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The Magic Shop:
I had seen the Magic Shop from afar several times; I had passed it once or twice, a shop window of alluring little objects, magic balls, magic hens, wonderful cones, ventriloquist dolls, the material of the basket trick, packs of cards that looked all right, and all that sort of thing, but never had I thought of going in until one day, almost without warning, Gip hauled me by my finger right up to the window, and so conducted himself that there was nothing for it but to take him in.
26 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1903
88 people are currently reading
2868 people want to read
About the author
H.G. Wells
5,316 books11.1k followersHerbert George Wells was born to a working class family in Kent, England. Young Wells received a spotty education, interrupted by several illnesses and family difficulties, and became a draper's apprentice as a teenager. The headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School, where he had spent a year, arranged for him to return as an "usher," or student teacher. Wells earned a government scholarship in 1884, to study biology under Thomas Henry Huxley at the Normal School of Science. Wells earned his bachelor of science and doctor of science degrees at the University of London. After marrying his cousin, Isabel, Wells began to supplement his teaching salary with short stories and freelance articles, then books, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).
Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.
He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.
More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells
Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.
He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.
More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
April 4, 2023
*3.5 stars *
H G Wells uses his descriptive powers particularly well, when introducing us to the owner of the Magic Shop - “curious, sallow, dark man, with one ear larger than the other and a chin like the toe-cap of a boot”.
Our protagonist has passed the Magic Shop many times in the past without giving much thought, and has never entertained the idea of stepping through its door, that is until his son Gip takes his father’s hand and leads him inside. A somewhat sinister story, though not for young Gip! https://americanliterature.com/author...
H G Wells uses his descriptive powers particularly well, when introducing us to the owner of the Magic Shop - “curious, sallow, dark man, with one ear larger than the other and a chin like the toe-cap of a boot”.
Our protagonist has passed the Magic Shop many times in the past without giving much thought, and has never entertained the idea of stepping through its door, that is until his son Gip takes his father’s hand and leads him inside. A somewhat sinister story, though not for young Gip! https://americanliterature.com/author...
March 19, 2018
What is illusion and what is magic? In the story the lines are blurred until the end. The story is very dated indeed but the beautiful writing holds up.
The best thing about it was the subtle shift from charming illusion to evil magic. One minute it's all illusionist tricks, balls popping up from unlikely places and toys that move of their own accord. Then slowly, slowly, the illusions shift to violent, supernatural malevolence.
Interestingly, although the man is aware of this and frightened by it, his son isn't and sees it all as the kind of magic children believe in: they know it's not true but they believe in it anyway. And the son continues this with the "gifts" that came from the now-disappeared magic shop that might have been an illusion anyway, leading to a deliberately inconclusive ending for the father and the reader.
Interesting and unique.
The best thing about it was the subtle shift from charming illusion to evil magic. One minute it's all illusionist tricks, balls popping up from unlikely places and toys that move of their own accord. Then slowly, slowly, the illusions shift to violent, supernatural malevolence.
Interestingly, although the man is aware of this and frightened by it, his son isn't and sees it all as the kind of magic children believe in: they know it's not true but they believe in it anyway. And the son continues this with the "gifts" that came from the now-disappeared magic shop that might have been an illusion anyway, leading to a deliberately inconclusive ending for the father and the reader.
Interesting and unique.
December 14, 2021
ا{لا يَعبر باب هذا المتجر سوى فتًى صالح}ا
توقع الخير و ستجده..و لو توقعت الشر ستجده ايضا
عن الفارق الضئيل/الكبير بين السحر و خداع البصري يحدثنا هربرت ويلز..الاب الروحي للخيال العلمي باسلوب فانتازى لم نألفه
في قصة بسيطة عن اب متشكك و طفل بريء يصر على شراء لعبة سحرية من بائع بارع ؛ كريم ؛حكيم و لكنه يريب الاب و يرعبه
لا يراه الا من يستحق *
لا انكر ان متاجر الحيل السحرية كانت تجذب تظري في الدول الاوروبية دوما حتى و لو لم استحق دخولها يوما
عن اسطورة المتجر الخفي /المسحور/المتحرك *
لابد ان يحكى لنا عنه كل مؤلف و لو لمرة..حقا هي قصة قديمة تعود لأكثر من مائة عام و نحن حاليا نتعامل يوميا مع ما كان يعتبر سحرا حينها ..و لكننا هنا نتعامل فلسفيا مع المجهول والمتوارى خلف خداع..نتعامل مع الحقيقة التي تلطمنا عندما نكون متوقعين الخداع
حقا هاري بوتر قتل هذه المتاجر في استعراضه الخلاب لحارة دياجون
اخرج القصة هتشكوك في حلقة لا تنسي كما تم تقديمها مرارا و لها نسخ مصحوبة برسوم خلابة و ترجمة جيدة لسارة علام
لكن يظل للاصالة سحرها و للبدايات فتنتها و لا ننسي كلمات البائع الحكيم
☆لاٍ يمكن لأي أحد منا أن يعرف ما يُخفيه المظهر الخارجي المنمق لإنسان يا سيدي، فهل نحن
إذًا لسنا سوى مظاهر خادعة أو أكفان ناصعة البياض تُخفي ما تُخفي بداخلها☆؟»
.
توقع الخير و ستجده..و لو توقعت الشر ستجده ايضا
عن الفارق الضئيل/الكبير بين السحر و خداع البصري يحدثنا هربرت ويلز..الاب الروحي للخيال العلمي باسلوب فانتازى لم نألفه
في قصة بسيطة عن اب متشكك و طفل بريء يصر على شراء لعبة سحرية من بائع بارع ؛ كريم ؛حكيم و لكنه يريب الاب و يرعبه
لا يراه الا من يستحق *
لا انكر ان متاجر الحيل السحرية كانت تجذب تظري في الدول الاوروبية دوما حتى و لو لم استحق دخولها يوما
عن اسطورة المتجر الخفي /المسحور/المتحرك *
لابد ان يحكى لنا عنه كل مؤلف و لو لمرة..حقا هي قصة قديمة تعود لأكثر من مائة عام و نحن حاليا نتعامل يوميا مع ما كان يعتبر سحرا حينها ..و لكننا هنا نتعامل فلسفيا مع المجهول والمتوارى خلف خداع..نتعامل مع الحقيقة التي تلطمنا عندما نكون متوقعين الخداع
حقا هاري بوتر قتل هذه المتاجر في استعراضه الخلاب لحارة دياجون
اخرج القصة هتشكوك في حلقة لا تنسي كما تم تقديمها مرارا و لها نسخ مصحوبة برسوم خلابة و ترجمة جيدة لسارة علام
لكن يظل للاصالة سحرها و للبدايات فتنتها و لا ننسي كلمات البائع الحكيم
☆لاٍ يمكن لأي أحد منا أن يعرف ما يُخفيه المظهر الخارجي المنمق لإنسان يا سيدي، فهل نحن
إذًا لسنا سوى مظاهر خادعة أو أكفان ناصعة البياض تُخفي ما تُخفي بداخلها☆؟»
.
March 24, 2019
I think I've found a much greater appreciation for H. G. Wells, as long as it's not any of his Science Fiction books, which, of the ones that I've read, I found to be quite dull. This year I read "The History of Mr. Polly" which I found extremely entertaining and delightful, so when I became aware of this short short, I decided to give it go.
"The Magic Shop" was a delightful short story filled with magic and dare I say, a bit of suspense. Wells's writing surprised me, again! I'll be looking to read more of his gems! Five stars!
"The Magic Shop" was a delightful short story filled with magic and dare I say, a bit of suspense. Wells's writing surprised me, again! I'll be looking to read more of his gems! Five stars!
September 25, 2021
3.5*
"Tal vez conozcan esa cosa siniestra que surge como una mano de la nada y oprime el corazón. Saben que destruye el yo habitual y le deja a uno tenso y cauto, ni lento ni precipitado, ni enfadado ni temeroso. Eso me sucedió a mí"
"Dijo muy poco, pero sus ojos eran elocuentes ... Era el patio de recreo de emociones indescriptibles".
"—Ninguno de nosotros sabe lo que puede ocultar la buena apariencia de un ser humano, señor. No somos mejores que fachadas encaladas, sepulcros blanqueados…"
Una historia que resalta por las descripciones y ambientación.
Esta Tienda Mágica que se presenta maravillosa, hipnótica, emocionante. Aunque sepas que guarda algo oculto, siniestro, tan genuina que asusta. Al igual que su peculiar "dependiente". Dos miradas diferentes(Padre e hijo).
