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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Finally got around to reading this novella after having it on my TBR list for a long time. "The Willows" is a classic horror story said to have influenced Lovecraft and many other writers, and for that alone it is worth reading. You can definitely feel the proto-Lovecraftian horror here. If you like atmospheric creepiness and vague lurking entities, you'll enjoy this, but keep in mind that it was written in 1907. I think horror readers expect too much nowadays. Don't compare this to modern horror; instead, try to put yourself into the mindset of a turn-of-the-century reader, and you should see why this is such a compelling and important work.
My only complaint is that it was not a full-length novel. I would have liked to see more movement of the plot and a longer tale. There was definitely potential for a longer plot.
Still, this was a great read, very quick and enjoyable, and a great way to start off my reading for 2023.
My only complaint is that it was not a full-length novel. I would have liked to see more movement of the plot and a longer tale. There was definitely potential for a longer plot.
Still, this was a great read, very quick and enjoyable, and a great way to start off my reading for 2023.
I started reading this then ended up getting the audiobook. It was very good. Very well written, creepy, and suspenseful. Not many horror books can pull off ending with the words "like an otter" but it definitely worked here! Haha
It’s a weird story, no doubt as has been said in many other reviews as well but that is definitely the USP of the tale here. One striking characteristic though that perhaps is going to remain with me is the talent of psyche-piercing narration Blackwood has. It is so detailed that you can virtually feel yourself standing next to person being talked about. At the end of the story, whether you come out satisfied or not, but during the time it was going on, it was almost impossible to control your metaphorical thought-horses.
Frightening. As brief as the book is, Algernon masterfully presented an ever creeping terror with every turn of the page.
Evil Ents on the Danube.
Well written, I just have a hard time fearing trees.
Well written, I just have a hard time fearing trees.
This story is, to me, the very embodiment of weird fiction - not quite horror, not quite fantasy, and not quite science-fiction. Each line is carefully crafted to add to a subtle, unsettling ambiance that builds methodically through the text. The story is rich with metaphor and allusion, but what really brings it home as a masterpiece is the expert pacing; it starts slowly, lazily, and builds to a frenzy. I believe Blackwood bridges the gap between Poe and Lovecraft and anyone who enjoys either of those authors should read The Willows.
The rare horror story that gets better with subsequent readings, as it jealously guards its secrets to increase both the character's and the reader's anxiety. By charging the environment and scenery with so much sinister mystery and the main characters with comparatively little, the story's tension is ratcheted up from the get go and does not let up. Blackwood's atmospheric depiction of humanity's remote powerlessness before nature's indifference remains to me the gold standard in horror.
Bit monotonous, but an effective slow build of tension nonetheless.
Re-encountered this in an anthology, and like it much better the second time around:
The Willows (4 stars, 5 tentacles) - Okay, this is the best so far (and also one that I'd read before). Digging up my prior review, I enjoyed it much more this time around. I think that's partly due to T. Kingfisher's The Hollow Places, and partly due to being in a different frame of mind. There's a lot of evocative language, and some of Blackwood's best writing up to this point (the anthology is in chronological order). Tbh, I don't think I got this one at all on my first read. Additionally, this is pre-Lovecraft, but still clearly veering into Cosmic Horror territory. Absolutely worth a read.
Leaving my original rating and review, as that was my initial impression.
Re-encountered this in an anthology, and like it much better the second time around:
The Willows (4 stars, 5 tentacles) - Okay, this is the best so far (and also one that I'd read before). Digging up my prior review, I enjoyed it much more this time around. I think that's partly due to T. Kingfisher's The Hollow Places, and partly due to being in a different frame of mind. There's a lot of evocative language, and some of Blackwood's best writing up to this point (the anthology is in chronological order). Tbh, I don't think I got this one at all on my first read. Additionally, this is pre-Lovecraft, but still clearly veering into Cosmic Horror territory. Absolutely worth a read.
Leaving my original rating and review, as that was my initial impression.
I only read this because HP Lovecraft apparently thought this guy was the bomb. Its really beautifully written but not at all scary or creepy. At least I didn't find it so.
Its possible that the horror elements are just really dated.
* I have been reading all about Algernon Blackwood though, and as well as having the coolest name ever, he seemed to be a very interesting guy.
Its possible that the horror elements are just really dated.
* I have been reading all about Algernon Blackwood though, and as well as having the coolest name ever, he seemed to be a very interesting guy.