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brendan_folkmore's review against another edition
It was so weird. I wasn't attached to any of the stories. I really tried. I read almost half of them and kinda liked one. That's being generous.
ybbmel's review against another edition
4.0
for once in my life! I prefer a movie over a book! well, short story I should say..
Something that I do enjoy about this novella over its movie adaption is the element of horror. This story struck more overall fear in me than it's movie counterpart (though, the movie did make me more emotional... this is not a movie review however, so let's move on.)
For how short this novella is, it's effective! Hill's writing is fantastic, seemingly simple but really effective to the overall tone and mood. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it's good for what it is.
The last line of this story is genius I will add, it's the one thing i'm still thinking about after both the movie and the novella.
A great introduction to Hill's writing, I cannot wait to dive deep into some more stories. :)
Something that I do enjoy about this novella over its movie adaption is the element of horror. This story struck more overall fear in me than it's movie counterpart (though, the movie did make me more emotional... this is not a movie review however, so let's move on.)
For how short this novella is, it's effective! Hill's writing is fantastic, seemingly simple but really effective to the overall tone and mood. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it's good for what it is.
The last line of this story is genius I will add, it's the one thing i'm still thinking about after both the movie and the novella.
A great introduction to Hill's writing, I cannot wait to dive deep into some more stories. :)
trasom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
I struggled with where to shelve this. Some of the stories are ghost stories, some are horror, some are just eerie, and some are just straight-up fiction. But they're all good.
Joe Hill shows an amazing range in this collection, going from a story about a boy who wakes up as a giant bug, to a bittersweet ghost story, to a story that's sort of a reflection on father/son relationships and the glory of baseball.
My favorites are probably "Abraham's Boys" and the title story, "20th Century Ghosts." That might be because I read this to start off what I plan to be a month-long horror-fest (we'll see how that plays out) and these two fit the bill. "Abraham's Boys" is about Abraham Van Helsing's children, and I think anyone can see the possibilities there. Hill does it justice. "20th Century Ghosts" is about a ghost in a movie theater. It was oddly touching.
My least favorite was "My Father's Mask." There's probably something there that I just didn't get, but I don't have a clue what that was supposed to be about. It was just weird and disturbing and I don't know why.
I'll be picking up more of Joe Hill's work.
Joe Hill shows an amazing range in this collection, going from a story about a boy who wakes up as a giant bug, to a bittersweet ghost story, to a story that's sort of a reflection on father/son relationships and the glory of baseball.
My favorites are probably "Abraham's Boys" and the title story, "20th Century Ghosts." That might be because I read this to start off what I plan to be a month-long horror-fest (we'll see how that plays out) and these two fit the bill. "Abraham's Boys" is about Abraham Van Helsing's children, and I think anyone can see the possibilities there. Hill does it justice. "20th Century Ghosts" is about a ghost in a movie theater. It was oddly touching.
My least favorite was "My Father's Mask." There's probably something there that I just didn't get, but I don't have a clue what that was supposed to be about. It was just weird and disturbing and I don't know why.
I'll be picking up more of Joe Hill's work.
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
4.0
Whew! Reviewing this was a bit of a challenge! If you're interested in the individual stories from the collection, check around for my reviews, since I was able to write a review for each of them! That will give you a more in-depth look at my feelings about the writing.
My stand-out favorite story was "Voluntary Committal," about two brothers, one a delinquent in with a very dangerous friend, and the other an autism-coded builder of...well, basically cardboard eldritch horrors.
There's certainly some weaker stories, most notably "You Will Hear the Locust Sing," but the overall quality of the stories, and the surpassing quality of the best few, makes a 4-star review well-deserved.
My stand-out favorite story was "Voluntary Committal," about two brothers, one a delinquent in with a very dangerous friend, and the other an autism-coded builder of...well, basically cardboard eldritch horrors.
There's certainly some weaker stories, most notably "You Will Hear the Locust Sing," but the overall quality of the stories, and the surpassing quality of the best few, makes a 4-star review well-deserved.
hollsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
4.0
alexandrabree's review against another edition
3.0
Best New Horror 5/5
20th Century Ghost 4/5
Pop Art 2/5 (boring)
You Will Hear the Locust Sing
Abraham's Boys
Better Than Home
The Black Phone (5/5)
In the Rundown
The Cape
Last Breath
Dead Wood
The Widows Breakfast
My Father's Mask
Voluntary Commital
S. Typewriter
20th Century Ghost 4/5
Pop Art 2/5 (boring)
You Will Hear the Locust Sing
Abraham's Boys
Better Than Home
The Black Phone (5/5)
In the Rundown
The Cape
Last Breath
Dead Wood
The Widows Breakfast
My Father's Mask
Voluntary Commital
S. Typewriter
mischievous_monkey's review against another edition
3.0
Reread of Pop Art on 2/7/24:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a perfect short story. It had been 10 years from my first read and I never forgot the sweet melancholy it left me in. I revisited it last night and was pleased to find it just as beautiful as the first time that I read it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a perfect short story. It had been 10 years from my first read and I never forgot the sweet melancholy it left me in. I revisited it last night and was pleased to find it just as beautiful as the first time that I read it.
bobbiecabrera's review against another edition
4.0
Gory, upsetting, and provocative.
Pop Art, however, was divine.
Pop Art, however, was divine.
kaceylaine's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0