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So�� a lot of my friends who have read this seem to have not liked it. Rating it under a 3. But I honestly love anthologies and tend to view them differently. To me they’re just fun and not to be taken too seriously. And I had fun. So I loved this. Also, look at that cover!

I can see why some people might be disappointed if they were expecting something totally mind bending and life changing. But I personally found it really clever and like how everything ties together. I especially love the little Easter eggs in each story in reference to another story. And like I say in my review of the actual stories, I think it can be pretty dark, which satisfies what I wanted out of it.

Some also say the town isn’t well developed. But I REALLY beg to differ. I feel like we get so much of this town, through little bits of history in each story, and we get to see it just as much. Every creepy aspect of the town gets at least one part in the book, some get more. I do wish I got to see more of the park though. Like maybe a story about it? Either way, I can safely say this is a new favorite book.

It says it’s only six stories, but really it’s 7 with the 25 page intro, that really hooked me immediately. It set such a mysterious and spooky vibe. I’m going into this with high hopes�� and yes�� I really want to know what’s inside the box at this point!

And then the outro, which tells you what’s in the box. Which I kinda guessed about halfway through the book. But I don’t hate it and found it kinda fun. Definitely leaves an ominous ending as well as the last story does!

The stories:

A man in slices—so this one is inspired by Van Gogh and�� friendship and…love. And I just wanna say this little story isn’t as simple as just someone cutting their ear off. So please don’t assume that! —It gets pretty dark, for a story that only has 3ish actual characters.
It shows you the progression of a very dark person, from their friends perspective and then in a romantic one as well. And the end is crazy. So if you start it and are kinda offput by the slow start and backstory�� just know- there is a reason for it! I really liked this one. It isn’t much to think about, but again, it’s pretty dark, and definitely fun. It has genuine spooky vibes.

Kamp�� I liked this one even more than the last. In this we follow Walter, who is scared of everything. But especially scared of being scared to death ironically enough. Even more specifically scared to death by ghosts. —We get to see the precautions he takes to ensure that doesn’t happen, we get to see his paranoia�� and also this story uses an opportunity to tell us the history for the foundation of the town. Which in itself left a super spooky atmosphere. This one definitely leaves you wondering if maybe something really is gonna pop out at any moment! The suspense is definitely there. And the ending�� is just so blunt I can’t help but love it!

Happy birthday hunter!�� I enjoyed this one. Probably not more than kamp. But that’s okay! It was hard for me to love since it’s about a big game trophy hunter tricking his friends into going after a sacred owl on the night of a huge birthday party. I mean he’s just a character I was totally fine with dying. Especially hearing about what they did to get the food for the party�� and hearing about his cake made entirely of meat. Just ew. There were actually some reaaaally morbid and dark lines said in this one. Which I could appreciate. Anyway, the great owl they want to hunt is supposed to be endangered, and was put in a haunted forest watched over by a witch (maybe) to protect it. No one in their right mind goes in these woods. Except for Neal, who wants the only animal he’s ever been told is off limits.��-His friends even don’t want to go. And even though they’re game trophy hunters too��. I can’t help but feel bad for them by the end. Neal really is not a good friend! So while it was hard to read�� a sort of consequence does happen by the end! There is animal death in this however. And it is kinda sad. The justice at the end isn’t entirely what I hoped�� but it is there! There’s also a pretty spooky scene in this one!

Presto�� this one is about a young boys favorite magician (Roman emperor) coming to goblin to preform. Roman is known for doing dangerous acts and is not well liked by other magicians who think he does dirty magic. Out mc is his biggest fan and doesn’t believe this. But of course, we find out there is definitely more to Roman than meets the eye. And maybe, just maybe, magic is real? —This one does have really dark undertones. And I mean really dark. It wasn’t badly written. It was just kinda predictable and I was hoping for a twist. Though the vibes were still spooky for sure. This is one of the ones that has an eerie last line. So I appreciated that despite the lack of twist!

A mixup at the zoo�� this one follows a lonely and depressed zoo tour guide, who also works at a butcher house. He has a really strange relationship with the animals (especially the tiger and gorilla) , and really dark nightmares that plague him at night.�� so far this might be the darkest and heaviest story. It’s really weird and again�� dark. The relationship with the animals isn’t what I thought it would be. But it isn’t a bad thing! It also just wasn’t focused on as much. His nightmares were more of a focus. And man were they messed up!! I think in terms of all these stories put together, this one sticks out as less fun, and more psychologically horrifying. Also might not be best for you if you’re really sensitive to animals being hurt in any form. It’s horror and I found I could look past it. It was also super brief and not majorly detailed in this one. But it’s there. The ending is so sad and honestly kinda horrifying.

The hedges�� this one is about a man who made a hedge maze that no one has ever solved, with a horrendous prize in the middle. One day a little girl solves it�� and all hell breaks loose.�� this one isn’t what I thought. I immediately assumed it was gonna be the predictable options. But it wasn’t at all. I was kinda bummed when I found out what it was, but we do get to go into the haunted woods again and honestly I really liked that portion of it. You also get an answer as to what’s up with the goblin police lol. So that’s cool too. The implied ending that occurs in the woods is pretty spooky though.
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There are even important messages about stuff like colonization in here, but done in a super fun way. It still gets the message across but keeps your attention while doing so! It’s so clever in that sense.

But yeah this was my first experience with this author and I really can’t wait to read more. I liked some stories more than others. But as I think about them even now my favorite stories seem to change once I realize new things about them. So I’m just gonna say I loved them all! This was such captivating writing and such a great book.