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The Beast You Are
A haunting collection of short fiction from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club , A Head Full of Ghosts , and The Cabin at the End of the World. Paul Tremblay has won widespread acclaim for illuminating the dark horrors of the mind in novels and stories that push the boundaries of storytelling itself. The fifteen pieces in this brilliant collection, The Beast You Are , are all monsters of a kind, ready to loudly (and lovingly) smash through your head and into your heart. In “The Dead Thing,” a middle-schooler struggles to deal with the aftermath of her parents’ substance addictions and split. One day, her little brother claims he found a shoebox with “the dead thing” inside. He won’t show it to her and he won’t let the box out of his sight. In “The Last Conversation,” a person wakes in a sterile, white room and begins to receive instructions via intercom from a woman named Anne. When they are finally allowed to leave the room to complete a task, what they find is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. The title novella, “The Beast You Are,” is a mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog, and a cat are intertwined with a giant monster that returns to wreak havoc every thirty years. A masterpiece of literary horror and psychological suspense, The Beast You Are is a fearlessly imagined collection from one of the most electrifying and innovative writers working today.
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First published July 11, 2023
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About the author
Paul Tremblay
127 books11.8k followersPaul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, the Sheridan Le Fanu, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Horror Movie, The Beast You, Are, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, Growing Things, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His novel The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted as the Universal Pictures film Knock at the Cabin. His short fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly online, and numerous year’s-best anthologies. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and lives outside Boston with his family. He is represented by Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 680 reviews
November 21, 2023
This is an experimental, rich, and adventurous collection of flash fiction pieces, short stories, and a striking novella that shares its name with the book. It takes readers on a journey that tiptoes around different genres, including horror, thriller, drama, and shockingly, romance! Exorcism, grief, pandemic, monsters, and childhood fears are among the different topics the author has worked on to craft the stories in this book.
I loved the epic opening with "Haunted House Tour," a quietly genuine story about an adult facing his childhood memories by rummaging through a box belonging to his teenage years. He finds a picture that forces him to trip down memory lane, recalling the first girl he had a crush on who gave him a special tour of a haunted house, turning into one of his most terrifying and embarrassing experiences he wishes he could take back!
My favorite story was "I Know You Were There," a heart-wrenching and poignant love story that realistically tells the intense pain of grief that never properly heals.
"Red Eyes" is also a great bone-chilling monster story that I truly enjoyed.
I advise reading Tremblay's "A Head Full of Ghosts" before diving into this anthology because there are references to the book that help readers understand the sarcastic hints and the entire execution so much better.
Overall, this is an absolutely interesting and captivating bunch of well-written works that I highly recommend to thriller, horror, and drama lovers!
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
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I loved the epic opening with "Haunted House Tour," a quietly genuine story about an adult facing his childhood memories by rummaging through a box belonging to his teenage years. He finds a picture that forces him to trip down memory lane, recalling the first girl he had a crush on who gave him a special tour of a haunted house, turning into one of his most terrifying and embarrassing experiences he wishes he could take back!
My favorite story was "I Know You Were There," a heart-wrenching and poignant love story that realistically tells the intense pain of grief that never properly heals.
"Red Eyes" is also a great bone-chilling monster story that I truly enjoyed.
I advise reading Tremblay's "A Head Full of Ghosts" before diving into this anthology because there are references to the book that help readers understand the sarcastic hints and the entire execution so much better.
Overall, this is an absolutely interesting and captivating bunch of well-written works that I highly recommend to thriller, horror, and drama lovers!
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 15, 2023
Paul Tremblay can write and has such a creative mind. I struggled with how to rate this book. There were ones that I thought were very good and others were good but didn't knock my socks off. But it is like that with short story collections, some will resonate more than others. But what I do love is his writing and how he inherently knows how to create tension, creepiness, and vivid characters. This book is categorized as horror and yet, it feels more like science fiction with creepy things happening.
There is a novella at the end, which I have mixed feelings about. It is a unique style and not one that blew me away.
I find that I enjoy his novels more than his short stories and/novellas.
Well written, experimental, and creative.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
There is a novella at the end, which I have mixed feelings about. It is a unique style and not one that blew me away.
I find that I enjoy his novels more than his short stories and/novellas.
Well written, experimental, and creative.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
May 8, 2024
**3.5-star rounded up**
The Beast You Are: Stories is a recently compiled collection of short works from beloved author, Paul Tremblay.
I have enjoyed three previous novels from Tremblay, but have never read any of his shorter works. I was happy to receive a copy from the publisher and check them out.
Overall, I felt like this was an interesting collection. It's quite a mix of topics, which made every new story feel fresh and unique. Additionally, I think it's a great example of Tremblay's creativity and speculative style of storytelling.
Unfortunately though, the last story, the novella for which the collection is named, was my least favorite. Therefore, it ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth at the close, which isn't how I like to finish off a collection.
Other than that one though, I felt it was very solid.
I loved how a couple of the stories are lightly connected to A Head Full of Ghosts. That was fun, like little Easter Eggs.
That has been my favorite of Tremblay's novels, so it was exciting to see those connections revisited here.
I believe the majority of these stories have been previously published in other collections, or magazines, etc., but this is the first time they have ever been presented together.
I think for long-time Tremblay fans, this will be an enjoyable way to get your hands on so many of his shorter works. I would absolutely recommend it to those readers looking to get easy access to that type of story.
I'm happy I read this. Always happy to be reading Tremblay and am looking forward to whatever he publishes next!!
Thank you so much to William Morrow for providing me with a copy. I appreciate it!
The Beast You Are: Stories is a recently compiled collection of short works from beloved author, Paul Tremblay.
I have enjoyed three previous novels from Tremblay, but have never read any of his shorter works. I was happy to receive a copy from the publisher and check them out.
Overall, I felt like this was an interesting collection. It's quite a mix of topics, which made every new story feel fresh and unique. Additionally, I think it's a great example of Tremblay's creativity and speculative style of storytelling.
Unfortunately though, the last story, the novella for which the collection is named, was my least favorite. Therefore, it ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth at the close, which isn't how I like to finish off a collection.
Other than that one though, I felt it was very solid.
I loved how a couple of the stories are lightly connected to A Head Full of Ghosts. That was fun, like little Easter Eggs.
That has been my favorite of Tremblay's novels, so it was exciting to see those connections revisited here.
I believe the majority of these stories have been previously published in other collections, or magazines, etc., but this is the first time they have ever been presented together.
I think for long-time Tremblay fans, this will be an enjoyable way to get your hands on so many of his shorter works. I would absolutely recommend it to those readers looking to get easy access to that type of story.
I'm happy I read this. Always happy to be reading Tremblay and am looking forward to whatever he publishes next!!
Thank you so much to William Morrow for providing me with a copy. I appreciate it!
March 21, 2023
i am told there is more KAREN BRISSETTE CONTENT in this one. let's see if she's as cool as ORIGINAL RECIPE BRISSY!
September 1, 2023
i'm gonna be real with you chief, i hated every minute of reading this.
June 7, 2023
Honestly, this ended up being kind of a chore to get through for me. There were ups and downs but the last bit especially dragged for me. I'm not really sure why this is being marketed as Horror, while you can feel then tension/anxiety in these stories it still felt much closer to Sci-fi with a splash of thriller. I think I've read too many fantastic Horror short story compilations recently to thoroughly enjoy this enough. It was not what I was anticipating. I was never truly invested in any of these tales.
