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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think Stephen King has three modes: quite terrifying, surprisingly contemplative and/or mundane and when all else fails, weirdly sexual (looking at you, "It grows on you" and "Dedication", looking at you) and that holds true in ths short story collection.
Dolan’s Cadillac
4 stars - A bit too long in my opinion, but the insuniation that his wife might have unduly influenced him was nice. Also being buried alive is quite terrifying.
The End of the Whole Mess
3 stars - On second thought it didn't really make that much sense but I liked it.
Suffer the Little Children
4 stars - A classic story but a classic for a reason
The Night Flier
3 stars - Interesting enough, dragged on a bit and I really didn't understand the reasoning of the monster at the end (why keep him alive?)
Popsy
3 stars - short and nice
It Grows on
1 star - I really have no clue what that story is about. There is a lady who exposes herself to a child and later on, as an old man, he dies because he has a wet dream about the lady so there is that.
You Chattery Teeth
5 stars - It is silly but just because this was one of two stories that I was still thinking about over 15 years later it deserves 5 stars.
Dedication
1 star - A lady eats sperm and gets pregnant. Her son becomes a famous writer. That's it.
The Moving Finger
5 stars - Also silly but that was the second story I was still thinking about after 15 years so 5 stars it is.
Sneakers
4 stars - Quite a nice ghost story really. I could have done without the SA in it but it is what it is.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
5 stars - That was chef's kiss. Might be my favourite story in the collection.
Home Delivery
2 stars - The theme of the story did remain a bit unclear to me. There was a harrowing moment in there but mostly the story felt disconnected.
Rainy Season
3 stars - It is raining killer frogs. There might be an ancient ritual at play.
My Pretty Pony
4 stars - Look, this is not really a horror story and I have no idea what it does in the collection. If it is horror it might be existential horror. More contemplative than anything else, though.
Sorry, Right Number
3 stars - Oh, who is calling here? And why are the calling? Nice enough.
The Ten O’Clock People
4 stars - Really liked that one and I can't even put my finger on the exact reason.
Crouch End
4 stars - Some Lovecraftian horror to cleanse the palate.
The House on Maple Street
3 stars - Quite alright; the beginning was quite strong, the end a bit mediocre.
The Fifth Quarter
2 stars - Eh, it is a crime story.
The Doctor’s Case
4 stars - Classic Sherlock Holmes story. Also not really horror. Liked the ending.
Umney’s Last Case
4 stars - Here we have some nice, clean author invasion stuff. Really enjoyabel.
Head Down
1 star - That was quite boring, actually but that might have something to do with me really not appreciating baseball.
Brooklyn August
1 star - Same really.
Since this was the first short story collection by King I read in secret when I was twelve I suppose nostalgia does play a certain role in my rating.
Dolan’s Cadillac
4 stars - A bit too long in my opinion, but the insuniation that his wife might have unduly influenced him was nice. Also being buried alive is quite terrifying.
The End of the Whole Mess
3 stars - On second thought it didn't really make that much sense but I liked it.
Suffer the Little Children
4 stars - A classic story but a classic for a reason
The Night Flier
3 stars - Interesting enough, dragged on a bit and I really didn't understand the reasoning of the monster at the end (why keep him alive?)
Popsy
3 stars - short and nice
It Grows on
1 star - I really have no clue what that story is about. There is a lady who exposes herself to a child and later on, as an old man, he dies because he has a wet dream about the lady so there is that.
You Chattery Teeth
5 stars - It is silly but just because this was one of two stories that I was still thinking about over 15 years later it deserves 5 stars.
Dedication
1 star - A lady eats sperm and gets pregnant. Her son becomes a famous writer. That's it.
The Moving Finger
5 stars - Also silly but that was the second story I was still thinking about after 15 years so 5 stars it is.
Sneakers
4 stars - Quite a nice ghost story really. I could have done without the SA in it but it is what it is.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
5 stars - That was chef's kiss. Might be my favourite story in the collection.
Home Delivery
2 stars - The theme of the story did remain a bit unclear to me. There was a harrowing moment in there but mostly the story felt disconnected.
Rainy Season
3 stars - It is raining killer frogs. There might be an ancient ritual at play.
My Pretty Pony
4 stars - Look, this is not really a horror story and I have no idea what it does in the collection. If it is horror it might be existential horror. More contemplative than anything else, though.
Sorry, Right Number
3 stars - Oh, who is calling here? And why are the calling? Nice enough.
The Ten O’Clock People
4 stars - Really liked that one and I can't even put my finger on the exact reason.
Crouch End
4 stars - Some Lovecraftian horror to cleanse the palate.
The House on Maple Street
3 stars - Quite alright; the beginning was quite strong, the end a bit mediocre.
The Fifth Quarter
2 stars - Eh, it is a crime story.
The Doctor’s Case
4 stars - Classic Sherlock Holmes story. Also not really horror. Liked the ending.
Umney’s Last Case
4 stars - Here we have some nice, clean author invasion stuff. Really enjoyabel.
Head Down
1 star - That was quite boring, actually but that might have something to do with me really not appreciating baseball.
Brooklyn August
1 star - Same really.
Since this was the first short story collection by King I read in secret when I was twelve I suppose nostalgia does play a certain role in my rating.
Loved it. Almost ironically, one of my favorite stories (Dolan's Cadillac) was apparently one that King had originally abandoned. Every story was different and honestly, only mildly creepy. Since this is the man who gave me nightmares with Pet Sematary, it was cool to read a collection full of the strange and mildly unsettling. He also managed to get me to read a short essay about baseball. I hate sport stories but he made it interesting.
1 Dolan's Cadillac ⭐⭐⭐
2 The End of the Whole Mess ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Suffer the Little Children ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 The Night Flier ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 Popsy⭐⭐⭐⭐
6 It Grows on You ⭐⭐⭐
7
2 The End of the Whole Mess ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Suffer the Little Children ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 The Night Flier ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 Popsy⭐⭐⭐⭐
6 It Grows on You ⭐⭐⭐
7
Alright. A lot of the weaker stories were closer to the end, so I got super antsy by the last 200 pages or so.
When they're good, they're REALLY good, but when they're not... they're REALLY not good.
Popsy is easily the best story in the collection, but I also loved The Moving Finger, Crouch End, and Sorry Right Number.
When they're good, they're REALLY good, but when they're not... they're REALLY not good.
Popsy is easily the best story in the collection, but I also loved The Moving Finger, Crouch End, and Sorry Right Number.
Fantastic collection of short stories by my all-time favourite author. And I shall never look at toads in the same light again!
dark
mysterious
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
Really enjoyable batch of short (ish because Stephen King usually means 150 pages when he’s talking short stories) stories where I found myself sucked into each and every one of them. Personal favourite would have to be Dolan’s Cadillac because of the suspense of the story and how much research King clearly put into it. Honorable mention goes to the Night Flier because it was a fun concept and I love a good vampire story.