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Tales of the Unexpected
Contents: Taste - Lamb to the slaughter - Man from the south -My lady love, my dove - Dip in the pool - Galloping Foxley - Skin - Neck - Nunc Dimittis - The landlady -William and Mary - The way up to heaven - Parson's pleasure - Mrs Bixby and the colonel's coat - Royal jelly - Edward the Conqueror
Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected is a delightfully dark collection of sixteen stories, each with a startling end. Among the unforgettable characters lurk the homicidal wife and her deadly leg of lamb, a conniving and lecherous wine connoisseur and the one-eyed brain at the mercy of his vengeful spouse. Tales of the Unexpected is an astonishing assortment of twisted treats from the master storyteller.
Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected is a delightfully dark collection of sixteen stories, each with a startling end. Among the unforgettable characters lurk the homicidal wife and her deadly leg of lamb, a conniving and lecherous wine connoisseur and the one-eyed brain at the mercy of his vengeful spouse. Tales of the Unexpected is an astonishing assortment of twisted treats from the master storyteller.
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
65 people are currently reading
1601 people want to read
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,472 books26.6k followersRoald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
July 5, 2011
I must admit that when I first purchased this book, I really thought it was a book for children. Why did I think this? Well, mostly because I've only read childrens' books by Roald Dahl. This is not a book for children!
This is another review-in-progress, starting with the very first story.
Taste is the story of two men, Mike Schoefield and Richard Pratt. They have this curious tradition that Mike finds a wine, a really good wine, and then Richard has to guess what it is. However, at this particular dinner party... the stakes are raised! Since this is a story with a twist, I won't reveal the ending, except to say that it kept me at the edge of my seat all the way to the end. I've not felt my heart beat like this for a long time while reading a story. (4 stars)
Lamb to the Slaughter is the story about how Mary Maloney got away with murdering her husband. What still puzzles me is what her husband told her... why was he leaving her? Yeah, the answer is probably... a solid story, fast-paced and entertaining. (3 stars)
Man from the South is another betting story, this one involving a boy, a man, a cadillac and a little finger. This story must absolutely have inspired the director of Four Rooms... yet... might not turn out exactly as you expect it to! Awesome story! (4 stars)
My Lady Love, My Dove is the story of a couple that run some kind of a hotel. The are bored and the woman wants to play a trick on her customers, so they install a sound system at one of the rooms so that they can listen and make sounds. However, the couple that moves in may have plans of their own... The weakest of the bunch so far, but still a good story. (2.5 stars)
Dip in the Pool has a strange premise. A cruise ship is crossing the atlantic ocean and the people aboard are betting how long they get each day. One of the travellers is looking to earn a a lot of cash and is willing to do something REALLY stupid! Awesome story that really kept me at the edge of my seat! Oh, and there is a twist... that you didn't see coming! (5 stars)
Galloping Foxley tells the story of William Perkins, a contented commuter. However, this is about to change as another man enters Williams comfort zone and there is something familiar about this one. A good and solid read. (3 stars)
Skin is one of the more morbid stories in the book (so far). It tells the story of a tattooist who one drunken night decides to get a tattoo of his own. It is supposed to be a masterwork of his wife, by a young upcoming artist. The tattoo is a masterpiece... but the big question is, how do one sell such a masterpiece? (4 stars)
Neck is about... well... I am honestly not sure. It was a strangely incoherent read that didn't really grip me in any way. It is about the relationship between a weak man and a dominating woman. Other than that, you need to read it for yourself. However, I can't recommend it. (1 star)
This is another review-in-progress, starting with the very first story.
