Scan barcode
eli_jw's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
cranberry__sauce's review against another edition
4.0
Part One: Unpublished Stories
"The Smoking Room"
the devil tries to get a girl to sell him her soul—but it doesn't go as planned. this story was so amazing that i'd give it 6 stars if i could
rating: 5/5
"I Don't Kiss Strangers"
rating: 4/5
"Summer Afternoon"
don't really understand the point of this one but it was still good
rating: 3/5
"Indians Live in Tents"
ooh epistolary story very nice!
rating: 3.5/5
"The Very Hot Sun in Bermuda"
rating: 2.5/5
"Nightmare"
rating: 4/5
"Dinner for a Gentleman"
rating: 3.5/5
"Party of Boys"
rating: 4/5
"Jack the Ripper"
rating: 2/5
"The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith" (Version I)
rating: 3/5
"The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith" (Version II)
rating: 4.5/5
"The Sister"
rating: 3/5
"Arch-Criminal"
rating: 4.5/5
"Mrs. Anderson"
rating: 3.5/5
"Come to the Fair"
a sweet story about a lonely woman finding love at her local carnival. really enjoyable; not shirley jackson's usual fair, but it's nice to read something different.
rating: 4/5
"Portrait"
rating: 2.5/5
"Gnarly the King of the Jungle"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Good Wife"
rating: 4/5
"Devil of a Tale"
rating: 3/5
"The Mouse"
rating: 2/5
"My Grandmother and the World of Cats"
rating: 3/5
"Maybe it was the Car"
rating: 3.5/5
"Lovers Meeting"
rating: 3.5/5
"My Recollections of S. B. Fairchild"
rating: 4/5
"Deck the Halls"
rating: 3/5
"Lord of the Castle"
rating: 4.5/5
"What a Thought"
rating: 4.5/5
"When Barry was Seven"
rating: 3/5
"Before Autumn"
rating: 2.5/5
"The Story We Used to Tell"
rating: 5/5
"My Uncle in the Garden"
rating: 3.5/5
Part Two: Uncollected Stories
"On the House"
rating: 2.5/5
"Little Old Lady in Great Need"
rating: 3/5
"When Things Get Dark"
rating: 3/5
"Whistler's Grandmother"
rating: 3.5/5
"Family Magician"
rating: 4.5/5
"The Wishing Dime"
rating: 4/5
"About Two Nice People"
rating: 4/5
"Mrs. Melville Makes a Purchase"
rating: 3/5
"Journey with a Lady"
rating: 4/5
"The Most Wonderful Thing"
rating: 3/5
"The Friends"
rating: 4/5
"Alone in a Den of Cubs"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Order of Charlotte's Going"
rating: 4/5
"One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts"
rating: 4/5
"The Missing Girl"
rating: 4/5
"The Omen"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Very Strange House Next Door"
rating: 4/5
"A Great Voice Stilled"
rating: 2/5
"All She Said was Yes"
rating: 5/5
"Home"
rating: 4/5
"I.O.U."
rating: 3.5/5
"The Possibility of Evil"
rating: 5/5
"The Smoking Room"
the devil tries to get a girl to sell him her soul—but it doesn't go as planned. this story was so amazing that i'd give it 6 stars if i could
rating: 5/5
"I Don't Kiss Strangers"
rating: 4/5
"Summer Afternoon"
don't really understand the point of this one but it was still good
rating: 3/5
"Indians Live in Tents"
ooh epistolary story very nice!
rating: 3.5/5
"The Very Hot Sun in Bermuda"
rating: 2.5/5
"Nightmare"
rating: 4/5
"Dinner for a Gentleman"
rating: 3.5/5
"Party of Boys"
rating: 4/5
"Jack the Ripper"
rating: 2/5
"The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith" (Version I)
rating: 3/5
"The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith" (Version II)
rating: 4.5/5
"The Sister"
rating: 3/5
"Arch-Criminal"
rating: 4.5/5
"Mrs. Anderson"
rating: 3.5/5
"Come to the Fair"
a sweet story about a lonely woman finding love at her local carnival. really enjoyable; not shirley jackson's usual fair, but it's nice to read something different.
rating: 4/5
"Portrait"
rating: 2.5/5
"Gnarly the King of the Jungle"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Good Wife"
rating: 4/5
"Devil of a Tale"
rating: 3/5
"The Mouse"
rating: 2/5
"My Grandmother and the World of Cats"
rating: 3/5
"Maybe it was the Car"
rating: 3.5/5
"Lovers Meeting"
rating: 3.5/5
"My Recollections of S. B. Fairchild"
rating: 4/5
"Deck the Halls"
rating: 3/5
"Lord of the Castle"
rating: 4.5/5
"What a Thought"
rating: 4.5/5
"When Barry was Seven"
rating: 3/5
"Before Autumn"
rating: 2.5/5
"The Story We Used to Tell"
rating: 5/5
"My Uncle in the Garden"
rating: 3.5/5
Part Two: Uncollected Stories
"On the House"
rating: 2.5/5
"Little Old Lady in Great Need"
rating: 3/5
"When Things Get Dark"
rating: 3/5
"Whistler's Grandmother"
rating: 3.5/5
"Family Magician"
rating: 4.5/5
"The Wishing Dime"
rating: 4/5
"About Two Nice People"
rating: 4/5
"Mrs. Melville Makes a Purchase"
rating: 3/5
"Journey with a Lady"
rating: 4/5
"The Most Wonderful Thing"
rating: 3/5
"The Friends"
rating: 4/5
"Alone in a Den of Cubs"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Order of Charlotte's Going"
rating: 4/5
"One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts"
rating: 4/5
"The Missing Girl"
rating: 4/5
"The Omen"
rating: 3.5/5
"The Very Strange House Next Door"
rating: 4/5
"A Great Voice Stilled"
rating: 2/5
"All She Said was Yes"
rating: 5/5
"Home"
rating: 4/5
"I.O.U."
rating: 3.5/5
"The Possibility of Evil"
rating: 5/5
graciesmom's review against another edition
4.0
Shirley Jackson is one of my favorite writers. While these stories may not be her absolute best, I adore the restraint with which she writes and the undeniable feeling of dread one gets when reading her stories. I read her short story that was turned into the movie "The Birds" and have to say that, for me, the story was far creepier than the movie as it was told with remarkable quietness and, yes, restraint. Of course, don't miss "The Lottery"!
daniellemarie's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
teresavh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Shirley is a bit WASPy but she has amazing pace and amazing at tense situations. Woman oriented as well, but her characters are so easy to hate.
_lul_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alialicece's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
jenmcmaynes's review against another edition
2.0
Compared to her more famous works, this collection is pretty sub-par. The stories often feel unfocused and under-developed. The collection was put together after her death by her children; many were not published in her life (and you can see why). The ones that were are nothing special. A reader looking for a true Shirley Jackson experience would be better served reading The Haunting of Hill House (excellent!).
clare_tan_wenhui's review against another edition
3.0
Cute, quirky, queer, creepy. The variety of short stories in this collection are rather random and disparate. Some I enjoyed greatly, others I felt largely ambivalent. Even then, you have got to give it to Shirley Jackson for her incredible range.