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seanml's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Skeleton Crew is another fun collection by Stephen King in the classic era. But this time the stories are either VERY long and very short, and there's little inbetween.
The Mist - This one kicks off the collection for good reason: it's the longest by far. King does a great job at thrusting normal people with normal thoughts into this impossible situation. 8/10.
Here There Be Tygers - Alright. 4/10.
The Monkey - A nice take on the classic haunted doll story. 7/10.
Cain Rose Up - Unsettling in the idea that such an idea was so fantastical back then. A grim precursor to King's Rage. 7.5/10.
Mrs. Todd's Shortcut - King always surprises me with the less scary stuff. This one was sweet with the perfect touch of magic. 8.5/10.
The Jaunt - Yeah. Very nice. 9/10.
The Wedding Gig - A fun setting, but a rather straightforward plot keeps it from sticking out in memory. 6.5/10.
Paranoid: A Chant - Well done poem. 6.5/10.
The Raft - Disgusting, awful, excruciatingly detailed in the worst ways. 8.5/10.
Word Processor of the Gods - I think King mentioned this one was the earliest that he wrote, and you can tell. But it's a fun idea treated like nothing more. 7.5/10.
The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands - I liked this one! I wasn't exactly sure what was going on until the end. 8/10.
Beachworld - Love love love when King does the weird-space-horror. The vibes of this one are so strange yet serene. Madcap yet cozy. 9.5/10.
The Reaper's Image - Classic concept and well done, but fairly short. 7/10.
Nona - I couldn't place the meaning of a certain furry element of the story, but otherwise enjoyed it. 7.5/10.
For Owen - A cute message to his son, preceding a story about cannibalism. 7/10.
Survivor Type - Disgusting. 7.5/10.
Uncle Otto's Truck - King loves his murderous vehicles, and for some reason so do I. 8/10.
Morning Deliveries - bad milk man. 6.5/10.
Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game - They did my car guy dirty, but that's all I remember. 7.5/10.
Gramma - An unexpected surprise, considering I'd never heard of it. 8.5/10.
The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet - ANOTHER surprise. This one takes its time, but I found myself very invested in this paranoia-driven recounting that uneasily mirrors some modern day fears. 9.5/10.
The Reach - Very nice. 8.5/10.
Overall, a few more misses than Night Shift, but the stories that are good are still great. 7.5/10.
The Mist - This one kicks off the collection for good reason: it's the longest by far. King does a great job at thrusting normal people with normal thoughts into this impossible situation. 8/10.
Here There Be Tygers - Alright. 4/10.
The Monkey - A nice take on the classic haunted doll story. 7/10.
Cain Rose Up - Unsettling in the idea that such an idea was so fantastical back then. A grim precursor to King's Rage. 7.5/10.
Mrs. Todd's Shortcut - King always surprises me with the less scary stuff. This one was sweet with the perfect touch of magic. 8.5/10.
The Jaunt - Yeah. Very nice. 9/10.
The Wedding Gig - A fun setting, but a rather straightforward plot keeps it from sticking out in memory. 6.5/10.
Paranoid: A Chant - Well done poem. 6.5/10.
The Raft - Disgusting, awful, excruciatingly detailed in the worst ways. 8.5/10.
Word Processor of the Gods - I think King mentioned this one was the earliest that he wrote, and you can tell. But it's a fun idea treated like nothing more. 7.5/10.
The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands - I liked this one! I wasn't exactly sure what was going on until the end. 8/10.
Beachworld - Love love love when King does the weird-space-horror. The vibes of this one are so strange yet serene. Madcap yet cozy. 9.5/10.
The Reaper's Image - Classic concept and well done, but fairly short. 7/10.
Nona - I couldn't place the meaning of a certain furry element of the story, but otherwise enjoyed it. 7.5/10.
For Owen - A cute message to his son, preceding a story about cannibalism. 7/10.
Survivor Type - Disgusting. 7.5/10.
Uncle Otto's Truck - King loves his murderous vehicles, and for some reason so do I. 8/10.
Morning Deliveries - bad milk man. 6.5/10.
Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game - They did my car guy dirty, but that's all I remember. 7.5/10.
Gramma - An unexpected surprise, considering I'd never heard of it. 8.5/10.
The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet - ANOTHER surprise. This one takes its time, but I found myself very invested in this paranoia-driven recounting that uneasily mirrors some modern day fears. 9.5/10.
The Reach - Very nice. 8.5/10.
Overall, a few more misses than Night Shift, but the stories that are good are still great. 7.5/10.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Racism