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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
One of the first horror novella’s I have read that executed the slow burn and thrill of the genre so excellently. Reflecting a number of compelling themes, observing Lovecraft’s racism and fear of the other prominent in this story was rather interesting. He reveals in many troubling ways, how horror is driven by fear and hatred of difference. Left ominously vague, I can’t be sure whether the narrator is liberated or horrified by his fate. Certainly a bit of a drag on, but nevertheless an interesting read. A really great introduction to the genre, and I’m certain many important figures who write horror write in response to Lovecraft, whether conforming to or escaping his presence.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
Frankly, I was sold by this story once I read the expression, 'blasphemous fish-frogs.'
If you can make it through Lovecraft's verbose first half, where several characters expel long monologues of Innsmouth's local history, you will be richly rewarded in the second half.
It's in the latter half when Lovecraft gets to show off his talents as a writer. He is a master at creating tense atmospheres -- Innsmouth is an unsettling place by day and even more so by night. He successfully creates unsettling creatures roaming in the background, foes seemingly everywhere in creaking Innsmouth.
Lovecraft's narrator is a sharp but seemingly average man who has accidentally wandered into an ancient maritime horror. Reading this at night is the best way to accompany him on his descent towards madness.
If you can make it through Lovecraft's verbose first half, where several characters expel long monologues of Innsmouth's local history, you will be richly rewarded in the second half.
It's in the latter half when Lovecraft gets to show off his talents as a writer. He is a master at creating tense atmospheres -- Innsmouth is an unsettling place by day and even more so by night. He successfully creates unsettling creatures roaming in the background, foes seemingly everywhere in creaking Innsmouth.
Lovecraft's narrator is a sharp but seemingly average man who has accidentally wandered into an ancient maritime horror. Reading this at night is the best way to accompany him on his descent towards madness.
The middle of this book (Chapters 3, 4 and the first half of Chapter 5) are very good, but the beginning and end left me unimpressed. I can almost appreciate what Lovecraft seemed to be trying to do here, but the execution just let me wanting. It is also unnecessarily xenophobic in a racially charged way, which is expected from Lovecraft, but still just sort of sucks.
Each chapter has the main character recounting a long monologue he witnessed during his exploration of Innsmouth from someone closer and closer to the goings on of the town. This is structurally unique and interesting, but this is where Lovecraft's execution falls over and doesn't really land. The two in the first two chapters are overlong and repetitive and don't make much sense contextually. It is hard to accept that a ticket seller or a store clerk would be this willing to give one-sided, 10,000 word history lessons on Innsmouth. The town drunk's story fits in better and is more interesting, though still repetitive. Chapter 4 ends up basically being the main character's own tale of his time in Innsmouth, with Chapter 5 being a wrap up (which I liked) and an out of no-where twist (which I thought was extremely weak).
Chapter 4 is the highlight of the book and single-handedly pulls this out of 1 star territory. It is believably tense and well narrated, with a compelling rising action that the rest of the book sets up very well (if in an overlong way). The telling of the main character's escape from the Gilman House and Innsmouth proper is absolutely riveting. This was probably additionally effective to me because of the excellent audiobook reading I listened to by Mike Bennett.
Each chapter has the main character recounting a long monologue he witnessed during his exploration of Innsmouth from someone closer and closer to the goings on of the town. This is structurally unique and interesting, but this is where Lovecraft's execution falls over and doesn't really land. The two in the first two chapters are overlong and repetitive and don't make much sense contextually. It is hard to accept that a ticket seller or a store clerk would be this willing to give one-sided, 10,000 word history lessons on Innsmouth. The town drunk's story fits in better and is more interesting, though still repetitive. Chapter 4 ends up basically being the main character's own tale of his time in Innsmouth, with Chapter 5 being a wrap up (which I liked) and an out of no-where twist (which I thought was extremely weak).
Chapter 4 is the highlight of the book and single-handedly pulls this out of 1 star territory. It is believably tense and well narrated, with a compelling rising action that the rest of the book sets up very well (if in an overlong way). The telling of the main character's escape from the Gilman House and Innsmouth proper is absolutely riveting. This was probably additionally effective to me because of the excellent audiobook reading I listened to by Mike Bennett.
The Shadow over Innsmouth was probably the first Lovecraft story that I thoroughly loved. Compared to other works of his, especially the very surreal early short-stories, the plot here is quite clear and orderly. Maybe I wasn't terrified while reading it, but I sure felt the suspense all the way through.
The way the story is told invoked clear (yet dismal) mental images of what is going on. Hence, the bus ride to the town made me almost see the scenery, and another sense is even more affected by the description of the fishy odour that is constantly present as soon as he arrives at his destination. This is probably not the least reason why the protagonist must feel deeply uneasy when he wanders these roads even in daylight. Everywhere he turns there are ruinous buildings and dilapidated industry. He is shunned by most of the inhabitants, but the strange demeanor of the few individuals he comes across is enough to speculate that some disfiguring sickness befell its people.
