A review by batrick_pateman
The Sundial by Shirley Jackson

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

First off - this is genuinely hilarious. I had no idea that Shirley Jackson could do dark comedy so well, and now that I know it I love her even more. Despite the comedy, it's also a perfect showcase of what makes her stories so good for me - that combination of familiarity and surreal-ness, that feeling of seeing normal domestic scenes unfold and slowly realizing that there's something deeply wrong going on just beneath the surface. The atmosphere Jackson creates during the party and the following events is especially unsettling.