Ghost Story
Published: 1979
Author: Peter Straub
Genre: American, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Peter Straub's Ghost Story is a horror story. Coward, McCann, and Geoghegan published it on January 1, 1979, and it was made into a horror film in 1981, minus the fifth protagonist, Lewis Benedikt. It was a turning point in Straub's career, becoming a national best-seller and solidifying his reputation.
Stephen King rates Ghost Story as one of the best horror books of the late twentieth century in his non-fiction study of the horror medium, Danse Macabre, and includes a comprehensive critique inside its "Horror Fiction" section.
In the manner of Stephen King in this book, Peter Straub has linked his works and book universe, and some of the links are as follows: Ricky Hawthorne is referenced in the author's 1983 novel Floating Dragon, where it is revealed that he is the uncle of a victim in the latter book. Milburn appears briefly in Koko, which was released in 1988.
This was a mind-boggling story, vast in scale and unsettling in execution. Peter Straub is a virtuoso at trapping the incomprehensible in the net of language and producing enchantment too high for fiction in words that are typically too thin to hold it, and this book is proof of that ability.
In the pages of this novel, a complete little town comes to life, only to break apart at the seams one by one. Too much detail would detract from the narrative's grandeur, but this is a magnificent story that must be experienced.
If things appear to be moving slowly at first, have confidence that these flows will eventually snowball into a gigantic avalanche of horror.
The past is necessary in order to experience the full weight of the present. Knowing the people so well is essential for feeling the full scope of their tragedy.
A horrible narrative constructed from strands of remorse, fear, and yearning, this is a towering example of what the most creative human minds are capable of when turned on, as the title suggests, a 'Ghost Story.'
The work is hypnotic. The author has constructed a waystation deep in snow in the imaginary town of Millburn where people live their own lives, unknowing of the horrifying monsters hiding in the forest ready to strike. These evil creatures eventually come for the helpless people, and they are caught off guard.
This story of ghostly vengeance is educational in many ways because it reveals the consequences of abuse humans inflict on one another. The town itself is full of individuals surviving in varying degrees of guilt, and it is precisely these scars on their souls that brand the victims for the marauders out to feed on them.
I adore this book and wanted to share three things I learned from it.
First - If you're going to get retribution, instead of focusing on a few old townsfolk, ramp it up to eleven and destroy the entire town.
The main villain, who goes by several aliases, all of which begin with the letters AM, intends to accomplish precisely that.
And, like the author, she instructs her victims in the ways of the occult and why they must die. Fortunately, the monster's coup de grâce cannot be delivered because of the bravery of Ricky Hawthorne, Peter Barnes, and Don Wanderly. Nonetheless, a commendable effort.
Second - in my opinion, stories in which the innocent are slaughtered like lambs are not entertaining.
But if you take a community full of folks who have done everything from the heinous to the just irritating and go after them, you've got something.
Of course, the Chowder Society members are the worst, because they killed a young lady, well, she seemed to be a young woman and buried the evidence.
Add to that a lunatic farmer who is always suing people and seeing Martians, a drunken shell of a sheriff, and a woman who would rather have sex with almost every other man in town than stay at home. Wouldn't you say there's enough fodder for a spiteful, deadly, otherworldly being?
Third - This final point highlights Straub's genius. He might have provided a nice old-fashioned vindictive spirit like Henry James did in The Turn of the Screw.
But he went one step further: he created a being—or, God help us, a race of beings—that has inhabited the globe for thousands of years and feeds not only on people's flesh but also on their fear.
That, in my opinion, is what pushes this work over the top. You can't merely crouch inside a circle of salt while holding a crucifix. These are actual things, that may really be living among us.
Is this Straub's greatest work? That's what I knew before I read this book, and it's very evident it is throughout and after reading it.
It has the sense of a great classic to it when you're reading it. As I previously stated, Straub's writing is excellent, from the thrilling prologue to the sinister undertone that runs throughout the novel.
This is one of the greatest horror books I've ever read, and I definitely recommend it. Also, while Straub does a fantastic job of conveying terror without being overly gruesome or bloody, that does not imply there isn't any. This is an excellent book.
Final Thoughts
I have to say that I am disappointed that I did not find this excellent author sooner. I had no idea who Peter Straub was until I discovered the books (The Talisman and Black House) he and Stephen King co-wrote.
And, like many other Stephen King and Peter Straub fans, I consider myself fortunate that they collaborated on the Talisman series.
There is no comparison to Stephen King, yet I had to tell myself several times while reading this novel that I was not reading his work.
If you haven't already done so, I recommend picking up a copy of Ghost Story and bracing yourself for a night of non-sleeping. While you're at it, watch the 1981 film starring Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, and John Houseman, which was released in 1981.
Without a doubt, one of the most terrifying ghost stories ever told. If you didn't believe in them before, you will after reading this book. "The Shining" by Stephen King is right up there with it.
You don't want to flip the page to see what happens next, but you have no choice. Do not, I repeat, do not begin reading this book late at night; you will most likely experience nightmares.
It's best not to start it before heading to work or while you're at work, as it's tough to put down.
Take a few days off, relax, put on all the lights, and read this fantastic terrifying tale of vengeance perpetrated by the most enraged ghost you'll ever meet.
Synopsis
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub’s classic tale of horror, secrets, and the dangerous ghosts of the past...
What was the worst thing you’ve ever done?
In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories—some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves from their quiet lives.
But one story is coming back to haunt them and their small town. A tale of something they did long ago. A wicked mistake. A horrifying accident. And they are about to learn that no one can bury the past forever..."
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
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Rating: 80/100
Recommended: 90/100 Yes.
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Ghost Story (1981) (R)
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