The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror

by Joyce Carol Oates

From one of our most important contemporary writers, The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror is a bold, haunting collection of six stories.

In the title story, a young boy becomes obsessed with his cousin’s doll after she tragically passes away from leukemia. As he grows older, he begins to collect “found dolls” from the surrounding neighborhoods and stores his treasures in the abandoned carriage house on his family's estate. But just what kind of dolls are they? In “Gun Accident,” a teenage girl is thrilled when her favorite teacher asks her to house-sit, even on short notice. But when an intruder forces his way into the house while the girl is there, the fate of more than one life is changed forever. In “Equatorial,” set in the exotic Galapagos, an affluent American wife experiences disorienting assaults upon her sense of who her charismatic husband really is, and what his plans may be for her.

In The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror, Joyce Carol Oates evokes the “fascination of the abomination” that is at the core of the most profound, the most unsettling, and the most memorable of dark mystery fiction.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Anthologies

Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Joyce Carol Oates is an American writer. Oates published her first book in 1963, and has since published 58 novels, a number of plays and novellas, and many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Her novels Black Water (1992), What I Lived For (1994), and Blonde (2000), and her short story collections The Wheel of Love (1970) and Lovely, Dark, Deep: Stories (2014) were each finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. She has won many awards for her writing, including the National Book Award, for her novel Them (1969), two O. Henry Awards, the National Humanities Medal, and the Jerusalem Prize (2019).
Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014, and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. From 2016 to 2020, she was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught short fiction in the spring semesters. She now teaches at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Oates was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2016.
Pseudonyms: Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly.

Reviews

[Char · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror. The problem here lies with the "Tales of Terror" part of that title, because it's a bold statement and I'm afraid these stories never did reach that level.

Don't get me wrong-all of these tales were well written and a few of them were extremely creepy, (such as The Doll-Master and Big Momma), but for me it was always easy to see where the stories were going to end up and they were NEVER scary. (I guess a lot of my problem with this collection is with the title. My expectations were raised; I was ready and excited to be terrorized, and instead I didn't even get any goosebumps. I cannot hide my disappointment.)

Again, this book was well written, hence my 3 star rating, but I can't heartily recommend it to experienced fans of horror and dark fiction. If you're just starting out in the genre and want to dip your toes into the dark water, this would be an okay place to start. Afterwards you can check out the short fiction of King or McCammon, or the old masters like E.A. Poe or Arthur Machen and then you too, will see what I'm talking about. Terror is not a word to be tossed around lightly and I'm sad to say that's what happened here.

*Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the free e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Robbie's cousin Amy died of leukemia, a disease he knew nothing about, he didn't ask questions, nor did he cry. Instead he stole his cousins doll.
When all the adults around him were busy whispering and grieving, I felt sorry for
this little boy being left in the dark.
Robbie had been a a quiet student, but teachers seem to like him and his grades were usually high.
At home, Robbie's being quiet maddened his father....."for it seemed sullen, rebellious".
Robbie had the habit of grunting instead of talking or mumbling under his breath.
His dad understood the effort Robbie put into 'not' looking at him.
The more Robbie developed intimacy with his first doll - (and later more 'found dolls' he calls them), the less interested he is in bonding with family and friends.

"You can look into a doll's eyes without fear of the doll seeing into your soul in a way hostile to you but you can't be so careless looking at anyone else".

We watch Robbie grow up.. the choices he makes, and as we do, we will twisting our hair, biting out finger nails, and making creepy faces. "The Doll-Master" is one of six stories. There are five more.

In the story "Soldier", a black kid is killed in Iraq by a white man.
"For here is the injustice: only if you are killed, are you 'innocent'. If you fight for your
life, you are guilty". Or, are you?

The other four stories, "The Gun Story", Equatorial, "Big Momma", and "Mystery Inc" .. are equally as good - ordinary people to organic foods- teachers- teenagers
bookstore owners -a husband -wife - and little kids disappearing...

These eerie-highly imagined shuddersome stories are stupendous! Leave it to a pro...
Joyce Carol Oats. She can create mysterious psychological wickedness, that is hard to beat.
"Jack of Spades", which was released in 2015, was another one of my favorite
psychological mystery thrillers - another thin book Oats wrote which I could never recommend high enough!

Thank You Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Joyce Carol Oats

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Net Galley in exchange for a review.

Six short stories, touted to be tales of terror. Terrifying, no. Sorry. Entertaining, yes. Absolutely. Well written and slightly dark, but nothing new or unexpected to prickle the back of my neck or make my thumbs twitch. Recommended for those who are carefully considering a walk on the dark side, or those who like to dabble a bit without the worry of gore. Well-seasoned terror fiends will go away hungry.

[Olethros · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Más horror que terror, al menos a ojos de este lector, pero la diferencia carece de verdadera importancia.-

Género. Relatos.

Lo que nos cuenta. El libro El señor de las muñecas y otros cuentos de terror (publicación original: The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror, 2016) es una recopilación de relatos inquietantes por distintas razones, todos editados anteriormente en distintas publicaciones, y que nos presentan a una mujer que sospecha de las intenciones de su marido, a un empresario de librerías que desea hacerse con el local de un competidor exitoso o, entre otros, a un muchacho intensamente interesado en muñecas.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Ana Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mi relato favorito fue "Accidente por arma de fuego "

[Ana Cristina Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Más que terror esta antología de relatos explora la violencia y el desapego en las relaciones interpersonales, a menudo dentro de la familia. Los personajes arrastran frustraciones afectivas y el desequilibrio que ello comporta los puede empujar a actos violentos.

