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justjoel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
bentheoverlordsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
20th Century Ghost by Joe Hill stories
Overall thoughts, Hill is very much like his father when it comes to making you care for characters quickly. This collection was a lot of really good, but only two great ones. That being said I will be trying more of his work (as Locke and Key is my fav comic series of all time)
Best New Horror 4/5 Really liked this one, great description, that ending was so abrupt haha.
20th Century Ghost 4/5 I really liked this one. Both melancholic and sad, but with a real love of cinemas (movie theatres) and film in generally. Not a great ending but I like what it was going for.
Pop Art 5/5 Ow......my heart
You Will Hear The Locust Sing 3/5 Fine...Metamorphosis meets Rage
Abraham's Boys 4/5 A very good and interesting spiritual sequel to a very good story.
Better Than Home 2/5 A bit shit
The Black Phone 4/5 Very good but I much prefer the film.
In The Rundown 3/5 The main mystery part was pretty great but a slow start and an abrupt end really ruined this one for me.
The Cape 4/5 A nice magic power dramedy. I like the character work in this one. Really fun in comparison to some of the other stories.
Last Breath 4/5 Short and dark, would like more of this.
Dead-Wood 2/5 This was far too short. Like genuinely so short. But it had a cool concept
The Widow's Breakfast 4/5 A really interesting story, that had me thinking it was a drama till that final line.
Bobby Conroy Comes Back From The Dead 4/5 So I was immediately intrigued by this one because I love Dawn of The Dead, Jon Romero and Tom Savini so a short around the filming of it is right up my alley. Bobby is an arsehole though. Definitely not spooky though
My Father's Mask 4/5 What a weird fucking story.
Voluntary Committal 5/5 I really liked that story, and I love Morris.
Scheherezade's Typewriter (Secret Story) 4/5 Firstly I wanna say that I like that this was "hidden" in the acknowledgements, and it was a fun short spooky story. Kinda wanted more from it though.
Overall thoughts, Hill is very much like his father when it comes to making you care for characters quickly. This collection was a lot of really good, but only two great ones. That being said I will be trying more of his work (as Locke and Key is my fav comic series of all time)
Best New Horror 4/5 Really liked this one, great description, that ending was so abrupt haha.
20th Century Ghost 4/5 I really liked this one. Both melancholic and sad, but with a real love of cinemas (movie theatres) and film in generally. Not a great ending but I like what it was going for.
Pop Art 5/5 Ow......my heart
You Will Hear The Locust Sing 3/5 Fine...Metamorphosis meets Rage
Abraham's Boys 4/5 A very good and interesting spiritual sequel to a very good story.
Better Than Home 2/5 A bit shit
The Black Phone 4/5 Very good but I much prefer the film.
In The Rundown 3/5 The main mystery part was pretty great but a slow start and an abrupt end really ruined this one for me.
The Cape 4/5 A nice magic power dramedy. I like the character work in this one. Really fun in comparison to some of the other stories.
Last Breath 4/5 Short and dark, would like more of this.
Dead-Wood 2/5 This was far too short. Like genuinely so short. But it had a cool concept
The Widow's Breakfast 4/5 A really interesting story, that had me thinking it was a drama till that final line.
Bobby Conroy Comes Back From The Dead 4/5 So I was immediately intrigued by this one because I love Dawn of The Dead, Jon Romero and Tom Savini so a short around the filming of it is right up my alley. Bobby is an arsehole though. Definitely not spooky though
My Father's Mask 4/5 What a weird fucking story.
Voluntary Committal 5/5 I really liked that story, and I love Morris.
Scheherezade's Typewriter (Secret Story) 4/5 Firstly I wanna say that I like that this was "hidden" in the acknowledgements, and it was a fun short spooky story. Kinda wanted more from it though.
reagscho's review against another edition
3.0
took me way longer to read than it should have. why did half of these have gay subtext (*cough* pop art *cough*). really very excited to see ethan hawke in the black phone
aoife_odonovan3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mrs_bright_side's review against another edition
4.0
Love the range and depth of these stories. Often he took you to a fuzzy line and left you there, leaving you wanting more details, more certainty, more of the story. Loaded with symbolism and not a lot of explanation, the reader must fill in the gaps. Prepare to be befuddled; some stories gives you more than others but most of them give you less.
bbrassfield's review against another edition
4.0
A good friend back in Maryland gave me the suggestion to read these stories a few years back and I read a couple of them then and enjoyed them, especially the first, and enjoyed what I read very much. Honestly I have liked everything I have read by Hill and eagerly await the new novel. The just released novel the Fireman is what got me thinking that I should finish all of the stories in this collection and I am glad that I did. Several are quite strong, especially the lovely ghost story about the dead girl who haunts the old theater and the story entitled the Black Telephone. Hill shows considerable range in these for a young writer. The short story medium is challenging to say the least and Joe Hill weaves captivating tales that I think many will want to revisit at a later day.
a_chickletz's review against another edition
3.0
While I do think Joe Hill is a good writer (and I prefer him over his father), half of the stories in this book weren't very creepy at all. Or thought provoking. The first half of the book was creepy. The second half of the book was very... bland?
Eh. Whatever. Maybe someone enjoyed the later half stories. I preferred if the entire book was filled of the stories that were in the first half.
Eh. Whatever. Maybe someone enjoyed the later half stories. I preferred if the entire book was filled of the stories that were in the first half.
ratstick's review against another edition
2.0
1. Too much fatphobia
2. I liked The Black Phone movie a lot more than the story
3. Didn't finish
2. I liked The Black Phone movie a lot more than the story
3. Didn't finish