A pesar de que es una historia muy ambigua(inclusive en su desenlace), no te deja indiferente y te llevas la sensación de que "nada es gratis, tarde o temprano llega la factura"
"Tal vez conozcan esa cosa siniestra que surge como una mano de la nada y oprime el corazón. Saben que destruye el yo habitual y le deja a uno tenso y cauto, ni lento ni precipitado, ni enfadado ni temeroso. Eso me sucedió a mí"
"Dijo muy poco, pero sus ojos eran elocuentes ... Era el patio de recreo de emociones indescriptibles".
"—Ninguno de nosotros sabe lo que puede ocultar la buena apariencia de un ser humano, señor. No somos mejores que fachadas encaladas, sepulcros blanqueados…"
Una historia que resalta por las descripciones y ambientación.
Esta Tienda Mágica que se presenta maravillosa, hipnótica, emocionante. Aunque sepas que guarda algo oculto, siniestro, tan genuina que asusta. Al igual que su peculiar "dependiente". Dos miradas diferentes(Padre e hijo).
A pesar de que es una historia muy ambigua(inclusive en su desenlace), no te deja indiferente y te llevas la sensación de que "nada es gratis, tarde o temprano llega la factura"
August 27, 2019
This was a delightfully charming (and creepy) short story. From the perspective of a child, a hidden magic shop with "real magic" sounds wonderful. Multiplying glass balls, tin soldiers that come to life, magic eggs...As a child I loved stories that involved those sorts of things, and often fantasized about finding such a place myself.
As an adult, however, I can see things very clearly from the father's perspective. Something doesn't quite fit right about the shop. It's old and creepy. There is a sense of mystery here. And I love that feeling, the tension that builds up. While a child sees magic and wonderment, the father sees dark things, grotesqueness in the shadows. Is this place good or bad? The shopkeeper kindly or cunning? You'll have to read it to find out.
As an adult, however, I can see things very clearly from the father's perspective. Something doesn't quite fit right about the shop. It's old and creepy. There is a sense of mystery here. And I love that feeling, the tension that builds up. While a child sees magic and wonderment, the father sees dark things, grotesqueness in the shadows. Is this place good or bad? The shopkeeper kindly or cunning? You'll have to read it to find out.
August 11, 2019
Wow! A fantastic tale reminiscent of Harry Potter's first trip to Diagon Alley... but so, so much more. Here, the shopkeeper's the star of the show... "prestidigital", as Wells calls him (!) Writing wizardry doesn't get any better than this; I mean it. Just added to my all-time faves shelf. Wow.
Creepy, superb reading by Greg Waglan : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKI8Q...
Neato quotes :
------------
"You, you know, are the Right Sort of Boy... It's only the Right Sort of Boy who gets through that doorway."
"He said very little, but his eyes were eloquent... He was the playground of unspeakable emotions."
"We none of us know what the fair semblance of a human being may conceal, sir. Aren't we all then no better than brushed exteriors, whited sepulchers?"
"...It squeezed through a door I had certainly not remarked a moment before. Then this door opened wider, and the man with one ear larger than the other appeared again."
"...His eye met mine with something between amusement and defiance. 'You'd like to see our show-room, sir,' he said, with an innocent suavity."
"I was beginning to think the magic just a little too genuine."
"All goods of the same quality," said the shopman, rubbing his flexible hands together, "and that is the Best."
"I wandered after them, saying very little, but keeping an eye on this prestidigital fellow."
"...The shopman... shut the lid, waved the box in the air, and there it was, in brown paper, tied up and--with Gip's full name and address on the paper!"
"You know, perhaps, that sinister something that comes like a hand out of the unseen and grips your heart about. You know it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate, neither slow nor hasty, neither angry nor afraid. So it was with me."
.
Creepy, superb reading by Greg Waglan : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKI8Q...
Neato quotes :
------------
"You, you know, are the Right Sort of Boy... It's only the Right Sort of Boy who gets through that doorway."
"He said very little, but his eyes were eloquent... He was the playground of unspeakable emotions."
"We none of us know what the fair semblance of a human being may conceal, sir. Aren't we all then no better than brushed exteriors, whited sepulchers?"
"...It squeezed through a door I had certainly not remarked a moment before. Then this door opened wider, and the man with one ear larger than the other appeared again."
"...His eye met mine with something between amusement and defiance. 'You'd like to see our show-room, sir,' he said, with an innocent suavity."
"I was beginning to think the magic just a little too genuine."
"All goods of the same quality," said the shopman, rubbing his flexible hands together, "and that is the Best."
"I wandered after them, saying very little, but keeping an eye on this prestidigital fellow."
