What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedMidsommar
Ari Aster · Film · 2019
If you loved Midsommar, start with Midnight Mass (Mike Flanagan, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Midsommar across media.
You were drawn to Midsommar because of how it masterfully weaves collective isolation and ritualistic dread into the fabric of human trauma.
Books on the same thread
Misery
Stephen King · Book · 1987
Shares a thread with Midsommar: Trauma.
Much like the suffocating power dynamics in Midsommar, this story traps you within an inescapable environment where your captor dictates the terms of your survival and psychological deterioration.
Millennium
Stieg Larsson, David Lagercrantz · Book · 2005
Explores: Corruption, Journalism, Misogyny.
If the Scandinavian setting of Midsommar captivated you, this narrative offers a similarly cold, atmospheric exploration of dark societal undercurrents and the secrets hidden beneath a veneer of civilization.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez · Book · 1967
Explores: generational trauma, incest, fate vs free will.
This epic mirrors the cyclical sense of fate found in Midsommar, as generations of family trauma and inescapable traditions dictate the tragic trajectory of life within a secluded community.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
Shares a thread with Midsommar: Psychological Horror.
The unsettling atmosphere of Midsommar finds a precursor here, where the architecture itself feels alive and the psychological breakdown of the characters is inextricably linked to their environment.
Series on the same thread
Midsomer Murders
Anthony Horowitz · Series · 1997
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Investigation, Rural Crime.
While lighter in tone, this series shares the Midsommar fascination with the violent and disturbing secrets that fester within the quiet, picturesque boundaries of a small, insular rural community.
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2011
Shares 2 threads with Midsommar: Trauma, Psychological Horror.
This anthology echoes the cult-like intensity and focus on deep-seated trauma seen in Midsommar, constantly shifting through visceral scenarios that challenge the characters' grip on reality and safety.
Euphoria
Sam Levinson · Series · 2019
Shares 2 threads with Midsommar: Trauma, Toxic Relationships.
The raw depiction of toxic relationships and grief in Midsommar is mirrored here, providing a similarly intense, unfiltered look at how personal trauma manifests within complex, volatile social circles.
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
Explores: Religious Fanaticism, Loss of Faith, Miracles and Deception.
This series captures the same creeping dread found in Midsommar by focusing on a small town seduced by religious fanaticism and the terrifying cost of belonging to a collective.
Podcasts on the same thread
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
If the dark curiosity that led you to Midsommar persists, this podcast provides a community-driven space to process the same fascination with the morbid and the tragic through storytelling.
MALIKMATA
Podcast
Explores: Philippine Folklore, Filipino Culture, Mythical Creatures.
These stories tap into the same vein of folklore-driven horror that made Midsommar so effective, grounding the supernatural in cultural traditions that feel both ancient and deeply, dangerously real.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Midsommar a movie about a festival?
Yes, Midsommar is a 2019 film directed by Ari Aster. The plot centers on a couple who travels to Sweden to attend a rural midsummer festival. The trip takes a dark turn as the festivities go horribly wrong for the visitors.
What is the premise of Midsommar?
Midsommar follows a couple visiting a friend's rural hometown in Sweden for a midsummer festival. The trip is intended as a getaway but descends into chaos as the traditions of the local festival turn into a horrifying experience for the guests.
Who directed Midsommar?
Midsommar was directed by Ari Aster and released in 2019. The film depicts a couple's journey to a remote Swedish village for a midsummer festival that quickly devolves into a series of horrific events for the group of friends.
Where does the story of Midsommar take place?
The events of Midsommar occur in a rural hometown in Sweden. A couple travels there with friends to participate in a midsummer festival, which serves as the primary setting for the film's descent into the horrific circumstances described in the plot.