Combining 'romance' and 'horror' can enhance the appeal of a story.
When it comes to storytelling, sometimes it's effective to combine genres, and sometimes they don't work well together. Bestselling romance author Trilina Pucci explains why combining romance and horror can enhance a story's appeal.
Why Romance and Horror Make a Happily Ever After ‹ CrimeReads
Romance, among other genres that focus on love, often has a happy ending or an ending that suggests 'happily ever after,' giving us comfort and warmth. Horror, on the other hand, is always accompanied by fear and anxiety, and sometimes features jump scares that get our hearts racing .
While romance and horror may seem like polar opposites, Pucci explains, 'It's the symbiotic relationship between fear and anxiety, comfort and safety that creates these highly popular stories.'
Pucci points out that the first similarity between romance and horror is the metaphors used to describe situations. Simple expressions like 'your heart is pounding' and 'your pulse is racing' are common descriptions of the tension that comes with romance and the tension that comes with fear. More detailed descriptions like 'goosebumps,' 'freezing,' and 'dry lips' are also used in both horror and romance. Therefore, Pucci points out, 'horror and romance are perfect partners, two sides of the same coin, mirrors that reflect each other. Horror and romance truly exist side by side.'
Pucci points out that romance and horror have an affinity due to the similarities in their depictions, and also explains the significance of combining the two. First, a compelling romance often features both a 'hero' and a 'villain.' However, in pure romance, it may not be natural to have a 'clear antagonist.' On the other hand, combining it with horror makes it easier to depict the villain and the hero who protects him.
Another distinctive feature of horror is the limitations of space and time. In situations where the fear of death or a curse looms like a time bomb, the characters become closer, and romance develops at a fast pace, urging deeper emotions. While a simple romance story progressing so quickly can feel unnatural, Pucci said that by combining it with horror, which has similar emotional movements and depictions to romance, readers can become engrossed in a thrilling, suspenseful read, tossing their hearts between love and fear.
Furthermore, romance fills in the gaps that horror alone lacks. Horror alone can provide a sense of satisfaction in the way it unfolds and ends in the form of survival, but adding romance to it strengthens the sense of connection and salvation.
'Love not only makes fear bearable, it makes it meaningful. And fear makes love compelling and erases all anxiety,' Pucci said. 'Horror heightens the tension of a story, and romance deepens the meaning of love, so when combined, even a ridiculous story with a vampire can be relatable to readers. Because, at the end of the day, everyone wants their own happy ending, and the romance and horror genres allow readers to believe that, against all odds, that happy ending is possible.'
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