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A review by warped_star
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
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
5.0
At first this book was a bit slow to start, but then it picked up rather quickly actually and I couldn’t put it down. It’s an extremely short read, theoretically someone could probably read it in a day. Took me a few days with life happening.
The eventual build up of tension was executed so successfully that I felt I was reading faster and faster as the plot kept creeping into frame. The self reflection coupled with the naivety added to the sense of madness and the apparent need to hold onto one’s mental fortitude amidst the mysterious pressing of the other world. A testament to man’s ignorant and failed attempt at understanding the magic of the universe. These two character are fully enveloped in the clutches of the willows, and they can only cling to each other for survival and sanity.
The lack of names of the characters as well gives the reader room to really put themselves into the story and allows the setting to take form of a character itself, becoming the antagonist.
Also ngl it was a lil gay 😏 teehee
The footnotes were extremely unnecessary because it never even informed me of anything of significance. It simply highlighted the usage of racist terminology that we as a society no longer seem appropriate. This book was literally written in 1907 by a British man of course there’s gonna be racist terminology. At the very least the footnotes could have been more informative.
The eventual build up of tension was executed so successfully that I felt I was reading faster and faster as the plot kept creeping into frame. The self reflection coupled with the naivety added to the sense of madness and the apparent need to hold onto one’s mental fortitude amidst the mysterious pressing of the other world. A testament to man’s ignorant and failed attempt at understanding the magic of the universe. These two character are fully enveloped in the clutches of the willows, and they can only cling to each other for survival and sanity.
The lack of names of the characters as well gives the reader room to really put themselves into the story and allows the setting to take form of a character itself, becoming the antagonist.
Also ngl it was a lil gay 😏 teehee
The footnotes were extremely unnecessary because it never even informed me of anything of significance. It simply highlighted the usage of racist terminology that we as a society no longer seem appropriate. This book was literally written in 1907 by a British man of course there’s gonna be racist terminology. At the very least the footnotes could have been more informative.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Colonisation
Minor: Death