"...The shopman... shut the lid, waved the box in the air, and there it was, in brown paper, tied up and--with Gip's full name and address on the paper!"
"You know, perhaps, that sinister something that comes like a hand out of the unseen and grips your heart about. You know it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate, neither slow nor hasty, neither angry nor afraid. So it was with me."
.
August 8, 2024
Story 3 stars**
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator James Gillies
Audio 3.5 stars**
Narrator James Gillies
August 19, 2019
I think I see where J.K. Rowling got her idea for Ollivander’s Wand Shop.
This is an interesting little short (very short) story. Children and adults often see the same exact thing in different ways. Life experience can cause one to be more cautious and more skeptical where a child would only see wonder and amazement, and probably miss out on all the warning signs of something bad about to go down.
Does that mean that as we age, we lose that sense of imagination and wonder? Or does it mean that children must be supervised at all times because they see the candy instead of the stranger? Very thought provoking for such a short story.
This is an interesting little short (very short) story. Children and adults often see the same exact thing in different ways. Life experience can cause one to be more cautious and more skeptical where a child would only see wonder and amazement, and probably miss out on all the warning signs of something bad about to go down.
Does that mean that as we age, we lose that sense of imagination and wonder? Or does it mean that children must be supervised at all times because they see the candy instead of the stranger? Very thought provoking for such a short story.
June 11, 2023
A lovely ambiguous story. I read this with my husband and he thought this was much more sinister than I perceived it to be, so I think it's a good choice for a group read - it's open to interpretation, so there'll be something to talk about. It's very short and reads like a chapter from a novel - and I'd like to read that novel :) Very atmospheric, definitely an enjoyable read.
June 25, 2009
One of my favourite manifestations of the children's book is the turning of classic stories -- either short stories or fables -- into picture books. The marriage of artists to established stories is often inspired and/or illuminating (play on words fully intended since these books truly are modern illuminations of classic works).
François Roca's illustrations for H.G. Wells' The Magic Shop don't unlock anything new in the story, but they do a wonderful job of capturing the moods of Wells' story.
The mood of imagined danger -- particularly when it comes to the safety of one's children -- has always permeated the minds of paranoid urban dwellers from Victorian London to modern day New York and all other cities in between. And this perceived danger is at the heart of the tale.
A father and son stumble upon the Magic Shop in the middle of London, and a Magician with lop-sided ears carries them innocently through a magical world of fun-house mirrors, glass balls, animated tin/lead soldiers, enchanted toy swords and decks of cards full of powerful manifestations.
There really is nothing to be afraid of, but when Gip drops his father's finger and takes up the Magician's, the father is suddenly overwhelmed by fear for the safety of his son, a fear that is motivated by jealousy because someone other than himself has captured his boy's attention.
It is an amazing insight into the depth of our fear for our children, which is often and increasingly unrealistic. Certainly there are those few out there who are dangerous to our children, but we seem to be insulating our children more and more, so that even those who would never hurt our children are being shut out and held at bay. This need to protect is at the core of what it is to be a parent, but perhaps we take things too far. We love our children as ferociously as we do tenderly, and even perceived dangers, when there is really no danger at all, fill us with fear and loathing and a need to act (or react) violently. But Wells might have been suggesting, all those years ago, that this need to protect -- or rather our tendency to overprotect -- shuts something off between our children and ourselves.
There is no violence in The Magic Shop because there was no danger other than a son finding something to love that is all his, but there is a sadness when the book comes to a close. The father, you see, wants to kiss his son when they climb in the hansom cab and start their journey home, but he is stopped from engaging in this asexual intimacy by what society makes of his gender and his gender's engagement with intimacy. And so his son, the boy who has just lost interest in him for the first time, who has just found his first interest beyond his parent, is pushed one step further away rather than drawn closer by an embrace or a kiss that could have acted as a simple validation of the boy's inevitable independence.
Their distance is complete and the magic of the city, the truest black magic of all of our cities, the alienation of being surrounded by people, ensures that their relationship will never be the same. And that, my friends, is the saddest thing of all.
François Roca's final panel captures this sad moment beautifully. The father stands outside the cracked door of his son's room, peeking in to catch the son playing with the magical tin/lead soldiers he brought back from the shop (he claims he does this to see if they really do come alive). But the son is nowhere to be seen. Only the soldiers in their military ranks are in that room, standing still and steadfast, while the father holds himself at remove, spying, hiding behind a barrier he himself imposes, wishing he could return to the world of his child, but shutting himself off as he has been trained to do.