Taste is the story of two men, Mike Schoefield and Richard Pratt. They have this curious tradition that Mike finds a wine, a really good wine, and then Richard has to guess what it is. However, at this particular dinner party... the stakes are raised! Since this is a story with a twist, I won't reveal the ending, except to say that it kept me at the edge of my seat all the way to the end. I've not felt my heart beat like this for a long time while reading a story. (4 stars)
Lamb to the Slaughter is the story about how Mary Maloney got away with murdering her husband. What still puzzles me is what her husband told her... why was he leaving her? Yeah, the answer is probably... a solid story, fast-paced and entertaining. (3 stars)
Man from the South is another betting story, this one involving a boy, a man, a cadillac and a little finger. This story must absolutely have inspired the director of Four Rooms... yet... might not turn out exactly as you expect it to! Awesome story! (4 stars)
My Lady Love, My Dove is the story of a couple that run some kind of a hotel. The are bored and the woman wants to play a trick on her customers, so they install a sound system at one of the rooms so that they can listen and make sounds. However, the couple that moves in may have plans of their own... The weakest of the bunch so far, but still a good story. (2.5 stars)
Dip in the Pool has a strange premise. A cruise ship is crossing the atlantic ocean and the people aboard are betting how long they get each day. One of the travellers is looking to earn a a lot of cash and is willing to do something REALLY stupid! Awesome story that really kept me at the edge of my seat! Oh, and there is a twist... that you didn't see coming! (5 stars)
Galloping Foxley tells the story of William Perkins, a contented commuter. However, this is about to change as another man enters Williams comfort zone and there is something familiar about this one. A good and solid read. (3 stars)
Skin is one of the more morbid stories in the book (so far). It tells the story of a tattooist who one drunken night decides to get a tattoo of his own. It is supposed to be a masterwork of his wife, by a young upcoming artist. The tattoo is a masterpiece... but the big question is, how do one sell such a masterpiece? (4 stars)
Neck is about... well... I am honestly not sure. It was a strangely incoherent read that didn't really grip me in any way. It is about the relationship between a weak man and a dominating woman. Other than that, you need to read it for yourself. However, I can't recommend it. (1 star)
March 10, 2019
An unexpected Dahl
9 March 2019
Well, it seems that Roald Dahl wrote a lot more than simply stories about chocolate factories, eccentric millionaires, BFG’s (what ever those letters mean – I have some ideas, but won’t repeat them in this family space, not that it’s stopped anybody else), and giant peaches. The thing is that a part of me was expecting this to simply be a collection of short children’s stories. Actually, not a part of me, all of me, so you can imagine my surprise when, as I was reading it, I discovered stories about this guy who goes around cutting off people’s fingers, a woman who leaves her husband trapped in an elevator for two weeks, because he is just a pain in the neck, and this guy who thinks that it would be a jolly good idea to experiment on his brain after he dies to see if they can keep it alive.
Yeah, I don’t think this is a collection of children’s stories. In fact, I feel that they are more like a collection of stories that you would expect to find on the Twilight Zone – minus the science-fiction elements of course. Well, there are some with some science fiction elements, just not all of them. However, one thing that I can say is that they do tend to be rather grisley, and in some cases quite disturbing. Or, like the guy that made a stupid bet, discovered that he has lost his bet, and then proceeds to attempt to rectify the situation by jumping overboard, only to discover when it is too late that the only person who witnessed him jump overboard happened to be a woman with dementia (actually, this sounds like somebody who deserves a Darwin award).
The thing with a lot of these stories though is that Dahl doesn’t always spell things out directly. They all have twists – that is the main theme that runs through all of them, but these twists aren’t always spelt out directly – a lot of them are implied. This is probably another reason why they aren’t actually children’s stories because a lot of these implications are something that only some adults might be able to pick up – not all, just some. The other interesting thing is that a lot of these stories are actually familiar, despite the fact that I swear that I have never read this book before. I guess that maybe it has something to do with there also being a television series based on the book as well – I do remember something along those lines, but once again it was quite a while ago so my memory is a bit fuzzy.
Well, as for the book, it certainly gives you a completely different side to Roald Dahl, a side that is certainly, well, unexpected. Actually, come to think of it, I guess this is why this book is called ‘Tales of the Unexpected’, namely because we wouldn’t be expecting Dahl to write stuff like this (despite the fact that a lot of these stories appeared in magazines long before he wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
9 March 2019
Well, it seems that Roald Dahl wrote a lot more than simply stories about chocolate factories, eccentric millionaires, BFG’s (what ever those letters mean – I have some ideas, but won’t repeat them in this family space, not that it’s stopped anybody else), and giant peaches. The thing is that a part of me was expecting this to simply be a collection of short children’s stories. Actually, not a part of me, all of me, so you can imagine my surprise when, as I was reading it, I discovered stories about this guy who goes around cutting off people’s fingers, a woman who leaves her husband trapped in an elevator for two weeks, because he is just a pain in the neck, and this guy who thinks that it would be a jolly good idea to experiment on his brain after he dies to see if they can keep it alive.
