saadrehman's review against another edition
5.0
Jackson starts by telling a story that appears so slow, that the reader relaxes, and maybe brings a cup of hot chocolate to enjoy with a nice warm read. It's a village setting, warm season, total population 300, everybody knows everybody, and all are anticipating, enjoying, waiting to get back to their lives.
It's a good peak into not only village life, but human nature. The themes in this story have been critically analyzed, and those analyses have been analyzed too. There's so much in this little story that it can fill you up and leave you thinking about it for days. It's one of those books that stay with you, for a long time. Maybe, forever.
It's a good peak into not only village life, but human nature. The themes in this story have been critically analyzed, and those analyses have been analyzed too. There's so much in this little story that it can fill you up and leave you thinking about it for days. It's one of those books that stay with you, for a long time. Maybe, forever.
jcpdiesel21's review against another edition
3.0
Not entirely what I expected. Due to the fact that I enjoyed [b:We Have Always Lived in the Castle|89724|We Have Always Lived in the Castle|Shirley Jackson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415357189s/89724.jpg|847007] so much and remembered liking "The Lottery" when assigned to read it back in high school, I figured that this collection would be more of the same and was excited to pick it up. Not so much, unfortunately, and I found my attention wandering often. The Gothic elements from Jackson's other works are present here, but merely in bits and pieces. The best stories created a creepy, mysterious aura that lingered with me; I experienced this most strongly with "The Renegade" and "Charles." It's no wonder that the collection takes its title from the strongest tale of the bunch, which is well crafted with a horrifying twist at the end, although it doesn't pack quite a punch upon repeat readings. "Trial by Combat" and "Flower Garden" explore Jackson's views on society and prejudice and are satisfying in a surprising way. However, too many of the stories either fail have a point or are too short to leave any sort of lasting impact. Jackson's strong writing bumps the rating up a little, but I desperately wanted to like this book so much more.
trinidad1234's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lukuisa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cnbenjumea's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
amid's review against another edition
2.0
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a short story that explores the dark side of human nature. The story is set in a small town where an annual tradition of a lottery takes place. The residents of the town gather to randomly select a person to sacrifice to ensure a good harvest. The story builds tension as the lottery progresses and the true purpose of the tradition is revealed.
The main character, Tessie Hutchinson, is selected as the sacrifice, and her protests and pleas for mercy are ignored by the other townspeople. The story is a commentary on mob mentality and the dangers of blindly following tradition, even if it means participating in violence and cruelty. The shocking and brutal ending of the story leaves a lasting impact and invites the reader to reflect on the dangers of groupthink and the need for critical thinking and independent judgment.
The main character, Tessie Hutchinson, is selected as the sacrifice, and her protests and pleas for mercy are ignored by the other townspeople. The story is a commentary on mob mentality and the dangers of blindly following tradition, even if it means participating in violence and cruelty. The shocking and brutal ending of the story leaves a lasting impact and invites the reader to reflect on the dangers of groupthink and the need for critical thinking and independent judgment.
rawlyrawl's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, saw online this short story was “scary”
Gave it a go and meh, 3.5 stars
Gave it a go and meh, 3.5 stars
ellereads1's review against another edition
pretty good, pretty real, pretty spooky