Reviews

American Midnight: Tales of the Dark by Laird Hunt

lulustjames's review

3.0

 American Midnight is a gothic horror anthology featuring classic American short stories. This was a really great collection mixing well known authors with some that might not be as ‘popular,’ as well as a good mix of familiar stories with lesser known. As with most anthologies, it’s going to be a mixed bag of what you’ll like and what you won’t. That said, I, obviously and of course, loved The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe considering I’ve read his works countless times. The rest of the short stories were all new to me and there were a few I really enjoyed. 

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic religious horror that warns against the dangers of, gasp, thinking for yourself! The Mask by Robert Chambers was also super interesting. It had friendship angst, weird science, and love. Home by Shirley Jackson was a fun, but cookie cutter ghost story. A Ghost Story by Mark Twain was surprisingly cute but ultimately forgettable. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was great! The horrors of postpartum and what women were subjected to when they showed the slightest bit of emotion that was uncomfortable for men. An Itinerant House by Emma Frances Dawson was okay but too long-winded for me to feel really compelled. The two that I didn’t care for where The Eyes by Edith Wharton which truly just bored me, and Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston which was difficult to read due to dialogue being written in accent. 

I think for anyone wanting to stretch their wings into classic American literature but are unsure where to start, American Midnight curated by Laird Hunt is a great way to get a quick taste of authors. 

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. //

nimbushfish's review

medium-paced

3.0

zarco_j's review

5.0

A fantastic selection of short stories from classics to the more modern works.

This will be a great addition to any horror fans collection, I will certainly be purchasing a physical copy to add to my shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

georgilvsbooks's review

2.0

9 chilling stories....

‘The Masque of the Red Death', Edgar Allan Poe

'Young Goodman Brown', Nathaniel Hawthorne

'The Eyes', Edith Wharton

'The Mask', Robert Chambers

"Home", Shirley Jackson

'A Ghost Story', Mark Twain

'Spunk', Zora Neale Hurston

'The Yellow Wallpaper', Charlotte Perkins Gilman

'An Itinerant House', Emma Frances Dawson

I personally didn’t like many of these. The last few stories were more enjoyable.

A quick read!

Something you might want to pick up during halloween time.

jayfr's review

5.0

A fantastic selection of short stories from classics to the more modern works.

This will be a great addition to any horror fans collection, I will certainly be purchasing a physical copy to add to my shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

wiki765's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

marstz's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

kbrown's review

4.0

A great read for anyone who is a fan of classic horror or short stories. With a solid mix of stories, this collection would be a great addition to any horror fans collection. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy.

kcraig73's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

sandra_buckwell's review

3.0

An enjoyable collection of stories, but the story I enjoyed the most was The Yellow Wallpaper - one of the best short stories I have ever read, what an amazing imagination, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.