Yeah, I don’t think this is a collection of children’s stories. In fact, I feel that they are more like a collection of stories that you would expect to find on the Twilight Zone – minus the science-fiction elements of course. Well, there are some with some science fiction elements, just not all of them. However, one thing that I can say is that they do tend to be rather grisley, and in some cases quite disturbing. Or, like the guy that made a stupid bet, discovered that he has lost his bet, and then proceeds to attempt to rectify the situation by jumping overboard, only to discover when it is too late that the only person who witnessed him jump overboard happened to be a woman with dementia (actually, this sounds like somebody who deserves a Darwin award).
The thing with a lot of these stories though is that Dahl doesn’t always spell things out directly. They all have twists – that is the main theme that runs through all of them, but these twists aren’t always spelt out directly – a lot of them are implied. This is probably another reason why they aren’t actually children’s stories because a lot of these implications are something that only some adults might be able to pick up – not all, just some. The other interesting thing is that a lot of these stories are actually familiar, despite the fact that I swear that I have never read this book before. I guess that maybe it has something to do with there also being a television series based on the book as well – I do remember something along those lines, but once again it was quite a while ago so my memory is a bit fuzzy.
Well, as for the book, it certainly gives you a completely different side to Roald Dahl, a side that is certainly, well, unexpected. Actually, come to think of it, I guess this is why this book is called ‘Tales of the Unexpected’, namely because we wouldn’t be expecting Dahl to write stuff like this (despite the fact that a lot of these stories appeared in magazines long before he wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
November 28, 2013
Unfortunately i only got to page 119 when i had to return it to the library, so i'll continue the rest of the book at a later time.
Still, those stories I read, I really liked. Very dahl-esque, quirky stories that read very fast (so don't ask why i didn't manage to finish it in the normal library-loan-time). All kind of weird events, such as chopped fingers and even people who literally sell their skin, but they're all embedded in a very normal world.
And even though none of these stories really blew me away, they were fun. It is always good to read something that originated in Roald Dahl's brain.
Still, those stories I read, I really liked. Very dahl-esque, quirky stories that read very fast (so don't ask why i didn't manage to finish it in the normal library-loan-time). All kind of weird events, such as chopped fingers and even people who literally sell their skin, but they're all embedded in a very normal world.
And even though none of these stories really blew me away, they were fun. It is always good to read something that originated in Roald Dahl's brain.
October 7, 2023
I think my problem here was partly the title, partly that I'm not a big short story fan and partly my expectations. So, it's difficult to call these "tales of the unexpected" when you know that each story will have a twist at the end - unless you think of it that whoever suffers consequences at the end probably didn't expect it to turn out this way. However, another aspect of my disappointment was that I'm a pretty good guesser so I generally knew more-or-less how it would turn out so what was billed as "unexpected" (for the reader, I suppose) was pretty much what THIS reader expected. I would have liked Roald Dahl to be a little more clever but since these stories all seem to have been published previously in magazines, they would have been typical Dahl, "deliciously malicious", served separately. In a group, they lost some of their wickedness.
September 11, 2013
Dahl's short stories are among the best I've read. Watch my review here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmdTfU...
February 6, 2017
My favourites were:
Galloping Foxley, Lamb To The Slaughter and The Way Up To Heaven, the others were super MEH!
Galloping Foxley, Lamb To The Slaughter and The Way Up To Heaven, the others were super MEH!
October 11, 2024
Weird, wacky and surprisingly character driven. My favourite was the antiques dealer dressing up as a priest to visit farm houses in search of bargains.
