Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
(1.5 stars; Audiobook)
This was ROUGH to get through. Take my review with a grain of salt as I was trying to get through this book while packing, moving, unpacking, and trying to walk dogs in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
The King in Yellow has been mentioned in a few shows and movies such as True Detective and influenced H.P. Lovecraft. Hearing those notes alone I was SOLD. I’m a cosmic horror girlie and thought this would be right up my alley. However, I genuinely could not focus while listening to this audiobook. The King is Yellow is an anthology with each chapter being a new story but all of them tie back to the King in Yellow in some form or fashion.
I LOVED the first story which is the Repairer of Reputations. It had the cosmic horror vibe I was looking for and set in a future Chicago landscape (published in 1895, but set in 1920, so future for its time) where suicide is legal in government sanctioned “lethal chambers”. Repairer of reputations gets 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately the other stories fell flat for me. Again, this could be because I was going through a lot of big changes and trying to figure out a new routine while reading this but I just found myself daydreaming about anything else while listening to this audiobook.
This feels like the Twilight Zone and I can see how for 1895 this could be a TRIP. I respect and honor that this paved the way for future horror but BY GOD AT WHAT COST lol a good portion (probably only 1-5% of the book) is spoken in French so I kind of zoned out during those portions as I can’t even begin to pretend to understand French.
I’ve payed my respects to the King in Yellow and I’m glad I read it but I will gladly put it away and move on with my life.
This was ROUGH to get through. Take my review with a grain of salt as I was trying to get through this book while packing, moving, unpacking, and trying to walk dogs in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
The King in Yellow has been mentioned in a few shows and movies such as True Detective and influenced H.P. Lovecraft. Hearing those notes alone I was SOLD. I’m a cosmic horror girlie and thought this would be right up my alley. However, I genuinely could not focus while listening to this audiobook. The King is Yellow is an anthology with each chapter being a new story but all of them tie back to the King in Yellow in some form or fashion.
I LOVED the first story which is the Repairer of Reputations. It had the cosmic horror vibe I was looking for and set in a future Chicago landscape (published in 1895, but set in 1920, so future for its time) where suicide is legal in government sanctioned “lethal chambers”. Repairer of reputations gets 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately the other stories fell flat for me. Again, this could be because I was going through a lot of big changes and trying to figure out a new routine while reading this but I just found myself daydreaming about anything else while listening to this audiobook.
This feels like the Twilight Zone and I can see how for 1895 this could be a TRIP. I respect and honor that this paved the way for future horror but BY GOD AT WHAT COST lol a good portion (probably only 1-5% of the book) is spoken in French so I kind of zoned out during those portions as I can’t even begin to pretend to understand French.
I’ve payed my respects to the King in Yellow and I’m glad I read it but I will gladly put it away and move on with my life.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia, Suicide, Alcohol
I would almost give this 5 stars. It had all of the cryptic wrongness of Lovecraft but with full, visceral descriptions, it's an absolute treat and is such a quick read I would advise this to any horror fan.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes