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merlandese 's review for:
The King in Yellow
by Robert W. Chambers
I encountered The King in Yellow as part of a flailing book club experiment in an online Board Games community. What surprised me most upon its choosing was how ubiquitous it was among the group. The verbal shorthand, the casual referencing. The book was written in 1895, well over a hundred years ago, and I, a 36-year-old, seemed to be the only one who had never heard of it. C'est la me.
Granted, I don't think I seek out this genre. I read very little Poe and Ligotti, and the only Lovecraft I've read was also for a book club just a year before. Still, with the universality of Cthulhu (especially a few years ago, where Lovecraft as a theme was at its all-time high), it seemed like something I would have bumped into, or had pointed out to me, despite my lack of interest.
The first story in the bunch, The Repairer of Reputations is pretty much the cornerstone of the whole work. The Yellow Sign is also striking. I don't think I'd be argued against if I said that when people think of—and draw inspiration from—this collection, they think of these stories, and almost none of the rest.
Overall, the writing is top notch. It handles atmosphere and tone wonderfully, while still painting a world that also feels tangible and meaningfully descriptive. The plots vary from good to not very interesting, especially as the collection progresses away from the horror-centric strengths of the author and more towards the purely romantic.
I suggest it for a few of the stories, and if those don't tickle your fancy, then don't bother with the rest. But if you are in love with the style and flavor, go ahead and read it all, why not? It's a short collection, and the author has a clean, expressive voice that is enjoyable even in the lesser tales.
Granted, I don't think I seek out this genre. I read very little Poe and Ligotti, and the only Lovecraft I've read was also for a book club just a year before. Still, with the universality of Cthulhu (especially a few years ago, where Lovecraft as a theme was at its all-time high), it seemed like something I would have bumped into, or had pointed out to me, despite my lack of interest.
The first story in the bunch, The Repairer of Reputations is pretty much the cornerstone of the whole work. The Yellow Sign is also striking. I don't think I'd be argued against if I said that when people think of—and draw inspiration from—this collection, they think of these stories, and almost none of the rest.
Overall, the writing is top notch. It handles atmosphere and tone wonderfully, while still painting a world that also feels tangible and meaningfully descriptive. The plots vary from good to not very interesting, especially as the collection progresses away from the horror-centric strengths of the author and more towards the purely romantic.
I suggest it for a few of the stories, and if those don't tickle your fancy, then don't bother with the rest. But if you are in love with the style and flavor, go ahead and read it all, why not? It's a short collection, and the author has a clean, expressive voice that is enjoyable even in the lesser tales.