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breakery's review
4.0
a cohesive, consistent collection! very pleased w my first step into barker's works; the languid writing style presented such a subtle lucidity among the reality-warping and gut-churning scenarios.. ohh psychosexual body horror you will always have my back
my favorite of the collection was probably "sex, death and star shine" !
my favorite of the collection was probably "sex, death and star shine" !
alexandraslagle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Not especially scary, but unnerving. Definitely very weird and eerie. I wish it had actually scared me, but the stories were extremely well written and creative! Definitely going to check the other volumes out!
elsjefiederelsje's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jevinjj's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
marcel's review
dark
funny
mysterious
4.5
after reading several extremely mediocre horror short collections this was honestly delightful...... absolutely no one out here doing it like clive
favs: pig blood blues; in the hills, the cities
favs: pig blood blues; in the hills, the cities
crowyhead's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mcnan's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
My first time reading any Barker and I was impressed by his range and the dynamic way he adapts his voice to match the story. This collection has a lot of range and some incredible stories. Individual thoughts below.
---
The Book of Blood: 3.8/5. What an intro!!! Wild start.
The Midnight Meat Train: 3.8/5. Did NOT expect where this story went.
The Yattering and Jack: 4/5. This was such a fun cat-and-mouse game and I loved the way he slowly unraveled the situation for us.
Pig Blood Blues: 4.8/5. Maybe my favorite in the collection, which I was surprised about because I typically don't like prison stories. Feels the most like true horror.
Sex, Death, and Sunshine: 2.5/5. I get the theme, but this story drug on for too long for me and it just wasn't hittin'.
In the Hills, the Cities: 4.5/5. A truly wild concept for a story but it works so so well. Ambiguous enough for discussion, enjoyable enough for hype.
---
The Book of Blood: 3.8/5. What an intro!!! Wild start.
The Midnight Meat Train: 3.8/5. Did NOT expect where this story went.
The Yattering and Jack: 4/5. This was such a fun cat-and-mouse game and I loved the way he slowly unraveled the situation for us.
Pig Blood Blues: 4.8/5. Maybe my favorite in the collection, which I was surprised about because I typically don't like prison stories. Feels the most like true horror.
Sex, Death, and Sunshine: 2.5/5. I get the theme, but this story drug on for too long for me and it just wasn't hittin'.
In the Hills, the Cities: 4.5/5. A truly wild concept for a story but it works so so well. Ambiguous enough for discussion, enjoyable enough for hype.
fanglyfish's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
isabellesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Here’s the rundown…
The Book of Blood: 5 stars
The Midnight Meat Train: 4 stars
The Yattering and Jack: 5 stars
Sex, Death, and Starshine: 3 stars
In the Hills, the Cities: 3 stars
We have quite the mixed bag here, but overall I was very impressed with the storytelling and style. There were 2 stories I found somewhat disappointing, but I will definitely be reading the rest of this series, and I look forward to it! Even though I wasn’t enamored with every single story, it still felt like a breath of fresh air, and the stories I did love were absolutely fantastic.
The Book of Blood: 5 stars
The Midnight Meat Train: 4 stars
The Yattering and Jack: 5 stars
Sex, Death, and Starshine: 3 stars
In the Hills, the Cities: 3 stars
We have quite the mixed bag here, but overall I was very impressed with the storytelling and style. There were 2 stories I found somewhat disappointing, but I will definitely be reading the rest of this series, and I look forward to it! Even though I wasn’t enamored with every single story, it still felt like a breath of fresh air, and the stories I did love were absolutely fantastic.