Confession time: I just read this novella for the first time at twenty years old (twenty-one in exactly one week!). My father has always been a big BrConfession time: I just read this novella for the first time at twenty years old (twenty-one in exactly one week!). My father has always been a big Bradbury fan, so I'm not sure why he didn't introduce this to me as a kid. Thanks, Dad!
I didn't know what to expect going into The Halloween Tree, but I was not disappointed. This is a magical tale that brought back memories of childhood Halloweens long gone. In vivid color the mystique and thrill of the holiday was brought to my mind once more. I finished this baby feeling shaken, reborn, and nostalgic. I guess that's what ole Ray was going for.
There is not much to say about this book that hasn't already been covered, so I'll leave it at this: this is a perfectly-wrought tale about one of my favorite holidays. Not a word is out of place. From a pure storytelling standpoint, this work is divine. I'm glad I finally picked it up.
And now, I bid farewell to October. Makes me a little sad, knowing this year is almost up. I'd like to do a reading theme in November, too, but I haven't decided yet. Was leaning toward devoting it to classics, or maybe long literary novels (who doesn't love a good doorstop?). The Nix and Night Film are calling to me . . . guess we'll see!...more
If one is looking for horrific tales that truly get under the skin, it is hard to beat Clive Barker's classic '80s series Books of Blood. Comprised ofIf one is looking for horrific tales that truly get under the skin, it is hard to beat Clive Barker's classic '80s series Books of Blood. Comprised of six volumes, the collection can be read separately or all at once — and in no particular order. Volume 4 (i.e. The Inhuman Condition) contains five stories, all of which show a maturation and progression from the first three volumes (which are magnificent reads in and of themselves!).
The stories:
'The Body Politic' - This was my favorite Barker short story until I read 'Revelations'. A man begins to lose control of his hands, and terror ensues. This story makes the reader ask: do we control our bodies, or do our bodies control us? We are, after all, nothing more than a brain — a computer that is susceptible to errors large and small — trapped in a skeleton. Fun to think about, eh? Not only was this story incredibly frightening, but it also made me actually laugh out loud a couple of times. The thought of human hands planning and carrying out a revolution might seem silly, but in Clive Barker's hands it is satisfying and terrifying. 5 stars.
'The Inhuman Condition' - Funnily enough, the title story is the weakest entry here. It's not bad; it feels like a practice run for The Hellhound Heart (or Hellraiser, if you prefer). A thief discovers an intricately-knotted cord and becomes spellbound by it, and each unknotting unleashes chaotic, deadly results. This one suffers from Barker, weirdly enough, not describing the monsters... like, at all. Typically he revels in painting word pictures, but not this time. I'm all for using my imagination, but I like to be given something to work with. 2 stars.
'Revelations' - Certainly my favorite short in Vol. 4. It might just be my favorite in all the Books of Blood . . . Though I can't make that claim, as I have yet to read Volumes 5 and 6. And 'Dread', man. 'Dread' is a great one. I'll say 'Revelations' and 'Dread' are tied. Anywho, this is a story of religious fundamentalism gone awry, an unhappy marriage, drug abuse, ghosts . . . Despite dealing with some heady and depressing topics here, Clive Barker pulls off one of the funniest tales I've yet to read from him. He mixes horror, tragedy, and comedy (isn't horror just tragedy/comedy, anyway?) in a way few authors could. I loved it from end to end. 5 stars.
'Down, Satan!' - This is a weird little nugget, but it's harmless. Clocking in at only five pages, this is the tale of a rich (and possibly insane?) man who builds a New Hell in hopes of battling the Devil. Or something. I dug it. 4 stars.
'The Age of Desire' - This one reads like it could have been written by Dean Koontz, if Koontz weren't afraid to bust out of the heteronormative bubble every once in a while. And Barker's prose kicks the ass of Koontz's any day of the week. I say it makes me think of Koontz (specifically, Watchers) because it stares unflinchingly at the consequences of science experimentation gone wrong. 'The Age of Desire' is Clive Barker doing what he does best: combining gore and sex into something imaginative and unforgettable. 5 stars.
I totally enjoyed four of the five stories here, and 'The Inhuman Condition' isn't terrible . . . It just dulls in comparison to The Hellbound Heart. If you're looking for wholly original and entertaining tales of horror, look no further. And if you've yet to read the first three volumes of Books of Blood, don't fret! As I said earlier, these can be taken out of order. Highly recommended....more
**spoiler alert** Andy Holland, recent divorcee and father of a preteen daughter, is a bestselling horror author. He lives a quiet, modest life in sub**spoiler alert** Andy Holland, recent divorcee and father of a preteen daughter, is a bestselling horror author. He lives a quiet, modest life in suburbia. His life is forever changed, however, when he finds a young girl raped and murdered not far from his home.
