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twstdtink's review against another edition
2.0
This book was such a disappointment. Most of the stories weren’t at all spooky. They were pretty boring and predictable, actually. The one redeeming story in the entire book, “Ringing the Changes” by Robert Aickman, would be better read from a collection of Aickman’s “Strange Stories.”
thepancreas11's review against another edition
2.0
Some stories I couldn't stop reading ("Playmates" and "The Upper Berth", for example), and others, I couldn't start ("Ringing the Changes" took me three days to read, despite being just twenty pages long). Generally, I don't like scary things, but surprisingly, my favorite stories were the ones that really got to me.
My least favorite part of the book was actually the introduction. Aside from being incredibly pretentious, it really doesn't talk about ghost stories. Half of it is about the plight of the children's author, and a large part of it is weirdly sexist, talking about the history of women in writing (or lack thereof). Definitely didn't age well, especially when you consider how successful women have been of late in producing influential novels. I wish I hadn't read it, and if I were you, I'd skip it.
I read this compilation while reading other books, which I thought was a perfect way to enjoy it. Might have something to do with my cowardly nature, when it comes to psychological horror.
My least favorite part of the book was actually the introduction. Aside from being incredibly pretentious, it really doesn't talk about ghost stories. Half of it is about the plight of the children's author, and a large part of it is weirdly sexist, talking about the history of women in writing (or lack thereof). Definitely didn't age well, especially when you consider how successful women have been of late in producing influential novels. I wish I hadn't read it, and if I were you, I'd skip it.
I read this compilation while reading other books, which I thought was a perfect way to enjoy it. Might have something to do with my cowardly nature, when it comes to psychological horror.
futuristic_cashews's review against another edition
4.0
favs;
-harry
-the corner shop
-christmas meeting
-playmates
-ringing the changes
-the sweeper
-harry
-the corner shop
-christmas meeting
-playmates
-ringing the changes
-the sweeper
petersenftleben's review against another edition
4.0
I found this browsing through a bookstore when I visited San Francisco last year not long before Halloween. I was in the mood for some good ghost stories, and, while most of the ones in this collection are worthwhile, there are a few very spooky gems here.
hisuin's review against another edition
3.0
Recopilación de historias de fantasmas hecha por Roald Dahl. Desafortunadamente la mayoría de las hitorias no eran tan escalofriantes como habría esperado, al haber sido elegidas por uno de mis autores favoritos.
pineapple104_xx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
itisnotsera's review against another edition
3.0
This brought me back memories , I remember reading this in my school library. One of the few books i loved and searched for constantly. Very happy to find it and read it again, even though the stories to me isnt something i find as fascinating anymore
biblio_amy's review against another edition
3.0
Being that this book was one of Dahl's I have yet to read, I thought that it could be one to read with Jase. I began reading it on my own just to make sure that it would be a good one to read to a 7 year old and after reading that long introduction, I knew it wouldn't b one Jase would like, maybe when he get's older. As for the book overall, it is a collection of of 14 of Dalh's favorite ghost short stories written by other writers. I enjoyed a few of the stories and had read some in this book but for it's entirety, it was just an okay collection.