February 22, 2017
دال أستاذ القصة القصيرة ذات النهاية الغير متوقعة. أفضل قصصه التي تبتعد عن الرعب المباشر أو الخيال. القصص من 8 إلى 16 مأخوذة من مجموعته الشهيرة
Kiss Kiss
فيما يلي نبذة قصيرة عن قصص المجموعة
01. Taste
02.Lamb to the Slaughter
03.Man from the South
04.My Lady Love, My Dove
05.Dip in the Pool
06.Galloping Foxley
07.Skin
08.Neck
09.Nunc Dimittis
10.The Landlady
11.William and Mary
12.The Way up to Heaven
13.Parson's Pleasure
14.Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
15.Royal Jelly: A Short Story from Roald Dahl's 'Kiss Kiss'
16.Edward the Conqueror
Kiss Kiss
فيما يلي نبذة قصيرة عن قصص المجموعة
01. Taste
02.Lamb to the Slaughter
03.Man from the South
04.My Lady Love, My Dove
05.Dip in the Pool
06.Galloping Foxley
07.Skin
08.Neck
09.Nunc Dimittis
10.The Landlady
11.William and Mary
12.The Way up to Heaven
13.Parson's Pleasure
14.Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
15.Royal Jelly: A Short Story from Roald Dahl's 'Kiss Kiss'
16.Edward the Conqueror
September 30, 2017
I needed something short, easy and entertaining for a trip full of business interruptions.
Well ???
Short stories, of course.
Easy and entertaining ??...Roald Dahl....? !!! Humorous too !!!...YES.
I'd read them years ago and they would still have their novelty.
Interruptions would be few because there were 16 stories and most could be devoured in a sitting.
Perfect!!!
So it ALL went Perfectly except for the Fact, an obvious one, that I was much older and more experienced.
I began with the two final stories...something resonated... familiar and disliked.
They recalled an over-rated, popular English writer, whose wife cleansed his books of faults before he presented his latest opus to his publisher. I always seemed to come across those she had overlooked. Not nice, not literature either. Another fault was his reluctance to chuck out all the hard earned research he had amassed in Masses.(Or SHE had!!) He invariably USED it, whether it enhanced or not; it sure added bulk which seemed to be his aim. And here was Roald Dahl doing it!!!UNFORGIVABLE!!
The one about bees and the other about composers, well they were about these topics in a way but they were not the goal, the essence. But here were pages of apiary information in one story and history of composers in th'other...neither the Guts of the tales, but we were to get it ALL, all the same!!! Ian McEwan had modelled himself on Roald, I was sure of that. I sped over the unnecessary excess and it improved the dirge, mostly expunged it. The stories were silly really. No wonder I had no memory of them.
Two down, fourteen to go .
The problem was, would the stories improve. Come to think of it, would I survive.
I did...there was only ONE lonesome story that I had almost total recall of. The murdering wife. I'd never read it, but seen the tale as a half-hour TV series devoted to Roald's stories.
Several had no clever twist in their tail AT ALL. A lame ending ??? Yes, sorry to say.
Others were equally bad...the twist could be seen, easily predicted, seen pages away.
THE BENEFIT...YES, there was a Plus in all this disappointment.
I read much faster and soon was able to take up a thoroughly Good Book !!!!
March 26, 2020
"If you've read any of Roald Dahl's children's classics you would be familiar with his writing style. Tales of the Unexpected is not all that dissimilar only that it is meant for an adult audience - having said that there really is nothing worse than cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking in this book.
Here are 16 ""Unexpected Tales"", most of them not too hard to pick before the end of the story and dare I say it, most of them are not overly clever. I'm almost sure the whole point of these tales is in the delivery.
Think back to a time when the conversation with friends and family around a dinner table saw no mobile phones or Ipads in sight. Think of a time when it was common to switch on the radio (or wireless i
f you will) and listen of an evening, perhaps still while enjoying the company of others. These were the stories that were delivered (sometimes by the inebriated) at such a time, not to draw laughter or applause but quiet appreciation and perhaps the beginnings of a conversation. I'm sure these are the sorts of stories that grew in nature with every telling and were told often. They are not crude, nor hilarious, some have a small twist and some are obvious from the start but these are the type of stories which garner respect for the storyteller.
