Reviews

Söğütler by Algernon Blackwood

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ominousclouds's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

juushika's review against another edition

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3.0

The supporting character's view of the situation is what takes this from "scary trees" (too identifiable in motive, borderline silly in execution) and moves it towards something amorphous, something unknown, something vaster than human and only filtered through a human framework. It's thematically on the nose, but what a good theme. I just wish I'd read it in the height of summer, as the overwhelming pressure of heat and wind is essential to the atmosphere, especially in the first half, and was largely lost on me. I think I'll like this even more with a well-timed reread.

robertcop2's review against another edition

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4.0

An interesting short story! I thought it was curious and really made you wonder what truly happened in those woods. Very eerie and left enough to the imagination without going too overboard.

mysteriousnorse's review against another edition

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5.0

http://apolloreborn.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-willows.html

persypie's review against another edition

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5.0

“The elements are always the true immortals.”

Blackwood is the undisputed master of crafting teeth-clenching horror through setting. The Willows is justly one of his most highly-regarded (and terrifying) works and should at once be read by any fan of creeping, atmospheric horror.

It’s no wonder H.P. Lovecraft found him to be such a huge inspiration. Blackwood is a master.

obsidian_blue's review against another edition

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4.0

Maybe it says something about me, but the older classic horror novels I am always shocked at how quaint they seem in comparison to works like "It." "It" gave me nightmares for weeks on end as a kid, this book, though scary in tone, is more mental than anything, your brain can turn what the unnamed narrator is describing into something worse.

The main plot of "The Willows" is about two long time friends who are taking a canoe trip down the Danube River. We have the narrator and his friend called "The Swede."

Though both have been out in nature it seems based on previous comments, they come across a place that ends up unnerving them both. They start to fear the wind, the rising river, the willows, and anything else that seems like it is staring and mocking them.

They eventually come across a man who seems to try to warn them away from where they end up camping, but since the narrator is doing what he can to try to laugh off his increasing fears, they both camp and witness something terrible.

I thought this was quite good and liked the writing. I think the main reason why I couldn't give it five stars though was that I wanted more menace. I thought they got off quite easily in the end (have i mentioned that I am way too blood thirsty?) and that I wanted it pushed a bit more.

I did like the surprise at the end though when both men realize that what they thought they saw when they first landed (no spoilers) was something else entirely.

This is only 60 pages, so it won't take a lot of your time to read. I mentioned in my update this would be a perfect story told by flashlight or candle light. You want this read during a thunderstorm or a night you lose the power. I think if I could read it then, I would have be more afraid than what I was.