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maraudererin's review against another edition
3.0
In honor of Halloween, I wanted to read something creepy. This did not disappoint! More psychologically disturbing than scary, though. The writing was fantastic, but a some of the stories skeeved me about a bit too much. Hence the 3. If this is your type of thing, I'd recommend it.
thecirclek's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'll echo other reviewers in saying that this is a mixed bag. The title story (which at 130 pages is really like its own short novel) is probably the strongest. I enjoyed the visceral horror of "A Hole in the Head" and the warped child perspective of "Nobody Knows My Name". I thought that "Beersheba" was underdeveloped. "Fossil Figures" and "Death Cup" (two stories back-to-back about adult brothers with a complicated relationship?!) both underwhelmed me and didn't seem to ever click. "Helping Hands" starts off promising, but then gets lost.
I will give the collection credit that it doesn't just aim for shock value. There is an attempt to link the characters' inner lives to the horror/thriller elements.
I will give the collection credit that it doesn't just aim for shock value. There is an attempt to link the characters' inner lives to the horror/thriller elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse
gingin's review against another edition
2.0
While I enjoyed a story or two in this collection, overall it just wasn't for me. I've never read anything by this author previously, so I'm unsure about this being her usual writing style, but I found the formatting to be bothersome. I'm not a fan of loose punctuation, and stunted, stream-of-consciousness style writing that all runs together. This was a little bit too much of that for my liking.
I also found the stories to be more of the "troubling" and "disturbing" variety, rather than scary.
So this would be a hard pass from me if you don't like those sort of things.
I also found the stories to be more of the "troubling" and "disturbing" variety, rather than scary.
So this would be a hard pass from me if you don't like those sort of things.
kaylal's review against another edition
2.0
I thought the first story started off really strong, but it got boring fast, even with an amazing concept. The other stories were pretty hit or miss, like any short story collection. But, for me, there were more misses than hits.
aoutramafalda's review against another edition
4.0
The Corn Maiden - 4*
Beersheba - 4*
Nobody Knows My Name - 4.5*
Fossil-Figures - 4*
Death-Cup - 4*
Helping Hands - 3.5*
A Hole in the Head - 3.5*
Beersheba - 4*
Nobody Knows My Name - 4.5*
Fossil-Figures - 4*
Death-Cup - 4*
Helping Hands - 3.5*
A Hole in the Head - 3.5*
bibliocyclist's review against another edition
3.0
Infinity is a vast fathomless chasm inside the brain into which we fall and fall through our lives, fall and fall unnamed, faceless and unknown.
In this season of dark-pelting rains. Snow swirling like sticky clumps of mucus out of a sheet-metal sky.
In this season of dark-pelting rains. Snow swirling like sticky clumps of mucus out of a sheet-metal sky.
dickh's review against another edition
2.0
I must admit that Joyce Carol Oates, Willa Cather, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Neil Gaiman, these are basically my favorite authors. However, this was just not Ms. Oates best work. I liked the Corn Maiden, but the ending did not seem to surprise although in total this story was quite good. The other stories basically did not haunt enough to warrant the title of nightmare. I could follow where the stories were going too easily, and that has not been characteristic of most of her prior work. Still, a semi-good collection of stories by Ms. Oates is better than 99% of the books in Barnes and Noble so it is always worth reading. My rating probably reflects my personal expectations more than reality.
assimbya's review against another edition
2.0
The title story was the most engrossing; all were well-written.
Oates was trying to manipulate me; I felt frustrated with the cheapness of it. So much focus, in all these stories, on false accusation, on women's naivete and self-absorption. I could stomach the horror easily, but not the worldview. "Beersheba" made me so angry, and not at the characters. Because she works hard at setting her horror within familiar settings, the device of turning her readers' expectations on their heads has more troubling implications than it might if she chose more fantastical settings.
I don't know. It bothered me, and I felt the presence of the author behind the text, smug at bothering me. But it doesn't feel true.
Oates was trying to manipulate me; I felt frustrated with the cheapness of it. So much focus, in all these stories, on false accusation, on women's naivete and self-absorption. I could stomach the horror easily, but not the worldview. "Beersheba" made me so angry, and not at the characters. Because she works hard at setting her horror within familiar settings, the device of turning her readers' expectations on their heads has more troubling implications than it might if she chose more fantastical settings.
I don't know. It bothered me, and I felt the presence of the author behind the text, smug at bothering me. But it doesn't feel true.
cheyenneb's review against another edition
1.0
These stories were not for me. They were a bit longer and I tend to like shorter stories. I also was just sort of bored throughout most of the stories. They weren't as creepy as I was hoping and I read about half of then and decided I didn't care to read the rest of them.
slowdown_dylettante's review against another edition
4.0
Another book on the evil of ordinary humans. The title story is, I think, the strongest, as well as the longest at 137 pages. It follows the kidnapping of an 11 year old girl, by a 13 year old psychopath, which is a set-up I am always going to be here for.
The other stories involve similar characters with hidden evil and agendas. Twins and siblings are featured a lot, which is a trope I always enjoy. And Oates' writing is strong and evocative as ever. A creepy, pleasant collection of stories.
The other stories involve similar characters with hidden evil and agendas. Twins and siblings are featured a lot, which is a trope I always enjoy. And Oates' writing is strong and evocative as ever. A creepy, pleasant collection of stories.