Much like it is an unforgivable sin today to ruin the punch line of a well-constructed joke, these stories must be delivered in a way that is not only believable but intriguing. They are to draw in the listener, to elicit the occasional sigh or gasp but they are nothing if not delivered perfectly.
Dahl has written these sixteen stories as they need to be delivered. He brings you to the table to listen and then thru
sts you into the body of the story for you to get a birds-eye view as it unfolds. Yes, you will guess the outcome of some well before the tale is told but when you do, do not skip to the next because you will miss the storytelling of a genius."
Here are 16 ""Unexpected Tales"", most of them not too hard to pick before the end of the story and dare I say it, most of them are not overly clever. I'm almost sure the whole point of these tales is in the delivery.
Think back to a time when the conversation with friends and family around a dinner table saw no mobile phones or Ipads in sight. Think of a time when it was common to switch on the radio (or wireless i
f you will) and listen of an evening, perhaps still while enjoying the company of others. These were the stories that were delivered (sometimes by the inebriated) at such a time, not to draw laughter or applause but quiet appreciation and perhaps the beginnings of a conversation. I'm sure these are the sorts of stories that grew in nature with every telling and were told often. They are not crude, nor hilarious, some have a small twist and some are obvious from the start but these are the type of stories which garner respect for the storyteller.
Much like it is an unforgivable sin today to ruin the punch line of a well-constructed joke, these stories must be delivered in a way that is not only believable but intriguing. They are to draw in the listener, to elicit the occasional sigh or gasp but they are nothing if not delivered perfectly.
Dahl has written these sixteen stories as they need to be delivered. He brings you to the table to listen and then thru
sts you into the body of the story for you to get a birds-eye view as it unfolds. Yes, you will guess the outcome of some well before the tale is told but when you do, do not skip to the next because you will miss the storytelling of a genius."
February 17, 2016
A good collection from one of the best storytellers. Dahl had a very peculiar sense of humor, and he used it in just the right amount. A perfect balance between the hilarious and the macabre. "Man from the South" is probably my favorite of the lot.
July 4, 2016
Some absolutely fantastic and hilariously dark stories from Dahl. Very fun little pockets of amusement and intrigue. Although I loved these stories, the collection doesn't quite make it to 5 stars because some of them were just a little bit *too* weird for me ('Royal Jelly' mostly...)
October 2, 2017
This is perfection! My favourites are: "Lamb to the slaughter", "Man from the south", "The Landlady", "The way up to heaven", "Parson's pleasure" and "Royal jelly". Can't wait to read the rest of his work.
August 10, 2018
Such deliciously twisted stories, and such fine writing. Dahl’s physical descriptions and acute observation of body language and gesture are just brilliant.
October 15, 2022
This is a re-read for me! This book from Roald Dahl is probably the book that got me into reading. One of my teachers gave me it as extra reading when I was in school and I was obsessed. I loved that it had about 10 short stories in one book and how different they all were. After only reading Roald Dahl as a children's author I was shocked that some of them could be so creepy and sinister yet at the same time hilarious and entertaining. The plots in each of the stories are so clever and I think this book started off my love for horror stories and thrillers.
My favourite short stories were "Lamb to the Slaughter", "Dip In The Pool", "Royal Jelly" and "The Landlady."
My favourite short stories were "Lamb to the Slaughter", "Dip In The Pool", "Royal Jelly" and "The Landlady."
July 20, 2022
Deliciously dark indeed.
November 19, 2022
Novellerna var kanske inte så oväntade som titeln får oss att tro men det var svårt att gissa vad novellen skulle handla om utifrån novellen.
Jag gillar Roald Dahls skrivsätt.
Vi läste denna novellsamling med jobbets bokcirkel, vi läste en novell i taget och diskuterade. Denna passade väldigt bra till det här bokcirkelkonceptet, en del saker utlämnar Dahl för tolkning och det var ofta vi inte hade tolka sakerna likadant och det skapade intressanta diskussioner.
Jag gillar Roald Dahls skrivsätt.
