Things Unseen: An Octoberish Quiz
Which Fall Mood Are You?
As the long, hot summer drags on, I have faith in October, and I do everything I can to evoke an autumnal mood early and often. In 2013, I started writing Octoberish posts in case anyone else needed a blanket of pleasurable melancholy, a fix of comforting dread, or a shot of storms and shadows. (See below for a complete list of past posts.)
My 13-year-old’s current love for magazine quizzes reminded me how much I enjoyed them at her age. An offering of self-knowledge and insight in exchange for answers to a few simple questions? Such a deal! In my baby girl’s honor, I present my Octoberish recommendations in the form of a quiz. Get your pencils ready.
Octoberish Quiz
1) My favorite October tradition is:
a) Entering my town’s Halloween scarecrow contest
b) Knitting a new sweater
c) Trick-or-treating
d) Annotating the September issue of Vogue
2) The best Octoberish quote is:
a) “It was the possibility of darkness that made the day seem so bright.” —Stephen King
b) “I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” —L.M. Montgomery
c) “The fallen autumn leaves were slick beneath [his] feet, and the mists blurred the edges of the world.” —Neil Gaiman
d) “But I miss you most of all, my darling, when autumn leaves start to fall.” —Jacques Prévert
3) My favorite October treat is:
a) Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup
b) Pumpkin scones
c) Fun-size candy bars
d) Thick, dark hot chocolate with whipped cream
4) The best movie to watch in October is:
a) El Orfanato (2007)
b) Little Women (1994)
c) Coco (2017)
d) When Harry Met Sally (1989)
5) My favorite book of the Bible is:
a) Revelation
b) The Gospel of St. John
c) Genesis
d) Isaiah
6) The best portrayal of Fitzwilliam Darcy was by:
a) Sam Riley in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
b) Colin Firth in the 1995 miniseries
c) J.J. Feild in Austenland
d) Matthew Macfadyen in the 2005 movie
7) A dark, stormy day is the perfect time to binge watch:
a) The latest Mike Flanagan miniseries
b) The Great British Baking Show
c) All the Harry Potter movies
d) Medici: Masters of Florence
8) Regarding sports in October,
a) I’d love to be out throwing a lacrosse ball around.
b) I’m immersed in Major League Baseball playoffs.
c) Jumping in puddles is a great aerobic workout.
d) I’m delighted that the Premier League is in full swing.
9) The best fall outerwear is:
a) A vintage navy pea jacket
b) A classic trench
c) A yellow slicker
d) That green coat Nicole Kidman wore in The Undoing
10) The best place to be in October is:
a) Strolling through an old graveyard
b) Cozied up by the fireplace, cat on lap
c) The Disneyland Halloween parade
d) Paris, obviously
Tally up your answers!
If your answers were mostly a:
You love Spooky Season! You’re in your element this time of year. You should love:
Book: Paul Tremblay’s Survivor Song or Chuck Wendig’s The Book of Accidents
Music: Hante’s Her Fall and Rise or Uncle Acid’s Night Creeper
Movie: The Night House (2021) or The Perfection (2018)
TV: Utopia (2020) or Locke & Key (2020)
If your answers were mostly b:
A traditionalist through and through, you’re into history, crafts, and the classics. You should love:
Book: Andrew Pyper’s The Residence or Laura Ruby’s Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All
Music: Rhiannon Giddens’s They’re Calling Me Home or anything by The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin
Movie: The Dig (2021) or Bright Star (2009)
TV: Dickinson (2019) or Nancy Drew (2019)
If your answers were mostly c:
You regard this fallen world with a sense of childlike wonder. You should love:
Book: Claire Legrand’s The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls or Will Alexander’s A Properly Unhaunted Place
Music: Mitski’s Lush or Phoebe Bridgers’s Stranger in the Alps
Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) or Spirited Away (2001)
TV: Sweet Tooth (2021) or Shadow and Bone (2021)
If your answers were mostly d:
You never met a subtitle you didn’t like, and your sophisticated shell protects a tender inner romantic. You should love:
Book: Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke or The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Music: Yebba’s Dawn or anything by the Korean quartet Layers
Movie: Lamb (2021) or In the Mood for Love (2000)
TV: The Chestnut Man (2021) or Scenes from a Marriage (2021)
That’s it for this year! Let me know whether my recommendations worked for you.
Happy October!
Past Octoberish Posts:
The Wind is Rising—The 2020 Octoberish Lists
Octoberish Music—Classical Edition
In Dreamful Autumn: The 2017 Octoberish Lists
All Things Dark and Beautiful: The 2016 Octoberish Lists
Thirteen Octoberish Pilgrimages
This is a vital tradition.
got c haha