Roca's art didn't add anything new to The Magic Shop -- that is true -- but he captured what is in The Magic Shop with the precision and insight that excellent artists always seem to manage.
François Roca's illustrations for H.G. Wells' The Magic Shop don't unlock anything new in the story, but they do a wonderful job of capturing the moods of Wells' story.
The mood of imagined danger -- particularly when it comes to the safety of one's children -- has always permeated the minds of paranoid urban dwellers from Victorian London to modern day New York and all other cities in between. And this perceived danger is at the heart of the tale.
A father and son stumble upon the Magic Shop in the middle of London, and a Magician with lop-sided ears carries them innocently through a magical world of fun-house mirrors, glass balls, animated tin/lead soldiers, enchanted toy swords and decks of cards full of powerful manifestations.
There really is nothing to be afraid of, but when Gip drops his father's finger and takes up the Magician's, the father is suddenly overwhelmed by fear for the safety of his son, a fear that is motivated by jealousy because someone other than himself has captured his boy's attention.
It is an amazing insight into the depth of our fear for our children, which is often and increasingly unrealistic. Certainly there are those few out there who are dangerous to our children, but we seem to be insulating our children more and more, so that even those who would never hurt our children are being shut out and held at bay. This need to protect is at the core of what it is to be a parent, but perhaps we take things too far. We love our children as ferociously as we do tenderly, and even perceived dangers, when there is really no danger at all, fill us with fear and loathing and a need to act (or react) violently. But Wells might have been suggesting, all those years ago, that this need to protect -- or rather our tendency to overprotect -- shuts something off between our children and ourselves.
There is no violence in The Magic Shop because there was no danger other than a son finding something to love that is all his, but there is a sadness when the book comes to a close. The father, you see, wants to kiss his son when they climb in the hansom cab and start their journey home, but he is stopped from engaging in this asexual intimacy by what society makes of his gender and his gender's engagement with intimacy. And so his son, the boy who has just lost interest in him for the first time, who has just found his first interest beyond his parent, is pushed one step further away rather than drawn closer by an embrace or a kiss that could have acted as a simple validation of the boy's inevitable independence.
Their distance is complete and the magic of the city, the truest black magic of all of our cities, the alienation of being surrounded by people, ensures that their relationship will never be the same. And that, my friends, is the saddest thing of all.
François Roca's final panel captures this sad moment beautifully. The father stands outside the cracked door of his son's room, peeking in to catch the son playing with the magical tin/lead soldiers he brought back from the shop (he claims he does this to see if they really do come alive). But the son is nowhere to be seen. Only the soldiers in their military ranks are in that room, standing still and steadfast, while the father holds himself at remove, spying, hiding behind a barrier he himself imposes, wishing he could return to the world of his child, but shutting himself off as he has been trained to do.
Roca's art didn't add anything new to The Magic Shop -- that is true -- but he captured what is in The Magic Shop with the precision and insight that excellent artists always seem to manage.
June 29, 2019
What began as a delightful story about a magical toyshop, and the wonders to be found inside for good little boys, soon took a sinister turn as the early whimsy turned sour and the illusion is revealed as something perhaps far more devilish. The ending left the reader unaware of where the truth of this truly lay and whether this is a story of childlike joy and creative imagination or of cruel trickery and evil magic.
October 12, 2025
4 Abra-Creepy-Cadabra Stars
A charmingly sinister and creepy short telling of a father and his young son, Gip, as they visit a magic shop in search of a few clever toys for the child.
"The exterior of the shop was unassuming but hinted at the
wondrous offerings within. A faded, wooden façade with
grimy windows revealed glimpses of curious objects, their
shapes barely discernible through the dusty panes. The aura
of mystery that surrounded the place was irresistible, and
before his father could articulate a word of caution or rational
hesitation, Gip was eagerly tugging him towards the
entrance."
Magically performed on youtube by Classic Audiobooks With Elliot.
For a fun free listen head in this direction -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPM7W...
If you prefer to read the story for free then head in this direction -> https://cdn.bookey.app/files/pdf/book...
sidenote: Yes! The funnel neck Norwegian sweater is back on track and now and, as a result of listening to this magic shop tale, accompanied by a pet earworm: Abracadabra, the 1982 hit by the Steve Miller band of my heydays. For a very short fun free listen, with a little backstory, head in this direction-> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gNTVUp...
