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A review by charshorrorcorner
In Sunlight or in Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper by Lawrence Block
4.0
In Sunlight or in Shadow has an intriguing premise. Within you will find short stories based upon the paintings of Edward Hopper. One doesn't need to be familiar with Hopper's work to enjoy this book. Each tale is prefaced with information about the author and an image of the painting on which the story was based. These were my favorites:
SOIR BLEU (based on the painting below) by Robert Olen Butler
I'm a horror fan and this story features a creepy clown. How could I go wrong? The best part of this one was the tricky way in which it was told.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS by Craig Ferguson
Yes, you read that right-It's THE Craig Ferguson and he also writes stories in addition to his work on television. This is another case of tricky story-telling and it was superb. One of my favorite quotes in this entire book comes from this story:
"The sea was guilty and quiet like it had just eaten."
THE MUSIC ROOM by Stephen King
What is that thumping from the closet? This tale was just plain fun and even if SK's name wasn't listed, I would know this story was his. Twisted and short, this is an example of the King at his best.
OFFICE AT NIGHT by Warren Moore
Large Marge finally scores herself a job in the big city. I adored this bittersweet tale of a young woman taking on NYC.
NIGHT WINDOWS by Jonathan Santlofer
Featuring a creepy Peeping Tom, (and that's the least of this man's crimes), this is a great tale of a woman's revenge. I have a soft spot for revenge tales and this one is a doozy!
Overall this anthology features not only well known authors, but lesser known authors as well. For the most part it was the lesser knowns that shined the brightest for me. Those, and Mr. Hopper himself, who I've developed a fondness for after reading this book. I would love to view some of his artwork in person, and I'm going to try to do just that.
Highly recommended for fans of diverse short stories and for fans of Edward Hopper!
You can buy your copy here: In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper
*Thanks to NetGalley and Pegasus Books for the free advance review copy in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
SOIR BLEU (based on the painting below) by Robert Olen Butler
I'm a horror fan and this story features a creepy clown. How could I go wrong? The best part of this one was the tricky way in which it was told.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS by Craig Ferguson
Yes, you read that right-It's THE Craig Ferguson and he also writes stories in addition to his work on television. This is another case of tricky story-telling and it was superb. One of my favorite quotes in this entire book comes from this story:
"The sea was guilty and quiet like it had just eaten."
THE MUSIC ROOM by Stephen King
What is that thumping from the closet? This tale was just plain fun and even if SK's name wasn't listed, I would know this story was his. Twisted and short, this is an example of the King at his best.
OFFICE AT NIGHT by Warren Moore
Large Marge finally scores herself a job in the big city. I adored this bittersweet tale of a young woman taking on NYC.
NIGHT WINDOWS by Jonathan Santlofer
Featuring a creepy Peeping Tom, (and that's the least of this man's crimes), this is a great tale of a woman's revenge. I have a soft spot for revenge tales and this one is a doozy!
Overall this anthology features not only well known authors, but lesser known authors as well. For the most part it was the lesser knowns that shined the brightest for me. Those, and Mr. Hopper himself, who I've developed a fondness for after reading this book. I would love to view some of his artwork in person, and I'm going to try to do just that.
Highly recommended for fans of diverse short stories and for fans of Edward Hopper!
You can buy your copy here: In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper
*Thanks to NetGalley and Pegasus Books for the free advance review copy in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*