I received a copy of this book from William Morrow via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
I received a copy of this book from William Morrow via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
October 25, 2023
Paul Tremblay has earned a reputation within the horror community as a writer who writes stories that don’t end. (He’s well aware of this reputation, even making fun of himself about this point in one of his stories.) I think it’s an unfair reputation.
Tremblay’s stories and novels don’t always have a traditional sense of closure, I’ll give you that. Part of the problem is that Tremblay’s endings aren’t what most people expect or like. His endings more often than not purposely overturn normal expectations, ending up somewhere the reader never saw coming. More often than not, they are endings that the reader could never classify as “happy” or satisfying. More often than not, they are horrific endings, in which none of the characters come out unscathed or even alive.
Then again, he is writing in the horror genre. So, there’s that.
Personally, I love Tremblay. I love the way his stories throw me for a loop every time. They leave me reeling and dizzy sometimes, like after a good roller coaster ride or after watching a David Lynch film.
I suppose if you don’t like when writers end a story with a clear “the end”, then you probably won’t like Tremblay. His stories typically end like this: “…”
“The Beast You Are” is Tremblay’s first short story collection since his 2019 “Growing Things”, previously-published stories compiled from a variety of different magazines and anthologies.
The only exception is the brilliant novella-in-free-verse-poetry-form titular story written specifically for this collection, which is, essentially, “Zootopia” meets “The Silence of the Lambs”. To say more would be to drop spoilers, and, personally, I feel like I dropped too many there already.
This collection shows Tremblay’s range, as the stories can be funny (“The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition”) to downright horrifying (“The Dead Thing”) to somewhat accessible (“The last Conversation”) to completely “WTF is going on?” (“House of Windows”, “Howard Sturgis and the Letters and the Van and What He Found When He Went Back to the House”).
Every story in this collection is great and cements, for me, the fact that Tremblay is one of the best writers currently working in the horror genre.
Tremblay’s stories and novels don’t always have a traditional sense of closure, I’ll give you that. Part of the problem is that Tremblay’s endings aren’t what most people expect or like. His endings more often than not purposely overturn normal expectations, ending up somewhere the reader never saw coming. More often than not, they are endings that the reader could never classify as “happy” or satisfying. More often than not, they are horrific endings, in which none of the characters come out unscathed or even alive.
Then again, he is writing in the horror genre. So, there’s that.
Personally, I love Tremblay. I love the way his stories throw me for a loop every time. They leave me reeling and dizzy sometimes, like after a good roller coaster ride or after watching a David Lynch film.
I suppose if you don’t like when writers end a story with a clear “the end”, then you probably won’t like Tremblay. His stories typically end like this: “…”
“The Beast You Are” is Tremblay’s first short story collection since his 2019 “Growing Things”, previously-published stories compiled from a variety of different magazines and anthologies.
The only exception is the brilliant novella-in-free-verse-poetry-form titular story written specifically for this collection, which is, essentially, “Zootopia” meets “The Silence of the Lambs”. To say more would be to drop spoilers, and, personally, I feel like I dropped too many there already.
This collection shows Tremblay’s range, as the stories can be funny (“The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition”) to downright horrifying (“The Dead Thing”) to somewhat accessible (“The last Conversation”) to completely “WTF is going on?” (“House of Windows”, “Howard Sturgis and the Letters and the Van and What He Found When He Went Back to the House”).
Every story in this collection is great and cements, for me, the fact that Tremblay is one of the best writers currently working in the horror genre.
August 13, 2023
I'm a big fan of Paul Tremblay's work and I was excited to read his latest collection of short stories, The Beast You Are. I was impressed by the variety and creativity of his horror stories, which range from psychological to supernatural to cosmic. He also brings back some familiar characters from his previous books, like Karen Brissette, Merry, and Marjorie, but in different contexts and perspectives. My favourite story in the collection was "I Know You Were There", which was a haunting and emotional tale of grief and guilt. It gave me chills and made me look over my shoulder.
Of course, not every story in the collection was a hit for me. Some of them felt too short or too vague to have a lasting impact. I also felt that the collection lacked a clear theme or connection between the stories. It seemed more like a random assortment of Tremblay's works than a curated selection. However, if you're a fan of Paul Tremblay's novels or if you enjoy horror stories in general, I'd recommend giving The Beast You Are a chance. You'll probably find something to appreciate and enjoy in this collection.
Of course, not every story in the collection was a hit for me. Some of them felt too short or too vague to have a lasting impact. I also felt that the collection lacked a clear theme or connection between the stories. It seemed more like a random assortment of Tremblay's works than a curated selection. However, if you're a fan of Paul Tremblay's novels or if you enjoy horror stories in general, I'd recommend giving The Beast You Are a chance. You'll probably find something to appreciate and enjoy in this collection.
July 20, 2023
“I’m afraid that’s what goes on in all adults' heads, I’m afraid all they think about is doing violent, terrible, no-good things, and especially to the people they’re supposed to take care of. I mean all the violence in the world has to start in our heads, right?”
Another literary work of Paul Tremblay's that I thoroughly enjoyed. Psychological, experimental, emotional, unsettling, sometimes creepy, with a few inconclusive endings I’ve come to know so well in Tremblay’s storytelling. Definitely add this one to your reading lists!
Another literary work of Paul Tremblay's that I thoroughly enjoyed. Psychological, experimental, emotional, unsettling, sometimes creepy, with a few inconclusive endings I’ve come to know so well in Tremblay’s storytelling. Definitely add this one to your reading lists!
March 13, 2023
This book has 15 short stories and I thought most of them were really good, and I recommend this book to adults.I received this book from Goodreads giveaway and of course Paul Trenblay.
July 4, 2023
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
The last story went on forever, was the longest story and truly confusing. It was some confusing swirl of writing that mimicked a poem and I booed it. It's called free verse. I quit reading after I got to the second age piece of it (FYI there’s three ages). Bah.
There were one or two stories I enjoyed but most had me sighing. Tremblay is hit or miss for me on a good day and this collection felt mostly like misses.
Full review:
"Ice Cold Lemonade 25 cents
Haunted House Tour: 1 Per Person"-(3.5 stars)-It started off promising. An older man now recounting a story about a teenage crush he had and the time he came by and visited her "haunted house." I don't know where the story was going. I think that at times it was trying too hard and adding in details that didn't work. But when Tremblay showed a picture of the drawing that started some of the young girl's nightmares, it didn't work for me. I think the image I had in my head was scarier and I thought the drawing was kind of lame.
"Mean Time" (3 stars)-Not really a scary story, but a story of a young boy who does something mean to an older man that uses chalk sticks to find his way home at the end of the day.
"I Know You're There" (3.5 stars)-I thought this was a good story, about the nature of grief. The repetitiveness of the story the character Silas tells everyone though about finding his husband dead started to take me out of the story. And honestly, at the end I wondered what was I supposed to think. It felt a bit like "Disappearance at Devil's Rock" in parts.
"The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition" (3 stars)-No offense but I am tired of hearing about Marjorie and Merry from "A Head Full of Ghosts". I feel like that story has been milked. Reading a short story which are nasty letters to the editor of some journal called Fangoria. It just didn't add anything new.
"Red Eyes" (2 stars)-This one once again starts Marjorie, Merry, and their parents, but different versions of them. The story is told from it seems an unknown person whose sister told them this "scary" story. In this one though it's real obvious who is good and who is bad. I just shrugged at the end.
"The Blog at the End of the World" (4 stars)-Tremblay's version of COVID-19 and the deaths that were going on with those who still kept denying what was happening. I liked this story much more than the ones that came before it.
