Freaks (Fantasy and Horror Classics)

Freaks; Or Spurs pulls back the curtain on the hidden world of a traveling European circus, a place of wonder and unspoken bonds. Here, the beautiful but cruel trapeze artist, Jeanne Marie, makes the mistake of mocking and then falsely marrying the kindly, wealthy dwarf performer, Jacques Courb, purely for his inheritance. But Jacques is not alone. His extended family--the "freaks" of the circus--will not stand for the betrayal of one of their own. The novella descends into a horrifying, meticulously orchestrated plot of grotesque revenge as the performers administer their own savage, physical justice upon the cruel outsider. From the mind of Tod Robbins, a master of dark and psychological fiction whose work appeared in the legendary Weird Tales magazine, comes the infamous novella that inspired the iconic, controversial film Freaks (1932). This short work is a shocking and unforgettable classic of psychological horror and dark fantasy, forcing readers to confront the true nature of humanity and monstrosity.