Como suele suceder con la obra de Joyce Carol Oates, hay un estudio profundo de la psicología de los personajes y sus circunstancias. Más que lo que pasa, importa el entorno y el por qué de las cosas que suceden.

Tiene una buena calidad literaria, pero algunos cuentos se me han hecho un poco largos y algunos temas me han parecido previsibles.

El cuento que más me ha gustado es ‘Misterios S.A.’, sobre el dueño de una librería obsesionado con su rival. Tiene un aire de misterio clásico y una ambientación excelente en la vieja librería, que lo hace muy atractivo.

[Althea Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** The Doll-Master
(Previously read in "The Doll Collection." Re-read.)
While, in general, I don't think that there's anything wrong with little boys playing with dolls, there's certainly something quite, quite wrong with this specific boy playing with dolls.

**** Soldier
Powerful, disturbing story. This isn't what I expected from "Tales of Terror" but it's quite horrific. Oates brings us into the head of a man who's something of a cross between Bernie Goetz and George Zimmerman - and it's not a pleasant place to be.

**** Gun Accident: An Investigation
A woman thinks back on the 'gun accident' incident that traumatized her as a teenager.
The story feels believable to the point where I would think that it was true.
Again, the 'terror' here is the sort that people really truly have to face: mundane, banal, and perhaps all the more horrifying for it.
The tension is masterfully raised as the details of what happened that one afternoon are revealed.

*** Equatorial
This piece was as masterfully written as the preceding stories - but I so hated the main character that if I knew her, I'd seriously want to kill her myself. This feeling undercut the effectiveness, for me: I feel that the author wanted us to feel equally ambivalent about both her and her husband, and I didn't.
A middle-aged woman on a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos with her husband has become suspicious that he actually wants to kill her. Are her fears justified, or is it all paranoia that will lead her to make rash choices? The ending leaves it up to the reader to decide what might happen - with several dire possibilities on the table.

**** Big Momma
This one's a more traditional horror story. A lonely young girl is having a hard time adjusting to life in a new town, at a new school - until one of her classmates befriends her and brings her into her family's warm embrace. But is this a family one really wants to be embraced by?
There have been mysterious disappearances around town - of pets, and small children...

***** Mystery, Inc.
From a purely literary standpoint, this might not be the best story in this brief but excellent collection - but it was my favorite. A crime story set amongst crime stories, it's a twisty tale of malfeasance between booksellers - where the competition might get literally cut-throat.
Although hardly 'cozy,' this is a much more 'fun' story than the others in the collection.
In addition to the plot, what really made it for me was the vividness of the details and the clarity of the setting - you come away from this story feeling that you actually remember being in this bookstore.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[Helene Jeppesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an impressive collection of dark and twisted tales; I simply couldn't have asked for more! "The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror" contains six short stories which are all cleverly written in such a way that makes you unable to see what is coming. I loved it!
Some of the stories are very contemporary and deal with modern issues in a twisted way, whereas other stories ressemble classic horror tales that we all know and love. What all six of them have in common, though, is that they are dark and contain unexpected twists that made them so much more impressive to me.
After having read this collection of Oates', I'm determined to read a lot more from her because this is an author that I want to get to know a lot better! If you are a fan of dark and mysterious stories, definitely check out this amazing collection of tales of terror!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never having read Joyce Carol Oates before, but having heard much about her and her writing, I decided to lose my JCO virginity with these tales of terror.

The Doll-Master 4*
My favorite. I have this fascination with dolls. Not that I collect them, heck, I barely played with them as a child. I just like how certain dolls can be adorable and creepy at once. And the main character collects them...How? That is the big question. I expected there to be some supernatural element to this, but in the end, I thought wrong!

Soldier 2*
One word. Meh.

Gun Accident: An Investigation 3.5*
The narrator's thoughts drift back once again to that incident in which she was the victim and her whole life got turned upside down.

Equatorial 3.5*
A woman suspects her husband wants to get rid of her. Will he divorce her? Or will he try something more elaborate?

Big Momma 3.5*
A young girl finds a new home with the family of a school friend, but what kind of offers will that take? I saw this coming from a mile away, so the terror wasn't there for me.
It's been said around here that people breeding a snake, making offers in the form of live prey (preferably one of their children), serving and idolizing it, will make them filthy rich.

Mystery, Inc. 3.5*
A shrewd businessman, or so he thinks, buys op bookstores and gets a taste of his own medicine when he goes after this particular one.

The stories are solid. They are interesting and well-written, however, I thought most of them could have done with a few paragraphs less. And while there were moments with palpable tension, nothing much happened in between and the terror was more of the thriller kind than of the terrifying sort.


Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.

[El Convincente · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahí vamos.
En literatura, desarrollar un estilo propio no es tan difícil como se cree.

Joyce Carol Oates lo ha conseguido mediante el sencillo procedimiento de introducir insistentemente en el texto dos elementos básicos:

- Pensamientos de los personajes en estilo directo libre.
- Cursivas.

