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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4/5 stars!
I’m kind of embarrassed to say that I started reading Shadow over Innsmouth because of a quest in Oblivion the fourth Elder Scrolls game. The whole quest was based off of this novel and it intrigued me so much I googled the meaning behind it and in a Reddit discussion everyone was saying it was Lovecraft. I had to listen to the audiobook immediately as I have actually wanted to read H.P Lovecraft’s work before.
The writing, as you can guess, is positivity creepy. Lovecraft uses a lot of repetition in his writing. I don’t know how many times he described Innsmouth and their folk as having a ‘fishy odour’. I was confused at first why he described a lot of how badly they smelt, the way they looked and felt. Then I realised what he was doing was making you almost smell it in the end. It makes you feel as you are almost there with him at Innsmouth. Smelling how they smelt, the emotions he was feeling you can almost taste and smell it. The feeling is revolting. It really is like a scary story that you read under your covers with a torch and staying up all night with nightmares.
It almost feels as times like a folk story. Everywhere you go there are folk history and tales and some people almost wonder if it is true or not, a little bit like the mothman for example. This felt exactly like this. Like it was almost a true tale someone tells you at a camp fire and you think, wow is this actually true? I’m thoroughly impressed.
Although I didn’t give this a five out of five stars is because I felt at first the pacing was good but there is this slight funk in the middle where it does drag a little bit and I felt the pacing was quite slow, but that honestly is my only reason.
The ending was spectacular and probably one of the best endings I have read in a while, no spoilers but this quote left shivers down my spine.
I shall plan my cousin’s escape from that Canton madhouse, and together we shall go to marvel-shadowed Innsmouth. We shall swim out to that brooding reef in the sea and dive down through black abysses to Cyclopean and many-columned Y’ha-nthlei, and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory for ever.
I’m kind of embarrassed to say that I started reading Shadow over Innsmouth because of a quest in Oblivion the fourth Elder Scrolls game. The whole quest was based off of this novel and it intrigued me so much I googled the meaning behind it and in a Reddit discussion everyone was saying it was Lovecraft. I had to listen to the audiobook immediately as I have actually wanted to read H.P Lovecraft’s work before.
The writing, as you can guess, is positivity creepy. Lovecraft uses a lot of repetition in his writing. I don’t know how many times he described Innsmouth and their folk as having a ‘fishy odour’. I was confused at first why he described a lot of how badly they smelt, the way they looked and felt. Then I realised what he was doing was making you almost smell it in the end. It makes you feel as you are almost there with him at Innsmouth. Smelling how they smelt, the emotions he was feeling you can almost taste and smell it. The feeling is revolting. It really is like a scary story that you read under your covers with a torch and staying up all night with nightmares.
It almost feels as times like a folk story. Everywhere you go there are folk history and tales and some people almost wonder if it is true or not, a little bit like the mothman for example. This felt exactly like this. Like it was almost a true tale someone tells you at a camp fire and you think, wow is this actually true? I’m thoroughly impressed.
Although I didn’t give this a five out of five stars is because I felt at first the pacing was good but there is this slight funk in the middle where it does drag a little bit and I felt the pacing was quite slow, but that honestly is my only reason.
The ending was spectacular and probably one of the best endings I have read in a while, no spoilers but this quote left shivers down my spine.
I shall plan my cousin’s escape from that Canton madhouse, and together we shall go to marvel-shadowed Innsmouth. We shall swim out to that brooding reef in the sea and dive down through black abysses to Cyclopean and many-columned Y’ha-nthlei, and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory for ever.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As usual, good stuff! Therefore, as per usual, I have some things I take issue with. The climax and twist of the story could have definitely been integrated better. That's the thing! Lovecraft's often-done problem is that he gets too excited to explain everything in his worlds instead of thinking how the reader logically could arrive to those conclusions through better-placed clues and hints.
And yet, citicisms aside, this is a marvelous story of his. No wonder this and other classics of his have persevered and capture the imagination even today.
And yet, citicisms aside, this is a marvelous story of his. No wonder this and other classics of his have persevered and capture the imagination even today.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Actually listened to the Horrorbabble version on YouTube
This is probably the best HPL I’ve had to read so far. Actually creepy.