maelyn's review
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
steven_nobody's review
5.0
Every story in this book is a Classic! I remember in 10th grade German class, translating The Hapless Child, and my friends thought it was my own story and that I was insane. For me, however, it was just the start of a life long love of Gorey.
sarasofraz's review
4.0
I was browsing in my library when I happened upon this little book by Edward Gorey.
It contains 15 different stories and it is marvellous. I didn't expect the stories to be so gruesome, and compelling at that.
The story with children dying in various violent deaths at every letter was so good, it was my favourite, but i really enjoyed "The Listing Attic" too.
It contains 15 different stories and it is marvellous. I didn't expect the stories to be so gruesome, and compelling at that.
The story with children dying in various violent deaths at every letter was so good, it was my favourite, but i really enjoyed "The Listing Attic" too.
cesspool_princess's review
4.0
loved this, even though it was so dark, the bug one was great, the one about the beast eating the kids, the one about that extremely unlucky girl lmao, so dark it becomes funny and love the illustration style
curiousnoel's review
3.0
It’s hard to rate this as a whole, because some stories I got a huge kick out of, while others were snoozers for me. I love his art style though, and from what I’ve read up on him, he seems like he was charmingly eccentric. I’m curious to learn more about him as a person.
v_v_'s review
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
600bars's review
4.0
I’ve been (forcing) Kai and I to read these every night. Well, most nights. Yesterday we got into a tussle over the limericks. We are both sick as a dog w covid. I complained that she wasn’t sounding jolly or bouncy enough and as a former slam poetry performer she should know about performing meter correctly!! Smh. My favorite story was “The Hapless Child”. It is so cruel and sad that it becomes comical. When the brute got the horrors I about lost it. Kai liked the insect god for its lovecraftian horror, she liked the other bug one because the ending was so abrupt and subverted her expectations, and also liked the hapless child. I loved the first story about the process of writing a novel. Sometimes reading them all together has a negative effect, because the constant child abuse and tragedy gets to be a little repetitive when it’s all at once like this. I get that it’s intentionally over the top so that it crosses the line into being almost funny/ridiculous, but sometimes it’s like jeez!! We are all really here for the illustrations and the beautiful lettering. I got the other 2 amphigoreys so I can’t wait to read more. It’s interesting to compare my reaction to The Hapless Child with my negative reaction to the graphic novel Megahex. Both are full of over the top violence, literally nothing good happens at all. Yet the Hapless Child made me laugh and was my favorite out of the whole collection while megahex repulsed me. Megahex was just bleak and nihilistic while this retains a certain charm. I am always bringing up a series of unfortunate events, but it is plain to see Gorey’s influence on Lemony Snicket. The sense of humor is the same, and Gorey’s illustrations remind me of Brett Helquist’s. Tim Burton as well. I just googled it and found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p8iAK3h7UM wow!
grimondgalgmod's review
5.0
This is required October reading for me. We can all agree that The Doubtful Guest is a masterpiece but I really love the absurd non sequiturs of The Object-Lesson, the uncomfy mystery of The Willowdale Handcar, and the pitch black humor of the Vinegar Works trilogy.