Gracias a Dios que utiliza signos de puntuación.

Si tuviese todo el tiempo del mundo y unos gramos más de malicia, reescribiría uno de los relatos de Oates eliminando esos dos elementos, pensamientos y cursivas. ¿Cuánto se perdería en mi versión con respecto al original?
Sospecho que no demasiado. Nada importante.

En cualquier caso, el estilo de Oates cae lejos de lo que consiguen mis cuentos preferidos: una concatenación de frases ineludibles, certeras, necesarias para conseguir un efecto. En sus relatos hay más profusión que precisión.
Pelín pedantorro me ha quedado esto.

Y esas tramas... Repetitivas cuando no tienen ningún giro. Predecibles cuando sí lo tienen.

Y ahora mi giro.
Pero aburrir no aburre, que sería lo imperdonable.

Uff. Me ha quedado un poco desganada esta reseña, como de funcionario aburrido.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was hoping for so much more from this collection of short horror stories...I just could seem to connect to any of them.

There are a total of 6 stories, coming in at about 300 total pages....maybe that was part of the problem for me. The build up seemed to be a bit drawn out and I think that hurt in maintaining any suspense. I didn't find many of the tales to have much 'terror' to them either.

These aren't bad stories, just a bit forgettable to me.

ARC provided by NetGalley

[Julio Bernad · Rating 4 out of 5]

El relato Ecuatorial se trata con mayor detalle en el programa de Gabinete de Curiosidades Ecuatorial de Joyce Carol Oates - una reflexión sobre las especies invasoras a través de través de las relaciones tóxicas: https://go.ivoox.com/rf/124664933

De psicópata a psicópata y tiro porque me toca. He pasado de cohabitar con un secuestrador frustrado sexualmente a estudiar con interés científico a cinco potenciales o declarados psicópatas. Creo que he tenido escabrosidad y maldad para una buena temporada. No se por qué el título de esta antología me hizo pensar que iba a enfrentarme con historias de horror gótico. La asociación involuntaria que hacemos con la clásica muñeca victoriana con vestido de volantes con las mansiones lúgubres y los secretos de familia, quizá, no lo se. Pero en absoluto: estas seis historias de terror son realistas y se ambientan en el siglo XX o en el presente. Lo cual en absoluto es algo malo. De hecho, al contrario, la mayoría de las historias son bastante buenas, originales y tienen cierto toque noir a lo Patricia Highsmith; en concreto aquellas que se centran más en el terror psicológico o que juegan con el narrador en primera persona.

La antología recoge los siguientes relatos.

El señor de las muñecas (***): historia de psicópatas de manual. Un niño que ya apunta maneras queda trastornado por la muerte prematura de su prima pequeña, su única compañera de juegos. La visión de su prima muerta y el amor que esta profesaba por una muñeca hacen que el narrador desarrolle una obsesión por estos juguetes, nada anormal ni preocupante excepto que tengas un padre que asume que por jugar por muñecas perderás toda virilidad. Al privarle de este inocente consuelo, el chaval comenzará a buscar otras muñecas. Más grandes, más blandas. Más vivas. En este relato, como digo, tenemos al clásico psicópata que nace con cierta predisposición a la maldad pero que es moldeado por su entorno familiar. Es el más convencional del conjunto y, quizá por eso mismo, el menos memorable.

Soldado (***): lo más interesante de este relato es la reflexión que hace sobre el pueblo americano y el racismo. Un chaval esta siendo juzgado por haber matado a tiros a un adolescente negro. El abogado alega que fue defensa propia, el acusado estaba siendo asaltado por una banda de chavales y vio peligrar su vida al ver cómo uno de ellos cogió una tubería, por lo que saco el arma y, en el forcejeo, disparo para protegerse. Sin embargo, dicha tubería no aparece en la escena el crimen, ni tampoco rastros de que hubiera más involucrados en el presunto asalto. El fiscal, por tanto, afirma que fue un crimen racista, y así lo cree también la opinión pública, que inicia un acoso sistemático al reo a través de internet, redes sociales, prensa y correspondencia. Mucha gente lo quiere muerto y con gusto lo mataría por lo que ha hecho, pero mucha otra gente -blanca, por supuesto- está convencida de que hizo lo correcto, y no solo apoya su acto con palabras de ánimo sino también con donaciones para hacer frente a las costas del proceso. Un relato completísimo, que pone en la picota a los ultrajusticia, la gente que expresa el gen del linchamiento y la picota y condenan sin haber escuchado la sentencia, tan comprometidos están con la justicia; los fariseos religiosos, muy abundantes en una tierra tan fértil al fanatismo religioso como es la estadounidense; los racistas encubiertos, podridos por la religión; el nulo control de las armas y la neurosis de los blancos, que ven en el otro al potencial asesino o violador que acabe con los buenos valores de su sociedad, etc. Carol Oates no deja palo sin tocar en un relato que solo se podía resolver de una forma: con un final abierto.

