A collection of short stories by a newbie on the horror shore.
I'm not a fan of short stories, not even by my favourite author Stephen King. I dislike the effort that by the time you get your focus right, the story is done. Give me lengthy stories, stories that I can come back to night after night.
Although I must confess that I did like some of the stories in this bundle of tales.
I've read other stuff of Joe Hill before (Heart Shaped Box) and wasn't greatly impressed by it, especially since with all the praise and everything I was expecting something better, something more profoundly scary and thought through.
Well, this is thoroughly better written. Not all the stories are golden, but the ones that are, are memorable.
For instance,
Pop Art
A story about a boy and an inflattable toy. It's shows a tremendous sense of make-belief. I think I've never read a story like that, something so utterly ridiculous made serious.
The Cape
Spine tinglingly good.
A boy who thinks he's got a cape which he can fly with. When he comes of age, he finds that cape again.
The one I liked the least is You will hear the locusts sing. I've never been into the insect genre.
I'm not going to rate every story, but I will tell you that each story has something of a gem inside. It's been a long while since I've read a collection of short stories that I was this happy with.
Personal score: 4 stars
