Gothic Readers Book Club

The Gothic Readers Book Club is a gathering of like-minded souls who read Gothic literature. Our goal is promote the best in modern and classic Gothic literature from around the globe.

The anthology A Carnivale of Horror is an eclectic collection of circus-themed stories. Ray Bradbury's famous (or infamous) "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is the lead story and sets a great tone. There are freak shows, clowns, big tops, and plenty of horrors here. Stories like Tom Reamy's "Blind Voices" capture that strange, sinister edge that lurks around the circus and the old freak shows. Younger readers might not get the freak show concept entirely, but the fear is definitely there. John Connolly's story, "Some Children Wander by Mistake," is just plain disturbing. You will never look at clowns the same (if you don't already fear them). The big top theme does get a little repetitive and a few of the more experimental stories (Joe Hill's lack of narrative, for example) don't always work. The quality stories here are well worth the read and Bradbury's classic ties the whole thing together nicely.





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