Accidente por arma de fuego. Una investigación (****): una joven estudiante de secundaria, la favorita de la clase, recibe el encargo de la profesora más enrollada del instituto de vigilar su casa mientras ella acude al hospital para acompañar a su marido enfermo. La muchacha es instruida sobre todo lo que hay que hacer para conservar la casa intacta, cómo regar las plantas, alimentar al gato, hacer creer al vecindario que la casa sigue estando habitada, etc. Eso sí, la profesora es rotunda en algo: no tiene que entrar a las habitaciones de arriba, y es por ello que, antes de irse, las dejará cerrada con llave. Pero cuál no será la sorpresa de la joven al acudir a realizar sus tareas que la profesora, en su urgencia, se olvidó de cerrar las habitaciones. No importa. La muchacha acude varios días y realiza las tareas atendiendo religiosamente a las directrices de su profesora. Sin embargo, un día alguien llama a la puerta y grita su nombre varias veces. Otro relato de psicópatas que mantiene un clímax brutal, verdaderamente angustioso. Aquí Joyce Carol Oates es más indulgente con el villano de la historia que en el primer relato, pues hay una importante reflexión sobre la pobreza y la consecuente drogadicción. Eso sí, indulgencia no es sinónimo de justificación.

Ecuatorial (****): una mujer sumisa hasta la nausea, dominada por completo para satisfacer los caprichos de su marido, accede a ir con el en un viaje a Ecuador para visitar las Islas Galápagos, un escenario volcánico habitado por criaturas únicas y aparentemente primitivas que tanto cautivaron a Darwin. Conforme avanza el viaje, la mujer, a raíz de una serie de sucesos extraños en que sintió peligrar su vida, sospecha que su marido está intentando deshacerse de ella. No sería extraño, pues ella es su tercera mujer, y todas las anteriores fueron sustituidas por modelos más jóvenes previo adulterio. La brillantez de este relato reside en el narrador utilizado por Carol Oates, uno omnisciente que ahonda en todo momento en la torturada psique de la protagonista, que por no tener no tiene ni nombre, al igual que el marido: para el narrador son la mujer y el marido, nada más. Esta perspectiva forzada hace que inmediatamente empatices con la mujer, porque sientes que el marido es un completo imbécil, pero conforme se avanza en la lectura los sentimientos hacía la narradora van volviéndose menos compasivos, pues no deja de ser un ser pusilánime, neurótico, lleno de inseguridades y con ciertos comportamientos siniestros. Es un relato que juega mucho con el simbolismo, utilizando el archipiélago como metáfora de la situación matrimonial de la protagonista. Las Galápagos, como ecosistema insular aislado de todo, desarrollo una fauna endémica extremadamente adaptada a su hábitat. Al carecer de depredadores, muchos animales perdieron ciertos mecanismos de defensa que aún sobreviven en el continente. Por ejemplo, en las Galápagos hay una especie de cormorán que no vuela. Debido a ello, la fauna autóctona es vulnerable a cualquier especie invasora, como ratas, gatos o cabras, por lo que el gobierno ecuatoriano tomó la acertada decisión de erradicar todas estos animales foráneos para conservar la fauna local. La mujer se siente como esas cabras y gatos a los que matan para conservar o como esas pobres criaturas que evolucionaron ajenas a cualquier amenaza y que pueden ser sustituidas por otras especies, en este caso, mujeres más jóvenes e intrépidas. Esta analogía se va desarrollando a lo largo del relato en forma de debate entre conservación y ecologismo, y la protagonista representa esa opinión emocional que se siente asqueada por las medidas tomadas por conservacionistas para preservar a las comunidades vulnerables. Es un relato que me ha dado una idea para mi programa podcast, así que probablemente lo desarrolle con mayor detalle en el futuro.

Mamaíta (****): una adolescente retraída se muda junto a su madre soltera a otra ciudad. Nueva vida, nuevo instituto. Es decir, soledad, marginación y bullying; situación que se mantiene hasta que conoce a Rita Mae, pero sobre todo a su padre, Clovis, un hombre encantador, cercano a la juventud, que le da todo el cariño del que no le provee su madre, una mujer amargada y ligeramente histérica. Así, la protagonista se integra del todo en el instituto, hace amigas y pasa más tiempo con la familia de Rita Mae. Conforme afianzan su relación, Clovis decide que ya es hora de que le presenten a Mamaíta. Es previsible hasta cierto punto, pero podría haber tenido otros finales y hubieran quedado igual de bien.

Misterios S.A. (****): un librero viaja de incógnito por toda Nueva Inglaterra visitando librerías que poder comprar. Su estrategia mercantil es directa y expeditiva. Como buen lector de novelas de misterio, conoce todos los secretos para acabar con sus potenciales rivales sin ser detectado por la policía. Tan eficaces se muestran sus métodos que siempre se ha salido con la suya, y ahora va a por el premio gordo: la librería Misterios S.A., un referente entre lectores aficionados, especialistas y anticuarios. Este ha sido mi relato favorito, el más Highsmith de la colección y el más impredecible. Como lector uno cree que sabe qué es lo que va a ocurrir, y en cierto punto sí, lo sabe, lo que no sabe es cómo va a ocurrir. Y ese cómo es lo que hace a este relato fascinante.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oates is someone I've been reading off and on for 20 years or so, and of course I've barely scratched the surface of her work. This is a pretty standard collection of stories from her--stories that are chilling, but grounded in the real world, and stories that sometimes (like real life) lack a satisfying ending. I'm giving this collection of six stories 4 stars based on the strength of "Gun Accident" and "Equatorial."

The Doll-Master: 3 stars. A solid suspense story; the vague ending of this one worked, I think.
Soldier: 1 star. Great idea, good writing and narrator, but it really feels like the ending is actually missing--not intentionally vague, but omitted.
Gun Accident: 5 stars. I hate this story. Hate it. I found it very unsettling to read. But it gets 5 stars for being utterly chilling. I admit, this story touches one of my fears (specifically, home invasion). Great characterization, great setting, well written, and I was so, so tense and worried throughout. I don't feel that way very often when reading.
Equatorial: 4 stars. I enjoyed this story of a super-passive wife and her possibly threatening husband, and the Galapagos setting really worked here.
Big Momma: 2 stars. A solid creepy story, but I felt like it was missing anything below the surface (if that makes sense?).
Mystery, Inc.: 3 stars. Solid and I like the bookshop setting, of course. But no surprises.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

[Cody | CodysBookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a buddy read with my friend Tracy!

I decided to rank each story in this collection out of 5 stars. Below are my ratings:

The Doll-Master: 5
Soldier: 4
Gun Accident: 5
Equilateral: 4
Big Momma: 5
Mystery, Inc.: 3

As you can see, three of the six stories got a perfect rating from me, and now number amongst my all-time favorite Joyce Carol Oates stories! Averaged together, these ratings equal something like 4.33333333333, so 4 stars overall it is.

Many reviews of this book say these stories don’t “terrify”; I disagree. Oates’s brand of quiet, paranoid, sometimes-unspoken fear really gets to me, especially in something like “Gun Accident”, easily my favorite in the collection. Oates specializes in taking normal, albeit volatile situations and amping up the everyday fears that could be taken from said situations. She’s good at slowly turning the dials, making things seem rather not-right.

And then there’s “Big Momma” and “The Doll-Master”, both of which feature reveals that took me totally off guard. I was shuddering. The final line of “The Doll-Master” will stick with me always.

“Soldier” deals with a subject we’ve seen a lot in media lately: racial killings. This one sees JCO dealing with a fragile psyche, her wheelhouse, but the ending fell flat for me. “Equilateral” uses the setting of the Galapagos (also featured in her upcoming novel Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars.) to great effect, and JCO dives deep into another of her longtime obsessions: marital stress. Conflict in the unspoken, the implied. And for the most part it sustains, though it begins feeling long in the tooth.

And then there’s “Mystery, Inc.”, a story I thought I’d love; it fell flat for me. Wholly unscary and rather convoluted, it’s a misfire—but a misfire that is still enjoyable, for what it is.

Like any collection, I enjoyed some stories more than others . . . on the whole I quite loved this collection and it did scare me—big time!

[Scarlet Cameo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro es definitivamente una sopresa para mi, no conocía a la autora y la verdad es que desee leerlo por el título. Ninguno de los cuentos se siente incompleto, como puede suceder en algunas ocasiones, de hecho para mi el falló está en que, en las historias más largas, se siente como que das vueltas a lo mismo sin llegar a una conclusión, pero los cuentos más cortos son bastante sólidos.

En la mayoría, los protagonistas son niños, aunque hay algunos narrados por adultos acerca de las vivencias de su niñez. Este recurso es muy utilizado por los autores dada la vulnerabilidad de los niños especialmente sí, como en este caso, las situaciones no son fantásticas, sino que entran en el terreno de lo verosímil.

No creo que ninguna de las tramas llegué a asustar, aunque son definitivamente perturbadoras. La autora tiene una manera de llevarte a la resolución dando desde el principio pistas para que sepas lo que pasará, pero haciendo que quieras conocer el como llegaremos a este cierre. De hecho está fue una de las cosas que más me gustó, los finales no son del todo explícitos, te deja lo suficiente para que sientas que la historia cerró del todo dándote al mismo tiempo elementos que hacen que tú decidas que les sucederá a los personajes después de que la narración termina. Está en tu imaginación decir si viven, mueren, matan, corren, se paralizan, etc. al no explayarse del todo en que finaliza tu tienes la oportunidad de cambiarlo que sucede.

Para finalizar ¿Algunas vez han escuchado que en un desfile lo primero y lo último que muestras debe ser lo más impresionante? Pues aquí la autora maneja los cuentos de esa manera. El primero, que da título al libro, es una historia muy perturbadora y realista, te deja impresionado y esperando mucho de los cuentos. Y cerramos el libro con Mystery, Inc. un cuento ambientado en una librería, y con protagonistas adultos, que fue posiblemente el que más me gustó; te regresa a la misma sensación de extrañeza y te introduce en los dialogos.

[Paula Fialho Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprei este livro pelo título e fiquei desiludida porque os contos não têm nada de terror. As histórias não são propriamente más e a escrita é boa, mas não vão de encontro ao que eu esperava...

[Nancy Oakes]

My many thanks to Mysterious Press for the copy that showed up at my door!

