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A review by inciminci
The Other by Thomas Tryon
4.0
In an article on this book, Grady Hendrix discusses how it is on par with "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist", all three being written in the same era but “The Other” never quite making it despite its brilliance. Now, I have only watched the movies and not read the books of the former two, so I can’t really compare them on a textual level. But having just finished listening to the audiobook of the latter, I am still wondering how that could be?
"The Other" is the quintessential evil kid story. And I'm no horror historian, but I understand it might be the creator of a very specific and fascinatingly creepy subgenre within that trope that has been used as the pointe or twisty ending to many movies and books ever since. So, it is today seen as a little washed out and doesn't really surprise anymore. I think it is this work’s strength that, even though it must have been shocking for its time, it doesn't rely on the mere revelation of a twist to be a great book - the psychological tension that permeates throughout the story, the interaction between the characters living in a Connecticut small town in the 30s, family relations are all themes that are treated so masterly here that they alone are worth a read. Notwithstanding the beautiful prose.
I have to add that I listened to the audiobook and I can't praise the late narrator William Dufris high enough. His reading voice was so gripping yet sooo creepy, so wonderful that it added infinitely to my enjoyment of this book!
"The Other" is the quintessential evil kid story. And I'm no horror historian, but I understand it might be the creator of a very specific and fascinatingly creepy subgenre within that trope that has been used as the pointe or twisty ending to many movies and books ever since. So, it is today seen as a little washed out and doesn't really surprise anymore. I think it is this work’s strength that, even though it must have been shocking for its time, it doesn't rely on the mere revelation of a twist to be a great book - the psychological tension that permeates throughout the story, the interaction between the characters living in a Connecticut small town in the 30s, family relations are all themes that are treated so masterly here that they alone are worth a read. Notwithstanding the beautiful prose.
I have to add that I listened to the audiobook and I can't praise the late narrator William Dufris high enough. His reading voice was so gripping yet sooo creepy, so wonderful that it added infinitely to my enjoyment of this book!