"Them: A Pitch" (1 star)-Really short and honestly baffled it was included. It's a pitch about a show I assume. I just went what in the world. At least it was short.
"House of Windows" (4 stars)-This one was interesting, a version of House of Leaves I think. I wish it had been longer.
"The Last Conversation" (5 stars)-I read this story a while ago in Blake Crouch's Forward collection. Other readers may have too. I could not very well rate it lower even though I read it before. I thought it was a shame that something I read years ago was one of the better stories in this collection.
"Mostly Size" (2 stars)-Really short. About a monster.
"The Large Man" (4 stars)-Really interesting story about some fictional secret society made up of Problem Solvers and those they serve called the The Consortium. I thought it was interesting and I liked the ending. Left me with more questions than answers though.
"The Dead Thing" (4.5 stars)-I think most of my issue with Tremblay is that he will provide us with something interesting and there's not enough details to satisfy me. I don't need to have things spelled out for me in excruciating detail, but sometimes some hints would be nice. It took a while for me to get into this story of an older protective sister named and her brother Owen. You get enough dribs and drabs to find out the kids mother abandoned them. Was actually kind of terrible, but their life with their father is worse. And then Owen finds something that is in a box.
"Howard Sturgis and the Letters and the Van and What He Found When He Went Back to His House" (1 star)-No. An endless story that had me bored out of my mind.
"The Party" (5 stars)-The second 5 star read in my humble opinion. A send-up of Shirley Jackson and I definitely caught those vibes. I loved the story from beginning to end and wondered if the world really did end.
"The Beast You Are" (1 star)-This is the free verse story that has three books and they are called "The First Age, The Second Age, and Third Age." I don't know, cat people? Something. I lost total interest after I saw the second age. The first age starts at 45 percent (I was reading via my Kindle) and the final story ends at 96 percent. I am not made of stone people. I was not doing this to myself. So I skimmed and then went seriously when I realized the rest of the book was going to be about this long drawn out weird story. In his notes, Tremblay brings up how he was always wanted to write an anthropomorphic animal story a la "Watership Down" and how he loved Smaug from "The Hobbit". So congrats on doing it I guess? I did not like this at all.
The last story went on forever, was the longest story and truly confusing. It was some confusing swirl of writing that mimicked a poem and I booed it. It's called free verse. I quit reading after I got to the second age piece of it (FYI there’s three ages). Bah.
There were one or two stories I enjoyed but most had me sighing. Tremblay is hit or miss for me on a good day and this collection felt mostly like misses.
Full review:
"
Haunted House Tour: 1 Per Person"-(3.5 stars)-It started off promising. An older man now recounting a story about a teenage crush he had and the time he came by and visited her "haunted house." I don't know where the story was going. I think that at times it was trying too hard and adding in details that didn't work. But when Tremblay showed a picture of the drawing that started some of the young girl's nightmares, it didn't work for me. I think the image I had in my head was scarier and I thought the drawing was kind of lame.
"Mean Time" (3 stars)-Not really a scary story, but a story of a young boy who does something mean to an older man that uses chalk sticks to find his way home at the end of the day.
"I Know You're There" (3.5 stars)-I thought this was a good story, about the nature of grief. The repetitiveness of the story the character Silas tells everyone though about finding his husband dead started to take me out of the story. And honestly, at the end I wondered what was I supposed to think. It felt a bit like "Disappearance at Devil's Rock" in parts.
"The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition" (3 stars)-No offense but I am tired of hearing about Marjorie and Merry from "A Head Full of Ghosts". I feel like that story has been milked. Reading a short story which are nasty letters to the editor of some journal called Fangoria. It just didn't add anything new.
"Red Eyes" (2 stars)-This one once again starts Marjorie, Merry, and their parents, but different versions of them. The story is told from it seems an unknown person whose sister told them this "scary" story. In this one though it's real obvious who is good and who is bad. I just shrugged at the end.
"The Blog at the End of the World" (4 stars)-Tremblay's version of COVID-19 and the deaths that were going on with those who still kept denying what was happening. I liked this story much more than the ones that came before it.
"Them: A Pitch" (1 star)-Really short and honestly baffled it was included. It's a pitch about a show I assume. I just went what in the world. At least it was short.
"House of Windows" (4 stars)-This one was interesting, a version of House of Leaves I think. I wish it had been longer.
"The Last Conversation" (5 stars)-I read this story a while ago in Blake Crouch's Forward collection. Other readers may have too. I could not very well rate it lower even though I read it before. I thought it was a shame that something I read years ago was one of the better stories in this collection.
"Mostly Size" (2 stars)-Really short. About a monster.
"The Large Man" (4 stars)-Really interesting story about some fictional secret society made up of Problem Solvers and those they serve called the The Consortium. I thought it was interesting and I liked the ending. Left me with more questions than answers though.
"The Dead Thing" (4.5 stars)-I think most of my issue with Tremblay is that he will provide us with something interesting and there's not enough details to satisfy me. I don't need to have things spelled out for me in excruciating detail, but sometimes some hints would be nice. It took a while for me to get into this story of an older protective sister named and her brother Owen. You get enough dribs and drabs to find out the kids mother abandoned them. Was actually kind of terrible, but their life with their father is worse. And then Owen finds something that is in a box.
"Howard Sturgis and the Letters and the Van and What He Found When He Went Back to His House" (1 star)-No. An endless story that had me bored out of my mind.
"The Party" (5 stars)-The second 5 star read in my humble opinion. A send-up of Shirley Jackson and I definitely caught those vibes. I loved the story from beginning to end and wondered if the world really did end.
"The Beast You Are" (1 star)-This is the free verse story that has three books and they are called "The First Age, The Second Age, and Third Age." I don't know, cat people? Something. I lost total interest after I saw the second age. The first age starts at 45 percent (I was reading via my Kindle) and the final story ends at 96 percent. I am not made of stone people. I was not doing this to myself. So I skimmed and then went seriously when I realized the rest of the book was going to be about this long drawn out weird story. In his notes, Tremblay brings up how he was always wanted to write an anthropomorphic animal story a la "Watership Down" and how he loved Smaug from "The Hobbit". So congrats on doing it I guess? I did not like this at all.
July 5, 2023
Disappointment of the year award. Paul Tremblay's books are an auto-buy for me, but bloody hell this was a chore to read. Most of the stories were just words with no sense or meaning, a couple I've already read elsewhere. Out of 15 pieces in the collection, none is memorable and I have no interest ever revisiting any of them. He already had one collection, Growing Things and Other Stories, and these were not included so it looks like his publishers just threw some random old stories together to get a book out. I'm so, so disappointed.
The "Story Notes" section at the end was Paul Tremblay's brain dump that clearly was not seen by any editor and - I'm not having a go because I can't stress enough how much I love Tremblay's novels (minus The Pallbearers Club lol) - but what is the point of this? As a reader, I don't get anything from that part, and this book in general. Obviously, I'll pre-order whatever he writes next, but this was just such a big miss.
Lastly, this is more of speculative or sci-fi but not horror, so please, publishers etc., let's stop labelling 'horror' something that is clearly not horror. Ugh.
The "Story Notes" section at the end was Paul Tremblay's brain dump that clearly was not seen by any editor and - I'm not having a go because I can't stress enough how much I love Tremblay's novels (minus The Pallbearers Club lol) - but what is the point of this? As a reader, I don't get anything from that part, and this book in general. Obviously, I'll pre-order whatever he writes next, but this was just such a big miss.
