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itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, and Abandonment
jayisreading's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Misogyny and Racism
Minor: Alcohol
meggiek802's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death
areyouciarious's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The writing style and language was a bit hard to follow at first, but the story flows well once you get the hang of it.
Minor: Death, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
galoshes's review against another edition
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Stalking
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
ishouldreadthat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Ableism
alaskan_bull_worm's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.75
There were a few times his descriptions did impress me, such as #1 (in spoiler).
But mostly they were just too much. The plot itself was okay. (Maybe I only say that because I couldn’t get into it.) In terms of characterization, I particularly liked #2.
But by the end of the book, I was counting down the pages until I was done. I kind of feel like I shouldn’t be saying I don’t like this famous author so much, but my rating is as it stands.
And for a final comment, I watched the Disney movie version of this book before reading it. It wasn’t super good either, but it felt so close to being something really cool. Like they just barely missed their mark. And the ending was very different.
1. When he compared women and men to different clocks.
When Mr. Dark offered more time to Halloway.
In the beginning when he described the different months boys liked.
I feel like I’m missing something?
2. Mr. Dark was also the Illustrated Man. The descriptions of him were effective, and him being one of the “freaks” as well I liked. He wasn’t just some ringmaster far away from it all.
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Death, and Misogyny
savvylit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
The merits of Something Wicked are evident - Ray Bradbury celebrates both the golden days of youth and father-son bonds. That being said, this book is probably best targeted towards middle grade audiences. I found it to be a little too childish for my taste. On top of that, Charles Halloway's monologues are all a bizarre and distinct brand of mid-20th century sexism. The passages about women being innocent and always sleeping soundly were strange and grating.
Overall, perhaps the best part of this book is Bradbury's talent for poetic prose. Here are a few of my favorite sentences:
"And if it’s around October twentieth and everything smoky-smelling and the sky orange and ash gray at twilight, it seems Halloween will never come in a fall of broomsticks and a soft flap of bed-sheets around corners."
"God, how we get our fingers in each other's clay. That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of each other."
"The dust was antique spice, burnt maple leaves, a prickling blue that teemed and sifted to earth. Swarming its own shadows, the dust filtered over the tents."
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Racism
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism