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anastasia_raf's review against another edition
fast-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
1.5
Just another white man displaying ignorance and romanticizing it by dreaming up stories. He's criminally overrated.
If you're interested in reading his whatever we should be aware of:
"He was an explicit white supremacist and his racist views were apparent in his writing."
Please take the time to read this https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5883881
If you're interested in reading his whatever we should be aware of:
"He was an explicit white supremacist and his racist views were apparent in his writing."
Please take the time to read this https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5883881
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Classism and Colonisation
savviecake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Chronic illness and Mental illness
Minor: Violence and Suicidal thoughts
biiancaco's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
There is overt racism. HP Lovecraft uses many pejorative slurs. He seems to hate biracial people the most. His prejudice is clear in how he divides his protagonists and antagonists.
It is the white intelligent man vs the swarthy mentally aberrant savage. Whether it is a mestizo, a black man, or an Indian, he despises all.
Besides that, this short-story was incredibly well-written. The language is reticent of Gothic Horror, I would liken it to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or Modern Day Prometheus and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
The prose is luscious, full of fun alliteration, the verbs are buoyant and evoke action and pace!
To quote a few, "shivering squatter" "mirror in marble" "yellow hair turned white" "pursuing jelly which rose above the unclean froth like the stern of a daemon galleon"
A touch of Realism lays a great foundation to this Weird Fiction, all thanks to HP Lovecraft's technical nautical knowledge as well as his placing of a scientist in the forefront of the story. Strange occurrences told in a straight and plain manner, feel more real.
Cthulhu is not the only "monstrous menace". The fact that the author has given him a face makes him less threatening. To HP Lovecraft, the more frightening monsters are ones unknown, they lie in wait beyond our own universe. Because really, is it logical to believe that humans are the ONLY conscious beings?
What is it that we do not know? This is the horror the character faces. He is confronted with the truth that we are not alone. And in the end of his discovery he muses that, "Death would be a boon if only it could blot out the memories" </spoilers>
The beginning of the short story already informs us how we can avoid this futile stress.
It is the white intelligent man vs the swarthy mentally aberrant savage. Whether it is a mestizo, a black man, or an Indian, he despises all.
Besides that, this short-story was incredibly well-written. The language is reticent of Gothic Horror, I would liken it to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or Modern Day Prometheus and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
The prose is luscious, full of fun alliteration, the verbs are buoyant and evoke action and pace!
To quote a few, "shivering squatter" "mirror in marble" "yellow hair turned white" "pursuing jelly which rose above the unclean froth like the stern of a daemon galleon"
A touch of Realism lays a great foundation to this Weird Fiction, all thanks to HP Lovecraft's technical nautical knowledge as well as his placing of a scientist in the forefront of the story. Strange occurrences told in a straight and plain manner, feel more real.
Cthulhu is not the only "monstrous menace". The fact that the author has given him a face makes him less threatening. To HP Lovecraft, the more frightening monsters are ones unknown, they lie in wait beyond our own universe. Because really, is it logical to believe that humans are the ONLY conscious beings?
What is it that we do not know? This is the horror the character faces. He is confronted with the truth that we are not alone. And in the end of his discovery he muses that,
The beginning of the short story already informs us how we can avoid this futile stress.
"We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far "
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
The racism and xenophobia is straightforward and only limited to slurs and metaphors. There is no graphic violence described.itsreirei's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I knew Lovecraft was racist but BOI did I not expect this level of xenophobia TT It was especially disturbing to listen to, stereotypes and slurs flew left and right.
The plot itself was fine, the writing generally holds up well but this is definitely not Lovecraft's best work. Bit boring imo, I found myself zoning out several times (and I tend to like slow storytelling).
I guess the fact that the xenophobia was more horrifying than the story itself kinda says it all, lol.
The plot itself was fine, the writing generally holds up well but this is definitely not Lovecraft's best work. Bit boring imo, I found myself zoning out several times (and I tend to like slow storytelling).
I guess the fact that the xenophobia was more horrifying than the story itself kinda says it all, lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Mental illness
trulydevious's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death
exists's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
2.75
It was okay, I expected it to be more scary though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs
gayledayle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
i knew lovecraft was a racist asshole but holy fuck dude
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
extremely racist didn’t like thatnatalyr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is an incredibly difficult story to review. Lovecraft's voice is heavily bolstered by an extensive vocabulary, which is expressed to the utmost extent. Weaving together the finer twines of the narrative with his trademark, eldritch imaginative horrors. It felt like tumbling into an episode of The Twilight Zone if it were inspired by the co-mingling of Hieronymous Bosch and M. C. Escher, so vivid were the descriptive visuals.
This style of writing, complex in all its nuances and need to articulate an unquestionable level of intensity, must be slowly and thoroughly digested. I found myself revisiting paragraphs to ensure I'd gleaned every drop of understanding from the intricately crafted intimations.
There is evidence of certain prejudices that are characteristic of the time in which it was written, a time with considerably less knowledge, understanding and acceptance of all people, race and status. A time of fear, even, of people perceived as strangers. Whilst I do not share or condone these beliefs myself, I feel it is important to consider it from an educational standpoint. I wish it would be in order to show how far we have come, however, in actuality, it just highlights that the issues today are of an ancient beast. Much like the one in the story.
This style of writing, complex in all its nuances and need to articulate an unquestionable level of intensity, must be slowly and thoroughly digested. I found myself revisiting paragraphs to ensure I'd gleaned every drop of understanding from the intricately crafted intimations.
There is evidence of certain prejudices that are characteristic of the time in which it was written, a time with considerably less knowledge, understanding and acceptance of all people, race and status. A time of fear, even, of people perceived as strangers. Whilst I do not share or condone these beliefs myself, I feel it is important to consider it from an educational standpoint. I wish it would be in order to show how far we have come, however, in actuality, it just highlights that the issues today are of an ancient beast. Much like the one in the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
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