Lastly, this is more of speculative or sci-fi but not horror, so please, publishers etc., let's stop labelling 'horror' something that is clearly not horror. Ugh.
June 22, 2023
I love how Paul Tremblay’s books and short stories employ different types of horror. He doesn’t just have one lane that he sticks in. It’s also cool to see returning characters like Karen Brissette, Merry, and Marjorie, sometimes with different roles than their original stories. I think my favorite story in the collection was “I Know You Were There.” It’s emotionally impactful and also made me feel like something was standing over my shoulder. I also particularly enjoyed “The Blog at the End of the World” and “Last Conversation.”
As with any collection, some stories are stronger than others. I also think it’s pretty apparent that these were not all written to be in a collection together. It just never feels like a cohesive whole. If you’re a fan of Paul Tremblay’s novels but have never checked out his short stories, I’d say to give The Beast You Are a try. Even if you don’t absolutely love every story, there’s probably something you’ll find to enjoy.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As with any collection, some stories are stronger than others. I also think it’s pretty apparent that these were not all written to be in a collection together. It just never feels like a cohesive whole. If you’re a fan of Paul Tremblay’s novels but have never checked out his short stories, I’d say to give The Beast You Are a try. Even if you don’t absolutely love every story, there’s probably something you’ll find to enjoy.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2024
I really wanted to love this collection as Paul Tremblay is one of my favorite horror authors but sadly there were certain stories that I did not enjoy, which lowered my rating for the overall collection.
As is typical with Paul Tremblay, the stories are quite weird and ambiguous. There were some that stood out that I really enjoyed - my favorites being: Haunted House, I Know You’re There, The Last Conversations and The Blog at the End of the World.
However, a lot of the stories were either too short to make any kind of impact or they were building tension towards what could have been a great reveal but then ended too abruptly. In that regard, they felt more like intriguing concepts rather than fully developed stories.
As is typical with Paul Tremblay, the stories are quite weird and ambiguous. There were some that stood out that I really enjoyed - my favorites being: Haunted House, I Know You’re There, The Last Conversations and The Blog at the End of the World.
However, a lot of the stories were either too short to make any kind of impact or they were building tension towards what could have been a great reveal but then ended too abruptly. In that regard, they felt more like intriguing concepts rather than fully developed stories.
August 4, 2023
This may be one of the most bizarre collection of short stories I have ever read. I’ve heard a lot about this author but I am pretty sure this is my first and I think it was probably a weird place to start. I found a couple of the stories to be excellent and a couple to be misses for me but overall I thought they were good. I thought the last “story” was too long and the free verse format got old after a while, it was more than half the book in length. My favorite story is The Last Conversation. It would make a great episode of Black Mirror and was good and had a disturbing twist with the ending that was perfect for a story like this. I also really liked House of Windows, but I thought it could have been longer and maybe even a novella. Overall this was interesting and I will read more by this author. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars which I rounded up because I liked the overall vibe of the book.
May 3, 2023
My favorite thing about Paul Tremblay is how he plays with the idea of novel/la. A great example is his last book, The Pallbearers which included notes and scribbles and scrawls. I loved it and love anytime someone colors outside the lines.
This series of shorts is similar. There are multiple stories where you need to catch up quickly to what Tremblay is doing - some are super short and more like a draft of something we will see in the future. All require your full attention for the conclusion, in class Tremblay style.
If you are a Tremblay fan, or just love haunting short stories, this is a fun and creepy book for you!
#WilliamMorrow #TheBeastYouAre #PaulTremblay
The title novella, “The Beast You Are,” is a mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog, and a cat are intertwined with a giant
This series of shorts is similar. There are multiple stories where you need to catch up quickly to what Tremblay is doing - some are super short and more like a draft of something we will see in the future. All require your full attention for the conclusion, in class Tremblay style.
If you are a Tremblay fan, or just love haunting short stories, this is a fun and creepy book for you!
#WilliamMorrow #TheBeastYouAre #PaulTremblay
The title novella, “The Beast You Are,” is a mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog, and a cat are intertwined with a giant
May 1, 2024
I hate rating this book, because I really struggled with it but ultimately it was written well but not what I was expecting or seeking.
The problem was that I expected scary stories and these are mostly stories about unease, social discomfort, embarrassment, grief.....but for the most part ordinary experiences of those things with an eerie wrapping.
There are two stories that are related to A Head Full of Ghosts (which is an excellent horror novel. Read THAT!), but they are simply fun appendices, they don't add anything new.
The most unnerving story was "The Blog at the End of the World."
These stories, save the title novella at the end which was.....long, were all previously published. I did enjoy Tremblay's appendix where he said a bit about each story.
The problem was that I expected scary stories and these are mostly stories about unease, social discomfort, embarrassment, grief.....but for the most part ordinary experiences of those things with an eerie wrapping.
There are two stories that are related to A Head Full of Ghosts (which is an excellent horror novel. Read THAT!), but they are simply fun appendices, they don't add anything new.
The most unnerving story was "The Blog at the End of the World."
These stories, save the title novella at the end which was.....long, were all previously published. I did enjoy Tremblay's appendix where he said a bit about each story.
February 19, 2023
Grief, stories of the pandemic, monsters and childhood fears are among the themes in this collection of short stories from author Paul Tremblay. Tremblay is one of my favorite authors and I jumped at the chance to read this ARC. I really enjoyed the author's previous collection "Growing Things" and didn't enjoy this quite as much, but there are still some gems here worth reading. There are several short stories, some very short flash fiction pieces and a novella titled "The Beast You Are" which finishes the collection. A few notes on my favorites from the collection:
"The Last Conversation"-I previously read this in a collection of science fiction stories and it is a five star read about a man who wakes up in a mysterious room and a mysterious woman controls his life; .this story is fantastic. I also enjoyed :"I Know You're There:" a story about grief and our fears during the pandemic, and "Howard Sturgis and the End of the World" and "The Party" both of which are about strange happenings or the perception of them and our world as we know it ending,
A couple of the stories relate back to the author's previous work "A Head Full of Ghosts" and while they are stand alone, they will more sense if you have read the previous work. I didn't like the long poem like ode, "The Beast You Are" which is a fantasy piece about human-like animals and a epic battle. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
"The Last Conversation"-I previously read this in a collection of science fiction stories and it is a five star read about a man who wakes up in a mysterious room and a mysterious woman controls his life; .this story is fantastic. I also enjoyed :"I Know You're There:" a story about grief and our fears during the pandemic, and "Howard Sturgis and the End of the World" and "The Party" both of which are about strange happenings or the perception of them and our world as we know it ending,
A couple of the stories relate back to the author's previous work "A Head Full of Ghosts" and while they are stand alone, they will more sense if you have read the previous work. I didn't like the long poem like ode, "The Beast You Are" which is a fantasy piece about human-like animals and a epic battle. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
July 20, 2023
can a giant monster sharpen a pencil?
Okay, Mr Tremblay, you’ve convinced me to read your novels! It took me a hot minute to ‘get’ what this author is about, but after that, I was hooked.
Mean Time ⇝ 3 stars
I Know You’re There ⇝ 4 stars
The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition ⇝ 4 stars
Red Eyes ⇝ 3 stars
The Blog at the End of the World ⇝ 4 stars
Them: A Pitch ⇝ 4 stars
House of Windows ⇝ 3 stars
The Last Conversation ⇝ 4 stars
Mostly Size ⇝ 4 stars
The Large Man ⇝ 4 stars
The Dead Thing ⇝ 2 stars
Howard Sturgis and the Letters and the Van and What He Found When He Went Back to His House ⇝ 3 stars
The Party ⇝ 3 stars
The Beast You Are ⇝ 3 stars
January 23, 2023
8There's something about Tremblay that I'm always excited to read his works, even though I've mostly been disappointed. He's got style and can create characters, but the execution can be rough.