I went into this book expecting to love it, or at least like it a lot. I love reading stories about writers, and I love stories that take a long, unflinching look at the depravity of human nature. Animosity has both of those things. So why did I only give it three stars?
First off, I didn't actively dislike it. I closed my paperback copy with a shrug and thought 'Meh, okay then.' Me giving it three stars means Animosity was a fun ride and kept me guessing. It means I don't really regret reading it, but it does have flaws. The biggest one is I felt the mob mentality of the book's latter half is unbelievable at best, downright silly at worst. I get it. I totally get what Newman was going for — the scariest monsters can be humans, especially ones we live and work and play with — but it just didn't ring true for me. Their motivations were never really made clear. Gossip and suspicion? Okay, so they think Holland murdered and raped the girl he discovered and reported because he . . . writes horror. And was charged with rape twenty years before. Their pointing the finger stands despite a statement from a police officer working the case that says Andy shouldn't be considered a suspect in the murder. Yet his neighbors vandalize his home and car, kill his wife and dog, etc. . . All because they think he is the murderer? I understand mob mentality can be a dangerous thing, but c'mon. That's a little ridiculous. The problem is, I think, events happen too quickly. After only a couple of weeks his neighbors decide to gang up on Holland and attempt to kill him ( or as they say, "talk some sense into him") like a modern KKK. Alright.
While reading, I suspected and hoped Andy was an unreliable narrator and that he had, in fact, done terrible things and was acting irrationally enough to warrant his neighbors feeling so concerned and pushed to act. Nope. It's made clear that Andy didn't commit the rape/murder in the book's final chapters. His neighbors just went batshit crazy because of suspicion and gossip. Wow!
So yeah, I thought this book was a little ridiculous. It suffers from its short length, I think. It tries hard to be Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, but it simply doesn't get there. That being said, I liked Andy and thought he was well written. Same for his friend Ben, and Karen and Samantha. I even dug Norman. Poor dog. Three stars....more
I don't like leaving books unfinished — especially books I don't hate, like HEX. This one just failed to grab me, that's all. It's notDNF @ Page 205.
I don't like leaving books unfinished — especially books I don't hate, like HEX. This one just failed to grab me, that's all. It's not horrible; it simply isn't for me at this point in time.
I really wanted to like this one. The synopsis made it seem like it was right up my alley, and the author seems like a nice dude (he might have commented on one of my Instagram posts... #humblebrag). The story just failed to grab me. I felt like I was reading the novelization of an episode of American Horror Story, a show I've never been able to get into.
I would have finished this novel had it not been for the little voice in my head saying "You have so many books on your shelves to read — why are you wasting time on one you feel so 'meh' about?" I am starting to price apartments and will be moving to a new city in May or June. I want to be closer to the university I will be transferring to. I will be looking for a new job and writing/submitting as much as possible. I don't know how much reading I will get done then, so I want to get as much possible done now.
Which begs the question: should I so fastidiously plan out something so enjoyable as reading? For those who don't know, I live for schedules and lists. I know what I will read in November and December, and even part of January. It's just my nature. And I can't bear to waste time on books I don't love or, at least, like. HEX is okay, but it's not a book I particularly enjoyed. Some of the imagery and the witch were pretty freaky, and I always enjoy stories about isolated towns. This one just didn't click into place for me. Meh. Maybe I'll come back to it someday.
Sorry this review is shit, but I'm finding myself at a loss for words. This book is totally average, if not a little below. I hate myself for not finishing it, but what can I do?...more
Grossest book I've ever read. After not finishing Asylum, I wanted something scary. Brothers and sisters, that's what I got with Poppy Z. Brite's ExquGrossest book I've ever read. After not finishing Asylum, I wanted something scary. Brothers and sisters, that's what I got with Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse.
I have an exceptionally weak stomach, which is why I usually avoid gore. I've never seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. I've never seen the Freddy Kruger films. Gore's just not my thing; I'm more of a psychological terror guy. Horrors left offscreen are more effective on me. This book is quite scary psychologically, but it also revels in blood and guts and feces. This one is filled to the brim with necrophilia and cannibalism and rape and harsh feelings. Brite's characters are all terrible people doing terrible things, for no real reason except the fact that they can. If that isn't your thing, move on. There's nothing for you here.
