The Lottery and Other Stories (FSG Classics)

the lottery is a loud classic but the rest of the quiet horrors within are just as effective

Shame. Shame on me.
I read the warnings that this was not actually horror (aside from The Lottery) before I picked it up. I chose to interpret that as, "This is not actually horror for those of us who love horror." I chose to read it for my October spooooooooky book because I am the type who doesn't watch scary movies because they scare me and I don't like feeling scared. I interpreted that as, "This will be the perfect bit of horror for the type of person who handles very little of it."

If you are looking for the book to make you sleep with the lights on, this is not it.
If you are looking for the book to make you "tut tut" and then give a horrified "gasp!" at society, this may be it.

What a raw and clever display of society it is.

How can you not admire Shirley Jackson for taking a red hot poker approach to herd/pack mentality, sexism, racism? The "horror" of this book is waiting for that moment. The best way I can describe the feeling is like I was petting a feral animal with all the capability to shred me. Petting, petting, petting....are they going to snap or am I going to get away with it? That's what most of these stories felt like. And some snapped. And some just continued to let me pet, pet, pet until the last word.

You really need to grasp when this was originally published. Then you need to grasp the current year. And then marvel at both the progress and the lack of progress that's been made in that span of time.

4 Stars

I disliked this book very much. I was hoping by all the feedback from the back of the book, to others reviews that I would enjoy it but I did not. It lacked any correlation, the stories were weird, but not in a quirky or inquisitive way, just very empty. I struggled with this read so much that I never even finished it completely. I would also say this book is a hard book to read in a Bookclub unless you break down each story every few you’ve read through which we did not. I would save yourself the time, energy and money and let this “classic” live + die in the past.

Shirley Jackson is a really fantastic storyteller. I have yet to be disappointed by anything I've read by her. Many of these short stories were very cutting but omg if "The Lottery" isn't one of the scariest short stories of all-time!

Read them all, and "The Lottery" is still the best and most terrifying short story ever written (IMHO). That story alone gets a 10*. The rest range from okay to good. Most terrifying novel ever written? Again, IMHO: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Favorite Quote: " 'It isn't fair, it isn't right,' Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her."