This is coming three years after his previous stories collection and the fact that this is getting a wide release is kind of a shocker. Because this is more what you'd expect from a small press. It's more of a "here's some things I don't have anywhere else to put these" release. In fact a few of these are pretty old, so the fact they got skipped in "Growing Things," is probably an indicator of how much even the author views their quality.
The novella that takes up half the page count and is the namesake is positioned at the end of the collection. It's an interesting read and the only reason I gave the entire collection two stars. While I appreciated the try, it was a pretty big miss for me. It's both too long and too vague. The characters are various animals living like humans, taking part in a Battle Royale style tradition, and the writing style is free form. Again, interesting, but it feels like a writing exercise more than a finished work. (It sucks to always compare genre authors to Stephen King, but this coming out so close to "Fairytale" just weakens the impact even more).
While Tremblay is labeled "horror," there is little horror here. The large portion of it is closer to fantasy and sci-fi. Think Ray Bradbury or Shirley Jackson (one of the shorts is from a tribute to the latter). Tremblay often gets criticized for not landing the endings and I've never had that problem as much as others; but here it's a big problem. In fact, a few of these don't even manage a takeoff.
Rarely do I say skip a book, but this maybe is one to avoid. There wasn't a single story I would want to read again. And while I'll happily read the next thing he puts out, I think Tremblay has enough stuff out there you should check out first. If you really like everything else, give this a shot, but it's more of an author experimenting than something to make fans happy. As an artist more power to him, but it wasn't for me.
This is coming three years after his previous stories collection and the fact that this is getting a wide release is kind of a shocker. Because this is more what you'd expect from a small press. It's more of a "here's some things I don't have anywhere else to put these" release. In fact a few of these are pretty old, so the fact they got skipped in "Growing Things," is probably an indicator of how much even the author views their quality.
The novella that takes up half the page count and is the namesake is positioned at the end of the collection. It's an interesting read and the only reason I gave the entire collection two stars. While I appreciated the try, it was a pretty big miss for me. It's both too long and too vague. The characters are various animals living like humans, taking part in a Battle Royale style tradition, and the writing style is free form. Again, interesting, but it feels like a writing exercise more than a finished work. (It sucks to always compare genre authors to Stephen King, but this coming out so close to "Fairytale" just weakens the impact even more).
While Tremblay is labeled "horror," there is little horror here. The large portion of it is closer to fantasy and sci-fi. Think Ray Bradbury or Shirley Jackson (one of the shorts is from a tribute to the latter). Tremblay often gets criticized for not landing the endings and I've never had that problem as much as others; but here it's a big problem. In fact, a few of these don't even manage a takeoff.
Rarely do I say skip a book, but this maybe is one to avoid. There wasn't a single story I would want to read again. And while I'll happily read the next thing he puts out, I think Tremblay has enough stuff out there you should check out first. If you really like everything else, give this a shot, but it's more of an author experimenting than something to make fans happy. As an artist more power to him, but it wasn't for me.
July 30, 2023
⭐️⭐️.5
𝘼 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚, 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮.
I have not read anything by this author before this book, but I have heard many people say his books won’t be for everyone… and I can see why now.
I decided to pick this one up since it was a collection of short stories - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗿𝗲 being the main novella/story. Paul Tremblay has such an interesting way of writing stories.
I honestly feel like these stories were all over the place - some of them did freak me out and kept me engaged with them… but others just felt strange reading.
I don’t know if it was the author’s way of sharing these stories or if I was just genuinely confused most of the time, but I had to go back so often and reread certain stories. I just kept losing myself.
Some stories were definitely better than others. I did enjoy 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 which took a route with COVID-19. 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 was one I had to go back a few times to reread, but I actually ended up really loving that one.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 was my absolute favorite out of all the stories. If I was to recommend one, it would hands down be this one. It gave off Shirley Jackson vibes and I was creeped out at times. I was engaged with this one the whole time and I wish it was longer.
However, most of the stories just felt super strange and off-putting. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺: 𝗔 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 was one of the shortest stories, but it was so confusing and made no sense. 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 also had so much potential in the beginning, but I didn’t like the way it was told.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗿𝗲 is the novella this collection ends off with… and honestly, what a disappointment. I felt so underwhelmed as I thought it would’ve been my favorite. There are three different “Ages” and I honestly didn’t care for any of them.
I definitely was not the intended reader of these stories. I do want to pick something else up by this author, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
Thank you so much NetGalley and William Morrow for the review eARC in exchange for my honest review!
𝘼 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚, 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮.
I have not read anything by this author before this book, but I have heard many people say his books won’t be for everyone… and I can see why now.
I decided to pick this one up since it was a collection of short stories - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗿𝗲 being the main novella/story. Paul Tremblay has such an interesting way of writing stories.
I honestly feel like these stories were all over the place - some of them did freak me out and kept me engaged with them… but others just felt strange reading.
I don’t know if it was the author’s way of sharing these stories or if I was just genuinely confused most of the time, but I had to go back so often and reread certain stories. I just kept losing myself.
Some stories were definitely better than others. I did enjoy 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 which took a route with COVID-19. 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 was one I had to go back a few times to reread, but I actually ended up really loving that one.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 was my absolute favorite out of all the stories. If I was to recommend one, it would hands down be this one. It gave off Shirley Jackson vibes and I was creeped out at times. I was engaged with this one the whole time and I wish it was longer.
However, most of the stories just felt super strange and off-putting. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺: 𝗔 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 was one of the shortest stories, but it was so confusing and made no sense. 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 also had so much potential in the beginning, but I didn’t like the way it was told.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗿𝗲 is the novella this collection ends off with… and honestly, what a disappointment. I felt so underwhelmed as I thought it would’ve been my favorite. There are three different “Ages” and I honestly didn’t care for any of them.
I definitely was not the intended reader of these stories. I do want to pick something else up by this author, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
Thank you so much NetGalley and William Morrow for the review eARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 28, 2023
Star review in the June 2023 issue of Library Journal. Interview with Tremblay also included in that issue. here: https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/...
Three Words That's Describe This Book: menacing. strong narrative voice, pervasively creepy
Draft Review:
Tremblay returns with his second Horror collection, this time gathering 15 tales, some from award winning anthologies, others gems previously only available in smaller outlets, all of which will be enjoyed by long time fans and new readers alike. Showcasing his award winning brand of Psychological Horror, which, while never eschewing violence, derives its emotional terror from the characters, as he reveals a terrible truth and then makes readers watch as the characters must confront both the horror itself and their reactions to it. Every story, no matter the specific details, will break the reader's heart but ultimately leave them with hope. The new, titular novella which anchors this volume is a great example. Subtly nestled into his A Head Full of Ghosts universe, Tremblay presents an unsettling, anthropomorphic animal story, told in free verse, a captivating, visceral, and menacing tale that while fantastical is also clearly about humanity right at this moment. Readers will be unable to look away, even as they see themselves in the horror.
Verdict: Yet another not to miss release by the popular and critically acclaimed Tremblay, showcasing a discomfort that is reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, but also leading a new generation of authors who proudly work within Horror’s tropes while constantly striving to do something new and thought provoking with the genre such as Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Grady Hendrix, and Victor LaValle.
