When you talk about Shirley Jackson then you immediately think about her stories detailing the supernatural world or other worldly characters. This anthology of her short stories – some published previously & some unpublished ones, cover both of these categories; but they are not limited to any particular genre here. There are total of 54 stories assembled in this collection and as it’s been noted in the introduction some of these light hearted stories written at the beginning of her career while some reflect mature voice of a well established writer.
Her country living, suburban lifestyle comes into play in several of the mothers in these stories; they are working moms or housewives, managing homes and kids, baking cookies for scouts, mending the gardens etc, On the other hand, the unmarried ladies come across as independent, thoughtful, well-read, intelligent lot; there are those dreaming of home & family but nonetheless keeping the adventurous spark in them alive in their heart.
It begins with the first story titled Smoking Room; where a college student makes a deal with the devil himself in the namesake room. She comes across as that mid-century modern American woman who knows exactly what she wants. Definitely a crackle of a read!
Another story which is well presented and which incidentally has two versions, is The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith. From the starting lines, we get this ominous feeling of not everything being all right or smooth as it’s seen. Out convictions are proven true once the fate of Mrs. Smiths comes into light and then we are just waiting for how the truth unfolds. Not to give away any spoilers, but both the endings are open for interpretation; it’s up to the readers to decide how the end approaches.
Another stories which could be hinting at supernatural angel but quite bizarre to label so and still, quite interesting to read with some mind bending materials are The Mouse, Lord of The Castle & My Uncle in the Garden to name prominent few. On the other hand, some have spooky elements but later turn out to be mystery stories such as The Order of Charlotte’s Going & The Missing Girl.
Some of these stories are excellent specimen of fiction writing – no suspense or supernatural elements; but just normal people with their mundane lives becoming part of a master storyteller’s universe. A Great Voice Stilled, The Friends, Whistler’s Grandmother & IOU; are some who fit very well in this category. But die-hard fans of horror stories would not be disappointed as stories such as All She Said Was Yes & Home can certainly give you creeps.
All-in-all, a mixed bag and appealing-to-all-kind-of-readers book. These stories will be liked and cherished by, not only by her fans but also by new readers unfamiliar to her work so far.
This is definitely worth your time and attention to spend some time with Shirley Jackson’s fascinating characters.