SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“God, how we get our fingers in each other’s clay.”

This wasn’t scary. Plain and simple. More dark fantasy than real horror, I blame the mistake on myself for choosing it for my annual October spooky read, not knowing what to expect. With a title like this, can you blame me? But in finding it I found a sharp good-versus-evil tale set right down the street, the longing, angst, and anxiety of two young boys and their opposing temperaments changed overnight.

It’s been a long time since reading Fahrenheit 451, and while this wasn’t the chilling read I had hoped for, wow does it have a transfixing prose style. Enough to match the mysterious circus that comes to the boys’ town. The beauty in each line was remarkable. You don’t always come across a writer that wields words with such natural mastery like this, but it’s obvious in every line. I know Bradbury is widely hailed for his work, but I still shook my head multiple times because it was so poetically impressive.

Some of the real scares come from common fears we all share: the fear of growing older, or growing old too fast. Of time lost with loved ones, of not giving them the attention you should’ve. Of losing part of your identity when someone drifts too far. And of not knowing yourself, not knowing your own strength. Sometimes, we keep track of ourselves by how the relationships closest to us — or lack there of — are doing. But it can be hard to change whatever the status quo may be, even if we know it will help. Because overcoming a twisted carnival owner is one thing; bonding with an often just-out-of-reach family member is another.

I’m giving it four stars even though I see no need to revisit this, but I will definitely check out more Bradbury. I had fun reading the witchy language with a sixties tint and seeing a father find the courage to overcome his self-doubt and listen, really listen, to his son. I’m sure the good-read well goes much deeper than this one.

P.S. I’d heard my grandma use the word “criminently” countless times, but never in my life have I seen it printed or spoken elsewhere until now. Part of me wanted to give it a five star from that gift alone.