Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

The epistolary form generally refers to any work of literature written to resemble a piece of text created by a character. Initially, epistolary literature took the form of correspondence exchanged by fictional characters. The Latin poetry collection Heroides (c. 25-16 BCE) by Ovid is a prominent early model for the first epistolary novels, as it presents each poem as a letter between a heroine and an absent lover. However, modern critics have extended the definition of the form to include other kinds of fictional documents, such as journal entries, newspaper articles, and even literary works (e.g., essays) authored by the characters themselves. A contemporary example that updates the original epistolary form for modern times is Beautiful World, Where Are You (2021) by Sally Rooney, in which the protagonists correspond via email.

Authors often use the epistolary form to add verisimilitude to a story. In the genre of horror literature, this can heighten the emotional effect of inspiring fear or dread. In horror stories that use speculative elements, the form’s insistence on the epistolary document’s genuineness can create greater emotional immersion. This is evident in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), which is universally acknowledged as one of the most successful attempts at epistolary horror.