Reviews

Growing Things and Other Stories by Paul Tremblay

txag08's review against another edition

I read seven stories and then gave up. I wanted to read some spooky stories because Halloween is coming up, and I was told this would fit the bill. The stories, however, were not spooky; they were largely incomprehensible and annoying. Did not finish.

thekimberlyann's review against another edition

4.0

The majority of Growing Things and Other Stories provides the reader with some truly contemplative and creatively structured creepy slow burns. While Tremblay mostly offers substantially impressive vignettes of ominous foreboding, there are a few stories that feel a bit lacking, though that may be partially due to their connection to some of the authors' previous works that I have not had the pleasure of reading. That being said, Growing Things and Other Stories delivers more far more often than not.

anonymous_blobfish's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really love Tremblay’s writing and I think that was truer than ever in this short story collection. Whilst there was an occasional miss, this was mostly a collection of hits for me. I deeply enjoy the way Tremblay often chooses to explore the nature of horror and reality, oftentimes interweaving horror as a metaphor or lens through which mental illness is portrayed. I also think, because of that, I especially enjoyed the stories in this that seemed to be more explicitly beasties and hauntings as they were a pleasant yet unexpected surprise!

Standouts for me include: Notes for Barn in the Wild, “_____”, and A Haunted House is a wheel Upon Which Some Are Broken. 

Full list of ratings:
* GROWING THINGS 5/5 ⭐️ 
* SWIM WANTS TO KNOW IF IT’S AS BAD AS SWIM THINKS 4/5 ⭐️ 
* SOMETHING ABOUT BIRDS 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
* THE GETAWAY 3.5/5 ⭐️ 
* NINETEEN SNAPSHOTS OF DENNISPORT 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
* WHERE WE ALL WILL BE 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
* THE TEACHER 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
* NOTES FOR “THE BARN IN THE WILD” 5/5 ⭐️ 
* ______ 5/5 ⭐️ 
* OUR TOWN’S MONSTER 4/5 ⭐️ 
* A HAUNTED HOUSE IS A WHEEL UPON WHICH SOME ARE BROKEN 5/5 ⭐️ 
* IT WON’T GO AWAY 4/5 ⭐️ 
* NOTES FROM THE DOG WALKERS 4/5 ⭐️ 
* FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SOMNAMBULIST 3/5 ⭐️ 
* THE ICE TOWER 4/5 ⭐️ 
* THE SOCIETY OF THE MONSTERHOOD 2.5/5 ⭐️ 
* HER RED RIGHT HAND 3.5/5 ⭐️ 
* IT’S AGAINST THE LAW TO FEED THE DUCKS 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
* THE THIRTEENTH TEMPLE 4/5 ⭐️ 

panda_charlotte's review against another edition

challenging dark

2.5

drew99's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

2.0

kstericker's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

siobhan_leahy's review against another edition

2.0

Not sure why I read these books, but I bought them all and intend to read what I have bought. I'm not a short story fan either but this collection was just disappointing and in places boring.

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

drewhelm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

destinydekarios's review against another edition

3.0

i borrowed this book because i was in the mood to be creeped out / a little disturbed. while the horror in this was a little too ambiguous for that, i still finished it because i enjoyed the writing and thought the stories were creative. 3 1/2 stars.