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A review by universalbookworm
Strange Weather by Joe Hill
4.0
This was an excellent anthology. As expected, I liked some stories better than others. However, I didn't dislike any of the stories and I loved "Loaded".
The first story in Strange Weather is Snapshot. It's the tale of a young teen who reconnects with a housekeeper/nanny that is now suffering from memory loss and displaying symptoms of Alzheimer's. Ofcourse, because this is a Hill novel, Alzheimer's is not the true culprit. I really liked this story. It encourages introspection, especially about your childhood. Also, the Solaroid is a very unique device.
The next story is Aloft. A man ends up stuck on a cloud after a sky diving mishap. This one was more bizarre than any of the others, and I found the protagonist to be relatable if a little annoying. There were definitely some cliches in his motivations that bugged me. However, it was interesting and I liked to ending.
Loaded, the third story, is my favourite of the anthology. It was the most surrealistic, especially in comparison to Aloft and Snapshot. I was constantly waiting for the breaking point, because with a character like Officer Kellaway, you know there's going to a horrible breaking point. I also really loved Lanternglass, the ethical journalist with a history of revealing racist police officers. She was an engaging character that I was rooting for the entire story. It's a great short, even if I didn't agree with the ending.
The last story, Rain, is the most interesting one. A devastating rainstorm begins to drop razor sharp crystal shards in the US (and later much further), and all hell breaks lose. It's a dystopian tale, absolutely; but because the horror relies mostly on a scientific premise, I found myself questioning whether it was possible. It reads more like science fiction than the other stories which made it very realistic, but less horrifying. However, I really liked the read. Especially the layers of depth which include: a cult, capitalism in chaos, and Russian spies.
I strongly suggest this anthology. The theme of Strange Weather is cleverly weaved into the stories, and each one was interesting and heart pounding in turns.
The first story in Strange Weather is Snapshot. It's the tale of a young teen who reconnects with a housekeeper/nanny that is now suffering from memory loss and displaying symptoms of Alzheimer's. Ofcourse, because this is a Hill novel, Alzheimer's is not the true culprit. I really liked this story. It encourages introspection, especially about your childhood. Also, the Solaroid is a very unique device.
The next story is Aloft. A man ends up stuck on a cloud after a sky diving mishap. This one was more bizarre than any of the others, and I found the protagonist to be relatable if a little annoying. There were definitely some cliches in his motivations that bugged me. However, it was interesting and I liked to ending.
Loaded, the third story, is my favourite of the anthology. It was the most surrealistic, especially in comparison to Aloft and Snapshot. I was constantly waiting for the breaking point, because with a character like Officer Kellaway, you know there's going to a horrible breaking point. I also really loved Lanternglass, the ethical journalist with a history of revealing racist police officers. She was an engaging character that I was rooting for the entire story. It's a great short, even if I didn't agree with the ending.
The last story, Rain, is the most interesting one. A devastating rainstorm begins to drop razor sharp crystal shards in the US (and later much further), and all hell breaks lose. It's a dystopian tale, absolutely; but because the horror relies mostly on a scientific premise, I found myself questioning whether it was possible. It reads more like science fiction than the other stories which made it very realistic, but less horrifying. However, I really liked the read. Especially the layers of depth which include: a cult, capitalism in chaos, and Russian spies.
I strongly suggest this anthology. The theme of Strange Weather is cleverly weaved into the stories, and each one was interesting and heart pounding in turns.