’s president to a match before winning with a SlamDunk.
Technically we could roll credits here, but Sakuragi slaps you in the face and says how he wants to play basketball. Not because he wants to impress a girl or because he feels superiority over beating the club president, but rather because he just finds it fun. It’s this kind of earnest writing that makes SlamDunk’s characters so endearing. The cast may not have the most tragic of backstories, but it’s just comforting seeing how grounded and relatable they are. These characters banter, scuffle with each other, but also respect one other even when they’re on opposing sides of the court. Again, it’s through this very grounded style of writing that makes the reader incredibly empathetic towards the characters, even the opposing teams’ members. However, if this kind of writing only extended to the characters, it would just be an okay manga. Thankfully, the brilliant writing also extends to the basketball matches. If SlamDunk was a normal action manga, SlamDunk would have the best fight scenes in all of manga, as the matches are often incredibly well considered. Each team member has their strengths and weaknesses and synergies with their teammates. So after the first round, you can theory craft on who will get swapped out, who will lose stamina, but also anticipate the wild cards that will be thrown into the matches. It is through these wild cards that you get to really see each team crank their brain juice as they think up of how they can beat the other team. Perhaps a teammate getting injured through some illegal moves, a new opponent arising from the benches, or just team members trying to build trust with each other to pass over the ball. Each match is constantly changing, thus creating a lot of excitement. It’s through all this that Takehiko Inoue, the writer and illustrator, is able to create matches that flow like water, creating a sense that you’re watching a real basketball game. Overall, SlamDunk is an incredible piece of fiction. As stated, the character writing is incredible, the art is impeccable, the matches are intricate, the story is amazing, and the messages are life changing. I have also heard good things about the anime, but beware that the matches will be a bit of a drag. The movie is also absolutely incredible. If you’re still unsure whether you want to jump into the manga, the movie is what will sell you. But if you’re willing to give it a try, you must experience the one and only SlamDunk.
Photo from Slamdunk book jacket
Photo from The Skull book jacket
THE SKULL
Jon Klassen
The Skull is an adorable storybook about a little girl who runs away from home and winds up finding an animate (!) skull in an old castle. The two start a delightful friendship-- making tea, trying on masks, and exploring the castle. All is well, until a mysterious skeleton appears at night...
The story has the atmosphere of an old IF-adventure (Interactive Fiction), something similar to the Dreamhold with its wonderously vague lore, like you’ve been dropped into a world with history and conflict that has no intention of explaining things to you. Why would it? It’s an incredibly immersive technique. Also similar to an IF-adventure: the story goes delightfully off the rails at the end, with an ending so rational in its decision-making it’s contrasts sharply against the strange floaty fairytale we started with.
While longer than Klassen’s other stories, The Skull is still short, able to be finished in a clean 5 to 10 minutes. It is one of the most enjoyable stories I’ve read in the past year. If you enjoy beautiful illustrations, quasi-spooky aesthetics, and rational protagonists, definitely take the time out of your day to check out The Skull.
Your Name / Weathering with You / Suzume: The CoMix Wave Films Trio from Makoto Shinkai
Makoto Shinkai
Something about these three movies will never let go of my heart. The plot and art go neck-to-neck in the competition for the best part of the movie. More than a love story, more than a coming-of-age, more than a slice-of-life, these works do not disappoint. It's hard to go into detail without saying too much about the plot, which is hard to explain without going over a thousand words.
Makoto Shinkai draws from the ordinary to tell extraordinary stories, and I am thrilled to have witnessed them. It's hard to do justice to the art without showing it, so I've compiled a few of my favorite edits of scenes (with some spoilers, unfortunately) from the three movies. Enjoy!
Video by Crimson AMV
Video by skkavy
Video by skkavy
Video by xlxtt.x
WARNING: The stories below cover mature topics, including but not limited to death and violence. They are not suitable for all audiences and may make the reader uncomfortable.
READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM
Harlam Elliot
Psychological/Body Horror, Science Fiction
TW: graphic depictions of violence, slut-shaming, psychological + physical torment
From the first paragraph, Harlan Elliot makes it clear what kind of story this is going to be. I have no mouth is a painful depiction of a post-apocalyptic world, set after a Cold-War-went-wrong and a supercomputer-went-rogue, where our five main characters do little else but suffer. And yet, in the face of terrible pain our protagonist, wracked with paranoia and mental instability, is still able to offer kindness to someone he spent the majority of the story feeling nothing but disdain towards. The story offers hope in what most consider to be absolutely hopeless; Elliot argues that, despite it all, humanity is fundamentally kind. I have no mouth is a beautiful blend of horrifying and hopeful, and is definitely worth reading if one has ten or so minutes to spare.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Stieg Larsson
Psychological/Body Horror, Murder Mystery
TW: graphic depictions of r*pe, institutional abuse, and homophobia
A three-part series that follows one girl’s story across history itself, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a masterpiece of a murder mystery. Clinical and cold in its delivery, it illuminates systemic flaws within society and mental health institutions while managing to humanize every last character. It is difficult to reveal much without the plot, but it is one of those stories that you cannot put down–until you must take some time away from the horrors that you know are real. Because every monster in this book is human; nothing is supernatural. And it is terrifying to know that every last moment is real.
I would be willing to bet that somewhere out there, the author is on a watch list for their search history and/or the on-site research they had to do for such a well-crafted and detailed plot.
Find "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" here
THE SIRENS OF TITAN
Kurt Vonnegut
Cosmic science fiction
TW: implied sexual assault
This book was so surprisingly subversive in the best of ways. For a story described as “an outrageous romp through space, time, and morality” about the “most depraved man on Earth,” its themes are piercingly sentimental when it comes to answering the meaning of life. Though darkly humorous through its matter-of-fact and satirical tone, used even in the most morbid and tragic of circumstances, the characters are still worth feeling for and relating to. The final meaning of life is answered by the main character himself, and the universal truth of it as well as the casual deliverance really hit home its significance.
Find "The Sirens of Titan" here
THE NIGHTINGALE
Kristin Hannah
Psychological/Body Horror, Murder Mystery
TW: graphic depictions of r*pe, death, Nazi Germany
One of the most emotional tales I have ever read, The Nightingale tells the story of two sisters who are separated by World War II. It shows the brilliance in being human, being vulnerable. Because you don’t make it out of a war in one piece; you have to put yourself back together after.
Find "The Nightingale" here