There are six stories in this rather dark collection, and once again the author has focused on human horrors rather than anything supernatural. While I admit I wasn't overly in love with each and every story in this book, I will say that the author's ability to create atmosphere continues here as it does in most of her short-story collections. If you've read her work in the past, you know exactly what I mean. As usual, she delves deeply into the human psyche to examine an odd collection of disturbed minds, and in some cases goes on to examine the effects on the unsuspecting (or in one case, overly suspicious) people falling within their orbit. Trust me, the results are not at all pretty -- some minds are just freakin' deranged here, and belong to people you'd be well off avoiding.

I won't go into any great detail, subject or thematic, so as not to wreck things, but the six stories in this book start with the titular tale, "The Doll-Master," a story that whets the reader's appetite for more. While I wasn't chilled to the marrow by this one, it made for a good opener, since here she goes into what exactly it is that might make a serial killer tick, given his past,starting a path for Oates' examination of deranged minds. The next story, "Soldier," is also very dark, hitting on current and relevant issues as we're asked to try and understand why a racist is turned into a model soldier of his cause. This one really bothered me precisely because of today's racist climate in this country, and the growing acceptance that racism should become the status quo. She nailed this one.

Moving along, not a fan of "Gun Accident," which like "Equatorial," the next story, could have actually been more suspenseful had it been shorter and had it actually got to the "terror" more quickly. Instead, I found both too long, killing any horror or chills I might have otherwise gleaned. By the time I got through "Equatorial," I didn't care what was going to happen at that point. "Gun Accident" looks at the aftermath of a single night in a woman's life, while "Equatorial" follows the story of a woman who is either very paranoid, or who is sure that she's in some kind of danger. These are followed by "Big Momma," the ending of which I saw coming from a mile away. There is one excellent story in this book, though, a little gem called "Mystery, Inc.," which follows a conversation between two book lovers who have big surprises for each other. That one I really, really liked -- my favorite story of the six.

To me it's much more of a book where predators tend to play with their prey before pouncing; I think had she not given the subtitle the moniker of "and Other Tales of Terror," I may have approached it differently. I was expecting to have hackles on my neck, but I think that with all of the dark fiction reading I do, it's starting to take more and more to actually terrify. Another thing -- to me, the best short fiction gets the reader coated in atmosphere immediately, starts the uneasiness rolling as you realize that something's just a wee bit off kilter, and then finally moves in for the big shockaroonie. Nothing too drawn out, just pure and simple bam! This process didn't really happen here for me, but people are really enjoying this book, so once again it's probably just a matter of my expectations when I see the word "terror" in a title. So my verdict -- like any other collection of short fiction, it's a bit hit and miss. But when she hits, she hits big time for sure.

[Leo Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG so I was in Oslo last weekend and I found this one on sale!! So good! You can never go wrong with JCO. You can go okay or mediocre with her, but rarely worse ;)

Just thought I’d open with that pointless anecdote, dear Goodreader, to remind you that this is my review and you’re here, after all, for my opinions. And my opinions, despite how clever we both know you are, are not a thing you can correct! Hahaha.

Anyways! The title story is cool and with a twist I didn’t see coming!
“Soldier” is another good one—a highly complex racial tensions in America that I’ll need to re-read to fully understand its implications.
“Equatorial” is also great—about a woman who drives herself mad with her own suspicions, despite constant reassurances.

Other ones were okay. The "bibliomystery" (yeugh) starts listing all these famous crime authors on the not unreasonable suspicion that readers of crime fiction would bear it. But I wouldn’t!

It was a huge relief for me to realise that there’s nothing you necessarily need to be interested in in order to be interested in literature. For example, here are a list of things I’m not interested in: language games and wordplay, references to other books in books, retelling of classical stories, mythology or really anything to do with libraries (magic libraries, waxing lyrical about how great libraries are…) I still love reading and books—but I don’t love reading about reading, or reading about books, or the history of either or anything in between. Any type of reader is possible and every type should be encouraged :D (Including the hypocritical ones like me who reserve the right to later become interested in any of these things!! :P)

Oh, and fairy tales! Ew!!

Another pet peeve of mine, since you’re obvs so interested, is story collections titled anything other than “and other stories.” A simple “stories” is even better. But when you get into “and other parables of woe” or whatever… dude, not for me, haha :)

But as I say: can’t go wrong with JCO. A surely enjoyable read for most :)

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, beautifully written collection of short stories. I enjoyed each and every one of these stories and found them to be disturbing, chilling, suspenseful and thought provoking and sometimes even sad.

My favorite of the six, though it was hard to choose a favorite, was “Mystery, Inc.”, which every mystery book lover will devour like candy (pun not intended for those who have read the story). I felt like I was reading an Edgar Allan Poe story that I had somehow missed over the years. As for the title story, “The Doll-Master”, I’ve always found dolls to be a bit eerie. I remember as a child sitting with all my dolls having a tea party when I realized they were all staring at me with those big blank eyes and I’d get frightened and have to leave the room. This doll story by Ms. Oates was quite different from what I had expected. “Equatorial”, “Gun Accident” and “Big Momma” all kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense. “Soldier” is a most timely story.

These stories are proof that there is no need for excessive gore and over-the-top fantasy to write a great horror story. I’ve read reviews that these aren’t horror stories but I’m sure if you encountered any of these happenings in your normal day, they would certainly register as total horror. Joyce Carol Oates proves again that she is a master at quietly finding the dark areas in every-day lives.

