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sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Since I have read We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House, I thought it was appropriate to return to how I knew Shirley Jackson- for scaring the shit out of me in 7th grade.
This collection was, as always, a fantastic read. I love Jackson’s dark humor and was genuinely surprised at how well some of her stories have aged. Many of the ideologies and circumstances the characters find themselves in felt very relatable to my own experience as a young woman. Some of the stories did feel a little confusing and abrupt, hence why I only rated it 4 stars, but to sit down and read The Lottery again made it so worth it.
I would recommend this collection to anyone interested in Shirley Jackson’s writing as it provides a much wider berth of her genius that her books may have not captured. It’s also just a great spooky, feminist read, ironically written before the second wave.
This collection was, as always, a fantastic read. I love Jackson’s dark humor and was genuinely surprised at how well some of her stories have aged. Many of the ideologies and circumstances the characters find themselves in felt very relatable to my own experience as a young woman. Some of the stories did feel a little confusing and abrupt, hence why I only rated it 4 stars, but to sit down and read The Lottery again made it so worth it.
I would recommend this collection to anyone interested in Shirley Jackson’s writing as it provides a much wider berth of her genius that her books may have not captured. It’s also just a great spooky, feminist read, ironically written before the second wave.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
46jjsg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
I have ranked and bolded must reads of each section. Shirley Jackson your mind!!!
Section 1 Ranking
Section 1 Ranking
1. "The Daemon Lover"
2. "Like Mother Used to Make"
3. "The Intoxicated"
4. "Trail by Combat"
5. "The Villager"
6. "My Life with R.H.Macy"
Section 2 Ranking
1. "The Renegade"
2. "The Witch"
3. "Charles"
4. "After you, my dear alphonse"
5. "Flower Garden"
6. "Afternoon in Linen"
7. "Dorthy and My Grandmother and the Sailors"
Section 3 Ranking
1. "The Dummy"
2. "Come Dance with Me in Ireland"
3. "Colloquy"
4. "Seven Types of Ambiguity"
5. "Elizabeth"
6. "A Fine Old Firm"
Section 4 Ranking
1. "The Lottery"
2. "Got a Letter from Jimmy"
3. "The Tooth"
4. "Pillar of Salt"
5. "Men with Their Big Shoes"
6. "Of Course"
3. "The Intoxicated"
4. "Trail by Combat"
5. "The Villager"
6. "My Life with R.H.Macy"
Section 2 Ranking
1. "The Renegade"
2. "The Witch"
3. "Charles"
4. "After you, my dear alphonse"
5. "Flower Garden"
6. "Afternoon in Linen"
7. "Dorthy and My Grandmother and the Sailors"
Section 3 Ranking
1. "The Dummy"
2. "Come Dance with Me in Ireland"
3. "Colloquy"
4. "Seven Types of Ambiguity"
5. "Elizabeth"
6. "A Fine Old Firm"
Section 4 Ranking
1. "The Lottery"
2. "Got a Letter from Jimmy"
3. "The Tooth"
4. "Pillar of Salt"
5. "Men with Their Big Shoes"
6. "Of Course"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
alwaysweasel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence