Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Something Wicked This Way Comes


Bradbury, Ray. Something Wicked This Way Comes.

After reading Chris' review of Something Wicked This Way Comes, I really couldn't resist picking it up on my next library visit. (I ended up taking several Bradbury's home with me though this was the only one I got read this past week.) There is something so delicious about Bradbury's style. I still don't know if I'm actually in love with the style or the content. I guess a bit of both. But for me it's all about the style. It is how the story is told. The words, the phrases, the images. I think if this story had been written by another writer, it wouldn't have "grabbed" me as much as it did. This is a book that gets you at hello. Read the first few paragraphs and see what I mean:

First of all, it was October, a rare month for boys. Not that all months aren't rare. But there be bad and good, as the pirates say. Take September, a bad month: school begins. Consider August, a good month: school hasn't begun yet. July, well, July's really fine: there's no chance in the world for school. June, no doubting it, June's best of all, for the school doors spring wide and September's a billion years away.

But you take October, now. School's been on a month and you're riding easier in the reins, jogging along. You got time to think of the garbage you'll dump on old man Prickett's porch, or the hairy-ape costume you'll wear to the YMCA the last nightof the month. And if it's around October twentieth and everything smoky-smelling and the sky orange and ash gray at twilight, it seems Halloween will never come in a fall of broomsticks and a soft flap of bedsheets around corners.
But one strange wild dark long year, Halloween came early.

One year Halloween came on October 24, three hours after midnight.

At that time James Nightshade of 97 Oak Street was thirteen years, eleven months, twenty-three days old. Next door, William Halloway was thirteen years, eleven months and twenty-four days old. Both touched toward fourteen; it almost trembled in their hands.

And that was the October week when they grew up overnight, and were never so young any more...
(1-2)

I really can't say much more about it. Two friends. One big adventure. A Carnival with the wrong sorts of people. It is one thrilling ride of a book.

4 comments:

Ana S. said...

I also cannot imagine this book being written by any other writer. There's just something about the way he words things that is perfect. I really need to read more of his work.

Barbara O'Connor said...

I love that book! I haven't thought about it in years. I might have to go back and read it!

Barbara

Debi said...

I'm in the middle of this one right now. (I'd have finished it last weekend if my daughter hadn't taken it off with her to her grandparents for the week. Even checked our library, but their copy was checked out.) But from what I've read so far, I just couldn't agree with you more. I was immediately hooked! In a way, I don't ever want to finish it, because I am soooo in love with Bradbury's way of writing! I honestly can't remember when I've fallen so in love with the words in a book...how he put them together so magically is truly a thing of beauty. I'm really interested to read some more of his books, too. Wonder if they could possibly be quite so exquisite.

chrisa511 said...

How did I miss that you read this one? lol...I just saw it on the RIP review site. So glad you enjoyed it as well! Wasn't it great? Just ordered The Halloween Tree from Amazon and I'm hoping I get it in time to read Halloween night! I got the free shipping which may have been a bad decision, but that's usually even quick..we'll see :/