Whether these stories can be considered thrillers, horror or engrossing character studies, the book is highly recommended by me.

This book was given to me by the publisher through NetGalley and Edelweiss in return for an honest review.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

“It is a terrible thing to feel that you might break down, you might utter a confession that could not then be retrieved.”


The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates

In all honesty I just read the title story, The Doll Master. Well..a bit of the second as well.

My GR Friend Eve has it right..I could not connect and found the story..just somewhat distasteful. I knew the big reveal in The Doll Master, that was no surprise. And the abrupt ending left a bit of a bad taste for me.

As I always say, I like Eerie horror, the type that will slowly envelop you. Nothing subtle about this one at all. It was a standard short story where the twist was not really a twist and there was not really an ending. Well..there was but it was way to sudden.

I did not feel anything through the story except contempt of coarse for the main character. But maybe had this been longer, other characters could have been developed more.

I started the second one, realized almost immediately it was not for me. Luckily it was free on Kindle but it did not jell for me. Maybe someone else will appreciate it more.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book full of Joyce Carol Oates' trademark poisonous little gems of stories. Grotesque, macabre, chilling, what makes them frightening is her fearlessness in plumbing the depths of humanity. She draws us into the twisted worlds of these tales making us almost scared to recognise where they're going.

Anyone who has read her unforgettable Daddy Love will know what this writer is capable of: this isn't as shattering as that book but these stories bear some of the same marks. A ferociously intelligent writer with a disturbing , fearless and unnerving imagination.

[Dr. Cat in the Brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of thriller crime fiction that often crosses into being horrifying and sometimes hilarious social satire. My favourite of the collection was Gun Accident: An Investigation which is a solid 10/10, my least favourite of the collection was Equatorial that kept rehashing the same plot elements over and over until I got frustrated with it and skipped to the next story. It takes a lot to get me to DNF any story, especially a short fiction. The rest of the collection varied from predictable (Soldier) to fun (Mystery Inc) to very good (Doll-Master). 6/10

[Fra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vale la pena leggere solo il primo racconto, perché gli altri sono tutti abbastanza noiosi, vagamente inquietanti ma nel complesso inutili.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very fine collection of dark stories by a master writer in her prime. Really, it is a matter of taste with regard to which of the individual stories you will prefer, but Oates genius is evident in every word.

I found the first story, the title story--The Doll-Master to be a bit predictable and that took away from my enjoyment but it also reinforced for me something I really enjoy about Ms. Oates' writing. Mainly, that despite her numerous accolades that place her at the top of the literary scene, she isn't afraid to acknowledge her affection for Lovecraft and other "pulp" writers and engage in playfulness that other "serious" writers avoid. That just makes her not only great, but fun to read.

"Soldier" was a very interesting character study that approaches a fairly frequent headline event from an interesting and cynical angle. "The Gun Story" was probably the most literary of the bunch as it explores criminal violence through the eyes of a young girl who deliberately refuses accept evil around her. I found it to be very moving and quite sad.

"Equatorial" was a fresh story, set in the Galapogos Island and other exotic locals. Wife #2 is facing the very real possibility that this exotic vacation is the opportunity for her to be removed in favor of a new and younger model. This story for me was exceptional in that while it wasn't a completely novel concept, the the exotic locations and the wonderful voice of the protagonist made this story very moving as well as enjoyable.

"Big Momma" is a wonderful Southern Gothic creep show and my favorite of the bunch.

"Mystery, Inc." was an homage to "pulp" mysteries and could have been pulled from an Ellery Queen's or maybe even more likely Alfred Hitchcock's mystery magazine.. The story line and narrative voice actually made me think of creepy comics from the 50's in the way the story lead to what gradually became a more an more obvious, but appropriate ending.

First rate collection.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yay for Joyce Carol Oates because I love her writing!

But boo for short story format! What can I say, I just have a real problem with short stories.

They always seem to end when I'm just getting into them and this collection was no exception.

The stories were all good (especially Big momma & Mystery Inc) but I wanted more time with each!

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars for this offering of six short stories/novellas from Joyce Carol Oates.

This collection was a real mixed bag. Some of the stories had inconsistencies in them, the author repeated herself, and in places the writing could be termed no less than clumsy. But when it was good, it was very, very good. All but one have that macabre little twist in them that makes you catch your breath.

1. The Doll-Master: A young boy starts collecting dolls after his cousin dies. 3 stars.

2. Soldier: this was definitely my least favourite of this collection and one of the least well written. A man is charged with second degree murder after killing a man, a man who he says was one of five who attacked him unprovoked. 2 stars

3. Gun Accident: This was one of my favourites. Hanna takes her children on a visit to her parents in her old home town and rekindles old memories. This was beautifully written and poignant. 4*

4. Equatorial: This was a strange story presented to us in four parts. Henry and Audrey Wheeling, mostly referred to throughout as 'the husband' and 'the wife', are on Henry's dream trip to the Galapagos Islands. Audrey, younger than Henry and his third wife, begins to suspect that Henry is trying to kill her to make way for a younger wife #4. There is some beautiful writing in this story, some perceptive observations "It was through her work with the Clarendon Foundation that she'd met Henry Wheeling - unless it was Henry Wheeling who'd met her." and some frustrating errors, e.g. Audrey is first on the dingy to leave the island and Henry last; then 'he'd made no effort to sit beside her as the little boat filled up.' Annoying! 3 stars