This is an extremely visceral read, and (for lack of better terminology) I felt a little triggered at times. I debated going into that in this review, but decided against it. I don't know who, if anyone, in my personal life reads what I post here but I would rather play it safe. That being said, if you're curious — feel free to drop me a line via personal message. I would love to discuss this book (and how it impacted me) more than what is possible in a public review. Guess I'm pretty paranoid, but I'm always up for a conversation.
I closed this book feeling excessively sick, which I'm pretty sure is what the author was going for. I kept a running tally of how many times my stomach turned from the book's first chapter to the last. Grand total? Twenty-seven. Yeah, baby. I was in this gruesome, cursed tale's clutches from page one. And I must say, it was nice seeing an author not trying to excuse away a villain's bad behavior. The folks who populate Exquisite Corpse's pages are vile and revel in it. This short novel about the tragic love affair of two serial killers is cold and hard, and comes completely alive with direct, hard-hitting prose that hits the mark consistently. I think Brite accomplished exactly what she set out to do, and I totally enjoyed the journey. Five half-eaten kidneys....more
Don't know if it's me or the book (though I suspect it is, in fact, the book), but I can't continue reading. I think reading a third iDNF @ Page 110.
Don't know if it's me or the book (though I suspect it is, in fact, the book), but I can't continue reading. I think reading a third is a fair shake. The characters are blah, the 'scares' are weak, and the setting is NOT being utilized to its full potential. Yours truly committed the grave sin of skipping ahead and reading the final chapter, and it looks like the conclusion is pretty weak sauce. As well, it ends with a cliffhanger. Nope nope nope. Not finishing a shitty book only to have to go out and buy ANOTHER shitty book.
Also, the author can't write LGBT characters for anything. The token gay teen isn't offensive (as I've seen many times in literature, especially YA) but he is a walking stereotype. Ain't nobody got time for that. Not this guy.
This book had so much potential. Sad Cody. :(...more
**spoiler alert** 2022 Reread 5 stars! I had a better time with this book than I did the last time I reread it, I think. I related much more to the adu**spoiler alert** 2022 Reread 5 stars! I had a better time with this book than I did the last time I reread it, I think. I related much more to the adults and felt the ending was absolutely perfect. This is why I reread King.
2017 Review Despite rating this book five stars, I do not think it is perfect. While I do not often agree with the common notion that Stephen King overwrites, his penchant for logorrhea is on full-display in this 1200 page-long novel, released in 1986. There are multiple scenes that could have been cut out (including most of the Derry interludes) without negatively impacting the book at all. I know, I know — King is in world-building mode here, and having a sense of Derry's history is important and vital. I get that. I just feel some of the tangential tales (looking at you, Black Spot and Bradley Gang) could have been whittled down or cut out altogether. Preferably whittled down. Don't get me wrong — reading these stories are a pure joy, for this novel was written when King was arguably at the height of his writing powers . . . But one can't help but wonder where his editor was.
Excess aside, this is an novel that works. It's classic King, with ghoulish scares and sublime character development on display. I've yet to come across a character in fiction I relate to more than Ben Hanscom — as a kid and an adult. It's almost eerie, how similar my thought process is to Ben's.
And let us not forget this book features one of King's most iconic villains: Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Master of Many Guises). Who can forget the blood spurting out of Beverly's drain, or the Paul Bunyan statue coming to life? The bird that attacks Mike? Or one of the most infamous scenes from this book (and its movie adaptation) — the clown in the sewer, offering candy and rides to Little Georgie in chapter one.
Something that really stuck out to me on this reread was King's commentary on growing up and getting older. I was fourteen the last time I read this novel; I am now almost twenty-one. Sure, I'm still pretty friggin' young . . . But I've begun to hear the ticking of the clock. I've begun to sense that the sand in the hourglass is starting to pour down faster than it used to. I now have small gray hairs in my stubble, and I think I'm starting to get a bald spot. I'm almost done with college, and soon enough I'll be out on my own, in my career, and worrying about things like insurance and running regularly to prevent heart attacks. Yeah, I'm still young — but I'm getting older all the time. What I'm getting at is I identified more with the seven main characters in their adult years, instead of their kid years. That was a sobering revelation.
