msbedelia's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, and Domestic abuse
cardboard's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Torture and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, Racism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
toffishay's review
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was a really fun collection and it makes me want to read more Shirley Jackson. My favorite stories were "In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There" by Seanan McGuire, "Something Like Living Creatures" by John Langan, "Hag" by Benjamin Percy, "A Trip to Paris" by Richard Kadrey, "Refinery Road" by Stephen Graham Jones, "Pear of Anguish" by Gemma Files, "Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home" by Genevieve Valentine, "Tiptoe" by Laird Barron, and "Skinder's Veil" by Kelly Link. That's like half the stories in this collection, which is a real win for these types of books with so many different authors :)
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Death, Murder, Self harm, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content
lola_milk's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
A good collection of short stories, although most of them don't scratch the Shirley Jackson itch. I would recommend Dead Relatives by Lucy McHardy Knight for that. The story Skinder's Veil by Kelly Link is really wonderful, as all of her stories are.
Graphic: Grief, Self harm, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Murder, Child abuse, and Gore
Detailed descriptions of self harm in the story Pear of Anguish.louisegraveyard's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Murder, Death, Child death, and Suicide
missbreathing's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This hauntingly beautiful anthology edited by Ellen Datlow contains stories inspired by Shirley Jackson. As a huge fan of Jackson’s, I knew I had to get my hands on this the minute I found out about it. It did not disappoint! These stories channel Jackson in tone, mood, and theme and are hauntingly memorable.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The writers featured in this anthology are household names in the horror, thriller, and dark fantasy genres. They’re all at the top of their game, making this collection a truly sublime reading experience and a must for fans of these genres. Though I do recommend checking the trigger warnings and treading lightly, especially if you’re not used to the darker side of fiction.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Some standout stories in the collection include: Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw; Hag by Benjamin Percy; A Trip To Paris by Richard Kadrey; Refinery Road by Stephen Graham Jones; Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home by Genevieve Valentine; and Tiptoe by Laird Baron. Even the stories I didn’t love proved haunting and thought-provoking.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I can’t recommend this enough to fans of the dark and the macabre.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The writers featured in this anthology are household names in the horror, thriller, and dark fantasy genres. They’re all at the top of their game, making this collection a truly sublime reading experience and a must for fans of these genres. Though I do recommend checking the trigger warnings and treading lightly, especially if you’re not used to the darker side of fiction.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Some standout stories in the collection include: Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw; Hag by Benjamin Percy; A Trip To Paris by Richard Kadrey; Refinery Road by Stephen Graham Jones; Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home by Genevieve Valentine; and Tiptoe by Laird Baron. Even the stories I didn’t love proved haunting and thought-provoking.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I can’t recommend this enough to fans of the dark and the macabre.
Graphic: Self harm, Death, and Murder
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