Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ray Bradbury

Jim and Will were born minutes apart. They have grown up together and will be 13 at the end of the month of October. This unusual weekend in October has a carnival in town. Normally the carnivals only come in the summer, not autumn. But this is a new carnival. When they heard the train coming in at 3 AM, they slip out of their bedrooms and go out to the meadow to watch the carnival's arrival.

But this is a strange carnival. Their teacher Miss Foley entered the mirror maze and was frightened by strange reflections - a young girl, not the older woman she knows. The freaks were extreme examples of their types. The illustrated man, Mr. Dark, was totally covered, even to eyes on his knuckles. When the carnival breaks for supper, Will and Jim hide and watch. They can't believe what they see. When they are discovered, they are marked boys. They know that everyone in town is in danger from the carnival. But will they be able to survive and stay themselves before the carnival ends on Sunday?

Shiver - this is pure psychological horror. Ray Bradbury puts together a happy small midwest town and a bit of terror that doesn't fit the background. Will, Jim, and Will's father characters are well defined. Bradbury examines the human soul subtly, almost without the reader knowing. Charles Holloway is an older father which helps shape his personality.

I'd avoided this book for years - I don't always like to scare myself. Since I've been on a Bradbury kick this year, though, I finally steeled myself. It is as spooky as I expected - and as good as I expected. This book doesn't have the blood and gore but your mind won't let it go. Expect mental shivers.