UWM Libraries' Book Lovers Short Story Club discussion

Hey Everyone!

We had some fantastic discussion this week on the Poe reading! I am excited to post that the winner for next week's story is The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft! It is available for free at the link below!

http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/t...

To get discussion started I though I would add some of my initial thoughts!

H.P. Lovecraft is one of America's most famous authors who unfortunately has a mixed reputation due to the racism that is sometimes present in his work. That being said, he has a masterful way with word choice that makes his descriptions truly seem unknowable. So I thought I would ask what your favorite word was in this reading? mine was "cyclopean"

I like the word "non-Euclidean" as a way to describe the indescribable shapes in the alternate dimension.

Lovecraft uses powerful language to draw-in and yet confuse the reader; his phrases to describe the horror his characters experience allows for multiple interpretations, as though the reader is experiencing their own form of madness that they cannot fully grasp.

One of my favourite examples from this story is, "lumbered slobberingly into sight and gropingly squeezed Its gelatinous green immensity through the black doorway." The description makes me think of a giant sludge monster, like the Pokemon Grimer, but the creature could be imagined in a myriad of ways.

Great analysis Laura! I agree that Lovecraft's strong word choice helps the reader feel immersed in his world. Personally, there are very authors who can make relate to characters solely through word choice and Lovecraft is one of them. Particularly when I read any story in Cthulhu mythos as his language always makes me feel like I'm reading something I should not be reading, but in a compelling way.