Classic horror from the prolific author of ghost stories and supernatural fiction, and thought by H. P. Lovecraft to be the best โweird taleโ of all time.
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โAlgernon Blackwoodโs novella The Willows uses setting like a master. This story is considered by Lovecraft and others to be one of the greatest horror short stories of all time.ย .ย .ย . I can tell you it creeped me out more than I thought it would. Itโs a simple tale: two men traveling the Danube by boat end up stopping at an island of willows to pass the night, and they begin to realize that they have trespassed upon a land that does not welcome them, and isnโt really a part of our own world. I went in knowing that it greatly influenced Lovecraft, and the parallels in ideas and style are readily apparent in the last half of the story.ย .ย .ย . A beautifully written, enjoyably creepy novella.โ โChicagoNow
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โRepresents a high point in the development of the horror genreโin fact, horror master H. P. Lovecraft regarded it as the best supernatural tale ever written. More thought-provoking than gory or terrifying, The Willows is a must-read for fans of classic ghost stories.โ โNPR.org
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โMind-blowing eerinessย .ย .ย . [a] slow-thickening, vibrating, vegetable atmosphere of dread.โ โTor.com
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โItโs easy to see why this story was revered by Lovecraft and others. It is a textbook example of the classic weird tale, evocatively conjuring the mystery and otherworldly dread that are the hallmarks of such fiction. It moves a little slowly, but patient readers will be well-rewarded with a deeply unsettling slice of cosmic horror.โ โMy Weird Life