5. Big Momma: This was for me the best story in the collection. Thirteen year old Violet Prentiss is struggling to fit in at her new school in a town where both pets and small children are going missing at an alarming rate. 4 1/2 stars

6. Mystery Inc: which I have read before as a novella, but which I enjoyed re-reading. A struggling bookstore owner takes steps to secure the ownership of a specialist bookstore he has always coveted. 4 stars

I would not call these tales of terror, but most have a little of the macabre in them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital ARC of The Doll Master and other Tales of Terror in exchange for an honest an unbiased review.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terror? Not so much. More unsettling. I have read several of Oates novels, but never her short stories, so I was unsure of what to expect here. Many of her novels deal with dysfunctional families and that is where she flourishes in this collection. The stories are disturbing, but she shows her hand a bit too soon. There is some suspense but the endings are usually a bit of a letdown. The "terror" in these stories can be chalked up to human nature and its many perversions.

Not quite the tales of terror I was hoping for on Halloween, but not a candy bag full of rocks either.
3.5 stars

[Encarni Prados · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha encantado este libro de relatos, algunos de los seis, todo hay que decirlo, mejores que otros, pero con una narrativa adictiva que anima a seguir leyendo. Sin duda el primero es el mejor, el que le da el título al libro, pero no puedo menospreciar ninguno. Un libro muy recomendable para los amantes de su prosa.

[Sarah Skolaski · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third and last stories were my favorites- I liked the mystery aspect of them! This is the first horror book I’ve read so I’d be interested to read one that wasn’t in the killers POV to see if I liked it more.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will write a sentence or two about each story in the book but not too much as I don’t want to give anything away and spoil your enjoyment of the book.

The Doll – Master: Robbie’s cousin Amy passes away from Leukemia at a very early age. Stealing Amy’s doll is the start of his obsession and begins collecting more throughout his life. His collection includes china, wooden and even barbie dolls which he keeps in a deserted part of the house, however they are not just any old dolls.

I gave this story 3 stars, it was eerie and disturbing and more of a psychological read but for me this one just wasn’t the best. It seemd too predictable

Soldier: Brendan Schrank is up on trial for shooting a black teenager, his story is that it was self-defence. There are gangs that roam the streets and he has stolen his Uncle’s shotgun for security reasons. This story follows Brendan, the trial and his journey.

I also gave this story 3 stars – I liked this story, it was thought-provoking and I am so glad that gun’s are not really a thing in the UK. It also shows how people can become paranoid about going outside with teenagers and gangs. This story is controversial as it deals with racism.

Gun Accident: This is Hanna’s story told 26 years after the gun accident. Hanna was asked by her teacher to house and cat sit whilst she went to her husband’s bedside. The teacher lives in a well to-do part of town with a large house and pays Hanna generously for her troubles, however not everything goes to plan when she gets an unexpected visitor.

This was a 4 star read for me, I really enjoyed the writing and the story. I would class this more of a thriller than a horror story though. I also felt a connection with the character, who likes being home alone? Especially when it’s not your familiar surroundings and your sense are elevated, you hear every little thing and your imagination runs wild…. Just me? Ok then…moving on.

Equatorial:Audrey is currently on holiday with her husband in the Galapagos islands, the trip involves hiking which she is not so keen on but does it for love. Her husband is older but adventurous and likes to travel. Audrey feels like she is constantly letting her husband down as this isn’t really her thing. During the trip Audrey gets this niggling suspicion her husband doesn’t want her there and that there is a possibility there is another woman

This was a 4 stars for me, I really connected with Audrey – I felt sorry for her, clearly grief stricken that her husband no longer loves her and is having an affair. She was a very likeable character.

Big Momma: Violet is the new girl in town and is trying to make friends, This town has a bit of a reputation for animals and children going missing, however undeterred Violet befriends Rita Mae and starts going round her house for dinner. Violets mum is hardly at home, either working or out drinking so she spends a lot of time with the family. She feels like she fits in and would rather love with them but they are not what they are made up to be.

5 stars – best story in the book for me. It was very creepy, the father in this story made me cringe a lot. Violet just wanted to fit in, being overweight and the new girl in school she was happy to be excepted by Rita Mae’s family.

Mystery Inc: A young tradesman comes across an elegant bookshop with rare books and antiques, he falls in love with the shop and must find a way to be the next proprietor.

4 stars – who doesn’t like a story about books and bookstores? I know I do! It was slow-paced but interesting and gripping read.

These stories were truly gripping, I have never read anything from this author before and was not let down. These are not so much as horror but definitely eerie and individual. The pace of the stories are slow, so if you want something quick with lots of action these are not the stories for you. If you are looking for reads with endings that will shock you this is not the book for you! Oates writing is amazing, as the stories went on I became more accustomed to her style and ended up really enjoying myself. All the stories are open-ended, I am not usually a fan of these sort of stories, I like closure and knowing what’s what. But then I started to think about the story and the characters for myself and realised that I could end the story how I wanted to it to end.

I will definitely be reading some more of Oates works, if anyone has read any that they recommend please let me know as I would be really interested.

Overall I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.