Stephen King pulled off quite a feat with It. This is his most complex accomplishment — he manages to create a town and bring it to life, juggles seven main characters (as well as a slew of supporters) and two timelines, all while keeping it organized and forward-looking — for the most part. Despite a few extraneous scenes and the book feeling too episodic for its own good at times, I couldn't rate it anything less than five stars. It will never be in the upper echelon of King works, for me (I don't dig on the supernatural as much — I prefer reading about real life horrors), but it's an incredibly important work to the man's oeuvre at large. Recommended reading for any King or horror fan.
King connections:
Page 39 - Shawshank Prison is mentioned.
Page 72 - We first meet adult Ben Hanscom in Hemingford Home, Nebraska — home of Mother Abagail from The Stand.
Page 83 - Ben Hanscom tells a friend "You pay for what you get, you own what you pay for . . . and sooner or later whatever you own comes back home to you." Shades of Pet Sematary, perhaps?
Page 296 - A summer day is described as being "perfect and on the beam."
Page 325 - An Orinco truck (as seen in Pet Sematary) is seen roaring by in Derry.
Lots of references to Haven are made throughout chapters seven and eight, and in the book's final chapters.
Page 465 - Dick Hallorrann makes an appearance!
Page 508 - Beverly mentions the "crazy cop" who killed "all those women" in Castle Rock, Maine, referring to Frank Dodd from The Dead Zone.
Page 966 - Henry Bowers gets a ride from a mysterious 1958 Plymouth Fury, which is driven by ghosts. It's Christine, the rock n roll lady who never dies.
Page 1066 - Bill is described as looking like a crazed malnourished gunslinger.
Page 1090 - 'Becka Paulson from The Tommyknockers gets a mention.
The Turtle obviously connects this to the Dark Tower series in a big way.
Favorite quote:
"The energy you drew on so extravagantly when you were a kid, the energy you thought would never exhaust itself - that slipped away somewhere between eighteen and twenty-four, to be replaced by something much duller, something as bogus as a coke high: purpose, maybe, or goals, or whatever rah-rah Junior Chamber of Commerce word you wanted to use. It was no big deal; it didn't go all at once, with a bang. And maybe, Richie thought, that's the scary part. How you didn't stop being a kid all at once, with a big explosive bang, like one of that clown's trick balloons. The kid in you just leaked out, like the air of a tire."
Up next:
I probably won't be continuing the SK reread until January, but who knows. The next book on the list is The Eyes of The Dragon!...more
This is a book about hope, redemption, and darkness in the real world. It's a brutal read, and it made me cringe more than once. Not because of bad wrThis is a book about hope, redemption, and darkness in the real world. It's a brutal read, and it made me cringe more than once. Not because of bad writing or unbelievable characters or forced dialogue — no, Colton Whitehead has created an almost perfect novel in The Underground Railroad, a work I am sure will soon enough be deemed a modern classic. Hell, it's even an Oprah's Book Club book. That's, like, everything.
This is the story of Cora, a teenage slave who runs away from the plantation in Georgia she's been sold to. She embarks on a journey of highs and lows, of wonder and terror. Whitehead does an astounding job of conveying her confusion and awe once getting off the Railroad (which, in the book, is an actual train — a nice touch, I thought) the first time. The reader knows that once Cora has a taste of freedom, she will never go back.
I'm going to keep this review extremely short, because I can't even begin to put into words the profound impact The Underground Railroad had on me. The author carved out a gem with this one. He handles a touchy, horrific subject such as slavery (and, with that, rape and murder) with great care and skill. Young Cora's journey to the north is one I will not soon forget. I really can't recommend this one highly enough. Check it out if you're into historical fiction or just a really good story populated with well-drawn characters. I will be checking out more from this author!...more
With The Bad Place, Dean Koontz did something he's never done before — gross me out. This book had me gagging on multiple occasions, especially towardWith The Bad Place, Dean Koontz did something he's never done before — gross me out. This book had me gagging on multiple occasions, especially toward the end. "Four testicles." Need I say more?
Written during what many consider Koontz's peak period (which most tend to agree was from 1983 to 1995 or so), I went into this novel with relatively high expectations and was not let down. This makes for my tenth or eleventh Koontz read, so I don't claim to be well-versed in his works yet . . . but this novel seems to lack most of what reviewers complain about when reviewing DK (e.g. the overwhelming sentimentality, laborious moralizing, repetitive/genius dog characters, et cetera). Yeah, it had some goofy-ass dialogue and I do not think the relationship between the two main characters was believable AT ALL, but I enjoyed myself. Koontz's works are not so much about the characterization as the thrill of the ride. The Bad Place grabbed me from page one and didn't let go. There were no lulls in the story, and almost every character was enjoyable to read about. I especially dug Thomas. Man, I loved that kid.
