Book Review: Shirley Jackson's Dark Tales
I just finished reading a collection of Shirley Jackson stories, Dark Tales. I have always been a fan of Shirley Jackson, ever since I first discovered The Haunting of Hill House years ago, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one of the most gleefully haunting and disturbing books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Needless to say, I was very excited when I discovered this recently compiled collection of some of her most macabre works. I can also say with certainty that I was not disappointed. Highlights include:
"Paranoia"
This story is slightly but delightfully mad, concerning a man on his way home from work who is slowly coming to the realization that he is being followed by someone with ill intentions and that there just might be a greater conspiracy at work, with multiple people out to do him harm. This story ratchets up the protagonist's paranoia, and reminds me of that saying, "Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out get you."
"The Story We Used to Tell"
This melancholy story concerns a haunted picture and those trapped within it, stuck forever in the house portrayed behind the glass. This one is sad and spooky and a more traditional horror story than some of Jackson's other works.
"Jack the Ripper"
A presumably good samaritan turns out to be something much more sinister. You can kind of guess from the title where this one is going, but there is still much fun to be had in getting there. A very short story, but one of my favorites in the collection.
"What a Thought"
What a wicked little tale! This is the shortest story in the book, but it packs a delightful punch. A devoted wife finds homicidal fantasies suddenly intruding into her thoughts one evening. This one is a delicious bite-sized treat.
"A Visit"
This one is an old favorite of mine; I read it in a different collection many years ago. In the story, Margaret is visiting a school friend's home for the summer. The house where she is staying is magnificent and mysterious, but something about some of its inhabitants is just a little bit off. This tale is charming, as well as eerie, and while the vague ending may leave some readers wanting more, it fits perfectly with the dream like nature of the story.
"The Man in the Woods"
A man traveling through the woods on foot encounters an isolated house and it's odd inhabitants. "The Man in the Woods" reminded me of an old folk or fairy tale, and was intriguing, although I would have liked it to be a little longer and more detailed.
"The Summer People"
A city couple decide to stay in their summer home in the country past Labor Day, and things take a sinister turn. To say too much more would ruin the suspense, but this is a moody story, filled with a palpable sense of dread.
"Home"
Another more traditional ghost story, this one is also a lot of fun. Ethel Sloane has just moved into a manor in the country, and is warned by the locals not to use the main road to her new house when it is raining. Disregarding their warnings, she runs into a little boy and an old woman standing on the side of the road, and her attempts to help the apparently stranded duo lead her into danger.
"Paranoia"
This story is slightly but delightfully mad, concerning a man on his way home from work who is slowly coming to the realization that he is being followed by someone with ill intentions and that there just might be a greater conspiracy at work, with multiple people out to do him harm. This story ratchets up the protagonist's paranoia, and reminds me of that saying, "Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out get you."
"The Story We Used to Tell"
This melancholy story concerns a haunted picture and those trapped within it, stuck forever in the house portrayed behind the glass. This one is sad and spooky and a more traditional horror story than some of Jackson's other works.
"Jack the Ripper"
A presumably good samaritan turns out to be something much more sinister. You can kind of guess from the title where this one is going, but there is still much fun to be had in getting there. A very short story, but one of my favorites in the collection.
"What a Thought"
What a wicked little tale! This is the shortest story in the book, but it packs a delightful punch. A devoted wife finds homicidal fantasies suddenly intruding into her thoughts one evening. This one is a delicious bite-sized treat.
"A Visit"
This one is an old favorite of mine; I read it in a different collection many years ago. In the story, Margaret is visiting a school friend's home for the summer. The house where she is staying is magnificent and mysterious, but something about some of its inhabitants is just a little bit off. This tale is charming, as well as eerie, and while the vague ending may leave some readers wanting more, it fits perfectly with the dream like nature of the story.
"The Man in the Woods"
A man traveling through the woods on foot encounters an isolated house and it's odd inhabitants. "The Man in the Woods" reminded me of an old folk or fairy tale, and was intriguing, although I would have liked it to be a little longer and more detailed.
"The Summer People"
A city couple decide to stay in their summer home in the country past Labor Day, and things take a sinister turn. To say too much more would ruin the suspense, but this is a moody story, filled with a palpable sense of dread.
"Home"
Another more traditional ghost story, this one is also a lot of fun. Ethel Sloane has just moved into a manor in the country, and is warned by the locals not to use the main road to her new house when it is raining. Disregarding their warnings, she runs into a little boy and an old woman standing on the side of the road, and her attempts to help the apparently stranded duo lead her into danger.
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