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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
My favorite story was "Jack-in-the-box".
I really love the illustrations throughout. Particularly "The Man Upstairs" and "Touched with Fire".
I really love the illustrations throughout. Particularly "The Man Upstairs" and "Touched with Fire".
Wow wow wow! I loved Neil Gaiman's short stories but now I see that they are just a pale imitation of the true master of short story:Ray Bradbury. I don't think there was a single one of these I didn't enjoy
Such a perfect Halloween read. It reminded me a bit of The Twilight Zone in that all the stories were eerie, twisted, and the endings leave you pondering what you just read. These stories reminded me why I love Ray Bradbury's writing, everything about it.
Fantastic, terrifying, every story its own window into some completely unique world. Some so horrifying they make you want to scream, others only a chill. A few comedic ones with a bit of morbidity. Definitely a great one.
I can’t believe this was the first book I ever checked out of my university library… on my fifth year here. I didn’t get to read every story since I flipped back and forth on what I thought sounded interesting, but was not expecting this from Bradbury! There’s something so comforting in the words of writers who know how to capture the melancholy of American Autumns. Makes me more grateful for the life I have here right now, something about being less morose and more present. I hope I get the chance to finish this book next October with this same exact copy somehow.
Like most short story collections, there are mix of good and bad here, but I think far more good. This is very early Bradbury and it's clear he isn't quite in his grove yet, but is showing bits of promise in some stories. There are 3 stories here in particular that stand out to me. The first is "The Wind", which while somewhat predictable, is great in both its pacing and twist. Secondly, "The Scythe" was a tale that took me by surprise in both its creativity and its sadness. Lastly, "The Lake", which, while again somewhat predictable is still hauntingly sad. I truly love most everything of Bradbury's that I've read especially when he writes children (Something Wicked This Way Comes, Dandelion Wine) and I like that i can see glimpses of his future success in some of these stories.
If I was to calculate the average of individual ratings for each story in this collection it would probably be around 3.5. Perhaps a 4-star rating would be more appropriate.
Personally, this book is just plain old boring good. Some stories were fantastic. I absolutely loved The Small Assassin and The Lake but others were just plain average. You do expect this sort of distribution with any short story collection though.
I'm bias towards sci-fi but I definitely preferred The Martian Chronicles.
Personally, this book is just plain old boring good. Some stories were fantastic. I absolutely loved The Small Assassin and The Lake but others were just plain average. You do expect this sort of distribution with any short story collection though.
I'm bias towards sci-fi but I definitely preferred The Martian Chronicles.
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A good collection of some of Bradbury's earlier stories.
Satisfyingly Octobery! Eerie tales rendered in poetic, beautiful prose. Some masterpieces, but also, for me, some misses.