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pugloaf's review against another edition
2.0
This book starts out strong, introducing Timothy and Cecy. Timothy is who we follow and see the world through. It's interesting following his life as he grows up in a family of ghouls while he is a human without any supernatural abilities. Cecy is the best. The best character, the coolest premise for powers, an interesting personality- she is the best. So when the book begins with Timothy and Cecy stories and introduces different types of supernatural beings it is pretty good.
However, about halfway through the premises for the story sections become dull and monotonous. Most characters are essentially shades or ghosts needing a Sandman-style belief in order to survive. It turns mysterious, powerful- but quirky characters into pitiable homeless. A few stories crop up that shock a little life into the system but the back half is a slog that I don't think Cecy can entirely buoy.
However, about halfway through the premises for the story sections become dull and monotonous. Most characters are essentially shades or ghosts needing a Sandman-style belief in order to survive. It turns mysterious, powerful- but quirky characters into pitiable homeless. A few stories crop up that shock a little life into the system but the back half is a slog that I don't think Cecy can entirely buoy.
lorenaalexia's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
kellian901's review against another edition
4.0
I got well into this without feeling very positively about it. (And worrying a great deal because I had bought a twin copy for a friend’s birthday gift.)
The words were beautifully put together… I just couldn’t connect. Perhaps it’s because I have never read Ray Bradbury before. I wasn’t prepared.
Then somewhere about halfway, in the chapter titled “On the Orient North”… I fell in love. And it all started coming together and making sense.
“When autumn trees shower bullions are we that Midas stuff, a leaf-fall that sounds the air in crisp syllables? What, what, oh what are we?“
And in Make Haste to Live…
“Death is mysterious. Life even more so. Choose. And whether you blow away in dust at life‘s end or arrive at youngness and go back to birth and within birth, that is stranger than strange, yes?“
It’s Shakespeare and Poe and Tim Burton.
The second half is such a feast of metaphor and imagery that I wanted to start over and scoop up all the goodness that I missed in the first half.
I would read this again next Halloween. Make it a tradition.
And I definitely will read his other books.
The words were beautifully put together… I just couldn’t connect. Perhaps it’s because I have never read Ray Bradbury before. I wasn’t prepared.
Then somewhere about halfway, in the chapter titled “On the Orient North”… I fell in love. And it all started coming together and making sense.
“When autumn trees shower bullions are we that Midas stuff, a leaf-fall that sounds the air in crisp syllables? What, what, oh what are we?“
And in Make Haste to Live…
“Death is mysterious. Life even more so. Choose. And whether you blow away in dust at life‘s end or arrive at youngness and go back to birth and within birth, that is stranger than strange, yes?“
It’s Shakespeare and Poe and Tim Burton.
The second half is such a feast of metaphor and imagery that I wanted to start over and scoop up all the goodness that I missed in the first half.
I would read this again next Halloween. Make it a tradition.
And I definitely will read his other books.
krytygr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I absolutely adore Ray Bradbury. This is probably my favorite of his works.. he has such a unique talent with words. Sometimes they almost seem contradictory within the sentences, and that’s what makes his stories so different. It’s really quite beautiful!
luisasm's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good, a solid collections of stories. Not my favorite short story book of his, but still great, because of course it's Ray Bradbury, and apparently he incapable of anything bad. I did love the Ice Cream Suit, and a few other ones. Quite a variety too, which is nice.
marta0r's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this! The october country is one of my favourite books, which I reread every year, and I had no idea that there was more. This was the most wonderful library find