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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
A rather odd book. Lots of telling rather than showing, and lots of dialogue (especially expository dialogue), so that it feels like a drama half the time. I'd guess it was easily three-quarters dialogue.
This book felt as though Machen kept starting new stories and couldn't get anywhere so he pasted them together, or alternately it felt like the Chinese boxes mentioned in the story, like rooms within rooms.
On the whole interesting but a letdown of the first order. What exactly happened? We don't know because Machen left out all the good parts, so to speak.
This book felt as though Machen kept starting new stories and couldn't get anywhere so he pasted them together, or alternately it felt like the Chinese boxes mentioned in the story, like rooms within rooms.
On the whole interesting but a letdown of the first order. What exactly happened? We don't know because Machen left out all the good parts, so to speak.
challenging
mysterious
slow-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:
No
idk if I just wasn't in the mood to read this or what, but it sucked low-key ☠️☠️
dark
emotional
reflective
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:
Complicated
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
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
This is one of the books I added to my list after reading a A Short History of Fantasy. I can definitely see how and why it was influential to fantasy; and I would assume even more so to horror. However, horror is not my genre, so I can't say I particularly enjoyed this story. That said, it was objectively well written and did a haunting and impactful job of telling the story it wanted to tell. It's just not the sort of story I tend to like to read. I am glad I pushed my boundaries a little to read this, though.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Such a frightening book. A book that on reading the first chapter I understood its influence on the whole
cosmic/ folk horror genre from Lovecraft’s works to King’s Revival. A very unsettling book.
cosmic/ folk horror genre from Lovecraft’s works to King’s Revival. A very unsettling book.