Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I definitely need to read more Bradbury. His word usage is fantasticly particular, unlike any author I’ve ever read. His style of Sci-Fi leans toward Fantasy and usually horror. He has a way of slowly inducing a sense of dread in his readers, without creating outright terror. My favorite of these stories were Next in Line, The Scythe, There Was an Old Woman, and The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone. Highly recommend.
A fun eclectic mix of stories. I didn't love all of them but I enjoyed my time reading them. My favourite story will stay with me for a long time though.
Perhaps it was my fault- I was love-drunk with Something Wicked This Way Comes, and I wanted the same amount of emotional and seasonal precision that I experienced with that book... and I didn't get it. I wanted skittering leaves and brittle pages, I wanted what I was reading to match the feel in the air, I wanted it to be perfectly time in its writing, in my life, in the year, and that is too much to ask from any book. It can only occur by happenstance.
The first page description of the October people, though, was so great. It was titillating, and it teased and exaggerated my expectations. It was what I wanted, pages and pages of that.... and instead I found a collection of hit or miss stories that made me feel like I was doing required reading in grade school. Short stories just really aren't my thing, I've enjoyed a few collections, but not many. I like to sink into books, and its hard to sink into anything when its a pond instead of an ocean. Most of the stories felt dated, or like he was trying to hard to get the reader to quest after his short stories' depths. Meh.
Still there were a handful of stories that I really liked, "The Dwarf," "Next in Line," "Homecoming," and "Scythe." And there were ones that I really just did not care for like "Cistern" and "Jack in the Box," and the others I was completely apathetic about.
Alas. 2.5 stars.
The first page description of the October people, though, was so great. It was titillating, and it teased and exaggerated my expectations. It was what I wanted, pages and pages of that.... and instead I found a collection of hit or miss stories that made me feel like I was doing required reading in grade school. Short stories just really aren't my thing, I've enjoyed a few collections, but not many. I like to sink into books, and its hard to sink into anything when its a pond instead of an ocean. Most of the stories felt dated, or like he was trying to hard to get the reader to quest after his short stories' depths. Meh.
Still there were a handful of stories that I really liked, "The Dwarf," "Next in Line," "Homecoming," and "Scythe." And there were ones that I really just did not care for like "Cistern" and "Jack in the Box," and the others I was completely apathetic about.
Alas. 2.5 stars.
Definitely want to go back, but sadly my copy was severely damaged from a drink spill
I had to return this book early—I think I am going to save it for next year!
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
October country is a place where autumn is the permanent season. Daytime wanes rapidly; night lives on endlessly. These short stories are full of some of Bradbury's most macabre writing, both bizarre and terrifying. They also contain underlying philosophical truths about humanity and what we need to achieve happiness. Originally contained in the limited edition of DARK CARNIVAL, Bradbury spruced up these tales and added some as well. Riveting.
dark
funny
mysterious
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A really good collection of macabre short stories, borderline scary, but mostly a lot of sad. It’s little glimpses of these marginalized, odd characters, who aren’t “normal” and don’t fit it, and sad, tragic things happen to them. Some of the stories have just mad people, who seem to go crazy & kill each other, mostly their spouses, but also quite a few of these are just, really… sweetly sad. And they will stay with me for a while. The Lake, Uncle Einar, Jack-in-the-Box, The Scythe. The Wind.
Superb writing, a charming collection of dark/pulp stories, and another book I’m so happy to have read and highly recommend for those cold October nights.
My notes~
The Dwarf - This was incredibly sad. And I’m really not sure if Mr Big was standing there in the end to shoot Ralph or not. The ambiguousness makes it even more spooky.
I’m curious if these stories will be connected in anyway.
The Next In Line - He left her there??? WTF? And I think he’s happy she died. But was she even really dead or just catatonic like that other mummy??? And her husband felt seemingly no remorse???!!!! WTF??? What a douche.
The Lake - heartbreaking. And not, mysteriously creepy like some of the others. Just… very sad.
The Small Assassin - this one truly creeped me out.
Uncle Einar - sweet. Weird maybe but just a soft story about a winged man. Maybe a member of the Addams Family.
The Man Upstairs - Douglas Spaulding killed a vampire. Oh my goodness. It’s like a treasured innocent character turning into a mad scientist, but was it real???? I love the return/overlap with Dandelion Wine though.
Homecoming - this was sad too. Poor Timothy. And was this the party where Uncle Einar drank to much, crashed into the electric tower, and met his wife in the forest? I love that. And I love getting repeat characters and overlapping story lines. I wish there had been more of that linking this whole collection. Was Mr Koberman a part of this family too?? I still think this family could be the Addams Family.
Superb writing, a charming collection of dark/pulp stories, and another book I’m so happy to have read and highly recommend for those cold October nights.
My notes~
The Dwarf - This was incredibly sad. And I’m really not sure if Mr Big was standing there in the end to shoot Ralph or not. The ambiguousness makes it even more spooky.
I’m curious if these stories will be connected in anyway.
The Next In Line - He left her there??? WTF? And I think he’s happy she died. But was she even really dead or just catatonic like that other mummy??? And her husband felt seemingly no remorse???!!!! WTF??? What a douche.
The Lake - heartbreaking. And not, mysteriously creepy like some of the others. Just… very sad.
The Small Assassin - this one truly creeped me out.
Uncle Einar - sweet. Weird maybe but just a soft story about a winged man. Maybe a member of the Addams Family.
The Man Upstairs - Douglas Spaulding killed a vampire. Oh my goodness. It’s like a treasured innocent character turning into a mad scientist, but was it real???? I love the return/overlap with Dandelion Wine though.
Homecoming - this was sad too. Poor Timothy. And was this the party where Uncle Einar drank to much, crashed into the electric tower, and met his wife in the forest? I love that. And I love getting repeat characters and overlapping story lines. I wish there had been more of that linking this whole collection. Was Mr Koberman a part of this family too?? I still think this family could be the Addams Family.