This is one of the few books in which Koontz seems totally comfortable writing straight-up horror. A few scenes genuinely scared me. A lot of blood flows and the body count was shockingly high. As well, the mystery was exceptionally intriguing. I was kept guessing until the final chapter, which is quite the rarity (especially when reading books by this author). Despite its few flaws, The Bad Place is an enjoyable read and quite appropriate for the Halloween season. ...more
This is not for those who like definitive answers in the fiction they consume. This novella doesn't wrap up nicely; you won't finish this one feeling This is not for those who like definitive answers in the fiction they consume. This novella doesn't wrap up nicely; you won't finish this one feeling you have any sort of handle on what you just read. You'll just know you were at the mercy of a masterfully wrought story about ghosts (possibly), psychosis (possibly), and paranoia (definitely). I already want to reread this sucker.
Published in the late 1890s, The Turn Of The Screw is the classic tale of a financially strapped young woman who gets hired on as governess at a large country estate in London. Essentially she runs the house, oversees the help staff, and teaches the niece and nephew of her employer their daily school lessons. The children — aged ten and eight, respectively — are beautiful, mild-mannered, and affectionate . . . And, yet, she begins to feel something is off with them. As well, she begins to see ghosts around the estate — and no one else seems to see them. Or do they?
I really can't say a lot about this one without spoiling it, so I'll try to keep it succinct. This is a fascinating read, and I was engrossed from the first page. I especially enjoyed the governess, but I dug everyone else too. This is a work that relies on inferring and leaving blanks. Nothing is spelled out, and the horror lies in what is hinted at or seen off-screen. If that ain't your thing, don't waste your time with this one. Me? I love implicated horror — that's what scares me most. Slasher novels and serial killers don't do a thing for me. Give me a creaky old house with uneasy spirits, and I won't sleep for days.
Again, there is so much worth saying about this one, but I won't go there. Spoilers aren't cool. I enjoyed this one immensely. Highly recommended....more
Still a strong collection! Not my favorite collection of King stories, not even close—just a bit too much filler for my taste—but the fact2023 Reread:
Still a strong collection! Not my favorite collection of King stories, not even close—just a bit too much filler for my taste—but the fact that I’m still giving this 4 stars says a lot about King’s mastery of the short form. But we all know this.
“The Reach” is still my favorite, the “Milkman” stories still baffle, and the biggest grower this time was “Uncle Otto’s Truck”… I actually liked it this time. Skeleton Crew is 1980s King. Come on.
2016 Review:
I finished Skeleton Crew with tears in my eyes. I thought I'd read "The Reach" — the story that closes out this collection — before, but I guess I hadn't. It was an entirely new experience for me, and it packed quite the emotional wallop. As I write this review I'm still trying to mentally recover from that one, so pardon me if my thoughts are a little scattered. My Fornit died, and I'm stuck doing the job myself.
By the time this collection was published in 1985, Stephen King was a bona-fide literary rock star. His fame was gargantuan, beaten in size only by his addiction to dope and alcohol. According to the man himself, his study was the site of nightly parties for one, where the beer flowed and nose candy was always available. Yeah, King wasn't in a great state of mind for most of the eighties. He warns the reader in this book's introduction that the act of writing short stories hadn't gotten easier for him over the years — instead, it had gotten harder. Novel deadlines made it difficult to carve out time for shorter tales, and everything the man put into his Word Processor of the Gods wanted to be six hundred pages in length. If this reviewer is being honest, that's painfully apparent with this collection. A handful of the tales presented here should've never made it off the cutting room floor and several others could have been trimmed a bit. Most of what the reader is presented with is great (hence the four stars), but King overwrites like crazy here. That's my problem with a lot of his output from this decade — excess verbosity.
After the reliably folksy, mood-setting introduction to this collection from Sai King himself, things get rolling with "The Mist," the first (but not last) story in Skeleton Crew about ordinary people stranded and facing likely death, due to out-of-this-world circumstances. "The Mist" is a novella, and I always enjoy every word of it. Yeah, King overwrites in several places in this book . . . but this story ain't one of 'em. I have quite the fear of mist, thanks to this story. Other favorites of mine include "The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet," a delightfully paranoid story King could have never written before or after cocaine; "The Raft," which was my very favorite in this collection for a long time; The Monkey," a story that doesn't get as much love as it deserves; "The Reach," the previously mentioned story that moved me to tears; "The Jaunt," which, for my money, contains King's most haunting story ending yet; and "Cain Rose Up," a story that other reviewers like to rag on but I can't help but dig.
