Reviews

The Haunted Boy by Carson McCullers

batbones's review

5.0

McCullers is exquisite, attentive to the constraints and terrors of family spaces, the complexity of adult feeling or the stunning simplicity of a child's innocent fear. This Penguin Modern volume is an excellent sampler and testament to her work. Each story is full and complete, carefully brought to fruition, intriguing beginnings building to a steady climax and satisfying resolution. Her narratives leave the reader, when they end, with the emotional and intellectual fulfillment of experiencing a well-constructed short story fully explored and condensed for their length, perfect for their form with nothing left over. Horror, sorrow, regret, joy, brim, glimmer, dart in and out of sight like vivid fish in a deep pond. There is a dignity in her writing that parallels mid-century Hollywood's strong characters and transferred onto her characters in their piercing melancholy and haunting fear. The setting may be a sitting room or a bedroom, but she conveys them as they might've been experienced, as if there is nothing ephemeral or quotidian about human lives.

katherinerea's review

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

themagnusyatharth's review

4.0

Really sweet and nice stories.

missdandyreads's review

4.0

The Haunted Boy: 4 Sterne, The Sojourner: 5 Sterne, A Domestic Dilemma: 3,5 Sterne. McCullers' Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm und bildreich, die short stories beschreiben unterschiedliche Familienszenarien (Alkoholmissbrauch, Kindertrauma, Scheidung und Neuanfang). Dank dieses schmalen Buches hab ich beschlossen, mir das Werk von McCullers etwas genauer anzusehen.

rosekk's review

3.0

The stories were prettily written, but I'm not tempted to read any more.

foggy_rosamund's review

3.0

As always, McCuller's prose is engaging, and she has a distinct narrative voice. I enjoyed these stories, but while they are atmospheric, they are not the best of her writing.

violetdelightshavevioletends's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

ezelsuyolcuoglu's review

4.0

So much melancholy and emotions in a tiny tiny book

ldegough's review

5.0

I love stories that dive deep into a character's thoughts and motivations. This story was short, but I felt as though I really knew Hugh by the end of it. I was worried that the ending would be depressing, so I was pleasantly surprised when it was hopeful instead.

- Lacie

dbellvm's review

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0