Three Words That's Describe This Book: menacing. strong narrative voice, pervasively creepy
Draft Review:
Tremblay returns with his second Horror collection, this time gathering 15 tales, some from award winning anthologies, others gems previously only available in smaller outlets, all of which will be enjoyed by long time fans and new readers alike. Showcasing his award winning brand of Psychological Horror, which, while never eschewing violence, derives its emotional terror from the characters, as he reveals a terrible truth and then makes readers watch as the characters must confront both the horror itself and their reactions to it. Every story, no matter the specific details, will break the reader's heart but ultimately leave them with hope. The new, titular novella which anchors this volume is a great example. Subtly nestled into his A Head Full of Ghosts universe, Tremblay presents an unsettling, anthropomorphic animal story, told in free verse, a captivating, visceral, and menacing tale that while fantastical is also clearly about humanity right at this moment. Readers will be unable to look away, even as they see themselves in the horror.
Verdict: Yet another not to miss release by the popular and critically acclaimed Tremblay, showcasing a discomfort that is reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, but also leading a new generation of authors who proudly work within Horror’s tropes while constantly striving to do something new and thought provoking with the genre such as Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Grady Hendrix, and Victor LaValle.
July 17, 2023
I feel like we all collectively agreed Tremblay was a great horror writer without a second look, and that second look was desperately needed. None of these stories even approach the topic of horror or thriller. The writing is overly simple, there is virtually no plot to any story, and all of the endings are too abrupt to appreciate the build up, which isn’t good to begin with.
October 11, 2023
After being a bit disappointed by The Pallbearers Club, but forever unable to stop myself from reading a Paul Tremblay novel, I decided to read The Beast You Are: Stories to see how it would go. As with all short story collections, I did like some more than others and I felt as though the end of quite a few were too abrupt and/or vague for me to really understand what the point of them was. On the bright side, the author does include story notes at the end of the book, and if you are anything like me, I would suggest reading them after you read each short story. I may have had a better experience had I done that instead of waiting for the end, but I was also listening on audio and had no idea they were even there until it was all said and done.
For this collection of stories, there is also a collection of narrators for the audiobook, and I loved having 10 different people narrating! I didn't think anything was wrong with any of them, and I was really happy to find one of my favorites, Xe Sands in the cast. I don't really want to list out the other 9, but I love audiobooks and I can tell you that they all did an excellent job and made my listening experience very enjoyable. Now that being said, I do kinda wish I had read this instead of listening to it because maybe my brain would have done a better job computing. Either way, there were some good things in here that I really liked, it just wasn't a love situation. If you are looking for a fairly quick horror read and enjoy short stories, I would still recommend giving The Beast You Are a try, especially for spooky season!
For this collection of stories, there is also a collection of narrators for the audiobook, and I loved having 10 different people narrating! I didn't think anything was wrong with any of them, and I was really happy to find one of my favorites, Xe Sands in the cast. I don't really want to list out the other 9, but I love audiobooks and I can tell you that they all did an excellent job and made my listening experience very enjoyable. Now that being said, I do kinda wish I had read this instead of listening to it because maybe my brain would have done a better job computing. Either way, there were some good things in here that I really liked, it just wasn't a love situation. If you are looking for a fairly quick horror read and enjoy short stories, I would still recommend giving The Beast You Are a try, especially for spooky season!
December 11, 2025
Tremblay's second collection of short stories is a mixed bag. I found a third of these stories to be less than satisfactory. However, the three stories that earned a four-star rating are so strong that I would not hesitate to endorse this book.
My favorite story is "The Last Conversation", followed closely by "I Know You're There". Both deal with grief and are very powerful. The final story, an original to this collection, "The Beast You Are" is an epic fantasy with animal characters that kept me turning pages.
Anyone who has read Tremblay before is aware that he is a master at ambiguity, and this collection bears this out. However, some of the stories are so vague that you wonder what the point was. Others feel like scenes extracted from a longer work. Still, I appreciate his willingness to experiment and challenge readers - - and that's why I'll keep checking out his work.
If you're new to Tremblay, I would recommend GROWING THINGS AND OTHER STORIES over this collection.
If you'd care to read more specifics on each of these stories, I've included my notes during reading . . .
NOTES
ICE COLD LEMONADE 25 CENTS/HAUNTED HOUSE TOUR: 1 PER PERSON A man recalls how during his youth he received a haunted house tour by a classmate who lived there. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
MEAN TIME A two-page story of an odd man who used sidewalk chalk to mark his travels so he could re-trace his steps and not get lost. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
I KNOW YOU'RE THERE A ghost story about grief, and the first story to have an impact on me. Thoughtful, empathetic, and thought-provoking. Tremblay's knack for ambiguity is present in this one. Per Tremblay: "Grief is the ghost of who we were and who we loved." FOUR STARS.
THE POSTAL ZONE: THE POSSESSION EDITION A reference to his A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS novel, via questions and answers in the letter column of Fangoria magazine. TWO AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
RED EYES Kind of an alternate ending to A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS, although Tremblay states in the Notes that was not his intent. Not a believable or satisfactory ending, by the way. You may agree if you've read that novel. Tremblay's stated reason for writing this short, short story doesn't really come across to me. THREE STARS.
I'm five stories into this collection, and I'm not really feeling the excitement I usually feel when reading Tremblay. So far, GROWING THINGS is a superior collection to this. But, it's still early. Keep watching this space.
THE BLOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD Now this is more like it. An enjoyable read, although this seems more like a scene or excerpt from a longer novel. Like a bonafide story with conflict/action/resolution, this lacks a resolution. Extra points for creativity and presentation, as well as being ahead of the times in 2008 when Tremblay wrote this. It deals with a pandemic of spontaneous aneurysms that creates a panic (people wear masks, etc). In the notes Tremblay states that the story was "more about online existence and the proliferation of misinformation." The story is told through blog entries and replies, with arguments between readers. It's presented the same way you would review a blog, with the most current entries up front. Scroll down to read what was written last week, last month, etc. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS. (Would have been higher with an actual resolution.)
THEM: A PITCH This three-pager is the narrator pitching a script for a one-shot comic book to the publisher. It's an apocalyptic story inspired by the giant ants from the 1950's THEM film. I liked the pitch, and the story idea and description was cool. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
HOUSE OF WINDOWS Another inventive idea that could have been explored further - although this one has a resolution (that some may not like). A house with only windows (no doors) pops up overnight. The public reacts as expected (rubber neckers) as it seems to get larger and encroach on more space. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
THE LAST CONVERSATION At 45 pages, this is the second-longest story in the collection - - and it's a gem. This one got to me. It's a story of recovery and rehabilitation in pandemic times. A former lab partner and life partner guides her husband through learning how to walk, complete physical chores, and recover memory. Told in short chapters, alternating tense between second-person and third-person narration. I figured out the circumstances before the ending, but it did nothing to diminish the impact of this story. I'm not a fan of second-person narration, but Trembaly made the right call here. Worth reading again. FOUR STARS.