Vi läste denna novellsamling med jobbets bokcirkel, vi läste en novell i taget och diskuterade. Denna passade väldigt bra till det här bokcirkelkonceptet, en del saker utlämnar Dahl för tolkning och det var ofta vi inte hade tolka sakerna likadant och det skapade intressanta diskussioner.
August 26, 2023
It was a bunch of weird stories. I didn't read them all bc there's like 20. They were kinda messed up but funny.
December 5, 2014
More reviews on my blog, Exploring Pages.
There's no doubt about it: Roald Dahl is one of the greatest writers who has every lived. His stories are compelling, heart-breaking; keep you on the edge of your seat and is read by thousands of people all across the globe. I can understand why people are saying things like this about an author as him. I personally have heard nothing but positive reviews about Roald Dahl and his fantastic stories. When it comes to his adult literature, however, I knew very little about them or what they were like. Turns out they are a bunch of short stories, all with an extremely vague tone to them.
Let's say a huge amount of focus was needed when I read Tales of the Unexpected. So much it eventually gave me a headache. It felt like if I ever missed one word, I would have to read the entire page all over again. After a while the book really started to weigh on me, and in the end it was all too much. The fact that it's written by the Roald Dahl didn't take away the feeling of wanting to throw it out of the window.
Believe it or not, but upon finishing the book I was left so confounded I actually had to do some research to understand what I had just read. All had to do with how vague the stories were. Not some stories, all of them. None had a solid ending, they just left the reader wanting more if that was the case. What I did like about this book, hence the two stars, was how good some stories were put together. There was a lot of thought and time put into them, and that's something I can only appreciate from a writer. I also couldn't ignore Roald Dahl's fabulous writing style. He has his way with words and there were scenes when I had to stop for a moment and read a certain passage over again. Not because I found it to be vague, just beautifully written. For that only, Roald Dahl earns every respect in the world he can get.
All in all, Tales of the Unexpected is a title which connects greatly with all the stories, every single one of them. I did not expected them to turn out as they did, yet I don't mean that in the most positive way.
"If this is about what I am beginning to suspect it is about, she told herself, then I don't want to read it.
Can one refuse to read a letter from the dead?"
-- Roald Dahl, Tales of the Unexpected
There's no doubt about it: Roald Dahl is one of the greatest writers who has every lived. His stories are compelling, heart-breaking; keep you on the edge of your seat and is read by thousands of people all across the globe. I can understand why people are saying things like this about an author as him. I personally have heard nothing but positive reviews about Roald Dahl and his fantastic stories. When it comes to his adult literature, however, I knew very little about them or what they were like. Turns out they are a bunch of short stories, all with an extremely vague tone to them.
Let's say a huge amount of focus was needed when I read Tales of the Unexpected. So much it eventually gave me a headache. It felt like if I ever missed one word, I would have to read the entire page all over again. After a while the book really started to weigh on me, and in the end it was all too much. The fact that it's written by the Roald Dahl didn't take away the feeling of wanting to throw it out of the window.
Believe it or not, but upon finishing the book I was left so confounded I actually had to do some research to understand what I had just read. All had to do with how vague the stories were. Not some stories, all of them. None had a solid ending, they just left the reader wanting more if that was the case. What I did like about this book, hence the two stars, was how good some stories were put together. There was a lot of thought and time put into them, and that's something I can only appreciate from a writer. I also couldn't ignore Roald Dahl's fabulous writing style. He has his way with words and there were scenes when I had to stop for a moment and read a certain passage over again. Not because I found it to be vague, just beautifully written. For that only, Roald Dahl earns every respect in the world he can get.
All in all, Tales of the Unexpected is a title which connects greatly with all the stories, every single one of them. I did not expected them to turn out as they did, yet I don't mean that in the most positive way.
January 8, 2013
Raccolta di racconti dal finale inaspettato con ambientazioni e temi vari; alcuni racconti non sono particolarmente brillanti ("Royal Jelly", "Edward the Conqueror"), tutti gli altri però valgono decisamente la pena; mi sono particolarmente piaciuti "The Way Up to Heaven", "The landlady", "Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" e il famoso "Lamb to the Slaughter".