For a more theatrical, and early '80s cheezie version, head over here (trigger warning-inappropriate white rat touching 👉🐁👈) -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8B0...
Whatever you decide to look at or listen to during this spooky season, Enjoy Yourself 💛🧚♀️🙋🏼!
A charmingly sinister and creepy short telling of a father and his young son, Gip, as they visit a magic shop in search of a few clever toys for the child.
"The exterior of the shop was unassuming but hinted at the
wondrous offerings within. A faded, wooden façade with
grimy windows revealed glimpses of curious objects, their
shapes barely discernible through the dusty panes. The aura
of mystery that surrounded the place was irresistible, and
before his father could articulate a word of caution or rational
hesitation, Gip was eagerly tugging him towards the
entrance."
Magically performed on youtube by Classic Audiobooks With Elliot.
For a fun free listen head in this direction -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPM7W...
If you prefer to read the story for free then head in this direction -> https://cdn.bookey.app/files/pdf/book...
sidenote: Yes! The funnel neck Norwegian sweater is back on track and now and, as a result of listening to this magic shop tale, accompanied by a pet earworm: Abracadabra, the 1982 hit by the Steve Miller band of my heydays. For a very short fun free listen, with a little backstory, head in this direction-> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gNTVUp...
For a more theatrical, and early '80s cheezie version, head over here (trigger warning-inappropriate white rat touching 👉🐁👈) -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8B0...
Whatever you decide to look at or listen to during this spooky season, Enjoy Yourself 💛🧚♀️🙋🏼!
August 26, 2021
Think Needful Things by Stephen King. Also think Harry Potter's first trip to Ollivander's.
July 17, 2025
Eh -- just OK for me. I think it was eerie and creepy but a bit too short and the ending was rather quick.
I adore stories about magic ships. I think it was a bit too short and I jsut expected something completely different.
I'd heard of this one before and the concept sounded cool but I'd have liked more lead in and perhaps a bit longer of a read.
It was still good -- a nice quick read about an eerie magic shop. I could see this one being especially satisfying around Halloween.
I adore stories about magic ships. I think it was a bit too short and I jsut expected something completely different.
I'd heard of this one before and the concept sounded cool but I'd have liked more lead in and perhaps a bit longer of a read.
It was still good -- a nice quick read about an eerie magic shop. I could see this one being especially satisfying around Halloween.
September 9, 2018
Reminds me of a scary Ray Bradbury tale, Something Wicked This Way Comes.
“You know, perhaps, that sinister something that comes like a hand out of the unseen and grips your heart about. You know it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate....”
“You know, perhaps, that sinister something that comes like a hand out of the unseen and grips your heart about. You know it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate....”
April 29, 2019
"You, you know, are the right sort of boy! It's only the right sort of boy who gets through that doorway."
Children with vivid imagination. So intense. Makes life more happier and easier.
The relationship between the father and his son Gip, despite the Shortness of the story, you will definitely feel the development of their relationship and the start of Gip's growth and interest in other things than the love of his Father.
Children with vivid imagination. So intense. Makes life more happier and easier.
The relationship between the father and his son Gip, despite the Shortness of the story, you will definitely feel the development of their relationship and the start of Gip's growth and interest in other things than the love of his Father.
December 6, 2021
متجر الأحلام ❤️
مش أي حد ممكن يدخله أو حتى يشوفه.. بس لو دخلت يبقي انت تستحق ده...
بسيطة و لذيذة بوصف جميل و نهاية مستعجلة
فكرتني بعالم صرخة الرعب اللى كنت مفتقداه 💖
مش أي حد ممكن يدخله أو حتى يشوفه.. بس لو دخلت يبقي انت تستحق ده...
بسيطة و لذيذة بوصف جميل و نهاية مستعجلة
فكرتني بعالم صرخة الرعب اللى كنت مفتقداه 💖
July 23, 2019
First of anything that I’ve read by H.G. Wells. I actually found the audio tape by accident and since it was short, decided to pick it up and wasn’t disappointed.
It was really interesting, I love fantasy and anything to do with wizards and magic so that’s a win-win for me.
Definitely not like anything I’ve read before, even though it was so short it drew me in completely and I couldn’t believe it when it was already over. This is why I can’t read short stories! It’s never enough when I finish them, I always need more!
I definitely recommend this! Won’t take up too much of your time or go to waste. Also Greg Wagland’s voice acting is amazing.
It was really interesting, I love fantasy and anything to do with wizards and magic so that’s a win-win for me.
