Body Horror in the Age of Instagram Face

April 13, 2023

(Wired) – Two recent debut novels have tapped into the Gothic side of beauty and wellness culture, prime examples of a new literary trend: Goopcore body horror. Both stories follow women enthralled by Svengali-like figures who encourage them to take extreme measures to embody beauty standards, with horrific results. Allie Rowbottom’s Aesthetica, released late last year, imagines a washed-up Instagram influencer in Los Angeles named Anna, who is preparing to undergo an experimental surgery called Aesthetica. She so yearns to return to a more natural form that she is willing to risk her life to recover an earlier version of herself. (Read More)