It’s funny how curiosity works. One moment you’re deep in a rabbit hole of fan theories for a modern mystery show like From, and the next, you’re holding a weird, unsettling piece of 19th-century literature that feels like it’s staring back at you.

​That’s exactly how I found myself reading Robert W. Chambers’ The King in Yellow. After hearing rumors of a connection between the show’s mythology and this classic text, I set out to find the common threads. While the direct links weren’t as obvious as I’d hoped, what I discovered instead was an absolute gem of a novel that has stayed with me.

The opening stories are where the “King” truly reigns. These tales deal with supernatural dread, twisted realities, and the terrifying descent into madness. They revolve around a fictional, forbidden play—also titled The King in Yellow—that drives anyone who reads the second act to insanity. The atmosphere is thick, eerie, and highly engaging. As one who enjoys stories that make you question the stability of the world around you, this half is a masterclass in weird fiction.

Then, the tone shifts—abrubtly.  As I moved into the latter half of the book, the supernatural elements faded, replaced by what felt like an almost autobiographical account of the author’s time as an art student in Paris. While these stories were still entertaining, the shift from “cosmic horror” to “Bohemian romance” caught me off guard. It was a noticeable pivot that lessened the energy of the first half. 

​Even with the sudden change in direction, The King in Yellow is a captivating experience.