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A review by xwritingstoriesx
The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I liked most of the stories in this collection however a few stood out to me in particular.
My Life With H.R Macy was a great commentary on capitalism and employment and succeeded in highlighting how employees are treated abysmally.
The Witch was chilling, one of the few books in this collection to actually fill me with dread. I felt unsettled by the juxtaposition of the topic at hand and the lighthearted behaviour in response.
After You, My Dear Alphonse, a short story regarding microaggressions against the black community, touched on racism in a very subtle yet unsettling way. Assumptions continue to be made about minorities and this is an insight into just how subtle racial abuse can be.
Flower Garden is another novella to touch upon racism. With an innate desire for acceptance, the main character conforms to societal expectations, forsaking a friend in the process. To say I dislike the main character is an understatement and I throughly sympathised with Mr Jones, Billy and Mrs Maclane.
The Tooth was an odd read. I found myself questioning what on earth was going on, as that was the point. The main character is suffering from delusions as a result of toothache. It was really disorienting.
Pillar of Salt perfectly encapsulates the internal conflict when handling anxiety or anxiety disorders. The main character is excited for her trip to New York but in time, she slowly begins to unravel and lose herself in the city. The last few pages were realistic from my perspective, when you are dealing with an anxiety disorder, you cannot cope with the simplest of tasks. I felt her sadness in the last few paragraphs.
Although I purchased this book to read The Lottery, it wasn't that interesting in comparison, I'm glad I got the chance to read Shirley Jackson's lesser known novellas.
My Life With H.R Macy was a great commentary on capitalism and employment and succeeded in highlighting how employees are treated abysmally.
The Witch was chilling, one of the few books in this collection to actually fill me with dread. I felt unsettled by the juxtaposition of the topic at hand and the lighthearted behaviour in response.
After You, My Dear Alphonse, a short story regarding microaggressions against the black community, touched on racism in a very subtle yet unsettling way. Assumptions continue to be made about minorities and this is an insight into just how subtle racial abuse can be.
Flower Garden is another novella to touch upon racism. With an innate desire for acceptance, the main character conforms to societal expectations, forsaking a friend in the process. To say I dislike the main character is an understatement and I throughly sympathised with Mr Jones, Billy and Mrs Maclane.
The Tooth was an odd read. I found myself questioning what on earth was going on, as that was the point. The main character is suffering from delusions as a result of toothache. It was really disorienting.
Pillar of Salt perfectly encapsulates the internal conflict when handling anxiety or anxiety disorders. The main character is excited for her trip to New York but in time, she slowly begins to unravel and lose herself in the city. The last few pages were realistic from my perspective, when you are dealing with an anxiety disorder, you cannot cope with the simplest of tasks. I felt her sadness in the last few paragraphs.
Although I purchased this book to read The Lottery, it wasn't that interesting in comparison, I'm glad I got the chance to read Shirley Jackson's lesser known novellas.