A review by jayisreading
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

dark mysterious medium-paced

2.75

I think the best way to explain how I feel about this novel is that I wish it was written by someone else. I really liked the premise and overall atmosphere of the novel, considering that it had an autumnal setting with the right amount of eerie and unsettling. Unfortunately, I think Bradbury’s delivery of the story fell short, and I would say his writing style is somewhat to blame. There were some instances when his distinct lyricism worked in his favor, but in most other cases, I found it strange and cumbersome, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself into the story. Regarding plot and characters, it was hard for me to get a lot out of either because of Bradbury’s writing style, or I felt that they lacked substance, particularly the characters. Another issue I had with the novel was the language, which I found really dated. To be fair to Bradbury, this isn’t his fault— It’s just how things go as language about certain things and ideas change over time.

I really wanted to like this novel, but it didn’t work for me. I also think it’s quite possible that I’m just not a fan of Bradbury’s writings, despite being interested in the themes and ideas he has. (This is also likely why I started this review with the wish that someone else had written this novel.)
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