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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved it. You can see clearly where H.P. Lovecraft got his style from. There are lots of different stories in this but overarching themes and elements that appear throughout the stories. It's a slow burn, but very eerie if you read between the lines and let your imagination do the work. The writing style is deliciously weird.
Shades of Poe and Lovecraft - and of course, Chambers influenced Lovecraft.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked the first few stories, but as I got to the final few in the book, they stopped being the same kind of eerie and twisted horror stories so they lost me a little. But was still fascinating to read.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really interesting stories. I tried to read Call of Cthulhu recently but I think it’s just too much for me rn, so this book really scratched the horror itch I’ve been needing. It’s much less traditional horror and definitely more in line with the Lovecraft nature, which makes sense considering it inspired him. The idea of a cursed play is super interesting and my main critique is that it isn’t explored as much as I would like. The first and last story are the scariest in my opinion for very different reasons, with the others being barely related to the titular play. It does have the old timey language that I find a bit heavy to read but aside from the internal thought processes and monologues it’s really enjoyable. I think it’s a must read for horror fans as it laid a lot of the groundwork for eldritch horror! Good book :)
The first four stories in The King in Yellow; The Reparier of Reputation, The Mask, In the Court of the Dragon, and The Yellow Sign are masterfully written works of horror that would go onto inspire the works of H.P. Lovecraft. These four stories are connect through the eponymous play, which while never more than a passing mention, who’s content are hinted at just enough as to allow the reader to conjure up thoughts of what could possible be held within it. On there own they could easily have been a four or five star but are in the end weighted down by a lackluster second half that feels disconnected and unbelonging to everything established in the first half.
Now here comes the second half, while The Demoiselle of D’ys is a sudden departure from the themes of cosmic horror present in the first four stories, it still is a beautifully written blend of romance and the supernatural. The Prophets’ Paradise can stand on its own as an abstract poetic narrative.
I have the most grievences for the eight story, The Street of the First Shell, which feels utterly disconnected to any of the other stories within the book. The narrative of The Street of First Shell is very a disconnected and strange inclussion for otherwise is a work thematic in the genre of horror and madness, instead being a strange war narrative.
Now here comes the second half, while The Demoiselle of D’ys is a sudden departure from the themes of cosmic horror present in the first four stories, it still is a beautifully written blend of romance and the supernatural. The Prophets’ Paradise can stand on its own as an abstract poetic narrative.
I have the most grievences for the eight story, The Street of the First Shell, which feels utterly disconnected to any of the other stories within the book. The narrative of The Street of First Shell is very a disconnected and strange inclussion for otherwise is a work thematic in the genre of horror and madness, instead being a strange war narrative.