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A review by lisaml
Five Stories High: One House, Five Hauntings, Five Chilling Stories by K.J. Parker, Tade Thompson, Robert Shearman, Jonathan Oliver, Sarah Lotz, Nina Allan
3.0
The stories in this collection were so completely different. I can't really review this book as a whole, so I have reviewed each story separately and averaged my ratings for each for a 2.75.
Story 1 – Maggot – 2.75 – This was a very weird story. It seemed a bit disjointed, especially at the beginning. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, either. However, either it changed as the story went on, or it grew on me. In the beginning I kept getting taken out of the story and focusing on how it was written, but later on that quit happening. I kept reading and wanted to know what happened, so I can’t say it was bad, but I don’t think it’s memorable and I don’t have any urge to read it again or recommend it to people. Overall, it was ok.
Story 2 – Priest’s Hole – 2.5 - This story was all over the place. It definitely wasn’t scary. There were some odd grammatical choices that I wasn’t sure if there was a reason for them or they were just mistakes. I read the whole story and I didn’t hate it, but I don’t think I’ll remember it in a week. I just think maybe I didn’t get it.
Story 3 – Gnaw – 3.25 – This was a pretty creepy ghost story. A family moves into a house and soon learns all of the many ways it is haunted. It was pretty much what I think of when I think of a short haunted house/ghost story, and I like ghost stories.
Story 4 – The Best I can Manage Under the Circumstances – 1.75 – Um. I don’t even know what to say. What did I read here? This was the weirdest most bizarre thing I have ever read. There is probably some kind of deep meaning in there if you want to deconstruct it, but I don’t think I want to spend any more time in this author’s head. I gave it higher than a one, because I was compelled to finish it, no matter how strange it got, and unfortunately, I think it will stick in my head, but I certainly don’t ever want to read it again and won’t recommend it to anyone. Weird and gross.
Story 5 – Skin Deep – 3.5 – I really enjoyed this story! It was absolutely my favorite in the book. It was told by way of interviews with different people. A possible murder happened before the start of the book and we are reading interviews of the victim and possible murderers friends and acquaintances. It was a very creepy haunted house tale and it was told in an interesting way. I read it very quickly and enjoyed every minute of this read. I wish the whole book had been this good.
Story 1 – Maggot – 2.75 – This was a very weird story. It seemed a bit disjointed, especially at the beginning. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, either. However, either it changed as the story went on, or it grew on me. In the beginning I kept getting taken out of the story and focusing on how it was written, but later on that quit happening. I kept reading and wanted to know what happened, so I can’t say it was bad, but I don’t think it’s memorable and I don’t have any urge to read it again or recommend it to people. Overall, it was ok.
Story 2 – Priest’s Hole – 2.5 - This story was all over the place. It definitely wasn’t scary. There were some odd grammatical choices that I wasn’t sure if there was a reason for them or they were just mistakes. I read the whole story and I didn’t hate it, but I don’t think I’ll remember it in a week. I just think maybe I didn’t get it.
Story 3 – Gnaw – 3.25 – This was a pretty creepy ghost story. A family moves into a house and soon learns all of the many ways it is haunted. It was pretty much what I think of when I think of a short haunted house/ghost story, and I like ghost stories.
Story 4 – The Best I can Manage Under the Circumstances – 1.75 – Um. I don’t even know what to say. What did I read here? This was the weirdest most bizarre thing I have ever read. There is probably some kind of deep meaning in there if you want to deconstruct it, but I don’t think I want to spend any more time in this author’s head. I gave it higher than a one, because I was compelled to finish it, no matter how strange it got, and unfortunately, I think it will stick in my head, but I certainly don’t ever want to read it again and won’t recommend it to anyone. Weird and gross.
Story 5 – Skin Deep – 3.5 – I really enjoyed this story! It was absolutely my favorite in the book. It was told by way of interviews with different people. A possible murder happened before the start of the book and we are reading interviews of the victim and possible murderers friends and acquaintances. It was a very creepy haunted house tale and it was told in an interesting way. I read it very quickly and enjoyed every minute of this read. I wish the whole book had been this good.