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softrosemint's review against another edition
4.0
hm, i did enjoy this but i am not sure whether it is my favourite of the series. at any rate i really, really liked "the four-fifteen express", "the shadow", "the kit-bag", "the prescription" and "smee" - all classic ghost stories, all fantastic.
anxiousbookclub's review
dark
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
katiedreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A great collection of spooky stories set in Winter or Christmas. I did not recognize any of the stories or any of the authors. However, they were nearly all 4/5 stars. Especially worth mentioning is The Four-Fifteen Express, The Christmas Shadrach, The Shadow, and The Kit Bag. They all had a great Victorian gothic atmosphere. However, these are all extremely readable so if you usually struggle with classics I think you will enjoy these.
shelfofunread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
amalia1985's review against another edition
5.0
‘’The second Mrs. Ryder was a young woman not easily frightened, but now she stood in the dusk of the passage leaning back against the wall, her hand on her heart, looking at the grey-faced window beyond which the snow was steadily falling against the lamplight.’’
The Four- Fifteen Express by Amelia B.Edwards: A young man meets a peculiar passenger on his way to East Anglia.
The Curse of the Catafalques by F. Anstey: A very willing suitor must pass a test and meet the curse of a noble family with the blessings of his beloved. But which is this curse and why does it haunt the Catafalques?
Christmas Eve on a Haunted Hulk by Frank Cowper: The story of a man spending Christmas on a wuthering island and a haunted boat. Quite original and extremely atmospheric.
The Christmas Shadrach by Frank R. Stockton: I adored this one. A tale about a scoundrel that decides to finally grow up, a young lady in love and a strange paper-weight that seems to alter the personality of its owner. Marvellous!
Number Ninety by B.M.Croker: A young man decides to defy the legends of a haunted house and prove them wrong...Well, wrong choice…
The Shadow by E.Nesbitt: An eerie story of premonitions and harbingers of death plaguing parents and children.
The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood: A trial, a murder, a strange spectre, an unreliable witness…
The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance by M.R.James: A very peculiar Punch and Judy show and cruel murder.
Boxing Night by E.F.Benson: The uncanny tale of two sisters living in a remote farm, prophetic dreams that warn of danger and strangers seeking shelter from a nightly storm on a haunting Boxing Night…
The Prescription by Marjorie Bowen: A fishpond, a low door, arsenic and a doctor who found himself at the wrong place in the wrong time.
The Snow by Hugh Walpole: In my favourite story of all, a young woman has to face her mercurial nature and the vindictive presence of her husband’s first wife. Snow becomes a silent witness in a tragic tale.
Smee by A.M. Burrage: The hide-and-seek game of a jolly company on Christmas becomes rather unsettling when an unknown guest shows up…
The Demon King by J.B.Priestley: A play turns into a sinister pantomime when those involved ‘’play’’ with fire. There is always a feeling of uneasiness when plays about the supernatural are performed. This story accurately depicts the reason why.
Lucky’s Grove by H.Russell Wakefield: A haunted grove, a cursed tree and an unfortunate family…
Fourteen beautifully haunting stories about the darker side of Christmas nights, part of a lovely collection by British Library.
‘’Nothing satisfies us on Christmas Eve but to hear each other tell authentic anecdotes about spectres. It is a genial, festive season, and we love to muse upon graves, and dead bodies and murders, and blood.’’
Jerome K. Jerom
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
The Four- Fifteen Express by Amelia B.Edwards: A young man meets a peculiar passenger on his way to East Anglia.
The Curse of the Catafalques by F. Anstey: A very willing suitor must pass a test and meet the curse of a noble family with the blessings of his beloved. But which is this curse and why does it haunt the Catafalques?
Christmas Eve on a Haunted Hulk by Frank Cowper: The story of a man spending Christmas on a wuthering island and a haunted boat. Quite original and extremely atmospheric.
The Christmas Shadrach by Frank R. Stockton: I adored this one. A tale about a scoundrel that decides to finally grow up, a young lady in love and a strange paper-weight that seems to alter the personality of its owner. Marvellous!
Number Ninety by B.M.Croker: A young man decides to defy the legends of a haunted house and prove them wrong...Well, wrong choice…
The Shadow by E.Nesbitt: An eerie story of premonitions and harbingers of death plaguing parents and children.
The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood: A trial, a murder, a strange spectre, an unreliable witness…
The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance by M.R.James: A very peculiar Punch and Judy show and cruel murder.
Boxing Night by E.F.Benson: The uncanny tale of two sisters living in a remote farm, prophetic dreams that warn of danger and strangers seeking shelter from a nightly storm on a haunting Boxing Night…
The Prescription by Marjorie Bowen: A fishpond, a low door, arsenic and a doctor who found himself at the wrong place in the wrong time.
The Snow by Hugh Walpole: In my favourite story of all, a young woman has to face her mercurial nature and the vindictive presence of her husband’s first wife. Snow becomes a silent witness in a tragic tale.
Smee by A.M. Burrage: The hide-and-seek game of a jolly company on Christmas becomes rather unsettling when an unknown guest shows up…
The Demon King by J.B.Priestley: A play turns into a sinister pantomime when those involved ‘’play’’ with fire. There is always a feeling of uneasiness when plays about the supernatural are performed. This story accurately depicts the reason why.
Lucky’s Grove by H.Russell Wakefield: A haunted grove, a cursed tree and an unfortunate family…
Fourteen beautifully haunting stories about the darker side of Christmas nights, part of a lovely collection by British Library.
‘’Nothing satisfies us on Christmas Eve but to hear each other tell authentic anecdotes about spectres. It is a genial, festive season, and we love to muse upon graves, and dead bodies and murders, and blood.’’
Jerome K. Jerom
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
hadders88's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
moonandmadness's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A comforting Christmas read if ghost stories in winter are your preference. Most would probably be considered cheesy and not frightening at all, and so I would recommend even to those not fond of horror. My favourites are: The Shadow, The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance, The Snow, and Smee.
zakvarty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
Slow paced, brooding collection fo victorian ghost stories. As with any collection, I particularly enjoyed a few while others were a bit of a struggle to get through.
A nice change from my usual reading, but I won't be seeking out something similar in the future.
A nice change from my usual reading, but I won't be seeking out something similar in the future.