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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Weird literature
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A very short but fun read. While I usually dislike 1st person narration, the willows made it so that the character’s thoughts weren’t just ramblings but somewhat accurate descriptions of the events that unfolded, letting us witness them through his eyes. I also liked that very little was known about the protagonist and his companion, including their names, the companion being referred to merely as the Swede. I guess this is what made this read so fun and uncomplicated. None of their backstories mattered and as a result made the story even more terrifying in my opinion because I was attached to the characters due to the fear that we shared.
The fear induced by the monsters is similar to Lovecraft's (which isn’t surprising given how Blackwood was an inspiration for Lovecraft). We get the protagonist wondering whether the entities they’re facing are some old gods or some elemental spirits residing among the willows or something. And trying to discover their nature alongside the characters was such horrific pleasure.
And the twists? Things take you off guard so suddenly when you think they’re safe. I genuinely thought they were safe after losing consciousness when they saw that presence approaching, but it came back the night after.
I would have loved a slightly different conclusion for a more dramatic effect but then I remembered this story is not about the characters, so whether they live or die has no effect on the story itself.
Overall, it was very enjoyable and I will easily recommend it to whoever is looking for a short horror story.
The fear induced by the monsters is similar to Lovecraft's (which isn’t surprising given how Blackwood was an inspiration for Lovecraft). We get the protagonist wondering whether the entities they’re facing are some old gods or some elemental spirits residing among the willows or something. And trying to discover their nature alongside the characters was such horrific pleasure.
And the twists? Things take you off guard so suddenly when you think they’re safe.
I would have loved a slightly different conclusion for a more dramatic effect but then I remembered this story is not about the characters, so whether they live or die has no effect on the story itself.
Overall, it was very enjoyable and I will easily recommend it to whoever is looking for a short horror story.
Stunning and eerie and terrifying.
What is it about this sort of folkloric horror of murky waters and the terrifying and elusive beauty of nature that invokes such a deep seated and primal fear in us? What is it about elemental gods that terrify so, so sure it is that they have such an indifference or hatred toward human beings. What is it to understand/ accept untoward happenings. It was a surprisingly easy and atmospheric read. I had anticipated that it would be denser given its age and reputation. There are a couple of lines about "Red Indians" that thoroughly age this novella though.
It left me feeling quite artistically inspired and sort of set my imagination ablaze with the prose. I also wanted to mention that I liked how the food was described as well for some reason.
What is it about this sort of folkloric horror of murky waters and the terrifying and elusive beauty of nature that invokes such a deep seated and primal fear in us? What is it about elemental gods that terrify so, so sure it is that they have such an indifference or hatred toward human beings. What is it to understand/ accept untoward happenings. It was a surprisingly easy and atmospheric read. I had anticipated that it would be denser given its age and reputation. There are a couple of lines about "Red Indians" that thoroughly age this novella though.
It left me feeling quite artistically inspired and sort of set my imagination ablaze with the prose. I also wanted to mention that I liked how the food was described as well for some reason.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A