Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
A book that causes madness, recurring characters called Herbert and West, dreams leaking into reality, and sories that evoke the twilight zone stories are all things that reminded me of Lovecraft in these stories. It doesn't use the same archaic language so for me there wasn't as strong of an atmosphere.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I came for the weird stories, they were quite fun, but I have too many other things to read, ain't got time for the romantic French artist stories. Maybe at some point in the future.
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It feels as if it's two collections stitched together. The first four of stories are very much the supernatural weirdness the book is famous for, and after that it transitions to something more mundane. (Although, I think the story/poem 'The Prophet's Paradise' was the weirdest one of the collection. I still don't understand what the point was, but I am intrigued). I didn't mind the tonal shift and thought the stories about Parisian artists' love lives were surprisingly enjoyable.
There's a lot that's kept rather vague, not just in the supernatural stories where vagueness is expected, which made me feel as if the story didn't go anywhere. I guess those stories were a 'the journey, not the destination' type of read. Or maybe they make sense in the context of the time.
There's a lot that's kept rather vague, not just in the supernatural stories where vagueness is expected, which made me feel as if the story didn't go anywhere. I guess those stories were a 'the journey, not the destination' type of read. Or maybe they make sense in the context of the time.
Truly enjoyed this. Expected macabre stories all throughout, but those were only the first four. The rest were mostly of the romantic vein. One story was even a series of poems, loosely held together by a theme. I was surprised, too, that I found several of them funny, especially the ones with the interplay of young American men in Paris.
If you're not a fan of True Detective, never mind. You'll be able to enjoy this for the stories, both freaky and sweet.
If you're not a fan of True Detective, never mind. You'll be able to enjoy this for the stories, both freaky and sweet.
A collection of short stories, some connected, some (perhaps?) not. Taken as they are without much inspection, these stories speak for themselves in quality alone. However, taking a moment to consider their interconnectedness, I personally felt rewarded. A mix of love and the supernatural, this is a compendium full of interesting themes.