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A review by obsidian_blue
The October Country by Ray Bradbury
4.0
All in all I enjoyed this collection. Some stories didn't hit the mark with me though. I ended up giving it four stars because the illustrations that are in here pushed the book to a different level.
"The Dwarf" (3 stars)- I liked it okay, but was actually disappointed in the ending. I thought Bradbury was going one way with the story and it kind of fizzled for me.
"The Next in Line" (5 stars)- Loved it from beginning to end. This story of a married couple visiting a small town and the terror the wife starts to feel as she realizes how morbid the whole town is was creepy. The ending was messed up too, and I ended up hating he husband.
"The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse" (1 star). This was weird and not engaging at all. I read it twice and shrugged. It didn't really fit the mood of the rest of the stories.
"Skeleton" (3.5 stars)- I am still curious about the doctor. I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil other readers. I thought this was OK, but it didn't blow me away as much as "Next in Line" and some of the other stories I really enjoyed.
"The Jar" (3.5 stars)- Good story about the power of imagination as well as past regrets. The ending was a bit gross because I realized what was in the jar.
"The Lake" (2.5 stars)- I really didn't enjoy this one. I think because I had so many questions about how a body could be found 10 years later in water and be intact at all.
"The Emissary" (5 stars)- What a sad and lonely story about a boy and his dog. The ending actually gave me shivers. This story takes place on Halloween and also November (autumn) in case anyone is still looking for stories to read for the bingo.
"Touched With Fire" (2.5 stars)- Eh. Not really into this one at all. There was way too much going on with this story and saying that murder happens at a certain heat could have been done better.
"The Small Assassin" (5 stars)- This one was so good. I wish it had been longer. The ending was creepy as anything.
"The Crowd" (2 stars)- Okay but once again I wasn't blown away by it. There always seemed to be a really awesome story and then an okay story in between.
"Jack-in-the-Box" (4 stars)- What a sad story and the reveal of what was going on really definitely made me think what could have been if Bradbury decided to keep certain people alive.
"The Scythe" (4 stars)- I loved this one. What a wonderful idea and enjoyable plot and conclusion. Not my favorite, but almost just because I thought the ending left too many questions though.
"Uncle Einar" (5 stars)- Not horror really, this was actually a very sweet love story I thought. And the ending was happy. I'm still surprised it ended up in this collection.
"The Wind" (3 stars)- Eh. Okay, not great. There was too much suspension of disbelief for me to get past. I can't imagine wind coming to life to stalk someone.
"The Man Upstairs" (4 stars)- Creepy. I think I'm going to be scared of small children for a while.
"There Was an Old Woman" (3 stars)- okay, I just found it borng after a while and rushed read this to get past it.
"The Cistern" (3 stars)- Yeah I was still bored reading this one too. Not that engaging.
"Homecoming" (4 stars)-Taking place before, on, and after Halloween you get to see a family preparing for a special reunion.
"The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone" (3.5 stars)- I was so confused while reading this and the story was a lot of talking with me wondering what the heck was going on.
I read enjoyed the illustrations in this one and included one in my Booklikes post. Too bad I can't upload via Goodreads.
"The Dwarf" (3 stars)- I liked it okay, but was actually disappointed in the ending. I thought Bradbury was going one way with the story and it kind of fizzled for me.
"The Next in Line" (5 stars)- Loved it from beginning to end. This story of a married couple visiting a small town and the terror the wife starts to feel as she realizes how morbid the whole town is was creepy. The ending was messed up too, and I ended up hating he husband.
"The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse" (1 star). This was weird and not engaging at all. I read it twice and shrugged. It didn't really fit the mood of the rest of the stories.
"Skeleton" (3.5 stars)- I am still curious about the doctor. I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil other readers. I thought this was OK, but it didn't blow me away as much as "Next in Line" and some of the other stories I really enjoyed.
"The Jar" (3.5 stars)- Good story about the power of imagination as well as past regrets. The ending was a bit gross because I realized what was in the jar.
"The Lake" (2.5 stars)- I really didn't enjoy this one. I think because I had so many questions about how a body could be found 10 years later in water and be intact at all.
"The Emissary" (5 stars)- What a sad and lonely story about a boy and his dog. The ending actually gave me shivers. This story takes place on Halloween and also November (autumn) in case anyone is still looking for stories to read for the bingo.
"Touched With Fire" (2.5 stars)- Eh. Not really into this one at all. There was way too much going on with this story and saying that murder happens at a certain heat could have been done better.
"The Small Assassin" (5 stars)- This one was so good. I wish it had been longer. The ending was creepy as anything.
"The Crowd" (2 stars)- Okay but once again I wasn't blown away by it. There always seemed to be a really awesome story and then an okay story in between.
"Jack-in-the-Box" (4 stars)- What a sad story and the reveal of what was going on really definitely made me think what could have been if Bradbury decided to keep certain people alive.
"The Scythe" (4 stars)- I loved this one. What a wonderful idea and enjoyable plot and conclusion. Not my favorite, but almost just because I thought the ending left too many questions though.
"Uncle Einar" (5 stars)- Not horror really, this was actually a very sweet love story I thought. And the ending was happy. I'm still surprised it ended up in this collection.
"The Wind" (3 stars)- Eh. Okay, not great. There was too much suspension of disbelief for me to get past. I can't imagine wind coming to life to stalk someone.
"The Man Upstairs" (4 stars)- Creepy. I think I'm going to be scared of small children for a while.
"There Was an Old Woman" (3 stars)- okay, I just found it borng after a while and rushed read this to get past it.
"The Cistern" (3 stars)- Yeah I was still bored reading this one too. Not that engaging.
"Homecoming" (4 stars)-Taking place before, on, and after Halloween you get to see a family preparing for a special reunion.
"The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone" (3.5 stars)- I was so confused while reading this and the story was a lot of talking with me wondering what the heck was going on.
I read enjoyed the illustrations in this one and included one in my Booklikes post. Too bad I can't upload via Goodreads.