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hazelfizz's review
5.0
Always grand. Wish there were more.
Ray Bradbury (20th century socially middle America wistful creepy spec-fic) but make it ladies.
Ray Bradbury (20th century socially middle America wistful creepy spec-fic) but make it ladies.
dee9401's review
4.0
A really good read, though some stories were far more outstanding than others. Her ideas were always good to excellent but the execution wavered throughout this collection. It seemed to be mostly the earlier ones, which would make sense as she honed her craft, but there were some later ones that started out great but just fizzled or imploded at the end.
Starting with the sublime ones, "The Anything Box" (1956) was simple & beautiful. It had a Kate Wilhelm-esque quality to it, which for me is the highest compliment, one of psychological intensity and perfect craft. The Anything Box was a joy of a piece. "Something Bright" (1960) was also beautiful. It was like a painting. Not a single word nor a piece of punctuation was wasted. Short stories, when done like this, are examples of the greatest form of writing. I also loved "Walking Aunt Daid" (1955). It is a haunting story that reminded me of Boris Karloff's Thriller series or the best of Night Gallery. It was nicely executed.
Turning to the good to great stories, I thought "Subcommittee" (1962) was a good story though a little saccharine at times and filled with dated stereotypes. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my time. "Hush!" (1953) is an interesting horror piece, but it did not feel as elegant as other stories mentioned above. Finally, "The Substitute" (1953) was such a great idea and the first 11-12 pages were pure perfection, but the final 1-2 pages felt rushed with a little twist at the end. I was wholly sucked into this piece and felt a little disappointed at the end. But, as I said, 12 out of the total 14 pages of this short story were excellent.
As to the other items in the collection "Come On, Wagon!" (1951) was an okay idea and okay execution, but nothing to write home about. It would have been fine for a SFF magazine piece, which is probably what it was. "Stevie and the Dark" (1952) had a good start but sputtered out. "The Grunder" (1953) felt like a bad Night Gallery/Twilight Zone script. It set an interesting premise but it didn't flow or feel like one of her better stories.
After reading the first 3 stories, I was sure I'd go with 5 stars, but I ended up with just 4 after finishing. It is still a worthy read and as proof, I ordered another collection of her stories before I even finished this one. It arrrives today!
Starting with the sublime ones, "The Anything Box" (1956) was simple & beautiful. It had a Kate Wilhelm-esque quality to it, which for me is the highest compliment, one of psychological intensity and perfect craft. The Anything Box was a joy of a piece. "Something Bright" (1960) was also beautiful. It was like a painting. Not a single word nor a piece of punctuation was wasted. Short stories, when done like this, are examples of the greatest form of writing. I also loved "Walking Aunt Daid" (1955). It is a haunting story that reminded me of Boris Karloff's Thriller series or the best of Night Gallery. It was nicely executed.
Turning to the good to great stories, I thought "Subcommittee" (1962) was a good story though a little saccharine at times and filled with dated stereotypes. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my time. "Hush!" (1953) is an interesting horror piece, but it did not feel as elegant as other stories mentioned above. Finally, "The Substitute" (1953) was such a great idea and the first 11-12 pages were pure perfection, but the final 1-2 pages felt rushed with a little twist at the end. I was wholly sucked into this piece and felt a little disappointed at the end. But, as I said, 12 out of the total 14 pages of this short story were excellent.
As to the other items in the collection "Come On, Wagon!" (1951) was an okay idea and okay execution, but nothing to write home about. It would have been fine for a SFF magazine piece, which is probably what it was. "Stevie and the Dark" (1952) had a good start but sputtered out. "The Grunder" (1953) felt like a bad Night Gallery/Twilight Zone script. It set an interesting premise but it didn't flow or feel like one of her better stories.
After reading the first 3 stories, I was sure I'd go with 5 stars, but I ended up with just 4 after finishing. It is still a worthy read and as proof, I ordered another collection of her stories before I even finished this one. It arrrives today!
ccqtpie's review
3.0
2.5
Hate to give this a low rating bc I did thoroughly enjoy the first 4 stories but the rest just fell flat.
Hate to give this a low rating bc I did thoroughly enjoy the first 4 stories but the rest just fell flat.
nwhyte's review
5.0
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3566340.html
These are really good short stories, most of them liminal fantasies involving children in small-town America; the most famous one apart from the title story is "Subcommittee", where a human woman and her child manage to find a channel for peaceful communication with aliens where the grown men (of both sides) have failed. I did not even realise that it was a collection, and after finishing the first story was expecting another 150 pages of adventures for the child and teacher with the Anything Box (and then found myself on an alien world). Really something out of the ordinary.
These are really good short stories, most of them liminal fantasies involving children in small-town America; the most famous one apart from the title story is "Subcommittee", where a human woman and her child manage to find a channel for peaceful communication with aliens where the grown men (of both sides) have failed. I did not even realise that it was a collection, and after finishing the first story was expecting another 150 pages of adventures for the child and teacher with the Anything Box (and then found myself on an alien world). Really something out of the ordinary.
satyridae's review
5.0
3/2013 I read Walking Aunt Daid through tears, oh, who am I kidding- through sobs, the other night to a teenaged boy. If I never do another thing in my life, it's okay. Henderson's that good. I've dipped and supped throughout the book in the days since I read that story and as always I marvel that Henderson isn't more revered, isn't celebrated with parades and sparklers on her birthday. There are so many brilliant stories in this collection alone. Seriously, READ ZENNA HENDERSON. Read her right now.
2008 Henderson was brilliant. I was looking in the mirror the other day, and the plethora of wrinkles got me thinking of her short story "Walking Aunt Daid", which had a profound effect on my teenaged self. I wondered what it would be like to read from middle age. I like to play with fire, you see.
And I read it, I did, and it tore great heaving sobs from me. The bitterness at the heart of it is so hurtful, so bruised and ultimately so universal. And one feels for the boys, generation upon generation of them.
I can't read this very often. Then again, I don't need to because I carry it with me every step of the way.
2008 Henderson was brilliant. I was looking in the mirror the other day, and the plethora of wrinkles got me thinking of her short story "Walking Aunt Daid", which had a profound effect on my teenaged self. I wondered what it would be like to read from middle age. I like to play with fire, you see.
And I read it, I did, and it tore great heaving sobs from me. The bitterness at the heart of it is so hurtful, so bruised and ultimately so universal. And one feels for the boys, generation upon generation of them.
I can't read this very often. Then again, I don't need to because I carry it with me every step of the way.
avalinahsbooks's review
5.0
The Anything Box is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. I don't even like short story collections, but this one was so perfect. If I could, I'd give it ten stars. Fifty.
I had, in fact, drafted a lot of my review just as I started reading it. But I wasn't home when I did and I sadly lost the paper. It was a good review full of emotion and ideas and I was so distraught at having lost it that I even stopped reading the book. For a year.
But I finally picked it back up, and although I can't tell you exactly what I thought of those stories a year ago, I can say that they completely blew my mind. This is one of the best collections of SFF I have ever had the pleasure to read. It just doesn't get better. And I wish Zenna Henderson was better known because she was a one of a kind writer.
I had, in fact, drafted a lot of my review just as I started reading it. But I wasn't home when I did and I sadly lost the paper. It was a good review full of emotion and ideas and I was so distraught at having lost it that I even stopped reading the book. For a year.
But I finally picked it back up, and although I can't tell you exactly what I thought of those stories a year ago, I can say that they completely blew my mind. This is one of the best collections of SFF I have ever had the pleasure to read. It just doesn't get better. And I wish Zenna Henderson was better known because she was a one of a kind writer.
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