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Collection of stories with unexpected endings and various setting and themes; some stories are not particularly brilliant ("Royal Jelly", "Edward the Conqueror"), all the other instead are worth; I especially enjoyed "The Way Up to Heaven", "The landlady", "Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" and the famous "Lamb to the Slaughter"
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Collection of stories with unexpected endings and various setting and themes; some stories are not particularly brilliant ("Royal Jelly", "Edward the Conqueror"), all the other instead are worth; I especially enjoyed "The Way Up to Heaven", "The landlady", "Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" and the famous "Lamb to the Slaughter"
January 22, 2011
It was a quite interesting mix of stories. Some I liked, some I was left untouched by.
My favourite by far, was the Man From The South. It reminded me of a scene from a quentin Tarantino movie (Four rooms).
What else can I say?
It's a mix of cleverly thought of, perhaps even touching macabre subjects, stories that have a possibility of happening for real. They don't exceed their credibility by far, with a few exceptions.
But, despite the title, not all stories ended unexpectedly. To a trained eye, the stories become a little predictable after a time.
My favourite by far, was the Man From The South. It reminded me of a scene from a quentin Tarantino movie (Four rooms).
What else can I say?
It's a mix of cleverly thought of, perhaps even touching macabre subjects, stories that have a possibility of happening for real. They don't exceed their credibility by far, with a few exceptions.
But, despite the title, not all stories ended unexpectedly. To a trained eye, the stories become a little predictable after a time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2012
I did like the book, Roald Dahl's wit and clever writing style are as good as you would expect. However I quickly got bored with the fact that every story has the same format, funny story with a twist/secret at the ending. My favourite story was near the end (Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat) but overall I was getting weary towards the end of the book and just wanted to finish it.
Had the format of each short story had a little variety I am sure I would have marked it higher, because apart from the Bee story the ideas and writing was amusing.
Had the format of each short story had a little variety I am sure I would have marked it higher, because apart from the Bee story the ideas and writing was amusing.
September 19, 2015
3.5 Stars
I love Roald Dahl's dark and humorous imagination.
There are 16 stories in this book, some really great, some great and some just nice. But all of them are good. Yes, sure, in one or two you can predict the end but the way Dahl writes and develops the story along with his twisted and entertaining imagination, still make them worthwhile.
My favorite stories were:
- Galloping Foxley
- Parson's Pleasure
Followed close by:
- Skin
- Dip in the Pool
- Taste
- Landlady
- Royal Jelly
I love Roald Dahl's dark and humorous imagination.
There are 16 stories in this book, some really great, some great and some just nice. But all of them are good. Yes, sure, in one or two you can predict the end but the way Dahl writes and develops the story along with his twisted and entertaining imagination, still make them worthwhile.
My favorite stories were:
- Galloping Foxley
- Parson's Pleasure
Followed close by:
- Skin
- Dip in the Pool
- Taste
- Landlady
- Royal Jelly
March 31, 2015
Half a century later, the endings to these well-worn tales are hardly unexpected, and the critique implicit in these darkly comical send-ups of Anglo-Saxon middle classes feels as outdated as the mid-century morals they satirise; but still very readable as delightful exercises in style by a master of understated cruelty.
May 7, 2017
These short stories do the title of the book justice. Though some are rather predictable (to me, at least; does that say something about the stories or my "peculiar" mind? ;) most are brilliantly crafted and suck you in completely. I have another one of Dahl's short story collections and I'll be sure to read that somewhere this year too.
October 24, 2018
I loved how weird and disturbing these stories are! I loved 'Man from the South' because it was so bizarre and I was like aaaaaaah don't bet your pinky. I loved how some of the stories ended abruptly and randomly. My favourites: 'Skin', 'Man From the South', 'Lamb to the Slaughter' and 'The Landlady'.
August 16, 2013
For some reason I expected these to be horror stories but they're not. They're quirky stories full of black humour. My edition is some kind of freebie which only contains 7 of the stories. I'll look out for more.
November 30, 2009
This is the perfect bedside companion for me at the moment. Each bite-sized story is delightful.
July 26, 2013
I didn't really like this. The stories were good, but I felt like nothing was ever really resolved, but I think that might be because it's short stories and not because the writing was bad.
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