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annebrooke's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fabulous collection of excellent ghost stories. Most of them were rereads for me - but definitely always worth it - and only a few of them were new. They are all beautifully written with some stand-out lines, such as "Mrs Clemm the housekeeper smiled a sharp little smile, like the scratch of a pin." (Mr Jones by Edith Wharton), and "I believe my late uncle Giles' monograph on the fossils of the Middle Chalk was a standard textbook in its day." (An Encounter in the Mist by A N L Munby) or (of two sisters who enjoy dancing with soldiers) "Ethel's and Elsie's names, it could be presumed, were murmured wherever the Union Jack flew." (Hand in Glove by Elizabeth Bowen). All gorgeously put!
Amongst the collection, my standout favourites were (of course) Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad, The Monkey's Paw (just perfect in its sudden surges of horror), The Upper Berth, and Man-Size in Marble. But, as I say, they are all very good indeed and this is an excellent collection.
Amongst the collection, my standout favourites were (of course) Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad, The Monkey's Paw (just perfect in its sudden surges of horror), The Upper Berth, and Man-Size in Marble. But, as I say, they are all very good indeed and this is an excellent collection.
hstapp's review against another edition
2.0
These ghost stories like most of their type are not actually scary. There are a number of interesting Stories however. The Monkey's Paw is always good, and The last story which is by T.H. White is quite good. There are many other good stories in here, and many not so good ones. The first few stories are especially uninteresting. The Charles Williams story in this book (which is likely why my wife picked it out for me) starts out really dull, but improves slightly by the end. Perhaps it deserves a 3 but Perhaps I just dod not enjoy Ghost Stories as much as I once did.
shane's review against another edition
5.0
In a class of it's own. Every single story is to be cherished. Ever single story is just begging to be read and re-read. If you see this book for sale, snap out up quick. A beautiful book.
_michelle_'s review
3.0
A pleasent enough read, but really a mixed bag overall. The further in the book I went, the stories seemed to get longer and less entertaining, though there were an exceptional few. Notable stories include The Tapistried Chamber; The Phantom Coach; The Judge's House; The Red Room; The Monkey's Paw; and The Clock (my personal fave) and a few other, lesser ones.. Sadly, many of the other stories are skipable. I would recomend borrowing this book or buying it second-hand. If you can find most of the listed stories in another compilation, go for it. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm crazy about the stories I thought were good, but the collection as a whole was not so great overall.
3* = "I liked it"; It could have been a better collection than it was, but the good stories redeemed it.
3* = "I liked it"; It could have been a better collection than it was, but the good stories redeemed it.
shane's review
5.0
In a class of it's own. Every single story is to be cherished. Ever single story is just begging to be read and re-read. If you see this book for sale, snap out up quick. A beautiful book.
alexctelander's review
3.0
In an easy-to-use paperback edition, The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories serves as a welcoming traveling companion when going just about anywhere, especially through the dingy streets and foggy countryside of England. This is a collection that features stories that scared a lot of people when published, and continue to do so even now. Renowned authors make an appearance here: Bram Stoker (naturally), Henry James, H. G. Wells, Sir Walter Scott and Edith Wharton to name a few. Infamous stories show their original creation here with tales like “The Monkey’s Paw” and “The Hollow Man.” A collection that anyone who enjoys having shivers sent up their spines must have.
Originally published on December 9th, 2002.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
Originally published on December 9th, 2002.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
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