535 reviews for:

The Great God Pan

Arthur Machen

3.46 AVERAGE

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
dark 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: Yes
dark tense medium-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

A scientist performs an experiment on a woman and when it is complete he says she has seen Pan. The story is then a second hand experience from all the people who have apparently met her afterwards or friends of those people and how everyone who meets her has a strange death. People feel weird physically even discussing her or seeing her picture. Everyone who visits her seems to die or be killed. This was such an odd horror story with an interesting aspect.

Due of the nature of these things I'm unsure if I got a hold of an unedited version and will reexamine down the road. As it stands i half enjoyed it and half mentally checked out i can see how it appealed and inspired so long ago.
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The grandfather of horror, Machen wrote stories that inspired people like Bram Stoker, Lovecraft up to Stephen King and after reading this book you’ll understand why. It is a quintessential book if you’re looking to understand the roots of the (gothic) horror genre. 

3.5
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
dark mysterious relaxing medium-paced
dark mysterious medium-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