16) “The Shining Pyramid” by Arthur Machen Plot: The Welshman Vaughn visits Dyson, an occult investigator in London at the turn of the 20th century. The two have met before. Vaughn mentions an unfortunate girl, Annie Trevor, who disappeared while walking a couple of miles to a relative’s house. Locals say the fairies took her.Continue reading “Review of “The Shining Pyramid” by Arthur Machen: Halloween Countdown”
Tag Archives: books
Review of “His Unconquerable Enemy” by W. C. Morrow: Halloween Countdown
10) “His Unconquerable Enemy” by W. C. Morrow Plot: Our hero performs “a difficult surgical operation on one of the women of a great [unnamed] rajah’s household.” In return, the rajah invites him to stay at his palace for as long as he likes. The rajah is a man of “noble character,” but “possessed aContinue reading “Review of “His Unconquerable Enemy” by W. C. Morrow: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Haunted and the Haunters” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton: Halloween Countdown
9) “The Haunted and the Haunters” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton Plot: The unnamed narrator of this story is happy to hear of a haunted house in London that no one seems to be able to spend more than a night or two in. A friend of his recounts how he and his wife booked rooms forContinue reading “Review of “The Haunted and the Haunters” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Bierce: Halloween Countdown
4)“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Bierce Plot: The story opens with one man reading an old account book in a room with six other silent men. On the table under a sheet is a corpse; this is an inquest. They await the arrival of a single witness, William Harker, a journalist from the city, whoContinue reading “Review of “The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Bierce: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “Berenice” by Edgar Allan Poe: Halloween Countdown
It’s that time of year again. Happy Halloween. 1) “Berenice” by Edgar Allan Poe Plot: Egaeus and his cousin Berenice have grown up together and live in an old family house. They are polar opposites. Egaeus tells the reader that Berenice is “agile, graceful, and overflowing with energy.” While he stays home and reads—or whatever—BereniceContinue reading “Review of “Berenice” by Edgar Allan Poe: Halloween Countdown”
Review of “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler
Note: The novel is set in a dystopian world where the social order has broken down. Violence, including murder, is common. It discusses rape and depicts acts of attempted rape and cannibalism. While the author does not glorify any of this, it can be hard to read. Plot: Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives with her BaptistContinue reading “Review of “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler”
Review of “Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
A note: The book reviewed below deals with clergy sexual abuse. The Stuff: Written by historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, this book examines Christian nationalism as an alien influence that first invaded and corrupted American evangelical Christianity and now threatens American society and government. Du Mez points to fear in an uncertain world—the threat ofContinue reading “Review of “Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez”
Review of “Bunny” by Mona Awad
Note: The book reviewed depicts the killing of animals. Plot: This horror novel is an absurdist, nightmarish, magical-realistic take on fine arts higher education. And some other stuff. The reader immediately sympathizes with Samantha, a second-year MFA student at elite—ahem—Warren University somewhere in New England. She remains an outsider in her Workshop program. The fourContinue reading “Review of “Bunny” by Mona Awad”
Review of “The Haunting of Paynes Hollow” by Kelley Armstrong
Plot: Twenty-six-year-old Samantha (but call her Sam) Payne is taking care of her ill mother when her fabulously wealthy grandfather dies. She’s not expecting an inheritance. The family doesn’t speak to her. Years earlier, when she was a child, she saw her father burying a child, a boy who had been pestering her, and reportedContinue reading “Review of “The Haunting of Paynes Hollow” by Kelley Armstrong”
Review of “Bastard out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison
A word: The work reviewed contains frank and violent depictions of child molestation and physical abuse. Plot:Ruth Anne “Bone” Boatwright comes into the world after her fifteen-year-old mother, Anney, is hurt in a car accident. Anney remains unconscious throughout the delivery but recovers. Granny and Aunt Ruth have tried to smooth things over with littleContinue reading “Review of “Bastard out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison”