When he comes to the seaside parts of town, you imagine the cold air and the gray sky as he looks upon the myth-enshrouded reef. Then there is the part with the local drunk retelling the legends. You may feel slightly nauseated by the idea of bestial heritage and demonic cult. But to be honest, I thought the development of lore (not the least the cultish Esoteric Order of Dagon and their ritual objects and robes) was really totally awesome. It's really epic fantasy in horror disguise.
At least as atmospheric was the last third when the narrator tells us how he fled the city at night. I loved the way he portrays the terrifying (possibly imagined) soundscape when staying the night at the local hotel. When finally outside on the roads again, he appears to be pursued by an army of demonic creatures who seem to emerge from the Devil Reef (what the old man called the "Gate of Hell"). Given the fact that he survived to tell the tale, we know that the narrator will make it out alive. Still, finding out about his family heritage in the last part of the story again sent cold shivers down my spine.
I guess many people are familiar with the general plot points, although they may not be aware that it's a Lovecraft story. For me it was pretty much the same, so I knew where the story was going. Nonetheless, it was still an incredible experience of horror done in its most successful form. For some reason, I always considered Lovecraft to be the pulp version of Poe, and I may still stand to that. But still, The Shadow over Innsmouth has every right to be considered a classic of its genre.
Rating: 4/5
The way the story is told invoked clear (yet dismal) mental images of what is going on. Hence, the bus ride to the town made me almost see the scenery, and another sense is even more affected by the description of the fishy odour that is constantly present as soon as he arrives at his destination. This is probably not the least reason why the protagonist must feel deeply uneasy when he wanders these roads even in daylight. Everywhere he turns there are ruinous buildings and dilapidated industry. He is shunned by most of the inhabitants, but the strange demeanor of the few individuals he comes across is enough to speculate that some disfiguring sickness befell its people.
When he comes to the seaside parts of town, you imagine the cold air and the gray sky as he looks upon the myth-enshrouded reef. Then there is the part with the local drunk retelling the legends. You may feel slightly nauseated by the idea of bestial heritage and demonic cult. But to be honest, I thought the development of lore (not the least the cultish Esoteric Order of Dagon and their ritual objects and robes) was really totally awesome. It's really epic fantasy in horror disguise.
At least as atmospheric was the last third when the narrator tells us how he fled the city at night. I loved the way he portrays the terrifying (possibly imagined) soundscape when staying the night at the local hotel. When finally outside on the roads again, he appears to be pursued by an army of demonic creatures who seem to emerge from the Devil Reef (what the old man called the "Gate of Hell"). Given the fact that he survived to tell the tale, we know that the narrator will make it out alive. Still, finding out about his family heritage in the last part of the story again sent cold shivers down my spine.
I guess many people are familiar with the general plot points, although they may not be aware that it's a Lovecraft story. For me it was pretty much the same, so I knew where the story was going. Nonetheless, it was still an incredible experience of horror done in its most successful form. For some reason, I always considered Lovecraft to be the pulp version of Poe, and I may still stand to that. But still, The Shadow over Innsmouth has every right to be considered a classic of its genre.
Rating: 4/5
Best Lovecraft I've read so far! Wonderfully creepy and makes me feel bad, in a good way!
Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn! Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah-nagl fhtagn—”
adventurous
dark
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
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This novella is required reading for anyone looking to understand Lovecraft as an author. Not only does it showcase his talent and attention to detail in world building and elements of horror, but also distills his two greatest and most despicable prejudices and fears into one narrative:
1. xenophobia and racism
2. fear of non-WASP ancestry.
Our narrator, an amateur historian and genealogist, decides to take a bus to a shunned and dilapidated fishing village on a whim, only to find through long drawn out (it’s Lovecraft what did you expect) conversations with npcs like that weird bus ticket seller or the local hobo who knows way to much about Lovecraftian mythology, that he is getting way more than he bargained for. Hijinks ensue, with a twist or two.
Aside from the horror, which is certainly an entertaining element of this story, Lovecraft’s ability to spin alternative futures of the early 20th century and pseudohistory is also prominently showcased in this little fishing village.
1. xenophobia and racism
2. fear of non-WASP ancestry.
Our narrator, an amateur historian and genealogist, decides to take a bus to a shunned and dilapidated fishing village on a whim, only to find through long drawn out (it’s Lovecraft what did you expect) conversations with npcs like that weird bus ticket seller or the local hobo who knows way to much about Lovecraftian mythology, that he is getting way more than he bargained for. Hijinks ensue, with a twist or two.
Aside from the horror, which is certainly an entertaining element of this story, Lovecraft’s ability to spin alternative futures of the early 20th century and pseudohistory is also prominently showcased in this little fishing village.