casavca's review against another edition
Liked the ideas for snapshot and aloft didn't totally enjoy loaded. Did not get to rain
davidkeithley81's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, a solid read. I was a big fan of Hill writing 4 novellas that were easy to read in a sitting each. I particularly enjoyed “Aloft” and “Snapshot” and “Rain” was also decent. “Loaded” was ok, but I absolutely hated the ending. But...maybe that was the point. I think Joe Hill does better when he writes less, or as he puts it “lean and mean.”
holl3640's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
3.5
jagussow's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not sure what to say about this, the book that almost broke me.
I'm a huge fan of Joe Hill and overall enjoyed this collection. Rain, Snapshot and Aloft are some of Hill's best works. Well paced, great characters and a wonderful story hook.
I did not care for Loaded. I won't deny that it was well made and powerful but it wasn't for me and that's ok.
I'm a huge fan of Joe Hill and overall enjoyed this collection. Rain, Snapshot and Aloft are some of Hill's best works. Well paced, great characters and a wonderful story hook.
I did not care for Loaded. I won't deny that it was well made and powerful but it wasn't for me and that's ok.
benrogerswpg's review against another edition
2.0
It was okay. I only really liked one of the stories though.
1.9/5
1.9/5
jmbz38's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tameekahre's review against another edition
3.0
Snapshot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loaded: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aloft: ⭐️
Rain: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loaded: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aloft: ⭐️
Rain: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
carlywinn's review against another edition
3.0
I liked these stories because they were very unique and truly terrifying. That being said, Loaded was personally too much for me in terms of gun violence and Aloft was a little too…abstract? I had a hard time putting my finger on why this story was hard for me to connect with honestly. Overall probably worth a read but this isn’t my favorite book of his.
universalbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This was an excellent anthology. As expected, I liked some stories better than others. However, I didn't dislike any of the stories and I loved "Loaded".
The first story in Strange Weather is Snapshot. It's the tale of a young teen who reconnects with a housekeeper/nanny that is now suffering from memory loss and displaying symptoms of Alzheimer's. Ofcourse, because this is a Hill novel, Alzheimer's is not the true culprit. I really liked this story. It encourages introspection, especially about your childhood. Also, the Solaroid is a very unique device.
The next story is Aloft. A man ends up stuck on a cloud after a sky diving mishap. This one was more bizarre than any of the others, and I found the protagonist to be relatable if a little annoying. There were definitely some cliches in his motivations that bugged me. However, it was interesting and I liked to ending.
Loaded, the third story, is my favourite of the anthology. It was the most surrealistic, especially in comparison to Aloft and Snapshot. I was constantly waiting for the breaking point, because with a character like Officer Kellaway, you know there's going to a horrible breaking point. I also really loved Lanternglass, the ethical journalist with a history of revealing racist police officers. She was an engaging character that I was rooting for the entire story. It's a great short, even if I didn't agree with the ending.
The last story, Rain, is the most interesting one. A devastating rainstorm begins to drop razor sharp crystal shards in the US (and later much further), and all hell breaks lose. It's a dystopian tale, absolutely; but because the horror relies mostly on a scientific premise, I found myself questioning whether it was possible. It reads more like science fiction than the other stories which made it very realistic, but less horrifying. However, I really liked the read. Especially the layers of depth which include: a cult, capitalism in chaos, and Russian spies.
I strongly suggest this anthology. The theme of Strange Weather is cleverly weaved into the stories, and each one was interesting and heart pounding in turns.
The first story in Strange Weather is Snapshot. It's the tale of a young teen who reconnects with a housekeeper/nanny that is now suffering from memory loss and displaying symptoms of Alzheimer's. Ofcourse, because this is a Hill novel, Alzheimer's is not the true culprit. I really liked this story. It encourages introspection, especially about your childhood. Also, the Solaroid is a very unique device.
The next story is Aloft. A man ends up stuck on a cloud after a sky diving mishap. This one was more bizarre than any of the others, and I found the protagonist to be relatable if a little annoying. There were definitely some cliches in his motivations that bugged me. However, it was interesting and I liked to ending.
Loaded, the third story, is my favourite of the anthology. It was the most surrealistic, especially in comparison to Aloft and Snapshot. I was constantly waiting for the breaking point, because with a character like Officer Kellaway, you know there's going to a horrible breaking point. I also really loved Lanternglass, the ethical journalist with a history of revealing racist police officers. She was an engaging character that I was rooting for the entire story. It's a great short, even if I didn't agree with the ending.
The last story, Rain, is the most interesting one. A devastating rainstorm begins to drop razor sharp crystal shards in the US (and later much further), and all hell breaks lose. It's a dystopian tale, absolutely; but because the horror relies mostly on a scientific premise, I found myself questioning whether it was possible. It reads more like science fiction than the other stories which made it very realistic, but less horrifying. However, I really liked the read. Especially the layers of depth which include: a cult, capitalism in chaos, and Russian spies.
I strongly suggest this anthology. The theme of Strange Weather is cleverly weaved into the stories, and each one was interesting and heart pounding in turns.
fantasmariana's review against another edition
4.0
Este libro se compone de cuatro "novellas" (cuatro cuentos largos). Tres de ellos nos presentan con eventos insólitos: una cámara que te roba los recuerdos, una nube alienigena y una lluvia mortal de clavos. Solamente el tercero, titulado Loaded, carece de elementos sobrenaturales aunque no deja de ser inquietante pues trata el tema de la posesión de armas en Estados Unidos. Esta historia nos demuestra como un solo disparo puede desencadenar múltiples desgracias.
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