Definitely not like anything I’ve read before, even though it was so short it drew me in completely and I couldn’t believe it when it was already over. This is why I can’t read short stories! It’s never enough when I finish them, I always need more!
I definitely recommend this! Won’t take up too much of your time or go to waste. Also Greg Wagland’s voice acting is amazing.
November 2, 2009
Available at ThougthAudio.
This is a charming tale from H.G. Wells about a young boy named Gip who visits a magic shop for his birthday with his father. But this is not just any magic shop – the shopkeeper insists that this is a genuine magic shop. The story is an entertaining adventure as Gip, like any young boy of his age, experiences the pure enjoyment of true magic while his skeptical father grapples with having to draw the line between slight of hand and genuine magic.
This is a charming tale from H.G. Wells about a young boy named Gip who visits a magic shop for his birthday with his father. But this is not just any magic shop – the shopkeeper insists that this is a genuine magic shop. The story is an entertaining adventure as Gip, like any young boy of his age, experiences the pure enjoyment of true magic while his skeptical father grapples with having to draw the line between slight of hand and genuine magic.
October 19, 2018
Fun little short I found as part of this Literary Advent Calendar for Halloween. Includes links to all of the stories.
This one isn’t very spooky per se, but would definitely unnerve me if it happened to me.
This one isn’t very spooky per se, but would definitely unnerve me if it happened to me.
February 29, 2020
I really fail to see the meaning of this story. Short stories have a limited capacity to what they can offer, and you need to be exceptionally talented to deliver a message or grab the attention of the reader using a few pages. For me this story didn't do it. I can't say I don't like the way it was written but I can't say I liked it either.
December 31, 2019
The build up of tension, the sense of wonder from the child and unease from the parent. It was lovely, at one point I was nervous for Gip. Very cool and creepy.
October 28, 2025
Deceptive
At first, I thought this book wasn’t really my cup of tea. Perhaps because neither as a kid nor as an adult was I ever interested in magic or believed in it. I’ve always known that magic is nothing but tricks — illusions created to fool the mind.
But since I know H.G. Wells and how he writes, I knew that if he’s telling a story, it probably hides something deeper — a disturbing message, because truth and reality are always disturbing in his world. So I took a step back to reflect on it.
And I must say, he followed the illusion perfectly with this one. What looked on the surface like a cute story about magic actually had a hidden truth tucked between its lines. What seemed to the child like a world of wonder and beauty felt, to his father, like a strange and unsettling place that kept him constantly on guard.
That made me reflect on the difference between childhood and adulthood. Once we grow up and collect our scars, we learn to always stay alert — to expect the worst and see the evil hidden behind a smile. But to a child, who has no concept or grasp of what darkness might disguise itself as, the world is nothing but a giant amusement park — bright, fascinating, and full of wonder.
At first, I thought this book wasn’t really my cup of tea. Perhaps because neither as a kid nor as an adult was I ever interested in magic or believed in it. I’ve always known that magic is nothing but tricks — illusions created to fool the mind.
But since I know H.G. Wells and how he writes, I knew that if he’s telling a story, it probably hides something deeper — a disturbing message, because truth and reality are always disturbing in his world. So I took a step back to reflect on it.
And I must say, he followed the illusion perfectly with this one. What looked on the surface like a cute story about magic actually had a hidden truth tucked between its lines. What seemed to the child like a world of wonder and beauty felt, to his father, like a strange and unsettling place that kept him constantly on guard.
That made me reflect on the difference between childhood and adulthood. Once we grow up and collect our scars, we learn to always stay alert — to expect the worst and see the evil hidden behind a smile. But to a child, who has no concept or grasp of what darkness might disguise itself as, the world is nothing but a giant amusement park — bright, fascinating, and full of wonder.
September 6, 2019
A fun little story! Magical and mysterious and the end makes you wonder if this really is the end... ;)
October 2, 2020
WELCOME TO SPOOKTOBER!!!!
So I decided to do a little shortie challenge for the rest of the year where I challenge myself to read at least one short story a day. October is obviously going to have the theme of the spooky variety, and I will focus on scifi/fantasy for November, and classics for December. But ultimately I do what I want and won't apologize for mixing genres.
So this is my first day of the month short from an author I've read, but a story I've not heard of. It is not EXACTLY in the vein of Spooktober, being decidedly more eerie and less creepy, but I did enjoy it. It's got magic and creepy shopkeepers, and children who aren't exactly as they seem. It is a tiny bit reminiscent of Stephen King's Needful Things but way more benign. Definitely a classic and definitely has the heavy handedness of H.G. Wells, but definitely has atmosphere and that sense of unknowing.
