Eerie. This word can describe the strange and spooky atmosphere often found in ghost stories. For example, an old, abandoned house with creaking floors and dim lighting gives an eerie feeling.
Sinister. It gives the sense that there is something malevolent or threatening in the ghost story. Maybe it's a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes lurking in the corner, which is a very sinister image.
Engaging, vivid, and captivating are great descriptive words for stories. 'Engaging' implies that the story can hold the reader's attention well. 'Vivid' suggests that the details in the story are so clear that it's like the reader can see, hear, and feel everything in it. 'Captivating' means that the story has a charm that makes the reader want to keep reading.
There are also 'gloomy', 'blood - curdling', and 'unnerving'. 'Gloomy' sets a dark and depressing mood, like a gloomy forest filled with mist. 'Blood - curdling' is used for things that are so scary they make your blood seem to freeze, like a blood - curdling scream. 'Unnerving' makes one feel disturbed or on edge, like an unnerving silence before something bad is about to happen.
Enchanted. This word gives the feeling of a story being under a spell, full of magic and wonder. Another one is 'mystical', which implies that there are elements in the story that are difficult to understand and are full of mystery. 'Mythical' is also a great word, often associated with legends and creatures from ancient tales.
Words like 'haunting' are often used in scary stories. It means something that stays in your mind and makes you feel a bit spooked. 'Macabre' is great too, it's related to death and the grotesque, like in a really dark and disturbing horror story. 'Grim' can also be used to describe the overall mood of a scary story, suggesting something very serious and often a bit depressing and scary.
Macabre. This word is often associated with death and the grotesque. In a ghost story, it could describe a scene where there are decaying bodies or some sort of dark, death - related mystery. For example, a cemetery at midnight with strange noises coming from the freshly dug graves is macabre.
Well, Edgar Allan Poe has some wonderful descriptive ghost stories. For example, 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is full of detailed descriptions that build a sense of doom and the presence of something otherworldly. The decaying mansion and the strange malady of the Usher siblings are all described in a very evocative way.
Some descriptive words for novels are 'captivating', which means it can hold the reader's attention firmly. 'Intriguing' is also a good one, suggesting that the plot or characters arouse the reader's curiosity. And 'engaging', it implies that the novel makes the reader get involved in the story.
Passionate, tender, and alluring are great descriptive words for romance novels. 'Passionate' shows the intense emotions between characters. 'Tender' describes the soft and gentle love. 'Alluring' gives the sense of attraction that draws readers into the romantic story.
One good descriptive horror story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It vividly describes the narrator's descent into madness as he obsesses over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. The detailed account of how he plans and executes the murder, and then is haunted by the sound of the old man's still - beating heart beneath the floorboards is truly terrifying. The use of sensory details like the sound of the heart getting louder and louder makes the horror palpable.
One of the best is 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It vividly describes the young couple's love and sacrifice. The details of Della counting her meager savings and her long, beautiful hair create a strong image. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. The description of the small town and the lottery process builds a sense of unease. Also, 'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner. The decaying mansion and Emily's reclusive life are described in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are there in the story.