MOSTLY SIZE A three-pager. While waiting for a kaiju monster to crush his home and stomp on the bed which he is hiding under - a 10-year old boy writes a poem. In Tremblay's defense, this was written in a four-hour write-and-edit challenge as a benefit for a UK charity. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
THE LARGE MAN A wild blend of supernatural noir and Orwellian fiction. The setting is a dystopian country that seems a mix of old Victorian times and more futuristic tech-savvy resources. A government data-cruncher is asked to solve a series of murders of prominent administrative family members. There are creepy sequences and a twist ending. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
THE DEAD THING Mom is dead. Dad's always drunk. A young girl in middle school has to fend for herself and her younger brother, who is mentally challenged. He brings home some thing in a box that smells bad and he won't show it to her. Twist ending, with ambiguity. Does Tremblay really reveal what's in there? Narrated by the girl in stream of consciousness, rambling sentences. This just didn't work for me. I found it annoying and couldn't wait to finish it (out of obligation). Thankfully, only 16 pages. If it was any longer, it would be a DNF. TWO STARS.
HOWARD STURGIS AND THE LETTERS AND THE VAN AND WHAT HE FOUND WHEN HE WENT BACK TO HIS HOUSE Howard Sturgis is a retired loner, who teaches math part-time to help support himself. The letters are from Circe Corp thanking him for sending them a parcel with a "substance", from which they developed some ground-breaking auto technology. He has no memory of doing so, and doesn't answer the letters until he gets one that asks for marketing advice. His reply is followed up by an invitation to make a presentation and receive an award. He fears he is being pranked and write a letter declining the invite, but the Circe Corp is persistent.
Another story that failed to interest me. Tremblay is taking vague outcomes to the next level and I'm losing patience. It's ok to lead the reader down a path and leave it to them to decide the final outcome; but at least suggest some choices. Dumb title, dumb story. TWO STARS.
THE PARTY Another incomplete story, feels like the beginning of something longer that Tremblay never got back to. This was written for a tribute anthology to Shirley Jackson, and it has that Jackson vibe. The characters and situations are what saved it for me, and made it enjoyable instead of annoying. There's only a sliver of a horror/sinister element that could have been developed further. It's about a party, just like the title puts it. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
THE BEAST YOU ARE Finally, the cream of the crop. Tremblay wrote this long (161) page story told in verse just for this collection, and it's fascinating. An anthropomorphic animal novella that recalls epic fantasy. At times, I completely forgot that the characters were animals . That's how closely their behavior and actions mirrored humans. Tremblay manages to mix in quite a bit of social commentary throughout related to politics, the environment, family relationships, fanatical cult movements, big business, etc. Three young animals (a turtle, dog, and cat) are chosen by lottery to be sacrificed to a monstrous creature that visits the town every 30 years. While only one of the three is chosen to be taken away and eaten by the monster, the two survivors are forever marred by the experience, become friends, and follow completely different paths. To tell more would spoil it. Of course, Trembaly leaves the ending open enough for readers to draw their own conclusions. FOUR STARS.
My favorite story is "The Last Conversation", followed closely by "I Know You're There". Both deal with grief and are very powerful. The final story, an original to this collection, "The Beast You Are" is an epic fantasy with animal characters that kept me turning pages.
Anyone who has read Tremblay before is aware that he is a master at ambiguity, and this collection bears this out. However, some of the stories are so vague that you wonder what the point was. Others feel like scenes extracted from a longer work. Still, I appreciate his willingness to experiment and challenge readers - - and that's why I'll keep checking out his work.
If you're new to Tremblay, I would recommend GROWING THINGS AND OTHER STORIES over this collection.
If you'd care to read more specifics on each of these stories, I've included my notes during reading . . .
NOTES
ICE COLD LEMONADE 25 CENTS/HAUNTED HOUSE TOUR: 1 PER PERSON A man recalls how during his youth he received a haunted house tour by a classmate who lived there. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
MEAN TIME A two-page story of an odd man who used sidewalk chalk to mark his travels so he could re-trace his steps and not get lost. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
I KNOW YOU'RE THERE A ghost story about grief, and the first story to have an impact on me. Thoughtful, empathetic, and thought-provoking. Tremblay's knack for ambiguity is present in this one. Per Tremblay: "Grief is the ghost of who we were and who we loved." FOUR STARS.
THE POSTAL ZONE: THE POSSESSION EDITION A reference to his A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS novel, via questions and answers in the letter column of Fangoria magazine. TWO AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
RED EYES Kind of an alternate ending to A HEADFUL OF GHOSTS, although Tremblay states in the Notes that was not his intent. Not a believable or satisfactory ending, by the way. You may agree if you've read that novel. Tremblay's stated reason for writing this short, short story doesn't really come across to me. THREE STARS.
I'm five stories into this collection, and I'm not really feeling the excitement I usually feel when reading Tremblay. So far, GROWING THINGS is a superior collection to this. But, it's still early. Keep watching this space.
THE BLOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD Now this is more like it. An enjoyable read, although this seems more like a scene or excerpt from a longer novel. Like a bonafide story with conflict/action/resolution, this lacks a resolution. Extra points for creativity and presentation, as well as being ahead of the times in 2008 when Tremblay wrote this. It deals with a pandemic of spontaneous aneurysms that creates a panic (people wear masks, etc). In the notes Tremblay states that the story was "more about online existence and the proliferation of misinformation." The story is told through blog entries and replies, with arguments between readers. It's presented the same way you would review a blog, with the most current entries up front. Scroll down to read what was written last week, last month, etc. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS. (Would have been higher with an actual resolution.)
THEM: A PITCH This three-pager is the narrator pitching a script for a one-shot comic book to the publisher. It's an apocalyptic story inspired by the giant ants from the 1950's THEM film. I liked the pitch, and the story idea and description was cool. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
HOUSE OF WINDOWS Another inventive idea that could have been explored further - although this one has a resolution (that some may not like). A house with only windows (no doors) pops up overnight. The public reacts as expected (rubber neckers) as it seems to get larger and encroach on more space. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
THE LAST CONVERSATION At 45 pages, this is the second-longest story in the collection - - and it's a gem. This one got to me. It's a story of recovery and rehabilitation in pandemic times. A former lab partner and life partner guides her husband through learning how to walk, complete physical chores, and recover memory. Told in short chapters, alternating tense between second-person and third-person narration. I figured out the circumstances before the ending, but it did nothing to diminish the impact of this story. I'm not a fan of second-person narration, but Trembaly made the right call here. Worth reading again. FOUR STARS.
MOSTLY SIZE A three-pager. While waiting for a kaiju monster to crush his home and stomp on the bed which he is hiding under - a 10-year old boy writes a poem. In Tremblay's defense, this was written in a four-hour write-and-edit challenge as a benefit for a UK charity. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
THE LARGE MAN A wild blend of supernatural noir and Orwellian fiction. The setting is a dystopian country that seems a mix of old Victorian times and more futuristic tech-savvy resources. A government data-cruncher is asked to solve a series of murders of prominent administrative family members. There are creepy sequences and a twist ending. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
THE DEAD THING Mom is dead. Dad's always drunk. A young girl in middle school has to fend for herself and her younger brother, who is mentally challenged. He brings home some thing in a box that smells bad and he won't show it to her. Twist ending, with ambiguity. Does Tremblay really reveal what's in there? Narrated by the girl in stream of consciousness, rambling sentences. This just didn't work for me. I found it annoying and couldn't wait to finish it (out of obligation). Thankfully, only 16 pages. If it was any longer, it would be a DNF. TWO STARS.
HOWARD STURGIS AND THE LETTERS AND THE VAN AND WHAT HE FOUND WHEN HE WENT BACK TO HIS HOUSE Howard Sturgis is a retired loner, who teaches math part-time to help support himself. The letters are from Circe Corp thanking him for sending them a parcel with a "substance", from which they developed some ground-breaking auto technology. He has no memory of doing so, and doesn't answer the letters until he gets one that asks for marketing advice. His reply is followed up by an invitation to make a presentation and receive an award. He fears he is being pranked and write a letter declining the invite, but the Circe Corp is persistent.
