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reubenlb's review against another edition
3.0
nothing outstanding, nothing atrocious - some interestingly structured endings for the decapitated chicken and the boy
serinde4books's review against another edition
1.0
Introduction
I read the first few pages, but I didn’t want to know too much about each story before I read it. It was sold to me by a book club member to be Poe like. It wasn’t.
The Feather Pillow (1907)
So it was a vampire parasite? I feel like we are supposed to know what the creature was, but I don’t.
Sunstroke (1908)
Written from a dog’s perspective?
Old dog is named Milk and puppy is named Old?
I felt like this one dragged...so mundane. And crappy ending for the dogs.
The Pursued (1908)
This one literally put me to sleep, 2 in the afternoon and I feel asleep reading it. Is the storyteller gay? Is madness a synonym for homosexuality? “But I was completely certain, too, that - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - he was going to pay for all this evening’s pleasures.” Maybe not veiled after all. Then he ends up in an insane asylum? What? My first thought from the first meet, and nothing changed. I think the L guy, luego or whatever was gay too, and his club was a secret meeting spot.
This was a very strange story. I didn’t get it at all.
The Decapitated Chicken (1909)
Omg that was awful!!! It was very vivid imagery too.
Drifting (1912)
Snake bite kills him, ok it was a good story of his last hours I suppose. I thought these were supposed to be comparable to Poe? So far only the first one is to me.
A Slap in the Face (1916)
Caña is Rum. Why not call it Rum?
I feel like I’m missing something, like the words were translated, but importance of the stories was not.
In the Middle of the Night (1919)
I actually enjoyed this story. It made sense, and it had a point. The heroism of everyday people.
Juan Darién (1920)
Repay in blood? Oh I get it now, when he is treated badly. This one was ok, it made sense at least.
The Dead Man (1920)
Ok another in the last moments of death story...eh.
Anaconda (1921)
Every time I read this tittle I had “Baby Got Back” running through my head.
Again written from an animal’s perspective. The snake social make up left me feeing confused, I didn’t follow it so well. It was ok, it seemed really long to me though compared to the other stories in the book.
The Incense Tree Roof (1922)
Another rambling story, did Orgaz kill the inspector? Was the roof a metaphor? Why was so much detail given to its leaking?
The Son (1935)
A parent’s constant fear, something has happened to my child! Oh and it did!
I read the first few pages, but I didn’t want to know too much about each story before I read it. It was sold to me by a book club member to be Poe like. It wasn’t.
The Feather Pillow (1907)
So it was a vampire parasite? I feel like we are supposed to know what the creature was, but I don’t.
Sunstroke (1908)
Written from a dog’s perspective?
Old dog is named Milk and puppy is named Old?
I felt like this one dragged...so mundane. And crappy ending for the dogs.
The Pursued (1908)
This one literally put me to sleep, 2 in the afternoon and I feel asleep reading it. Is the storyteller gay? Is madness a synonym for homosexuality? “But I was completely certain, too, that - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - he was going to pay for all this evening’s pleasures.” Maybe not veiled after all. Then he ends up in an insane asylum? What? My first thought from the first meet, and nothing changed. I think the L guy, luego or whatever was gay too, and his club was a secret meeting spot.
This was a very strange story. I didn’t get it at all.
The Decapitated Chicken (1909)
Omg that was awful!!! It was very vivid imagery too.
Drifting (1912)
Snake bite kills him, ok it was a good story of his last hours I suppose. I thought these were supposed to be comparable to Poe? So far only the first one is to me.
A Slap in the Face (1916)
Caña is Rum. Why not call it Rum?
I feel like I’m missing something, like the words were translated, but importance of the stories was not.
In the Middle of the Night (1919)
I actually enjoyed this story. It made sense, and it had a point. The heroism of everyday people.
Juan Darién (1920)
Repay in blood? Oh I get it now, when he is treated badly. This one was ok, it made sense at least.
The Dead Man (1920)
Ok another in the last moments of death story...eh.
Anaconda (1921)
Every time I read this tittle I had “Baby Got Back” running through my head.
Again written from an animal’s perspective. The snake social make up left me feeing confused, I didn’t follow it so well. It was ok, it seemed really long to me though compared to the other stories in the book.
The Incense Tree Roof (1922)
Another rambling story, did Orgaz kill the inspector? Was the roof a metaphor? Why was so much detail given to its leaking?
The Son (1935)
A parent’s constant fear, something has happened to my child! Oh and it did!
lyloster's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Really enjoyed "The Feather Pillow", "Sunstroke", "Drifting", "The Dead Man", and "The Son". "Juan Darien" was my absolute favorite from the collection.
Quiroga has a talent for the macabre, the short stories are succinct and very well written. I was amazed at how detailedly he can describe fatal accidents.
Quiroga has a talent for the macabre, the short stories are succinct and very well written. I was amazed at how detailedly he can describe fatal accidents.
magpie_666's review against another edition
4.0
4/5 overall
I really enjoyed the shorter stories, The Feather Pillow and The Dead Man. They were 5/5 and I'll remember them for a long time.
The others weren't quite so good, 3/5.
I really enjoyed the shorter stories, The Feather Pillow and The Dead Man. They were 5/5 and I'll remember them for a long time.
The others weren't quite so good, 3/5.
rouge_red's review against another edition
dark
2.0
Quite mildly interesting. And I thought from the title alone and the promise of some horror short stories that I was going to really like this, but...they are not that great. Just...mildly interesting and with some shocking endings.
nat_pianosa's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
murdalannd's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
econsidine's review
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Horacio Quiroga has an Edgar Allan Poe vibe except he wrote a little later – 1910s through 40s – and his stories are more Latin America focused and also have a lot more animals and animals-as-narrators. It’s a collection of short stories, so they’re naturally not all gonna resonate with everyone. My favorites were “Anaconda,” “Juan Darién,” “The Decapitated Chicken,” and “The Feather Pillow.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
Moderate: Ableism, Vomit, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Stalking, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Blood, and Alcohol
mayastone's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Introduction: There is a heavy theme of death due to personal tragedies. Heavily inspired by Poe.
The Feather Pillow: I thought a vampire, I was wrong. Eerie and sad. 3/5
Sunstroke: Safeguard that which you depend on, death cannot be escaped. 4/5 Poor dogs.
The Pursued: Mental illness and the effects on those who are ill and those who observe the illness. 4/5
The Decapitated Chicken: Four abandoned children, a golden child and red flowing freely. 3/5
Drifting: Fate and a slow drifting towards death. 3.5/5
A Slap in the Face: Revenge. 3/5
In the Middle of the Night: Survival and determination, love and the strength to overcome and endure. 3/5
Juan Darien: Folkloric story. I wanted bloodshed instead of what I ended up getting. 4/5
The Dead Man: Another theme of death. 4/5
Anaconda: A tale of snakes and antivenom. 4/5
The Incense Tree Roof: An odd story of a determined man, living a simple life that’s inconvenienced with bureaucracy. 3.5/5
The Son: Tragic. 4/5
Overall Score: 3.5/5 – An interesting mixture of stories. Not exactly Poe, but still worth reading.