zozoisgolden's review against another edition
3.0
Alright so antisocial artist, creepy paintings and eldritch musing. Perfect metaphor for grief and loneliness.
Hit a spot but not quite the spot.
Hit a spot but not quite the spot.
bibliochild's review against another edition
4.0
Full story available online: https://www.tor.com/2017/10/04/crispins-model/
rixx's review against another edition
3.0
[Crispin's Model](https://www.tor.com/2017/10/04/crispins-model/) is modern Lovecraftian horror – well done, but I'm not into Lovecraftian horror all that much, and not into painting either, so it didn't grip me.
rivensbane's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it well enough, but short stories never seem to really do it for me tbh. I always want more, haha, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being short fiction.
Maybe I just need to read more!
Maybe I just need to read more!
quynh23's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
_michelle_'s review
4.0
This is actually a bit hard to rate. It could be horribly vague, but it was also insanely creepy and I wanted more. I'd definitely like to see this kind of thing as a fleshed out, full-length novel.
happentobeshort's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Damn this is some creepy Lovecraftian shit. Alas, like many short stories, I feel like it could have been fleshed out a bit more towards the end (clocking in at only 30ish pages..!) and still remained a tasty short story. That being said! Would totally recommend it to anyone who wants a spooky read on a short train/bus trip.
anaelwynn's review
5.0
This is the second short story that I have read by Max Gladstone and, same as with A Kiss With Teeth, I completely adored it. There is just something about his stories that calls to me and draws me in. I definitely want to read more of his works in the future. Crispin's Model was such an interesting story. I was fascinated by the story and the characters. The fact that it centred around an artist and his model made me very happier, as I love stories about artists. I can't wait to read more by this author!
anuragsahay's review
5.0
Tor.com Original by Max Gladstone, link here: https://www.tor.com/2017/10/04/crispins-model/
I read this because I recently downloaded a free collected edition of all Lovecraft's works in the public domain. Lovecraft has interested me in the past for multiple reasons, the biggest of which is the fact that he created a setting and horror ideal, and then let (in point of fact, encouraged) other authors to write in it. Lovecraft and his compatriots' writings, while themselves not often well read, have been so influential on modern popular culture, that you can assume that any franchise that lasts long enough will eventually include a reference to Lovecraft (sometimes going as far as containing a Great Old One) [examples off the top of my head: Star Wars, Warcraft, the Dresden Files, the DC Animated Universe, the beginning credits of Rick and Morty, and so on]. And so far, I've not even mentioned the insanely huge number of modern board games with a Cthulhu theme.
So when Max Gladstone releases a free Lovecraftian short story on Tor.com, I was hard pressed to come up with a reason not to immediate devour the story.
In terms of how the story goes, I can't compare it to the originals (having not read it yet), but the writing style has a very visceral feel to it, which I imagine is a staple of any story trying to emulate Lovecraft. The story is just long enough to build the threat of the Lovecraftian horror well, and just short enough to end it before it gets boring instead of disturbing. I read the story right before sleeping, and I definitely had some weird dreams as a consequence.
Overall, this story cements my love for Gladstone more than anything else; he's shown a large amount of variation on the types of stories and characters he can write well through his short fiction, and I'm really hoping to see some of that reflect in his longer fiction as well (in particular, I'm really looking forward to the non-Craft based novels he's currently contracted with Tor.com Publishing for). It's also convinced me to give Lovecraft a shot, though I don't know when I'll get around to doing that.
I read this because I recently downloaded a free collected edition of all Lovecraft's works in the public domain. Lovecraft has interested me in the past for multiple reasons, the biggest of which is the fact that he created a setting and horror ideal, and then let (in point of fact, encouraged) other authors to write in it. Lovecraft and his compatriots' writings, while themselves not often well read, have been so influential on modern popular culture, that you can assume that any franchise that lasts long enough will eventually include a reference to Lovecraft (sometimes going as far as containing a Great Old One) [examples off the top of my head: Star Wars, Warcraft, the Dresden Files, the DC Animated Universe, the beginning credits of Rick and Morty, and so on]. And so far, I've not even mentioned the insanely huge number of modern board games with a Cthulhu theme.
So when Max Gladstone releases a free Lovecraftian short story on Tor.com, I was hard pressed to come up with a reason not to immediate devour the story.
In terms of how the story goes, I can't compare it to the originals (having not read it yet), but the writing style has a very visceral feel to it, which I imagine is a staple of any story trying to emulate Lovecraft. The story is just long enough to build the threat of the Lovecraftian horror well, and just short enough to end it before it gets boring instead of disturbing. I read the story right before sleeping, and I definitely had some weird dreams as a consequence.
Overall, this story cements my love for Gladstone more than anything else; he's shown a large amount of variation on the types of stories and characters he can write well through his short fiction, and I'm really hoping to see some of that reflect in his longer fiction as well (in particular, I'm really looking forward to the non-Craft based novels he's currently contracted with Tor.com Publishing for). It's also convinced me to give Lovecraft a shot, though I don't know when I'll get around to doing that.