All that said, there are several stories here that should have gotten canned. "Here There Be Tygers" makes no sense and is downright gimmicky; the two "Milkman" stories also don't make much sense and go nowhere. "Uncle Otto's Truck," a story about (you guessed it) a haunted truck, feels worn out and old — King has touched on this theme so many times in his career. I also don't like "For Owen" at all, and "Paranoid: A Chant" should have been folded into "The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet" where it belongs. It's a shame this collection is somewhat weighed down by so many DOA entries, because there are several genuine classics here. This one just isn't very consistent, and if that's what you're looking for might I recommend Night Shift or Just After Sunset?
All in all, this is very much a collection worth checking out. It was released during King's "classic" period, so of course it's worth a purchase. The theme of external isolation and humanity's will to save itself is done really well in "The Mist," "Beachworld," "Survivor Type," and "The Raft." I also like this book's "Do you love?" motif — it makes this collection hang together much better than it probably should. This is definitely a strong read, and I will come back to my favorites for years to come.
King connections:
(I tried to take actual notes for this one, as I knew there are connections to the King universe all over the place. I know I missed some, but here's what I caught while reading. Sorry my notes are a little scattered.)
"The Mist"
P. 94 - David Clayton, our main character, thinks of a character as "looking like a crazy gunslinger in an existential comedy." It is theorized that The Shop is at least partially responsible for the mist. I could totally see that. I'm not sure if this is a connection or not, but when David and a few others make the courageous trek to the pharmacy next door, they encounter an "otherworldly" presence that takes the shape of a spider . . . though they know it's something more. Any relation to IT? Totally possible, as that book was published the following year.
"Mrs. Todd's Shortcut"
It takes place in Castle Rock, home of several King novels and short stories. P. 182 - Joe Camber of Cujo is mentioned. P. 186 - Haven gets a shout out!
"The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands"
This one could be could be seen as a spiritual successor to "The Breathing Method," even going so far as to reference that earlier novella. It revoles around the same, strange story-telling club that we first met in Different Seasons.
"Nona"
It takes place in Castle Rock, firmly placing it in the same universe as "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" as well as several other King stories. The narrator of "Nona" mentions once getting "messed up" by Ace Merrill, the local baddie — an antagonist in "The Body" and Needful Things. The narrator lets the reader know he grew up in Harlow, Maine — the setting of "N." and Revival. P. 347 — Vern Tessio of "The Body" gets a brief mention. Cool!
"Uncle Otto's Truck"
Both Derry and Castle Rock play an important role in this one.
"Gramma"
P. 421 - Cora Simard and Henrietta Dodd are mentioned. George, the protagonist in "Gramma," listens to one of the ladies' phone conversations on a party line. Cora's daughter, Rhonda, was a student of Ewen High School and was among Carrie White's tormentors. Henrietta Dodd was the mother of Frank Dodd, as seen in The Dead Zone and mentioned in various other Castle Rock stories. Joe Camber gets another mention! This story takes place near Castle Rock in 1977-ish (I think), so before the major events of Carrie and Cujo. Hmm.
Favorite story:
"The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet"
Least favorite story:
"Big Wheels: A Tale Of The Laundry Game (Milkman #2)"
Favorite quote:
“I sit on the bench in front of Bell's Market and think about Homer Buckland and about the beautiful girl who leaned over to open his door when he come down that path with the full red gasoline can in his right hand - she looked like a girl of no more than sixteen, a girl on her learner's permit, and her beauty was terrible, but I believe it would no longer kill the man it turned itself on; for a moment her eyes lit on me, I was not killed, although a part of me died at her feet." (from "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut")
Up next:
It's everything you ever were afraid of. It's . . . IT....more
Didn't much care for this one, though I suspect it's more a matter of where I'm currently at than the book itself. The writing is beautiful; the settiDidn't much care for this one, though I suspect it's more a matter of where I'm currently at than the book itself. The writing is beautiful; the setting is divine; I did not care for any of the characters, sad to say. And the story moves at a snail's pace. The first 250 pages or so are an absolute chore, Tryon's marvelous descriptive skills aside. I love this author's other bestseller, The Other (that one is quite possibly my favorite horror novel — period), so I hate that I couldn't really groove on Harvest Home. Maybe I'll reread it next fall....more
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