Khara answers “They changed the original location from...”

Serewyn asked this question about Hex:

They changed the original location from Dutch town to Hudson Valley town, USA. I wonder what Americans make of this, or feel about it?

Khara I actually would love to see another release of HEX that's the Dutch version released in English. I was so curious about the differences between the t…moreI actually would love to see another release of HEX that's the Dutch version released in English. I was so curious about the differences between the two after finishing the English version, I scoured the internet to find out how the Dutch version ends.

I've seen a lot of criticism about the move from a Dutch town to one in the United States. As a horror scholar, I understand this decision from an affective standpoint. The truth of the matter is horror is much scarier at home than it is is some far away place that you have no attachment to. Moving it to the US has a stronger psychological effect for its readers.

It's true that many books do not do this, Harry Potter, for example. There are many translations of that book. Interestingly British English to American English is one example; the locations stayed the same but the language changed to make it more relatable (and more emotionally impactful) for American children.

So, there are many reasons to edit a book for different international audiences; in the case of the horror genre specifically, it makes sense to relocate it. It's common practice in horror Ringu vs. The Ring, for example. (less)

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