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Summary
Ray Bradbury has dramatized his literary classic, Something Wicked This Way Comes, into this first-class audio drama, produced by The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air, complete with a full cast, sound effects, and original music. "Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show" comes to Greentown, Illinois, one week before Halloween. Two boys, Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway, soon discover the evil of this carnival, which promises to make your every wish and dream come true. But with those wishes and dreams comes a price that must be paid. Behind the mirrors and the mazes is the nightmare of a lifetime.
The narration initially caught me off guard when I started this book. It had too much drama...but I decided to give it a shot, reminding myself of what intrigued me and prompted me to purchase this book. This was my first experience with Ray Bradbury's writing. Then it hit me that the two boys in the story were born on consecutive days (one before Halloween and the other on Halloween) and they were neighbors. Gradually, I grew accustomed to the narrator's voice and realized it was the perfect fit for reading Mr. Bradbury's poetic prose. I discovered a lot of depth and meaning in the story and I'm sure I'll need to reread it at some point to fully grasp it all. Christian Rummel did an excellent job narrating this book.
This book has a fantastic plot accompanied by incredible writing skills that left me longing for more. The author effectively creates a chilling atmosphere that intensifies as the story progresses.
I have a feeling that this started off as a short story that Bradbury expanded into a novel. Personally, I think it would have been better off as a shorter piece. The writing is overly embellished with convoluted similes and metaphors, to the point where you lose track of what's actually happening. Bradbury twists and contorts words to fit new contexts, which I found incredibly frustrating to read page after page, like a never-ending rainstorm that echoes with the movements of a white tiger in the shadows of the moon. You get the idea - it's just confusing and doesn't make much sense. That's basically the entire book summed up!
On the bright side, the narrator did a fantastic job with the audiobook, if that counts for anything.
The way the author described things in this book was both fascinating and captivating. However, it did slow down the pace of the story to the extent that there were moments when you just wished it would end. Nonetheless, the performance of the narrator was absolutely marvelous. Personally, I don't think I'll be reading or listening to anything else from this author again. It was just too long-winded for my taste. Although, I must admit that the verbose style did contribute effectively to the eerie atmosphere the author was aiming for.
Ray Bradbury's collection of short stories is widely loved, but his attempt at a novella in "Something Wicked This Way Comes" falls short. The excessive use of poetic language and metaphors overwhelms the already limited plot. I seem to be in the minority here, as many rave about this book, but I can't help but feel like the little kid pointing out that the emperor is naked. If I were Bradbury, I would describe the novella's plot as being drowned in the overpowering scent of lilac, just like a lonely great aunt who fills her world with an artificial sweetness to hide her loneliness. If flowery language is your cup of tea, then this book is for you, as there is an abundance of it. However, as you try to decipher what is happening with the characters, you may find yourself choking on the excessive prose. Apologies, Ray. On a positive note, the narrator does a commendable job.
I think my biggest mistake was starting to listen to this book at the beginning of summer. Bradbury really captures the eerie nostalgia of autumn in this novel, so it feels like it belongs to a specific time and place. It felt out of sync with the sunny weather and beaches, and I think it would have been more enjoyable if there was a crisp chill in the air.
The story revolves around the strange arrival of a circus that disrupts the lives of two adventurous young boys. Bradbury's storytelling skills are on full display as he sets the stage with a sense of foreboding and unease. It's a mix of mystery and horror, but as always with Bradbury, there's enough substance, philosophy, and sincerity to keep it engaging.
Bradbury's upside-down world is showcased at its best in this tale, and he really indulges in the language, playing with alliteration and being a bit extravagant at times. However, it's still a great choice for those looking to get into the spirit of fall.
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