Another story that failed to interest me. Tremblay is taking vague outcomes to the next level and I'm losing patience. It's ok to lead the reader down a path and leave it to them to decide the final outcome; but at least suggest some choices. Dumb title, dumb story. TWO STARS.
THE PARTY Another incomplete story, feels like the beginning of something longer that Tremblay never got back to. This was written for a tribute anthology to Shirley Jackson, and it has that Jackson vibe. The characters and situations are what saved it for me, and made it enjoyable instead of annoying. There's only a sliver of a horror/sinister element that could have been developed further. It's about a party, just like the title puts it. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
THE BEAST YOU ARE Finally, the cream of the crop. Tremblay wrote this long (161) page story told in verse just for this collection, and it's fascinating. An anthropomorphic animal novella that recalls epic fantasy. At times, I completely forgot that the characters were animals . That's how closely their behavior and actions mirrored humans. Tremblay manages to mix in quite a bit of social commentary throughout related to politics, the environment, family relationships, fanatical cult movements, big business, etc. Three young animals (a turtle, dog, and cat) are chosen by lottery to be sacrificed to a monstrous creature that visits the town every 30 years. While only one of the three is chosen to be taken away and eaten by the monster, the two survivors are forever marred by the experience, become friends, and follow completely different paths. To tell more would spoil it. Of course, Trembaly leaves the ending open enough for readers to draw their own conclusions. FOUR STARS.
June 29, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Beast You Are.
I have a love/hate relationship with this author.
He's got great ideas but his writing and plots always leave me feeling bleh.
That's how I felt about the stories in The Beast You Are.
There's great potential for each story to be something truly dark, scary, macabre, but nothing really lands.
There are creepy and sinister undertones but it doesn't go far enough.
As some reviewers noted, the endings are unsatisfying and frustrating.
You're left wondering, "And then what?"
I don't mind vague, ambiguous endings, but the story didn't fill me up to begin with so I'm still hungry for more.
I have a love/hate relationship with this author.
He's got great ideas but his writing and plots always leave me feeling bleh.
That's how I felt about the stories in The Beast You Are.
There's great potential for each story to be something truly dark, scary, macabre, but nothing really lands.
There are creepy and sinister undertones but it doesn't go far enough.
As some reviewers noted, the endings are unsatisfying and frustrating.
You're left wondering, "And then what?"
I don't mind vague, ambiguous endings, but the story didn't fill me up to begin with so I'm still hungry for more.
July 29, 2023
I love short story collections, I love Paul Tremblay, so I dived into this right away! I loved that there was such a variety of horror tropes in each story but all have that unsettling ambiguity that Paul does so well, the characters are well developed I imagine not an easy feat in shorter fiction, Head Full Of Ghosts is one of my favourite books ever so I absolutley loved The Postal Zone: The Possession Edition, I enjoy when authors reference their previous books it makes me feel well read 🤣 The Blog At The End Of The World was another favourite, I'd love to see this as a longer novel! A great diverse collection perfect as an introduction to the (literary) beast that is paul 🤓
nope-dnf
September 25, 2023Dnf 11%
This just isn't for me.
This just isn't for me.
June 2, 2024
BLEGH. that's my honest and unfiltered reaction to this book. blegh.
like, i guess there were a few good stories but mostly it just dragged so much it almost put me into a reading slump? like just...messy and all over the place and self-congratulatory and experimental in a way that most definitely did NOT work. the titular story took up a third of the book and was like...a super slow and boring watership down/edgy redwall rip off that was written like an epic poem for NO REASON AT ALL. like i don't understand why that story existed whatsoever? i don't understand why most of this book exists? or what is happening at all? paul tremblay has single handedly killed my faith in the universe with this???
anyways. he's probably written some good stuff, i suppose, because there Were some good stories in here and he does come highly rated BUT. do not start with this one if you're new to his body of work!! i have made that mistake and now have zero desire to read anything by him again whoops
individual ratings:
ice cold lemonade 25c haunted house tour: 1 per person: 2.5/5
mean time: 2/5
i know you're there: 4.5/5
the postal zone: possession edition: 1.5/5
red eyes: 2/5
the blog at the end of the world: 4/5
them: a pitch: 1.5/5
house of windows: 2/5
the last conversation: 4/5
mostly size: 1/5
the large man: 3/5
the dead thing: 3/5
howard sturgis and the letters and the van and what he found when he went back to his house: 2/5
the party: 2/5
the beast you are: 1/5
like, i guess there were a few good stories but mostly it just dragged so much it almost put me into a reading slump? like just...messy and all over the place and self-congratulatory and experimental in a way that most definitely did NOT work. the titular story took up a third of the book and was like...a super slow and boring watership down/edgy redwall rip off that was written like an epic poem for NO REASON AT ALL. like i don't understand why that story existed whatsoever? i don't understand why most of this book exists? or what is happening at all? paul tremblay has single handedly killed my faith in the universe with this???
anyways. he's probably written some good stuff, i suppose, because there Were some good stories in here and he does come highly rated BUT. do not start with this one if you're new to his body of work!! i have made that mistake and now have zero desire to read anything by him again whoops
individual ratings:
mean time: 2/5
i know you're there: 4.5/5
the postal zone: possession edition: 1.5/5
red eyes: 2/5
the blog at the end of the world: 4/5
them: a pitch: 1.5/5
house of windows: 2/5
the last conversation: 4/5
mostly size: 1/5
the large man: 3/5
the dead thing: 3/5
howard sturgis and the letters and the van and what he found when he went back to his house: 2/5
the party: 2/5
the beast you are: 1/5
March 9, 2023
This is a short story collection by Paul Tremblay. I enjoyed many of the short stories, they definitely have the feel of a Paul Tremblay book where the ending is not so cut and dry. At times though, sometimes these stories felt like just a stream of left over thoughts.
The stories I really enjoyed were
Mean Time 4 Stars - This one was really sad to me but also just absolutely beautiful
Red Eyes 4 Stars - This one was so spooky and I loved it.
The Blog At the End of the World 5 Stars - I really want more of this one specifically. I would love to see this one as a novella. I really enjoyed it and blog media style of it.
House of Windows 4 Stars - This one as well has so much potential to be a novella or full novel. The premise of a large mansion just appearing and then getting bigger randomly was super interesting.
Last Conversation 4 Stars - This one was such a trip and felt so much like a black mirror episode. I would love to see this one as a black mirror episode.
I would recommend this book specifically to fans of Paul Tremblay. I think fans would enjoy this book and already be prepared of the non answer endings.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
I will be posting my review to my instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication date.
The stories I really enjoyed were
Mean Time 4 Stars - This one was really sad to me but also just absolutely beautiful
Red Eyes 4 Stars - This one was so spooky and I loved it.
The Blog At the End of the World 5 Stars - I really want more of this one specifically. I would love to see this one as a novella. I really enjoyed it and blog media style of it.
House of Windows 4 Stars - This one as well has so much potential to be a novella or full novel. The premise of a large mansion just appearing and then getting bigger randomly was super interesting.
Last Conversation 4 Stars - This one was such a trip and felt so much like a black mirror episode. I would love to see this one as a black mirror episode.
I would recommend this book specifically to fans of Paul Tremblay. I think fans would enjoy this book and already be prepared of the non answer endings.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
I will be posting my review to my instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication date.
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