What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Devil's Backbone
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2001
If you loved The Devil's Backbone, start with Dororo (Osamu Tezuka, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Devil's Backbone across media.
You were drawn to The Devil's Backbone by its haunting blend of childhood vulnerability set against the backdrop of historical trauma.
Books on the same thread
The Shadow of the Wind (La sombra del viento)
Carlos Ruiz Zafón · Book · 2001
Explores: Forbidden Love, Lost Love, The Power of Books.
Just like the atmosphere in The Devil's Backbone, this story captures the lingering, melancholic shadows of postwar society through the eyes of a boy coming of age in darkness.
Homage to Catalonia
George Orwell · Book · 2011
Shares a thread with The Devil's Backbone: Loss of Innocence.
If the political tension of The Devil's Backbone captured your interest, this memoir provides the visceral, real-world context for the same conflict that defines the film's tragic setting.
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Arthur Conan Doyle · Book · 2001
Shares a thread with The Devil's Backbone: Gothic Horror.
The Devil's Backbone shares this classic tale's focus on an isolated, gothic setting where an ancestral curse or lingering past eventually forces a confrontation with hidden, supernatural truths.
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
Shares a thread with The Devil's Backbone: Gothic Horror.
Much like the orphanage in The Devil's Backbone, this story uses a claustrophobic, haunted location to externalize the internal psychological fractures and deep-seated fears of its central characters.
Series on the same thread
Dororo
Osamu Tezuka · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Devil's Backbone: Revenge.
This series mirrors the dark, visceral stakes of The Devil's Backbone, where a young boy is forced into a brutal struggle against malevolent forces that threaten his humanity.
The Promised Neverland
Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Devil's Backbone: Orphanage.
The Devil's Backbone uses the orphanage as a site of hidden dread, and this series masterfully expands that concept by trapping children in an environment of systemic, existential horror.
His Dark Materials
Jack Thorne · Series · 2019
Explores: Orphan Protagonist, Moral Ambiguity, Interdimensional Travel.
Like the young protagonist of The Devil's Backbone, Lyra is an orphan navigating a world of moral ambiguity and ancient secrets where her survival depends on uncovering hidden truths.
The Strain
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2014
Explores: Viral Outbreak, Vampirism, Ancient Evil.
Guillermo del Toro brings the same meticulous eye for atmospheric, creature-driven horror to this series that he established in The Devil's Backbone, focusing on the fight against ancient evil.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the same sense of desperate survival and loss of innocence found in The Devil's Backbone, pushing its isolated characters to confront their own tragic reality.
The White Vault
Fool and Scholar Productions · Podcast · 2026
Fans of the creeping, isolated dread found in The Devil's Backbone will appreciate how this podcast uses a remote, unforgiving environment to slowly reveal terrifying, long-buried secrets.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Devil's Backbone set during a specific historical conflict?
Yes, The Devil's Backbone is set in Spain during 1939. The film takes place during the final days of the Spanish Civil War, focusing on the experiences of a young boy named Carlos who arrives at the Santa Lucía orphanage during this turbulent period of history.
Does The Devil's Backbone feature a supernatural element?
Yes, the narrative of The Devil's Backbone revolves around a mysterious presence at the Santa Lucía orphanage. Carlos must navigate the challenges of his new environment while encountering this entity, which is described as being eager for revenge within the walls of the institution.
What is the primary setting of The Devil's Backbone?
The Devil's Backbone is primarily set at the Santa Lucía orphanage. Located in Spain, this setting serves as the backdrop for the arrival of Carlos during the end of the Spanish Civil War, where he encounters both friends and enemies while investigating the mysterious presence haunting the location.
Who is the main character in The Devil's Backbone?
The main character in The Devil's Backbone is a young boy named Carlos. Upon arriving at the Santa Lucía orphanage during the final days of the Spanish Civil War, he becomes the central figure who must deal with his peers and the mysterious presence seeking vengeance.