And it was also pretty short, so it was a perfect way to kick of Spooktober, and had a pretty eerie ending that makes you think.
Not the best story I've read but definitely not the worst.
Read it for FREE here:
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
Day one: The Magic Shop
So I decided to do a little shortie challenge for the rest of the year where I challenge myself to read at least one short story a day. October is obviously going to have the theme of the spooky variety, and I will focus on scifi/fantasy for November, and classics for December. But ultimately I do what I want and won't apologize for mixing genres.
So this is my first day of the month short from an author I've read, but a story I've not heard of. It is not EXACTLY in the vein of Spooktober, being decidedly more eerie and less creepy, but I did enjoy it. It's got magic and creepy shopkeepers, and children who aren't exactly as they seem. It is a tiny bit reminiscent of Stephen King's Needful Things but way more benign. Definitely a classic and definitely has the heavy handedness of H.G. Wells, but definitely has atmosphere and that sense of unknowing.
There was something a little rum about the fixtures even, about the ceiling, about the floor, about the casually distributed chairs. I had a queer feeling that whenever I wasn't looking at them straight they went askew, and moved about, and played a noiseless puss-in-the-corner behind my back. And the cornice had a serpentine design with masks--masks altogether too expressive for proper plaster.
And it was also pretty short, so it was a perfect way to kick of Spooktober, and had a pretty eerie ending that makes you think.
You know, perhaps, that sinister something that comes like a hand out of the unseen and grips your heart about. You know it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate, neither slow nor hasty, neither angry nor afraid. So it was with me.
Not the best story I've read but definitely not the worst.
Read it for FREE here:
http://www.online-literature.com/well...
Day one: The Magic Shop
June 2, 2019
People who believe in free range parenting need to read books like this. Children are innocent, trusting, and have no guile. Things often aren’t as they seem but we only learn to read between the lines and size up situations through life experience and age. The boy was having a super time while the dad was freaking out. It doesn’t make sense that he didn’t get rid of the army men that came to life though. Nothing good will come from letting the boy keep and play with those.
The magic shop reminded me of Fred and George’s joke shop in Harry Potter, except in the end, it was clearly sinister. There’s nothing funny or magical about it at all.
Excerpts:
I had seen the Magic Shop from afar several times; I had passed it once or twice, a shop window of alluring little objects, magic balls, magic hens, wonderful cones, ventriloquist dolls, the material of the basket trick, packs of cards that LOOKED all right, and all that sort of thing, but never had I thought of going in until one day, almost without warning, Gip hauled me by my finger right up to the window, and so conducted himself that there was nothing for it but to take him in.
It was being borne in upon me just how tremendously rum this place was; it was, so to speak, inundated by a sense of rumness. There was something a little rum about the fixtures even, about the ceiling, about the floor, about the casually distributed chairs.
The magic shop reminded me of Fred and George’s joke shop in Harry Potter, except in the end, it was clearly sinister. There’s nothing funny or magical about it at all.
Excerpts:
I had seen the Magic Shop from afar several times; I had passed it once or twice, a shop window of alluring little objects, magic balls, magic hens, wonderful cones, ventriloquist dolls, the material of the basket trick, packs of cards that LOOKED all right, and all that sort of thing, but never had I thought of going in until one day, almost without warning, Gip hauled me by my finger right up to the window, and so conducted himself that there was nothing for it but to take him in.
It was being borne in upon me just how tremendously rum this place was; it was, so to speak, inundated by a sense of rumness. There was something a little rum about the fixtures even, about the ceiling, about the floor, about the casually distributed chairs.
March 1, 2020
usually I don’t enjoy short stories (and this story wasn’t an exception)
Maybe we can contemplate about the fact that the father worried about paying the bills like a responsible adult while the son was intrigued by the magic, or the fact that the father wished to be the mother so that he can display some affection towards his son, and how unfair this cruel view is....
Many more thoughts came to mind, but...
Overall I didn’t like it and found it boring although not badly written....
Maybe we can contemplate about the fact that the father worried about paying the bills like a responsible adult while the son was intrigued by the magic, or the fact that the father wished to be the mother so that he can display some affection towards his son, and how unfair this cruel view is....
Many more thoughts came to mind, but...
Overall I didn’t like it and found it boring although not badly written....
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