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A review by maxsebastian
Doorbells at Dusk by Charles Gramlich, Gregor Xane, Joe Koch, Chad Lutzke, Lisa Lepovetsky, Ian Welke, Evans Light, Josh Malerman, Thomas Vaughn, Amber Fallon, Joshua Viola, Adam Light, Sean Eads, Curtis M. Lawson, Jason Parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
With central themes around the loss of childhood innocence, nostalgia, and avoiding serial killers, Doorbells at Dusk is a very solid Halloween focused horror short story collection.
It is very important to note that Doorbells at Dusk is a truly Halloween (not just spooky) collection of stories. It's filled with moments that make me think about my childhood while also giving me some good scares that would have been way to much for me as a kid. While nostalgic, the collection is a horror book. I do wish I could find some more cozy halloween stories, but this stuff is great regardless.
Over this book, we get a lot of things. Stories about mystical creatures, scary next door neighbors, ghosts, and even aliens(?). Doorbells at Dusk is full of tales of different lengths and themes. One commonality though is that of damaged viewpoint characters. In nearly every story, the main protagonist exhibits intense personality traits influenced by a traumatic past. While an interesting focus, this could be triggering for some readers.
Taking a gander at some modern Halloween short stories this Halloween season was fascinating. Excited to do it again next year!
It is very important to note that Doorbells at Dusk is a truly Halloween (not just spooky) collection of stories. It's filled with moments that make me think about my childhood while also giving me some good scares that would have been way to much for me as a kid. While nostalgic, the collection is a horror book. I do wish I could find some more cozy halloween stories, but this stuff is great regardless.
Over this book, we get a lot of things. Stories about mystical creatures, scary next door neighbors, ghosts, and even aliens(?). Doorbells at Dusk is full of tales of different lengths and themes. One commonality though is that of damaged viewpoint characters. In nearly every story, the main protagonist exhibits intense personality traits influenced by a traumatic past. While an interesting focus, this could be triggering for some readers.
Taking a gander at some modern Halloween short stories this Halloween season was fascinating. Excited to do it again next year!