Scan barcode
lakserk's review against another edition
2.0
As seems to be the consensus in a lot of reviews here, this is by far the worst Aickman collection I've read. Most of the stories seem aimless or really wordy or are far too absorbed by wayward plots. The two that really stood out for me were Hand in glove (in which two women visit a graveyard which is riddled with strange phenomena) and Raising the wind (where two friends that need to move a boat are helped by a mysterious old woman who performs an obscure ceremony). Wood and The Strangers had also some really memorable moments and a lot of uncanny weirdness but were weighted down by unnecessary detail.
pizzledmilk's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
oedipamaas69's review against another edition
I liked this book, but I had been reading a lot of short stories before this one and I'd just had my fill of them. Perhaps I'll revisit it one day.
poachedeggs's review against another edition
3.0
An uneven collection, with some really good stories, and some mediocre ones.
rouge_red's review against another edition
dark
3.75
Although I didn't love most of the stories, what I did enjoy as a whole was the atmosphere. There is a pervasive gloom, odd and generally strange feeling to most of these tales. This was my first time reading Aickman (besides the podcast episode I listened to on the "H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast."), and I don't think will be my last time experiencing his brand of weird. There's just enough strangeness that I get invested; it never really feels too much, which can be fun and entertaining; but I like that Aickman seems to push it just far enough that I can still be on board for whatever comes next.
lookhome's review against another edition
3.0
An intriguing writer that seems to be getting a lot of attention as of late.
Good memorable stories with an otherworldly vibe.
I'm holding back on a full review as I only read half of the stories before I needed to bring it back to the library.
Good memorable stories with an otherworldly vibe.
I'm holding back on a full review as I only read half of the stories before I needed to bring it back to the library.
bkish's review against another edition
5.0
This man author Robert Aickman from Britain who died in 1980s could write. These are incredible short stories like horror tales. I think he was recommended to read by Stephen king?
Each of these stories and its a collection of his writings is different from start to finish. I think tho he didnt use the word that some of the men are vampire stories. Its not just a mystery its a supernatural tale. Maybe its about 12 stories and there was one very long one and I forget the name that I couldnt follow so I didnt read it.
His characters are often women and yet there are also men in his tales. Nobody in the stories that I can think of is evil or criminal. Its mostly ordinary people who have these things happen to them that are unexpected and often horrible. Sometimes there are very innocent people who are affected by these supernatural beings..
Excellent book
Judy
Each of these stories and its a collection of his writings is different from start to finish. I think tho he didnt use the word that some of the men are vampire stories. Its not just a mystery its a supernatural tale. Maybe its about 12 stories and there was one very long one and I forget the name that I couldnt follow so I didnt read it.
His characters are often women and yet there are also men in his tales. Nobody in the stories that I can think of is evil or criminal. Its mostly ordinary people who have these things happen to them that are unexpected and often horrible. Sometimes there are very innocent people who are affected by these supernatural beings..
Excellent book
Judy